Saturday, September 4, 2004

   No Mew Mew
Foxbox aired a full episode preview of F-Zero today, and announced that two new shows would be coming to Foxbox, F-Zero and One Piece. No mention of Mew Mew Power was made.
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the amime clubs
We've been informed that the opportunity to screen the GitS2 featurette isn't limited to only NYC area anime clubs. Anime clubs outside of the New York area interested in screening the featurette should contact Olivier Mouroux at omouroux@dreamworks.com. "We want to make sure all anime clubs nationwide interested get a chance to screen the "Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence" featurette," commented Mouroux
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G.I. (no it is not game informer)
We have confirmation regarding an item we've been hearing rumours about for the past month. On August 10th, GDH, the parent company of Gonzo, announced that it would be animating a G.I. Joe OVA. Full details regarding the project, and the nature of the script have not yet been released.
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Friday, September 3, 2004

   nothing but a days work.
thats all for now, come back soon for news,and revives. GOOD NIGHT
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   of all. PISSED
i see that 46,278 joined here. wow thats alot. and only 6 people saw my site. ok, is it because my name, doesnt give a hook, or my site is lame, or something. my guest book has nothing in it. noone is my friend. i am so loney
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check up, or shut up.
i see there is a lot of words we dont know, so i am here to help.

-de gozaru : �`‚Å‚²‚´‚é
-de gozaru is a phrase most Rurouni Kenshin fans will recognize. It is a somewhat archaic form of desu (to be). People who speak some Japanese will probably recognize a form of this verb from such expressions as omedetou gozaimasu (congratulations) and ohayou gozaimasu (good morning).

Because of its archaic style, -de gozaru is often associated with historical drama. As mentioned above, Kenshin uses -de gozaru continuously, and it can occasionally be heard in Akira Kurosawa's films, such as Ran and The Seven Samurai.

Use of -de gozaru is more or less similar to desu, for example: "Watashi wa Tanaka desu" (I am Tanaka) is equivalent to "Watashi wa Tanaka de gozaimasu". gozaimasu is a more polite form of the verb than the dictionary form, gozaru. Since desu is the all-purpose verb in Japanese, it is not surprising to hear -de gozaru coming so often from Kenshin.

As a final note, it's probably worth mentioning that -de gozaru and desu both mean "to be" in the sense of "equals", as in "I am Tanaka", above (me = Tanaka). They do not appear in the sense of "to become", such as "I want to be a teacher" which would be formed with naru (Watashi wa sensei ni naritai). They are not used either in the sense of location, such as "I am in Kyoto", which would be formed with iru (Watashi wa Kyoto ni imasu).

Aho : ˆ¢•ð �y‚ ‚Ù]adj-na, n.) fool; simpleton; idiot

This Japanese insult is similar to baka but also a little different: it is closer to "mentally retarded" than to the "jerk" meaning usually associated with baka.

As an example, "Aho" is also the name of the mystic force found in the anime Photon. And it isn't a coincidence that the main character, Photon, who possesses great Aho power and/or is impervious to it, seems indeed to be a little dim-witted. "Aho" could then be taken to refer to "the power of stupidity".

Baka : ”nŽ­ �y‚΂©�z(adj-na, n.) fool; idiot; trivial matter; folly.

This derogatory term roughly translates as "idiot" or "dummy". Although we wouldn't recommend using it in casual Japanese conversation, the word has become fairly common in anime. Very often, it can be interpreted as a sign of affection between two individuals too strong-headed to admit it.

Often used while shouting "baka!", the baka-hammer (of its full name "hyperdimensional baka-hammer" or "pan-dimensional baka-hammer") is a device usually used by anime females to administer punishment unto males who have committed or are trying to commit a perverted action, or are perceived to by the female. The baka-hammer, ranging from the light Kodocha mallet to the multi-ton City Hunter clobberer, is in most cases much too big to store on one's person. But anime females are still able to use it whenever the situation calls for it, thanks to judicious use of their personal hyperdimensional storage space (hence the full name of the baka-hammer).

The hyperdimensional (or extradimensional) storage space is, as the name implies, a storage space located in another dimension and thus very conveniently occupying no space in this dimension. From this space, the anime female can retrieve an infinite quantity and diversity of items such as clean sets of clothes, pots of boiling water, swords, guns, heavy artillery and of course baka-hammers. It has been theorized that the hyperdimensional storage space evolved in anime females due to the lack of clothing to store items. However, such a theory may very well be erroneous, as the females who use the baka-hammer most frequently also tend to be the ones with prudish temperament and non-skimpy clothing.

Bento : •Ù“– �y‚ׂñ‚Æ‚¤�z (n.) box lunch.

1.Japanese-style boxed lunchs, served cold. Often consists of rice and various side items arranged in a very visually appealing manner.
2.Train stations usually have a unique version of this, each with its own particular taste, called ekiben (from eki for train station, and ben as a short form of bento).
3.Lovers and devoted wives will make a particularily intricately arranged version of this for their male partner (often to the embarassment of the recipient), called aisobento.

Bijin : ”ü�l �y‚Ñ‚¶‚ñ�z(n.) beautiful person.

Bijin is a Japanese expression that is derived both from the English word "vision" and used to describe women of beauty. Although jin (�l) means person, bijin alone is only used to refer to women. There are however other sayings based on the term that can be applied to both men and women, and bi (”ü) is often used to describe beauty, ie: bishoujo and bishounen.

Bishoujo : ”ü�­�— �y‚Ñ‚µ‚傤‚¶‚å�z(n.) beautiful girl.

Derived from "bi", which is short for bijin (”ü�l), and shoujo (�­�—).

Bishoujo refers to Anime in a vast number of different genres, varying from Shoujo such as Sailor Moon to Erotic Anime such as Meiking. Other examples of Bishoujo include Oh My Goddess!, Sakura Wars and Love Hina.

Almost any Anime that predominantly features pretty girls, such as Sailor Moon, are be considered bishoujo. In fact, Sailor Moon's Japanese title is Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon (Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon). There are also Anime that, as a whole, are not considered bishoujo but may have one or two Bishoujo characters.

Bishounen : ”ü�­”N �y‚Ñ‚µ‚傤‚Ë‚ñ�z(n.) beautiful boy.

Derived from "bi", which is short for bijin (”ü�l), and shounen (�­”N).

Refers to a particular art style commonly used in shoujo manga and anime where boys and men are drawn to be more "pretty" and elegant than handsome.

Very common in the artwork of Yuu Watase and Clamp.

Unlike bishoujo, bishounen does not refer to male erotica, for which the term shounen-ai is reserved,

MORE 2 COME

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FF. all out
The name "Final Fantasy" conjures up different images for different people. For some, it might call to mind the Dark Knight Cecil, rebelling against the corrupt kingdom of Baron. For others, a quartet of pixelated adventurers chasing after the rat's tail and hanging out in Corneria. Yet others will remember the blowing of the Mako Reactor in Midgar, or a grand Blitzball tournament in Zanarkand. Really, the Final Fantasy series is very much defined by just how different each subsequent entry is from the last.

It wasn't always planned that way. In fact, back in 1987 Square didn't have much of a plan at all past releasing Final Fantasy and hoping that it sold. But sell it did, riding on the winds of the RPG phenomenon started by Enix's Dragon Quest a year before. Square was saved, a sequel was begun, and Final Fantasy failed to live up to its name. This fantasy was just beginning.

