Karl Benacci, Features Editor Sorcerers and balls by Billy 0' Keefe Knight Riddler LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS For: Play Station 2 From: EA Games A small handful of very different "Lord of the Rings" games have ap peared from all sides in no time at all, Jason Kidd angrily dribbles the ball in the NBA Live 2003 video game confusing garners about which is THE game to own. If you want a role-play ing game based on the hook, you're harking up the wrong tree with "The Two Towers." But if you want sense less, furious action with the film as the backdrop, this is it. "Towers" is an un apologetic twitch game that delivers wave after wave of enemies for your busy thumbs to destroy. Sounds repeti tive, and it is. It's also way too short. But "Towers" is fun, than 4 to a slick battle system. many unlockable special moves and the ability to play as three pivotal characters from the film. Actual snippets from the upcoming film (as well as half of "Fellowship of the Ring") introduce each sequence, and the amount of aesthetic detail and activity in each level should make players happy. "Towers" is no substitute for the movie much less the book but it sure is fun to step inside the heroes' shoes and save the day yourself, even if the ad venture ends too soon. NBA 2K3 For: Play Station 2, Game Cube and Crossword ACROSS 1 Bub 4 Fire giveaway 9 Stage scenery 14 Fuss 15 Mates of 1D 16 Flax product 17 Sun. follower 18 Elite social category 19 To the extreme 20 Church recess 22 Living in 24 Word with engine or iron 26 Fix solidly 27 Short exam 29 du Diable 30 Correct text 34 Gambler's marker 36 Word with acid or oxide 38 Went on horseback 39 Bridge support 41 Curtail 43 Skin problem 44 Soapy foam 46 Make lace 47 Tardy 48 Chill 49 Uncommon 51 Wayne and Garfield 53 Burdened 56 Palikir's country 61 Otherwise 62 Islander's farewell 63 Strainer 65 about time! 66 Foreigner 67 Skin cream 68 Bottom line 69 Starlinglike mimics 70 Trap 71 Double curve 1 Mates of 15A 2 Vote to accept 3 Following as a result 4 Health resort 5 African republic 6 Express a view From: Sega Sports Electronic Arts' "NBA Live" has gone arcade, leaving "NBA 2K3" to run pretty much uncontested in the basketball SIM department. The choice is a breeze either way: "2K3" replicates the NBA game to an astonishing degree and is perhaps the only game to place defense on the same scale of importance as offense. Blindly driving to the hoop will get you burned time and again. You'll need to be selfless with the ball and milk the game's tremen dous controls for all they're worth. The game's look and sound are equally impres sive: The new "sweat engine" as a fatigue gauge is a bit overrated, but it's hard to deny how awesome the players look and move. The game's presentation is gold as well, thanks to the new ESPN-centric look, the always-dependable commentary, and some sobering court banter to give it a unique squeeze of character. "2K3's" franchise mode is the best of any basket ball game - a far cry from "2K2" and the street ball mode and cache of extras are as welcome as ever. Fans of the fast break and non-stop offense may feel a bit lost in "2K3," but students of the game will be shocked at how smart and deep it is. For basketball fans, this one's pretty much a no-trainer. NBA LIVE 2003 For: XBox, Game Cube, Play Station 2 From: EA Sports "NBA Live" EA's basketball game has endured some major physical therapy in the past year, transforming itself from a prodding, merely decent basketball title © 2002 TOWN Mulls Services, Inc AN righls resarved. Solutions 7 Disputed Asian territory 8 Found 9 Smooth and effortless 10 Pleasant pitch variation 11 In opposition 12 Relative of a gull 13 Obstacle 21 ___ de cologne 23 Harriet Stowe 25 Aromatic herb 28 Extremely large number 30 Blow it 31 What to sign on 32 Notion 33 Hiker's housing 34 Slanted type: abbr. 35 Killer whale 51 Collins and 37 Oolong shipping Crawford containers 52 City in Tuscany 40 Understand 54 Adlai's 1956 42 Spoken running mate 45 Emotional stress 55 Snug retreats 50 "Norma " 56 Address for the Friday, November 8, 2002 The award for best idea in a basketball game in 2003 goes to "NBA Shootout 2003'5" career mode, which puts you in gym shoes instead of a two-piece suit. You design a player, join a summer league, get drafted or signed (hopefully) and play well enough to make the starting five of a contender. Cool indeed, as is "Sfk)otout's" dunk and player editor fea tures, which let your mind run wild. Un fortunately, the gameplay still leaves more to be desired. The series has improved im mensely since its last installment, but it doesn't quite grasp the free-flowing fi nesse of "NBA Live" or the intelligence of "NBA 2K3." There's a general tinge of sluggishness in both the controls and pace of the action, and the A.I. is still missing a few coats of polish on both sides of the ball. "Shootout" generally looks and sounds good, and the feature set doesn't have any gaping omissions. The gameplay may lose steam over the long haul, but curious gamers would be smart to give "Shootout" at least a rental, if only to check out the brilliant career mode, which will only get better in coming editions. Queen 57 Badly 58 Nickel or dime 59 Actress Perlman 60 Assert 64 Before, to be brief tialla 4l ; to a fast, pretty and slick game of fast break ball. All the features _ franchise, player creation and so on _ are intact. What's missing is a bona fide simulation of the NBA game: Playing defense is fun, but "Live's" offensive game is larger than life, a five-on-five version of "NBA Street" for lack of a better description. EA is going hoarse promoting its new freestyle control, which allows you to use the right analog stick as your arms while the left stick controls your legs. It takes some getting used to, but it's a killer feature once it becomes second nature, and makes for some exhilarating plays and cool discoveries. "Live" isn't the prettiest basketball game on the market, but the game has made major strides in terms of looks, animation and even sound (XBox and PlayStation2 owners get a bonus CD contain ing the game's excellent soundtrack). "NBA 2K2" eas ily takes the crown if you pine for a serious NBA simulation, but "Live" can easily coexist with Sega's game in any fan's library. It's a loud, proud good time that finally earns its moni ker. NBA SHOOTOUT 2003 For: Play Station 2 From: 989 Sports THE LOGIN WINTERGARDEN SERIES 2002-2003 Usic a ( 7400 n MARIAN ANDERSON STRING QUARTET TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, NOON gli ti • Bringyour lunch to the Penn State Behrend Wintergarden and enjoy world-class performances in an informal setting. Admission is fee PENNSTATE "O P r Erie l i o , ,, ,B g e e hi end I 8 S We want to hear from you! Send us your ideas. Write a letter to the editor! Through the looking glass by Mike Pingree, KRT Campus IS IT CROWDED IN HERE, OR IS IT ME? A German policewoman obtained the mobile phone number of a fugitive from justice, called him up, flirted with him and arranged a blind date. The man, who was wanted in the town of Recklinghausen, came to a bar in downtown Berlin "all dressed up" and unaware not only that his date was a cop, but that all the men at surrounding tables were undercover police officers, too. The date ended in his arrest. HONEY, NOTHING CAN STOP US NOW: An Albanian drug dealer was deported from Germany hut slipped back in, and made the mistake of registering to marry his girlfriend in Cologne. He was arrested a half-hour before the ceremony was to begin. BUT OFFICER, THE HORSE WAS SOBER Police arrested a man for drunken driving when they discovered I him riding his horse down the sidewalk in Carson City, Nev.. after I having consumed 12 beers. DITHERED TWYTS Chiquito began to wonder if Saint Primates was really the best choice for his health care needs. behrcoll2@aol.corn The Behrend Beacon Page 9
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