Game Zone reviews

PlayStation 2

You're searching for your wife, who's sent you a letter - even though she's been dead three years... And so kicks off the next instalment of the creepiest game ever made.

Silent Hill 2 doesn't shirk from delivering the most disturbing gameplay I've come across, with your character, James Sanderson, trapped in all manner of spooky scenarios, such as a blood-strewn mental institution, a prison and an abandoned apartment block. Worst of all, your only source of light is via a torch pinned to your lapel. The graphics of the game are the real star here, though, with pin-sharp, cinematic reality, helping to create deep immersion gaming.
Sound also plays a massive part in making the nervous atmosphere feel tangible. The gameplay is intuitive, but it's the settings that make a real difference. You can set the level of difficulty for the action and the riddles. Clever stuff, eh? I know what you're thinking: was I scared playing this? Like I'd tell you.

Gradius Advance

Game Boy Advance

Having already enjoyed success on the PS2, Gradius is now sitting very comfortably on the Game Boy Advance. But, unlike the PS2 incarnation, Gradius Advance is a wee bit different. Konami has created eight brand new levels making it worth a butcher's for fans and newcomers. The gameplay however, is pretty much the same.
Simply guide your ship through a continuously scrolling forward terrain, placing an emphasis on avoiding the landscape and very nasty swarms of enemies. But the best feature of Gradius is the ability to customise your own arsenal. There are also three difficulty settings and a beginner mode has been added to make the game more accessible to the casual gamer or to those who are uncoordinated (that's you, Pizey). It may have a rather old-school concept, but it's one that I'll embrace to my ample bosom every time. (HM)

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