After three chapters on the Famicom (NES), the series made the leap to 16-bit with the Super Famicom's Final Fantasy IV (SNES's Final Fantasy II). More than just a technical upgrade, FFIV changed the rules of RPG storytelling. Tiny sprites were imbued with rich characterizations and complex motivations -- complex, at least, compared to what had come before. The plot roiled with twists, surprises and betrayals, all scored to the most dramatic and beautiful video game music ever heard. FFIV was like an epic opera playing out on a SNES, and it would serve as the model for most future console RPGs.

Two more 16-bit sequels followed to refine that formula, and then the series was reinvented again on the PlayStation. The long-awaited Final Fantasy VII combined pre-rendered CGI with 3D polygons for an amazing increase in production values. Pre-rendered backgrounds segued smoothly into CGI movies, enveloping players in a dark world of technology gone awry. In the States, Sony put a huge marketing budget behind the launch of FFVII, and many people bought it for the pretty graphics, without even really understanding the concept of an "RPG." They soon did, though, and would soon form the backbone of a greatly expanded North American fanbase.

Things just got glitzier from there. FFVIII featured yet more realistic CGI, while FFIX employed the technology in a strange attempt to return to the series' original, super-deformed look. With another trilogy completed, Final Fantasy's creators looked to the future once more. The future they saw was on the PlayStation 2.

terms of cinematic presentation, Final Fantasy X took its cue from the PlayStation games, only its backgrounds were rendered in real-time. As with the sprites of years ago, extensive story scenes were acted out with the use of the in-game character models, which were, in a series first, fully voice-acted. The increased dramatic flair lead to a game that was felt linear than ever, but the rich presentation, enjoyable characters and solid game system won over legions of fans.

But then something strange happened. FFXI became a massively multiplayer online game, devoid of the usual single-player, highly linear storyline Final Fantasy games had become known for. Then another odd thing occurred -- FFX got a direct sequel, in the form of Final Fantasy X-2! It continued the story of the world of Spira, albeit with a much lighter sensibility. But a sequel to a Final Fantasy game? Unheard of! Change was clearly afoot at Square, which had now merged with longtime rival Enix.

While it will be hard to top the radical divergence of FFXI, perhaps the biggest changes are yet to come. Final Fantasy XII is deep into development, and its gameplay bears only token similarities to any Final Fantasy that's come before. In fact, in some ways it's most similar to the MMORPG, FFXI. The changes really run deep in this one, and it has the potential to alienate fans. It could also be the freshest thing to happen to the series in years.

lot of Final Fantasy XII's massive changes can be traced back to one person: its director, Yasumi Matsuno. Matsuno is responsible for the highly successful Ogre Battle and Final Fantasy Tactics series, which suggests that FFXII could take on a more tactical aspect than prior games. But he's also the fellow behind 2000's extremely complicated Vagrant Story, which some people believe added far too much needless complication and abstraction to various aspects of its game system.

Matsuno's past body of work suggests that he's a meticulous craftsman with an eye for detail, be it in the form of strategic gameplay or ornately drawn graphics. He also seems to enjoy European names and visual motifs. But other signs, primarily the complicated Vagrant Story, suggest a tendency toward complexity for the sake of complexity and number-twiddling micro-management. In short, Matsuno is both a fascinating and a controversial choice to helm a new Final Fantasy.

One obvious sign of Matsuno's influence is that Final Fantasy XII takes place in the world of Ivalice, known previously as the world in which Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance took place. While FFXII occurs in a different time period than FFTA, you can expect to see many familiar elements you may have previously glimpsed in the GBA game. A rabbit-eared Viera woman, for example, will play a prominent role in the storyline. Speaking of which ...

Final Fantasy XII will tell the story of Rabanastre, the royal city of the township of Dalmasca. A peaceful place of beauty and high technology, Rabanastre sits between the warring empires of Archadia and Rosalia. Alas, Rabanastre's tranquility abruptly ends when the Archadians invade, presumably in an attempt to gain a strategic advantage over its enemies in Rosalia. Rabanastre falls, and an oppressive new regime begins.

That's all history, though -- the invasion happens two years before the beginning of the game. When FFXII's story truly begins, Rabanastre is still under the control of the Archadians, and its remaining people are powerless to resist. A 17 year-old kid, Vaan, lives as a street urchin of sorts; he steals and swindles to survive, but dreams of a future free of the Archadians. As the RPG gods have smiled upon him, he'll get a chance to make that far-flung dream a reality.
Vaan

~ A boy who would be a sky pirate. ~

Vaan is the main character of Final Fantasy XII, the Rabanastrean youth who yearns to be free of the Archadian yolk, dreaming of a future as an airship-faring sky pirate. ""Someday, I'll fly an airship of my own! A sky pirate, free to go where I will." He's also a member of the anti-Archadian resistance, which will shortly lead him into the adventure of a lifetime.

Sadly, Vaan's parents were killed two years ago during the initial Archadian invasion, which goes a long way toward explaining his disadvantaged lifestyle. He does have an older brother named Rekt (or possibly Reks) who's in the royal guard, but they seem to be separated when the game begins. In fact, Rekt is quite possibly dead.

Vaan follows in the footsteps of FFX's lead character, Tidus, in that he's got something of a femininity to his appearance. While he has a good sense of style, I wouldn't say he's too feminine for his own good. And he certainly doesn't look like Meg Ryan.

Penelo

~A girl who wants peace~

Penelo seems to be something like Vaan's girlfriend, at least as the game starts out. She's a talented dancer and singer, and quite the cutie besides. One scene of the trailer shows her admonishing Vaan for his thieving ways -- quite indignant by the looks of it. It's thought that Penelo will be Vaan's main love interest, though rumors indicate that the romantic subplot will not be as developed as in FFX.

~A loyal knight who becomes a traitor~

Basch is a member of Dalmascan royal guard, seemingly among the upper ranks of soldiers. Vaan's brother Rekt appears to be a subordinate of his. Though supposedly loyal to the King of Dalmasca, Basch assassinates him early in the story. He defends his actions, saying, "The king meant to sell Dalmasca ... His majesty was the traitor." Basch's face exudes strength and dignity, quite the opposite of what you'd expect in a traitor.

Rekt is the older brother of Vaan, who is serving the Dalmascan guard during the time of the Archadian invasion. The E3 trailer shows him arguing with Basch, and rumor has it that Basch kills him. Perhaps he raised objections to Basch's role in the Dalmascan king's demise?

Balthier

~He flies the skies of Ivalice. The sky pirate.~

Balthier is a 22 year-old sky pirate, a freedom-loving rogue who somehow becomes involved in Vaan's adventures. From the brief glimpses of him afforded thus far, he seems to be more of a gentleman rogue than a rogue rogue; he speaks with a dry, perhaps world-weary manner. He's also an accomplished gunfighter, and has a Viera partner named Fran.

Fran

~She wields any weapon with ease. His partner.~

Fran is a viera, a mostly female race of warriors that sport huge, rabbit-like ears. You might have seen them recently in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. Not much is known about Fran's personality at the moment, other than that she's Balthier's partner and apparently a master of many weapons.

Ashe

~A princess. When all is lost, she builds it anew.~

The 19 year-old Ashe is the ninth child of the King of Dalmasca, and the only surviving heir to the throne. However, she has other business to take care of first, joining the resistance after the fall of Rabanastre. She hopes to lead her people to freedom, and really should try to find a longer skirt.

