E3 2002: Chris's GameCube Picks Special @ Gaming Target

Written by Chris Reiter on May 30, 2002

Special: Darkness and Sunshine, with a sprinkle of Evil...

E3 has come and gone just like it has every year. Every time it's a real treat to get the scoop on the hottest game titles moseying our way, and what big console or company announcements are being made. For Nintendo, E3 was a huge blowout. The company's latest console, the GameCube, launched with only a handful of games. So far, it has only had so much software to choose from, not to mention the lack of any extra features other than its online capabilities. But this article will outline some of the bigger bright lights the system will see throughout the year in my favorite picks from the show floor.

Х Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem
Х Publisher: Nintendo
Х Developer: Silicon Knights
Х Release: June 24, 2002

For the first time ever, Nintendo is going to be sticking their label on a software product that embodies death, chaos, blood, and horror. This game is Eternal Darkness. It starts off in a time when an ancient species with unlimited magical powers, became cased up as the world shifted into humanity's reign over it. Now dormant throughout history, this species lies captive, waiting to be released again upon the world so they can once more seize control. As chance would have it, their freedom is inevitable when secret societies throughout the ages of time desire to release this once all-powerful race. And with the chains broken, the only hope for humanity's survival is to fend itself off from the arcane source of evil that is trying to wipe humans off the face of the Earth.

The basics of the game are that you'll get the chance to posses 13 different people through time. This includes a Roman warrior, a monk, a modern day woman, and an army commando. With these selected few you will be on the hunt for undead creatures. More importantly though, Eternal Darkness isn't like any old Resident Evil title. This game will strive on reality. What you think you see is real. What you will see is not. Or is it? Silicon Knights' backbone behind Eternal Darkness is in its unique sanity meter. Each of the 13 playable characters has one. The lesser the scale diminishes, the more your character, and you as well, will start to find that what you see on the television screen is a total mystery. Your characters' needs are to rely on what's normal to them. As they come in contact with surprises from deformed monsters, such as zombies, their fear results in the sanity meter dropping.

Backing up the particularly interesting gameplay aspect will be Eternal's visual feats and effectively dark sound system. Each time segment will have its own unique look of distinctive qualities. Character models will each be suited up with over 5,000 polygons to match their various appearances. And, the game is all being done in real time. From the perfect shadow blending and intensity building camera angles, everything is coming together as real as life would make it on its own. The sound engine too will surely be enough to create pandemonium inside your head. Out of the clanking of a sword, the birth of a bullet as it soars through the air, and of course the low-key soundtrack to compliment the dreary essence of the game, Eternal Darkness is surely not to fail in its listening stardom.

Originally, Eternal Darkness was in development for Nintendo's Nintendo 64. Since then, much time and effort has been spent on the game, and its final result, scheduled to release early this summer, should be nothing short of a remarkable horror classic that any old Nintendo fan would be proud to pick up the game and play it.

Х Super Mario Sunshine
Х Publisher: Nintendo
Х Developer: Nintendo
Х Release: August 26, 2002

Mario is back! It's been 6 long years since a genuine Mario game has been released. Long time Mario fans, such as myself, will be getting the most out of the Italian plumber this time around. The story behind the game starts off when Mario and Princess Peach take a vacation to a secluded island. Known best for its sunny surroundings, and its friendly people, Mario and Peach are at ease to be aware that they'll run into no trouble at all in a vacation at a spot as perfect as this one. For Mario, though, trouble awaits him when Mario and Peach discover that the town is entirely combed over in spray paint and the suspect is Mario. The impostor is a Mario look-alike. The one who's going to get to the bottom of things is, you guessed it, Mario.

Recent additions to the title are for one, the name change. Mario Sunshine did sound sort of funny. Another new addition to it is Mario's old buddy, Yoshi. Through Super Mario Sunshine, you'll have the chance to ride on top of Yoshi's back in vast worlds full of green fields, moat surrounded castles, and even the island's residential area, through both the streets and its rooftops. Unlike any of the previous Mario titles, the plumber now carries a water pack on his back that aids him in cleaning up levels full of dark blobs and red markings spray painted on the side of buildings. Mario will be able to use the water pack in two ways. The first way is to use it like you would with a garden hose by aiming it at blobs, markings, or even foes. In its second function, the water pack doubles as a sort of rocket pack. By leaping into the air, and aiming it at the ground, Mario is able to climb higher up, and balance in mid air with a rush of liquid right below him. Mario's even got some new moves. One that has been revealed is his ability to tightrope walk across telephone wires. Some old gameplay rules will also pertain to the new title as well, including jumping on top of enemy heads, and clinging to fences that have rotating segments.

