NHL Hitz/NFL Blitz

Get ready for the next installments in the Midway Sports library. Blitz has been a hit among the arcade sports player base and 2003 will introduce a number of new features to retain that success. The newest addition to the series introduces a new create-a-player mode, allowing you to customize the statistics of your player using a point distribution system. Midway went all out to include a variety of fictional characters besides the common football player model. Among player design choices includes a pirate, a knight, robot, and a hot dog (which I should note drew a number of laughs from the audience). You'll never look at football the same way again until you've tackled a weiner behind the line of scrimmage. Other gameplay highlights include a tweaked AI which will be more skilled based. Feedback from players conveyed that the AI was considered to be too difficult, so the new adjustments will alleviate any "unreasonable" (read: cheap) plays during human vs. cpu matches. Last, but not least - all players will reflect the attributes of their real-life counterparts, such as speed, handling, and tackle ability). Another great addition to the Blitz 2003, similar to the same style and personality as featured in Slugfest 20-03, the latest baseball sensation to hit store shelves.

    

Meanwhile, for those looking to hit the ice later this year with NHL Hitz will find similar additions respective to the hockey theme. Hitz 20-03 features a new Season mode, based upon the 2003 season, and includes full stat tracking. There's also a fantasy draft feature, including all 30 teams, supporting full trade logic and allows you to fully simulate your game all the way up to the playoffs. Of course, there's a bevy of features to unlock (100 in all), including historical teams and players. If you're totally clueless behind the basics of hockey and can't discern the difference between a slap shot and a hat trick, Hitz 20-03 features a tutorial mode (aptly named the Hockey School) which will educate you on the fundaments and gameplay mechanics to hone your skills (and most importantly, get the most out of what the game has to offer).

Generally you hear a lot of gamers (or rather, editors) talk about how "this game is the best to date" and so forth. Well, in this case, such hyperbole is well justified, because NHL Hitz easily presents one of the most realistic looking hockey visuals to date. A great deal of attention has went into depicting sharp, authentic player faces (and I don't mean some blurry facial mapping). These models are well defined and dimension - the Xbox version is just impressive. And let's talk about the crowd. Never before has any put such an extensive effort to develop a virtual crowd that doesn't look like a static bitmap or a looped FMV segment. You won't find that here. Each crowd attendee is actually a individual polygon, rendered from head to toe (well, at least from what you'll be able to see). Watch them clap, do the wave, and enact various crowd actions. While the players themselves are solid in collision and control, so you won't find any complaints when you're making those hard checks and getting on fire! After playing Hitz 20-02, I am already pyshced for this next installment!

Freaky Flyers

I relayed to a PR rep that it never occurred to me that the soundtrack I was listening to when I got back from E3 was actually based on an upcoming game. (Well, that's what I get for not taking a full tour, huh?) In any case, Freaky Flyers is still early in development. A game that strives to blend flight combat and adventure mechanics in one. A bold combination that could work very well, if the gameplay quirks can be ironed out. Freaky Flyers is loaded with comedic appeal, featuring mild adult humor and personality. (which I consider to be the game's biggest selling point). The puns and slapstick references are ingenious at best, such as the stage called the Dogs of War. Here you'll engage the Germans who are depicted as German Shepherds, the French are represented by French Poodles, while the good ol' USA are bulldogs. Heh, go figure.

Combine Disney's Launchpad McQuack with The Tick, and you've got a fairly good idea of what Johnny Turbine, the main star of the game is like. Game features will include mini games, sub-goals (such as locating Big Foot, and avoid getting gunned down in the process), boss levels and plenty of dog-fighting. The level design has been developed in such a manner that completing certain objectives will trigger events throughout the game. This looks to have a significant effect on boosting the game's replay value. I found the PS2 version to handle rather rough. Johnny apparently doesn't do any high caliber maneuvers like barrel rolls, but he does shift his body from left to right to avoid gunfire. Targeting could use some work, and if it's not too much too ask - perhaps a turbo feature of sorts? Certainly a game I'll keep an eye on, but for now, I'll reserve my final judgment until its release.

    

Defender (PS2, Xbox, Gamecube, GBA)

Many fans will be delighted with this all new installment to the 1980's classic. Personally, I haven't touched the original Defender in well…years. Contrary to other classic titles thatSo it goes without saying that the next-generation edition will prove to be quite a treat.

Expanding upon the original design, Defender puts players into an explosive, intense 3D experience spanning over 17 missions in which you must defend and protect the human race from an alien invasion. Each mission allows you to select from several ships which vary in speed, firepower, and hyperspace. The first level consists of a training mission to familiarize yourself with the primary objectives which you'll encounter throughout the game. To briefly put it, much of the tasks you'll be assigned consist of search and rescue, protecting bridges, escorting soliders/supplies and assisting with establishing defense perimeters. I must admit that I expected the entire game to merely be a shooting extravaganza. Of course, I was helped to realize that the updated installment was anything but.