Judge

Judges are the arbiters of justice in the world of Ivalice, though it's not known if they're affiliated with any one country. My guess, simply based on a few scraps of info and the E3 trailer, is that they originate from the Archadian Empire. Balthier certainly seems worried when confronted with one in the E3 trailer. The Judges have hulking bodies and two wickedly twisted swords. In fact, you can see one in FFXII's official logo, so you know they'll play a significant part in the storyline.

The Races

Just as in Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy Tactics, FFXII's Ivalice is a world of many races. Here are the ones we've seen so far.

Humes: Humes are what we would call humans. They're largely responsible for the clashing empires that provide the impetus for FFXII's storyline. Many different cultures of Humes exist, just like in our world. Hume intelligence is the standard by which other races are judged, and there are races both above and below this level. Humes use some of the lesser-gifted races as slaves, while the more intelligent races often try to avoid attracting undue Hume attention.

Moogles: The classic Final Fantasy creature has been reimagined for the world of Ivalice, and now look somewhat like bipedal bunnies. With wings, mind you. Moogles are highly intelligent creatures and are responsible for much of Ivalice's amazing technology, including its fabulous airships. Perhaps because of this, Humes tend to respect Moogles, despite their cuteness and small stature.

Seeq: The Seeq have a hog-like appearance, and a similar level of intelligence. If they happen to speak Hume, it may still be hard to understand. Strong and fast, Seeq are well-suited to becoming warriors and mercenaries.

Viera: The odd, lithe bunny-women are called Viera. Viera are outstanding hunters, with super-human senses and great strength. Viera come in light and dark-skinned varieties; mixed-race (light/dark) Viera are most likely to live among Humes, with the pure-blooded varieties preferring to stick to ancestral forests.

Bangaa: This reptilian race has a Hume-like level of intelligence, but occupies a lower rung in society due to its bestial appearance. Like the Seeq, Bangaa are very swift and make great warriors. They also have unique potential as mages.

Are there any more races? It's quite possible. However, it's worth noting that all of the party members revealed thus far have been Hume, with the sole exception of the Viera Fran. It'll be interesting to see if any of the more exotic races can be incorporated into the party, or if they'll simply serve as NPCs and enemies.

New World, New Viewpoint

Ever since Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy games have featured fixed camera angles. Sure, they moved a bit in Final Fantasy X, but you never had any real control over which direction to look at any given time. That all changes with Final Fantasy XII, the first single-player Final Fantasy to offer a controllable 3D camera. The camera system looks to be very similar to Final Fantasy XI's, only now with the enhanced graphical richness possible in a dedicated single-player game.

This is more exciting than it might sound at first. The world of Final Fantasy XII will be the most realistic ever seen in the series, both in terms of layout and architecture. Now that you can look any which way, Square's artists will have to construct their worlds to a hitherto unseen standard of detail. There will be numerous obscure nooks and crannies for the attentive player to notice, and the feeling of environmental immersion will be another series high.

The fancy new camera will be used for more than just gameplay, as a majority of FFXII's hours and hours of cutscenes will now be acted out in-engine. Square achieved good results with this technique in FFX, but are going further with it now. Full-motion video (FMV) sequences will still be scattered throughout the game, but they'll be the exception rather than the rule. I used to have trepidations over the use of in-engine assets for cutscenes, but the awesome cinematics of Metal Gear Solid cured me of that. I have no doubt that Square-Enix will achieve a similar quality in FFXII's in-game cinemas, leading to better immersion and an easier sense of identification with the characters.
In addition to the newfound feeling of immersion, another important aspect of the new camera system is that all battles will now occur in the very same environments you explore on foot. No more fade to black or screen shatter -- the battle will occur instantaneously, wherever you happen to be in the current environment. Encounters won't be random, either; as in FFXI, all enemies will be visible as you approach, leaving you the option to avoid combat if you so desire. Now that Final Fantasy has finally adopted this technique, might it become the CRPG norm? Quite possible, and not a moment too soon. Random encounters are so 1986.

So, combat.

The Battle System

While the addition of a free-floating camera is huge, it pales in comparison to the changes Square's making to the familiar Final Fantasy battle system. In short, it's like no Final Fantasy you've ever seen. The classic Active Time Battle (ATB) system, which has been around since FFIV, is being replaced with the new Active Dimension Battle (ADB) system. While there are some similarities to ATB (such as the presence of the old ATB bars, which must be filled before an action can occur) FFXII is really blazing a new path for itself.

Gone are the familiar columns of characters -- enemies on the left, allies on the right. Your characters will now run wherever they need to attack, even splitting up if need be. Likewise, the enemies can move and pursue however they please. You'll only control one party member at a time, issuing commands in near real-time (again, you have to wait for the character's ATB bar to fill before anything can actually happen). Just like in FFXI, if you tell a character to attack something it will keep attacking until it gets different orders or its target dies.

Luckily, you can hop around between characters at any time, issuing them different commands as deemed necessary. However, you can't reliably control multiple characters at once (at least not well), so that's where gambits come in. Gambits appear to be items that can be obtained and then equipped onto a character. Each gambit will trigger different actions; one might make a character mimic the actions of the current player-controlled character, while another could make the character attack on its own initiative. Clearly, the details are still murky. It sounds like gambits will play a huge role in both how battles play out and in character customization, though.

Of course, now that battle happens in the actual game environments, you'll need to take positioning and line of sight into account as well. For example, it's thought that characters who fire down on enemies from above will have an attack bonus. This and many similar rules and circumstances will hopefully let FFXII make the most of its lovely new battlegrounds.

No Final Fantasy is complete without an epic soundtrack, and longtime Matsuno collaborator Hitoshi Sakimoto will be the composer behind Final Fantasy XII. Sakimoto-san has a very strong resume -- Radiant Silvergun, Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy Tactics -- so fans can rest assured that the soundtrack is in able hands. The word is that Sakimoto-san will be creating a more energetic score than usual, presumably to reflect the game's bright and sunny visuals and sense of high adventure. Legendary Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu will also be contributing the game's main theme, which will have a theme of "love." Last but not least, FFXII will support five-channel Dolby Pro Logic II in both gameplay and cinematic scenes. If you've got the proper equipment, the effect would be awesome.
...pretty much everything we know at this point. Final Fantasy XII still has a ways to go before it's released in Japan, let alone America. The Japanese date is merely 2005, and we can only speculate about an American debut at this point. Late 2005 would make sense given Square-Enix's past localization lag, and even 2006 could be feasible. It's clearly going to be a very late release over here, appearing in the twilight days of the PlayStation 2. If everything discussed in this article pans out, though, Matsuno-san will have given the system one heck of a send-off.







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Country Living: The Open Roads of San Andreas
September 03, 2004 - It's been a week or two since we last updated you on the progress that Rockstar Games is making with Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas(thats a joke) (unless you want to count yesterday's soundtrack story), so we figured that today was as good as any to fill you in on some of the more interesting aspects that GTA will be offering when it hits store shelves this coming October. More specifically, we wanted to give our readers explicit details on those open areas between the three major cities that we've been hearing about for months now; in addition to the improved gunplay mechanics and a few other little surprises you may not have already known.

Luckily for us, we had the opportunity to see a newer build of San Andreas a few weeks back; but up until now had been asked to keep what we saw a secret so that we could bust it out when the time was right. Believe us when we say that we really wanted to tell you about that experience too -- because based on what we saw, the countryside environments of San Andreas are just as interesting (if not more so) than the cityscapes and urban settings we've grown accustomed to.

one of the biggest questions that people have been asking us since the countryside was announced was how long it would take to drive across it from corner to corner. Unfortunately the answer to that question still isn't known yet; as Rockstar representatives were rather honest with us when they told us that they hadn't really timed it and still have more elements to add before they'd do so. Even still, the land area in San Andreas is huge and as an example, we witnessed our guide travel back from one of the game's several small towns to Los Santos over the span of which, seemed like nearly twenty minutes. He wasn't exactly lollygagging either -- as he used both the brand new Monster Truck vehicle, a dirty lawnmower-sounding dirt bike, and an airplane similar to that of Grand Theft Auto III to get us there. If that doesn't tell you how big the state of San Andreas really is, then get ready to be wowed when you finally play it.

Anyhow, Rockstar reps confirmed with us that there would be a dozen or so small townships scattered throughout the countryside area -- with each possessing their own unique look, theme, and citizen mentality. Unfortunately, we didn't get to experience the rural locals for ourselves in this build (it looked as though they had been added in yet), though the differences in style compared to Los Santos were immediately obvious. In the sleepy little town we visited, for example (a moderately-sized trailer park spot known as Angel Pine), there were all manner of differently structured buildings and landmarks that screamed small neighborhood.

Very reminiscent of the patchy communities I remember growing up with in the 1980s-era California cities of Lancaster and Palmdale, Angel Pine comes complete with its own mom and pop liquor store, a quaint little bakery, a single-screen theater, and a humorously-named motel known as "U-Get-In." Additionally, there were a ton of single-wide trailers on the edge of town in addition to a mix of dirt roads and pave streets that should strike an immediate chord with anyone who's ever taken a road trip and stopped for gas somewhere off the main freeway. It's pretty cool.

What's more impressive, however, is the gigantic mountain that stands next to Angel Pine in the distance. Confirmed by Rockstar to be the largest single object in the history of Grand Theft Auto games, Mount Chiliad is more than half a mile tall with various roads that players can take to get to the top. For our trip upwards, though, our guide split his time between riding the aforementioned dirt bike and a little sweet quad-cycle that had a physics system almost comparable to legitimate quad racing titles.

And as we traveled upward, the mountain view further went to prove Rockstar's claim that everything in the game casts a shadow -- as the trees, rocks, and mountain itself all had a realistic effect on the areas we looked towards in relation to the position of the sun. Additionally, the draw-distance was far beyond that of the previous GTA games with a breathtaking view that allowed us to see miles in the distance (our guide even busted out a disposable camera to zoom around and get a better look), while our bike kicked up a convincing dust cloud behind us. Frankly, this whole range of visual wizardry looked pretty damned awesome.

Our time on the mountain wasn't just for sightseeing, however, as our guide next took us to a safe house cabin near the landmark's peak. Once we arrived, we noticed that that cabin was occupied by a good number of armed FBI agents; and as it turns out, we had to go through them to kill a government witness. Apparently, CJ has been blackmailed into hunting this guy down as a favor to a major character that Rockstar wasn't ready to reveal yet, but needless to say, it had to be done no matter who it was that was asking. Moments later, gunfire was everywhere and CJ and FBI agents had the lead flying with reckless abandon.

After CJ had eliminated a few of the agents, the remaining group of them grabbed the witness and threw him into the back of a black sedan. From here, the mission requirement became that of a car chase, as CJ hopped on his motorcycle and followed the car down the spiraling mountain road. Once again, the impressive dust cloud kicked into high gear and there were a great number of particles and special effects as CJ fired at the car in order to get it to stop. Eventually Carl managed to stop the automobile before it could make it to safety, and after quickly disposing of the witness had to whip out his camera accessory to take a picture of the corpse as proof of his accomplishment. With the mission complete, Rockstar's reps found it the perfect time to take us back to Los Santos via the long and winding highway.

Though we didn't get to see them for ourselves, there was still a great deal of other townships that populated the land as well. Close to our destination lied the little nook known as Dilamore, while other such places like Palomino and Blueberry were further out towards the other major cities. There were farms, lakes, forests, and gas stations too; but the area is so huge, I doubt we'll ever truly grasp how big it really is until we can finally sit down and explore it.

What we saw above wasn't the only new goody to be discovered in San Andreas, however, as we also learned about one of the brand-new weapons in Grand Theft Auto -- the Desert Eagle.

Large and imposing, the massive handgun has more stopping power per round than any other weapon except for sniper rifles; and when CJ first starts to try and use it, he'll barely be able to hold onto it when firing; as he'll need to get more used to the weapon first before he can become proficient with it. It's an intriguing weapon to be sure, and one that Rockstar tells us is one of the most lethal new weapons on the game.

Easily one of the funniest things we saw, the ability to ride an industrial strength lawnmower has been included in GTA as well. Considered a last-ditch ride, this goofy looking automobile will likely have little practical use when running from the law, but we'll be damned if it isn't funny. Plus, it is legitimately faster than running -- so who knows? Maybe you can find a use for it after all.

But if you're looking for something to do in-between mower runs, be on the lookout for rural races that take place all over the state. Whether it's an uphill rocky road race in your 4x4 or a motocross competition with your dirt bike, there are plenty of moneymaking and adrenaline-pumping activities.

In the rolling hills west of Los Santos, players can expect to find a cozy little truck stop known as RU Haul. Always looking for extra drivers, the owner is perfectly willing to throw CJ some cash if he can tow pull some cargo.

What makes this particular job so damn cool, though, is that hauling cargo is done with a traditional 18-wheeler -- which also happens to be the largest road vehicle in the game. Boasting fully-articulated physics, the truck supposedly behaves and reacts exactly like a real trailer should; with a loss of grip if you take corners too fast or jackknifing if you make too harsh a turn when avoiding obstacles. The trailer can disconnect too, so your truck will react and move in different ways depending on what you've got going on in the back.

Players will probably want to use the 18-wheeler as often as possible too; because they'll be able to earn thousands of dollars for completing lower-level projects or tens of thousands for delivering hot and stolen goods that the police are looking to confiscate. Players should keep in mind, however, that hauling missions are completely timed. So if they screw up and miss their window, their payoff will be cut to half of what it was supposed to be.

One final aspect of the 18-wheeler that players should take note of is that Rockstar tells us that they make unbelievable "rolling bombs." So if you ever want to take out a large group of guys in concentrated areas or just want to see a bunch of pretty lights, simply speed your tanker towards the crowd and dive out at the last minute. Follow it up with a quick blast with your rocket launcher and BOOM! Instant mass barbeque!

Because of its varied landscape, San Andreas boasts quite a few different kinds of plants. To render these as realistically as possible, Rockstar North has developed a special technology that draws in foliage around the character model (known as procedural rendering). What happens is, the designers tag areas with different terrain designations that are then assigned specific kinds of plants and shrubbery. Different varieties of underbrush and grass, for example, will automatically be drawn in based on your location; while rocks, fallen logs, and other such things will also be computed into the equation should step in the right area. Players can expect dozens of different planets in all.