To illustrate, the ground units play an integral role to both the player and the enemy. The general course of action is to save all ground units and transport back to your home base. In addition, you'll find various ground units consisting of tanks and cannons are sprinkled throughout each level. Each ship has its own complement of weapons, power-ups, and the trademark hyperspace technology (which veterans will recall should be used with moderation). In addition, you'll need to dip, barrel roll and execute 360 loops in order to evade enemy attacks or you'll be of little help to the human race. By collecting these units and positioning them throughout your bases, will allow your entire perimeter to establish an solid defensive (or defensive) foundation. The ground units are vital to your success (in addition, to credits awarded at the end of each level to upgrade your ship between missions). However, should you fail to rescue any units will leave them subject to a meal for the alien forces, thus transforming them into a much more deadly force to deal with. (It just so happens that we have the dubious honor of being tasty to the alien beasties. Take it from me when I suggest that your best bet is to get to your soliders first before they do.) Without a doubt, the emphasis of strategy featured throughout is certain to an element that both veterans and newcomers to the Defender franchise will enjoy.

In addition to the single-player campaign mode, Defender features a two-player co-op mode allowing you and a friend to team up and engage the alien forces together. Don't want to team up? That's o.k., there's a Deathmatch Mode included as well Midway also notes that the a bevy of DVD content will be incorporated, such as in-depth discussions with the development team, a narrated history of the Defender saga, and a series of "Coming Soon" trailers of upcoming Midway titles.

Builds for all the major platforms were featured at the show. My vote for the edition boasting the best visual quality naturally went to the Xbox (which seems to be the most early among all the versions present). The recent "S" Xbox controllers were sadly absent from the show, so I'd have to give the nod to the Gamecube and PS2 editions as having the best control (I just can't deal with that monstrous pad anymore). Regardless of which version you take interest in, this is definitely a game to pick up this Fall when Defender makes its multi-platform debut.

    

Haven: Call of the King (PS2, Xbox, Gamecube)

I think it's safe to say that Traveller's Tales and Midway are perhaps more excited about the release of this game than the upcoming MK installment. Haven literally meshes a variety of conventional gameplay elements all into one. You name it…it's in here, ranging from platform, exploration, shooting, flying, and much, much more. For additional background info, refer back to our previous coverage, found here).

Aside from its diverse spectrum of gameplay mechanics, Haven is loaded with visual and texture effects (naturally the Xbox boasts a greater quality). The PS2 version however, wasn't quite on par (it's been said that the system was maxed out in regards to its graphic potential), and I wasn't nearly as impressed like the current Xbox build. Haven's primary source for attack is a yo-yo (or at least, that's what I consider it to be) and a shield that can be likened to something Spidey would use for defense. The playable demo featured a vast area to explore, composed of various characters and large pots, many of which explode on contact. I wasn't sure why this occurred, and the "Help" pot that I ran into was literally of little help. "This is a thing…I don't know what this does." "This is another thing…I don't know what it does either." Needless to say, I was lost. The demo level featured a range of enemies that varied in size, each which requires a specific method of attack to destroy. I found that gameplay overall to still be rather rough, but with some additional tweaking, Haven could very well be considered a successful title when its released this fall.

    

…and further down the horizon.

Other games featured included Dr. Muto, Justice LeagueToward the end of the event, Midway introduced a few upcoming games currently in development. Among the games featured, included Ballers (an urban b-ball title akin to EA's ); Doomsday Rescue (a combat racer) and Gladiator (yet another conventional 3D fighter, apparently not based on the feature film, or is it?) The most promising of them all would have to be Crank the Weasel, an action-adventure game scheduled for a 2003 release on the PlayStation 2. Crank, much like Dr. Muto is the anti-hero. He's hardly cute and adorable as Sonic. In fact, he's more likely to steal your wallet when you least expect it (well, at least in the game that is). Crank's goal is to escape the horrors of the big city life and retire to the ultimate fantasy destination that is Pleasure Island (sure wish I could go there right about now). Your objective is to help Crank to gather enough dough to literally buy his way through the city of Scratchtown in order to reach the airport to get to his new paradise domain. Abilities include using gadgets and "street smarts" to outwit the citizens of Scratchtown. Midway briefly illustrated how Crank uses a disguise to obtain a part which he'll use to pawn off for cash. Unfortunately, once his disguise has been used, the cats he encounters proceed to literally beat his ass. Funny stuff. Definitely looking to see more of what Crank has to offer down the line.

Crank is still very early in development, not entirely solid in terms of animation. But the music is charming (especially if you dig that 1940's type of theme). One amusing feature, which I have yet to understand its significance is seeing Crank slapping the rear end of some hottie. Hm, seems that Midway definitely is looking to make an alternate route of establishing a wholly cool character in the market.

  

Midway is certainly pulling all the stops to introduce a diverse lineup of action oriented games that are both unique and enjoyable. Stay tuned to our upcoming coverage when the respective titles hit retail.