Another cool little feature related to nature, is the fact that the moon now goes through regular phases. Since the game has its own internal clock that keeps track of what days you've spent in the world, it knows what day of the week it is as well. And just as it does in our universe, the moon in the San Andreas universe will cycle through a 30-day phase so that it changes every evening. What's more is that the moon and the stars will even look brighter when you're away from the lights of the city and in the comforts of the countryside. Nice!

Manhunt fans should be pleased to know that Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is borrowing a lot of that game's ideas when it comes to targeting and firing your gun. Completely redone, the new gunplay mechanic still retains similar controls so that veterans of the earlier games don't have to relearn everything from scratch. R1 still targets your enemies, for example, and you can still perform random fire with the circle button.

But once you've pressed R1, you'll receive a number of new options for an expanded approach towards how you target your enemies. So at first, CJ will aim at the closest hostile enemy and skip non-hostiles altogether. If there isn't a hostile in the area, however, he'll simply auto-target the closet person to him within a range of just over 90 degrees. But if there still isn't a target that meets his requirement, CJ will then default into free aim mode. In this mode, the camera will now rest behind your character while the reticule appears in the center of the screen. Even further, the right analog stick finally allows players to move the camera up, down, left, and right, while they move (or strafe) their CJ model with the left.

This kind of approach means that the game will play more like several other mainstream third-person shooters (like the aforementioned Manhunt), while allowing players to target whomever they want without using an auto-lock. While using this kind of targeting system, L1 now acts as the firing button -- though circle can still fire when not using the new targeting system. Old school GTA veterans shouldn't worry, though, as the system will still allow them to cycle through locked targets with the L2 and R2 buttons; which will apply regardless if CJ is in auto-lock or free-aim mode.

Now as we're sure you've guessed by now, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has also added a number of RPG-like elements to its gameplay system, and its application to the targeting system is pretty important. In fact, there are six different attributes related to how players use guns that can affect their overall performance when firing. Naturally, these skills can be improved upon over time (by using that particular weapon and it's action more frequently, ala The Elder Scrolls games). Listed below are the categories that would-be gun maniacs can look forward to:

Reload Time: The more improved CJ becomes at this skill, the fewer seconds he'll need when reloading. This is extremely important when involved in large-group firefights.

Fire Rate: This skill dictates how many bullets CJ can spray in a certain amount of time. The better the skill, the more ammo he can unload in shorter instances.

Accuracy: When players improve this skill, the circle outside of their reticule will expand and contract for better a visual representation of your target lock. As always, crouching also improves the precision of your shots.

Weapon Stance and Movement: Each weapon has a different ability relative to that weapon type that can be unlocked. This means that some weapons, for instance, can earn the ability to allow CJ to move while firing. While others improve your character's weapon stance so that he has faster strafe speeds or uninhibited backwards movement when firing.

Dual Weapons: What Rockstar is calling "The Ultimate Upgrade," this skill allows CJ to handle two weapons at a time. This effectively doubles CJ's firing rate and length of time between reloads.

And so yet another one of our massive features has come to and end. We hope you found the information in this installment helpful, and we'll take this time to remind you to check our media page below for several new screenshots that you won't find anywhere else. We'll be back with more on Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas soon (yeah, like we really needed to tell you that).

It's difficult to remember a time in gaming before Grand Theft Auto, since it's been such an incredibly influential series. But when Grand Theft Auto III hit the scene in 2001, there was nothing out there like it...except for the game's relatively little-known 2D predecessors. GTA III was a remarkable game for a variety of reasons, but perhaps the most important of these was the game's urban setting. Here was a game that did the unthinkable: It proved that you didn't need some high-tech futuristic dystopia or some medieval fantasyland to make a memorable setting. A relatively mundane real-world urban environment could be even more exciting than any make-believe, fictional world. As well, this urban setting made it so that GTA III was easy to relate to. It all felt familiar, in a way. No logic leaps were required.

Since then, urban settings in games have become pretty played out, actually. It took a while for the Grand Theft Auto clones to hit the market, but they're here, and their effects undermine Grand Theft Auto's own authenticity. Fortunately, the next game in the GTA series is likely going to make yet another dramatic shift from what you've come to expect. The game's setting of the state of San Andreas, which will purportedly be five times larger than 2002's Vice City, will consist of three different cities (based on Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas)...as well as vast stretches of countryside separating them from one another.

"Countryside." Say it aloud, and listen to the lack of excitement in your voice. No, it doesn't sound exciting or interesting at all? Hardly any games take place out in the countryside. With good reason, right? Nothing happens out there. It's flat. It's boring. It's empty. There's nothing to do...right?

But we're talking about Grand Theft Auto here--the series that took everyday humdrum tedium and turned it into one of the greatest gameworlds ever. With this in mind, we recently paid a visit to Rockstar Games for a firsthand look at Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas' new countryside environments and corresponding gameplay elements. We were skeptical, since we had trouble imagining how something like this could possibly stand as an exciting, new component of what's still going to be known as an urban-themed game. Yet we left the meeting more excited for San Andreas than ever. If you're having trouble imagining what the wild outdoors can do for Grand Theft Auto, we're here to set the record straight.

If the crime-infested cities of San Andreas call to mind movies like Boyz N the Hood and Menace II Society, the countryside will hearken back to Thelma & Louise and Deliverance. If you've never seen these movies, the point is, the game will retain its edge inside and outside of the metropolis. We got a chance to see a good chunk of San Andreas' countryside (which, in total, should be about 50 percent of San Andreas' entire landmass) and definitely got a good feel for the distinctively quaint-yet-dark style that the developers are going for here.

The countryside will be scattered with a dozen small towns, each with its own local populace. These are simpler folk, many of whom are clad in overalls or can be seen walking with their spouses hand in hand. The countryside includes all sorts of new vehicles you'd expect to see out in the boondocks but that would look out of place in the big city. We're talking RVs, ATVs, monster trucks, mountain bikes, tractors...even bulldozers.

The countryside will put San Andreas' stifling cityscapes into perspective. These cities don't exist in a vacuum; they're part of a bigger picture. And the bigger picture of San Andreas, the game, is this: Despite appearances, San Andreas is not just about early '90s thug life. The urban hip-hop thing's been done top to bottom already. Rockstar prides itself on staying ahead of the curve and being a leader in defining style and trends in gaming rather than being a follower. The all-encompassing style of San Andreas ought to put that reputation to the test. Learn more about the fringes of San Andreas next.

One of the interesting aspects of San Andreas' countryside is that it gives the developers license to get away from the flat urban sprawl the GTA series is known for. Case in point: Consider Mt. Chiliad, a San Andreas landmark that reaches an elevation of a good half-mile. We got a chance to see CJ, San Andreas' makeshift protagonist, bike his way up this mountain so that he could peer off the side of it. The increased draw distance of San Andreas--which is four times greater than that of Vice City--is perhaps most apparent from this point, because it's possible to see way out on the horizon, which is dotted with evergreen trees. The expansiveness of the outdoor environments seems like a refreshing change from the density of the city--and it represents a dramatic contrast, since the city really is never going to be too far away from the country.

Not to get ahead of ourselves, but the most impressive part of the demonstration was not so much any aspect of the countryside itself, but it was what happened as CJ drove (on a new motorcycle called the Wayfarer, which was reminiscent of a Honda Gold Wing) from the countryside and into the heart of Los Santos, San Andreas' LA-style capital city. Remember, this game will have no interruptions caused by loading times as you're cruising around the state, so you'll be able to drive for miles and miles without being taken out of the experience of the game.
It's one thing to read about this expansiveness, but it's quite another thing to actually see it. As the sky fills with smog and denser and denser networks of electrical wires--in addition to more and more traffic--a pretty amazing shift occurs. If you've ever driven cross-state or cross-country, you know the feeling, and GTA: San Andreas seems to capture it very well. One of the things that's always been great about Grand Theft Auto is the sense of escapism that the games provide. In essence, the world becomes your playground. San Andreas seems like it will take this notion one step further by letting you get away from it all even in the context of the game itself.

While the new towns and simple folk out in the countryside looked like they could offer up some promising gameplay experiences, we have to admit that the new vehicles are what got us the most excited. The new ATV featured the sort of bouncy suspension and throaty engine noise that distinguishes the real-world vehicle, only it's much faster here than in real life. CJ can easily catch air on this thing, and it just looks like great fun to drive. The physics for it look distinctly different from other vehicles, especially since CJ can do a lot of motorcycle-style stunts on the ATV. However, it does boast the handling of a small truck.

Speaking of trucks...the new monster truck handles differently from the smaller varieties, let's just say. This behemoth features four-wheel steering and independent suspension and is capable of pulling some wild donuts as you're skidding around on the dirt. You can just imagine the sorts of havoc you could wreak in a vehicle of this size. Rockstar reps used the monster truck to demonstrate the range of styles that the game would eventually capture by skidding around in the forest while listening to hard rock in an American flag-emblazoned monster truck that hardly suggests the hip-hop theme that San Andreas is already well known for. What is this? Grand Theft Auto: Hicksville? At any rate, it's very cool.

We didn't get a chance to see it, but Rockstar also gave us some new details about the bulldozer, which will feature new physics of its own, including rear-wheel steering, for one thing. The front wheels are locked, so you'll have to get used to some pretty unusual mechanics to get a handle on this beast. Its plow will be fully functional via the right analog stick, so you'll be able to use it...to smash stuff, of course, or to flip cars and stuff like that. The world of the game will also be filled with many more breakable objects, which should make bulldozer rampages that much more interesting.

The countryside won't just be about joyriding, of course. The plot of the game will send CJ out of the city and in to the woods with good reason. Read on to find out what types of things he'll have to do while outside the reach of the long arm of the law.

We got to see one story mission out in the wilderness in which CJ (who's apparently been blackmailed at this point in the plot) needed to hunt down a particular individual who was in witness protection. CJ then needed to take the man out. Finally, he had to snap a photo as evidence of his work. The "protection" part of witness protection, in this case, included several FBI goons, who CJ was able to take out with dual-wielded pistols (predictable yet new to San Andreas, nonetheless). The witness, at this point, bails, which triggers a high-speed chase down Mt. Chiliad, with CJ trying to spray the guy's car with Uzi fire from behind the handlebars of his BMX. The dust that was kicked up by the getaway car made pursuit difficult, and, in fact, CJ ended up blowing up the car rather than disabling it. As a result, the witness perished in the explosion, thus leaving behind insufficient evidence. Mission failed. But, man, that's a pretty cool way to fail a mission.

There was lots of other cool stuff to see in the countryside. Some always-interesting signage adorned the town streets, and we spotted other vehicles, like a police truck, lurking around. And we also got to see the new-and-improved flyable Dodo prop plane in action. Now there's full-on, fully implemented flight in San Andreas, and there will be no better way to cross the state than in one of these planes. The Dodo's handling looked pretty squirrelly but very realistic--like its sound effects. We were left wondering what other types of winged vehicles might be hidden in the game. (Bring on the stealth bomber!) At any rate, the Dodo again demonstrated the sheer scale of San Andreas' landmass, which obviously appears much greater than previous games. Yet, what we learned from seeing the details in the countryside is that it won't just be empty expanse. The sorts of interesting incidental events that make the world of Grand Theft Auto so entertaining are going to be out there as well.

It's worth mentioning some of the technical details that have evidently gone into San Andreas. You've seen screenshots of the game, which feature GTA's unmistakable art style...but seeing the game in action really does go to show that this game looks a lot better than Vice City, by comparison. There really is a lot more detail going on, and characters and animations generally look more vibrant and lifelike. Vehicle physics for the new types of rides are a joy to behold, and the improved draw distance and eliminated loading times make for differences that may seem subtle yet actually have a rather profound effect on gameplay. We also noted that all the sound effects in the game, for weapons and such, seem to be new--and very loud. If you've ever played Manhunt, then you know Rockstar North is capable of some very hard-hitting audio, and you can expect to hear more along these same lines in San Andreas. The game will also incorporate Manhunt's blocking system and more-advanced hand-to-hand combat. Additionally, you can also expect lots and lots of new jacking moves. The best one we saw was when CJ delivered a smashing backfist to an unfortunate soul who was riding a Wayfarer. Thanks for the ride, chump.

Rockstar's revealed other details to us, such as how you'll be able to find and use lots of new weapons in San Andreas. We spotted a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and we're also told that a shovel will be available, replete with the satisfying "klunk" sound you'd expect. Planes, which include the Dodo as well as the new crop duster, will feature a new type of radar, allowing you to easily gauge your altitude. Mountain biking won't just be for fun, but it'll be for competition, so expect a downhill race to be one of the game's new driving challenges. Also, fires will break out in San Andreas from time to time, and CJ will be able to extinguish them with the proper equipment. It's clear that Rockstar North just keeps layering more and more detail into this game, and it's definitely making all of this detail fit together.

Speaking of details, what about your threads? Whether you're cruising the streets of Los Santos or going for a drive in the country, you'll naturally want to look your best. Keep reading to find out how CJ will suit up with style.

Previous games in the Grand Theft Auto series have placed little emphasis on your characters' clothing. As Tommy Vercetti, you could don only a few alternate outfits that were scattered strategically around town, while GTA III's nameless antihero conducted all of his dirty business in the same drab, unassuming garb. No longer is this the case, because San Andreas will give you plenty of options for mixing and matching clothing and hairstyles to achieve the look that makes the ladies swoon and your enemies shrink in fear.

Speaking of your enemies, you'll have to take them into consideration when you select the style and coloring of your clothes. Gang colors will play a large part in your relations with other people in the game, because they'll help identify you to other members of your own crew who will help you out in a tight spot. But be warned, because flashing your colors will also draw the unwanted attention of the police and--even worse--members of other gangs. Thus, you'll have to walk the line between dressing out and playing it safe if you want to get by on the mean streets of Los Santos and San Andreas' other cities. Fortunately, you'll have plenty of places to shop, so scoring the perfect duds will be easy.

Binco

At the beginning of the game, CJ will start out wearing only a basic T-shirt and a pair of pants, but, naturally, you'll want to style up as soon as you gain notoriety. Binco is the first clothing store you'll visit, because it's just a few blocks from the Orange Grove Families territory that you'll use as a base, and because it's a discount store that will sell you some functional threads on the cheap. You won't find Los Santos' flashier fashions at Binco, but you will be able to get your gang colors without outlaying a massive stack of cash. What's more, folks from around the way will gain more respect for you once you've outfitted yourself in a style they're familiar with.

Binco is for the aspiring thug on a budget. SubUrban is where you go when you've made it. You'll want to take CJ over to SubUrban for some classier hip-hop fashions once you've got a bit more disposable income to work with. Of course, if you're plying your street trade properly, that kind of cash should come naturally. People will respect you more when you're clad in gear from SubUrban, which carries brands such as Base 5 and Mercury, than when they see you wearing the cheaper stuff peddled at Binco. The items at SubUrban come at a price, so you may only be able to afford one or two pieces at first. But keep earning green and you'll soon be wearing only the finest fashions.

This is the athletic-themed store that you'll go to when you've got plenty of cash, and you've trained CJ until he's fit and muscled. The stuff you'll find in ProLaps is quite pricey, and it's the place where you'll find jerseys, designer tennis shoes, shorts, hats, and other sports-related gear. The mainstream clothing for sale in ProLaps will help you downplay your gang ties--if you want it to do so--or you can just don it to show off your finely honed physique. ProLaps proves how in-depth Rockstar is getting with San Andreas' clothing system. You can literally make CJ look like a professional basketball player if you want to.

Clothes may make the man, but CJ's hair will need tending to as well if you want to complete your look. We've reported previously that you'll be able to visit places like Reece's Barbershop to touch up your fade, and now we've learned that there is an assortment of hairstyles that you'll have access to, which includes cornrows, an afro, a shaved head, and even a finely Jheri-curled coiffure. And just like your clothing, your hairstyle will play a large part in the way people--both women and men--react to your presence.

By all indications, Rockstar North is cramming an incredible amount of content into this game, so we'll just have to see how it all fits together. GTA: San Andreas superficially resembles other hip-hop-inspired games, but it will clearly have a lot more to it than most of those other games. Based on what we've seen of the countryside elements in action, we just can't wait to get our hands on the game. The new vehicles alone look like a lot of fun, and the new countryside environments present new types of terrain to traverse, which should certainly be interesting. We'll continue bringing you more about GTA: San Andreas as we lead up to the game's October release.












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Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Previve 1
You'd be hard-pressed to find a game more eagerly anticipated than Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. From the information on the game that's trickled out so far, it seems that San Andreas will continue to evolve the simple but ultimately revolutionary free-roaming mission-based system that was introduced in GTA III. But Rockstar North is aiming to do more than simply offer the same kind of experience we've played before in the upcoming San Andreas. The game will take a dramatic departure from the previous entries in the series and will borrow liberally from both traditional Japanese dating sims and turn-based strategy games to create a new gameplay hybrid that--OK, no. Rockstar North is savvy enough to know that it can't rest on its laurels, but the team isn't insane either.

San Andreas is being crafted to be an ambitious entry in the franchise, even by Grand Theft Auto's own revolutionary standards. While the core experience will stick close to Rockstar's winning formula of gritty criminal mayhem, San Andreas will also feature a host of new gameplay features that will make the world you'll explore even more interactive. Over the next few months, we'll be taking a look at these new features, and we'll be sharing new information and assets with you as well.

The first feature we'll be looking at is San Andreas' food mechanic, which will require you to keep your virtual alter ego, CJ, in good physical condition by tracking down some choice grub. The basics of the mechanic are simple: When CJ is hungry, a message will appear onscreen alerting you to his need for some chow. If you choose to ignore this missive, his energy level will start to decrease, and a host of other bad things will begin to happen. Superficially, your boy will get skinny and look generally emaciated, resulting in the ill-fitting of his clothes, which is hardly the look you want to have when trying to earn respect on the streets.

As if this wasn't bad enough, you won't just look weak. Your skinny butt will be unable to lift boxes or punch with any kind of force, thus ensuring many a beat-down in hand-to-hand fights. Along the same lines, you can say goodbye to speed and stamina, which will affect your performance as you swim, cycle, or run through the game.

To keep yourself from looking like Snoop Dogg's sickly cousin, you'll have to seek out places to chow down. We've been hipped to a few of the locales in Los Santos, the LA-inspired city in the state of San Andreas, where CJ will be able to get his food on. As with the previous GTA games, you can expect the food service establishments in San Andreas to mirror real-life locales--but with satirical twists

To wit, three of the franchise restaurants in the game are Cluckin' Bell, Well Stacked Pizza, and Burger Shot. Cluckin' Bell is the obligatory chicken shack that you'd find in most any civilized town. The Bell's menu is all about chicken, and it features such specialties as the Cluckin' Big Filet Burger and the Cluckin' Huge Double Filet. There's also a wings-pieces bucket and a "fowl wrap" burrito. Well Stacked Pizza is a pizzeria whose menu includes such pie variations as The Buster, The D-luxe, and The Double D-luxe. Finally, Burger Shot will offer delicacies such as the Double Barreled Burger, for those craving a regular dose of ground beef.

The restaurants are given an extra touch of realism, and it's a touch that's no doubt unpleasant for some. The employee uniforms for Cluckin' Bell and Burger Shot are of the fantastically demoralizing variety that anyone who's worked in fast food knows and loathes. However, if you're on the go (as any good gangsta should be, since sit-down meals beg for assassination attempts) and you don't want to hit up one of the above establishments, you can always stop by one of the vending carts that you'll find peppered throughout the city. An added bonus is that,it appears said carts are manned by moonlighting supermodels--which is never a bad thing.

Now, while it's clear Rockstar wants you to keep CJ fed in the game, just chowing down on anything and everything isn't going to do you any favors either. You obviously don't want CJ getting freakishly skinny and weak, but, at the same time, you don't need his morbidly obese butt rolling down the streets either. Each of the menu items we've mentioned has a specific caloric value that will affect how much CJ's energy and fat levels will increase. Finding the right balance between the two is a must, because eating too much can have some unpleasant results.
First and foremost, you will become fatter and fatter, resulting in the unpleasant sight of CJ bulging out of his clothes. Your tough saunter will become a waddle, and you won't be able to put your arms by your side. To drive the point home, you'll notice CJ struggling to catch his breath when standing still. If you let CJ reach obese proportions, expect the extra pounds to impact everything he does that involves physical exertion, such as lifting, climbing, swimming, cycling, running, and so on. You'll even find that some actions will be impossible to perform once CJ balloons up enough. His reaction time will be slow when fighting, and his pudgy bod will make a target so big your grandmamma could hit it.

To add insult to injury, expect to see non-player-character reactions to you change depending on your appearance. So plan on being taunted and not having much success with the ladies if you're too tubby. There really is nothing worse than being verbally abused by bandanna-wearing gang members in your own hood. Seriously. Worse still, if your rotund avatar has too much to eat, he'll just throw up, which isn't great either, because the money you spent on food will have gone to waste, and you'll be unable to buy more food for a while.

So what do you do to ensure that you'll be in tip-top shape? Eat properly, and wisely avoid binges. And, when in doubt, work out. While we can't go into too much detail on the game's exercise system just yet, we will say that, like the food mechanic, exercise seems like a simple gameplay addition at first but features a nice bit of depth to it. The benefits to having a healthy, fit CJ are pretty obvious. In peak condition, CJ will be faster and stronger. Additionally, he'll have more stamina and will demonstrate a quicker recovery time.

The key thing to note is that skinny doesn't necessarily mean fit. You'll have to manage CJ's development of fat and muscle to have him be in optimal physical condition. Once you understand how the system works, you'll be able to have a custom CJ that you can physically tailor at your whim. For example, you can have CJ be relatively thin and possess little stamina, but you can also have him exercise and build up his strength to the point that he hits like a tank. The system appears to feature some nice, subtle touches that will affect your experience in the game based on how other characters react to CJ's overall appearance. The potential fat and muscle combinations can make for some very interesting looks for CJ.

While there's no word on how much of San Andreas' food will be Atkins-friendly, the food system seems like it could be an interesting addition to a series already known for quirky but compelling features. The character development and maintenance mechanics we've discussed here are far more complex than in the previous Grand Theft Autos, and they're frankly pretty innovative for the action genre in general. (How many games let you gain and lose weight?) We'll have more on GTA: San Andreas in the weeks to come


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Shadow of Rome Pervive
Shadow of Rome is the upcoming third-person action game from Capcom that's set in ancient Rome. The original game blends action and stealth gameplay elements to create a unique hybrid.We've been keeping an eye on Shadow of Rome since our exclusive first look at the game earlier this year. Our latest update came recently when producer Yoshinori Ono demoed a more complete work-in-progress version of the game for us that showed off much more of what to expect from the upcoming title.

The focus of our demo revolved around showing off the different aspects of Shadow of Rome's gameplay. While the basics have been common knowledge since the game's announcement, Capcom hasn't really shown off everything it has to offer in the game until now. For those who are unfamiliar with Shadow of Rome's mechanics, the game features two main characters--Agrippa, a gladiator whose gameplay is more action-focused, and Octavianus, a friend of Agrippa who features a stealth-oriented gameplay style. The pair is working to uncover information that will prove the innocence of Agrippa's father, who has been accused of murdering Caesar and is slated to be executed.

While it may sound as though the mechanics in Shadow of Rome are straightforward, especially given the apparently cut-and-dried difference between the play styles for each character, neither one is easy to label. Although Agrippa's action segments may appear to be from your run-of-the-mill hack-and-slasher, there's quite a bit more to them than that. The game features a full-fledged combat system that incorporates all manner of weapons and attacks with interactive environments and some totally different mechanics, which appear in the form of chariot racing.

The arena combat sequences are lively mixes of straightforward hacking and slashing that also present some cerebral aspects that will require you to use your brain in conjunction with Agrippa's brawn. The early assortment of enemies you'll face consists of very disposable grunt-level forces that you can dispatch without much trouble. However, later on, in the face of enemies that are larger in size, greater in number, and simply better armed, running and trying to hack everything that moves isn't going to work. You'll have to be aware of your surroundings and be prepared to take advantage of any opportunity.

During certain match types, the ring will be flooded with foes you'll have to take out using one of the game's nicer surprises--a full-fledged combo system that gives you a healthy selection of ass-kicking moves for your death-dealing pleasure. Other matches will be thinner on the weapon presence in the ring, thus forcing you to make do with whatever's on hand, in addition to forcing you to use whatever your foes might be carrying. The audience mechanic factors into this, because if you appeal to your fans enough, they'll start to hook you up with weapons by throwing them in the ring.

The chariot racing sequences use some of the same crowd mechanics as you try to outpace or kill your opponents in a battle to the death that finds you behind the reins of a team of horses in a chariot. The attack system when in a chariot isn't as deep as the standard arena sequences, but you'll still find a healthy combat system that lets you beat on your foes or their vehicles. The chariots can actually be seriously damaged if you target their wheels. While this is very satisfying when you're doling out the hurt, we expect it's going to be considerably less fun when you're trying to maneuver a jacked-up chariot to exact some revenge on your foes (but that's gladiatorial combat for you).

Octavianus' stealth segments are likely to be the most misunderstood element of Shadow of Rome's gameplay. While you'll be sneaking about à la Solid Snake and Sam Fisher, there's much more to the experience than this. While sneaking is obviously an important part of Octavianus' play mechanics, it's just part of what you'll be doing. In his search for information to clear the good name of Agrippa's dad, the young Roman will be doing whatever it takes to get his leads on so that he'll know where to go. To this end, you can certainly plan on sneaking around while doing a healthy amount of listening at doors and looking in keyholes. But you'll also have to put some time into solving puzzles, such as how to take out physically superior enemies by using subtle means.

This isn't to say Octavianus won't be getting his hands dirty, although he won't be taking on trained guards or warriors head on. Octavianus is, however, a whiz at taking out wimpy senators when he's got a blunt object in hand and their backs are turned. Both opposition guards and senators will yield important items, such as information or keys that you'll need to progress. In some cases, your quarry will give up his clothes, allowing Octavianus to disguise himself so that he can sneak into places that he wouldn't ordinarily be able to.

The catch is that you won't be able to get too close to guards, because if you linger too long, Octavianus' book-smarts physique will give him away. Besides being able to disguise himself, Octavianus will be able to use a limited inventory system, in conjunction with the environment, to deal with his foes. You'll be able to use pieces of fruit to both bonk enemies from long distances and attract their attention, or you can use items such as banana peels to jack enemies (by carefully placing the peels on stairs).

The graphics Shadow of Rome, which make use of the impressive technology used for Onimusha 3's stunning visuals, are shaping up nicely. The main characters are large and feature a high level of detail that's well done. Non-player characters fair nearly as well, with generously sized models, impressive amounts of detail, and smooth animations. In addition, the members of the animal kingdom that are thrown into the mix, both in the chariot racing and in gladiatorial combat, are looking extremely sharp.

The environments in the game reflect a comparable level of thoroughness in their looks. Both the indoor and outdoor settings appear very good and feature little touches, like dynamic lighting, or interactive elements, such as dirt that you can throw in your opponent's face. (No one said the game was about a pair of Boy Scouts, people. It's kill or be killed.) The game's frame rate is currently hovering on the high end of the spectrum, even in the incomplete work-in-progress version that we saw demoed, which bodes well for the final game. In addition to the impressive in-game graphics, Shadow of Rome features some lush computer-generated movies that help propel the story along and set the game's tone.

The audio in the game is still a little rough, because it is still being implemented. However, it already sounds like a solid accompaniment to the impressive visuals. The game's score, while not fully implemented yet, is a dynamic assortment of tracks that reflects the onscreen action. The tunes we've heard during Agrippa's arena fighting have a very big feel to them that suits the scale of the gameplay. The full-bodied tracks are contrasted with much-more-understated pieces that frame Octavianus' more-deliberately paced stealth sequences. Voice in the game is being put to good use, since both characters are doing a fair share of speaking, and all the duo's opponents are doing quite a bit of talking as well. The most impressive element we've heard so far, though, has to be the roar of the crowd, which sounds like a massive creature as it reacts to Agrippa's battles.

Based on what we've seen so far, Shadow of Rome appears to be headed in a good direction. The varied gameplay is coming along well and should offer a good mix of stealth and action that will keep your tasks in the game from getting stale. We're curious as to exactly how everything is going to be balanced to ensure that the game is as user-friendly as has been stated, but so far, development appears to be going well. The visuals on display are ranking as some of the best on the PlayStation 2 and should provide ample eye candy for those who are looking for it. Shadow of Rome is currently slated to ship this fall for the PlayStation 2, so look for more on the game in the coming months. Until then, check out our exclusive interview with Mr. Ono--complete with a new direct feed of the game in motion--on our media page.



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