Getting better looking every time we look at it, Super Mario Sunshine is undoubtedly the most detailed version of the plumber and the environments around him that you'll ever witness. Simulating a much improved version of the Nintendo 64's Mario 64, from both vivid character models and the environments they thrive on, Super Mario Sunshine is shaping up to be great. Just like Nintendo did when they brought fans Mario 64, they're now giving Mario an overhaul with a lineup of improved visual character animations. If he gets tired, excited, or even surprised, his face and body will react to everything that goes on in the game like a real cartoon plumber would. Camera angles will play a big role as they twist and turn around Mario's character, such as when he takes off in dynamic leaps across platforms, positioning underneath him to get the best action perspective. And like all great games, Mario's interaction with every environment, giving him a shadow when under the sun or splash ripples when edging through pools, just adds to the fact that Mario on the GameCube will please those who have awaited for the overall equipped plumber to return in his own game since the long stretch.

Somehow, Super Mario Sunshine feels both vastly different from Mario 64, and at the same time, exactly alike. In gameplay terms, Mario is capable of pulling off similar moves than the last game, in addition to a few new ones that have never been seen before. As a long time Mario fan, having played through most of his many adventures, I'm glad to see Nintendo is finally getting back on the ball, and bringing the sequels to many famous franchise titles that fans have been awaiting for some time now, just like Super Mario Sunshine.

Х Resident Evil 0
Х Publisher: Capcom
Х Developer: Capcom
Х Release: October 1, 2002

Another Nintendo 64 title that was brought onto the GameCube with its previous development cut short, Resident Evil 0 is the prequel to the original Resident Evil game. Granted that there already was a first Resident Evil, in many different variations with the most recent being on the GameCube, Resident Evil 0 is still the first title in the story, which predates back to even before there was a Jill making sandwich machine, or a "master of unlocking," or even a puddle of blood that could in fact be Chris's blood. Instead of Jill, Chris, Claire, or Leon starring as the main character in 0, Rebecca Chambers, Chris's female sidekick in the original, is who players take control of. Her story starts off when reports of people being mauled to death by an extremely vile creature lead the police to call in a special unit: the S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics And Rescue Service) Bravo team. Coincidentally coming along in the helicopter with the team towards the Arclay Mountains to investigate the grizzly murders, a former Navy Seal (Billy Cohen) and now a convict in custody, is on board for the ride. But, like all the other Resident Evil games, disaster strikes when the team's chopper crashes in Raccoon City's forest area close to a nearby mansion. After a devastating zombie attack, and only a few surviving S.T.A.R.S. members are left alive, Billy breaks free. Despite his convenient release, Billy is now stuck with Rebecca until the investigation is complete and they're able to find a way out of the mess they have landed in.

Focusing on a different approach, Capcom is revamping the Resident Evil gameplay you once knew. Throughout the entire series, you've always been able to play as two separate characters or more. For 0, this method will come out a little differently. In some gameplay areas, you'll have both Rebecca and Billy in the same room; having both characters work together instead of individually like in the past games. For an example, at one point in the game, players will ride on a speeding train filled up with a horde of zombies. And in one section of train, you must pull separate levers inside a cart. To do that though, you must beat the clock using both players, while dodging zombies, and switching in between Rebecca and Billy at will. More so, this switching process is also meant to function with the new ability to place carried items you have on the floor. Instead of the usual item box trick, that carries every item you've collected so far (or most of them), players can leave the less significant items behind on the ground and come back for them later when needed (and hoping, without zombies still in the area). Not many new details have been revealed, but there's still plenty of time until the game is finished.

Capcom has stated that the new prequel is slated to have much more to offer in its graphics department. If you thought Capcom would never stray from its pre-rendered background norm, think again. Well, not too much. Adding to the new title, pre-rendered background animations will now become an integral part into the series (or at least for 0, anyway). On the train ride level of the game players will get to move around both inside and outside of the locomotive. While outside, though, an occurrence of a rainstorm will be present. The rain will actually splash and sprinkle around your character, and glow in the real time light that shimmers through every single little droplet that surrounds you. For anyone who's played the Resident Evil remake should know just how miraculous the mansion's makeover is. Resident Evil 0 will share the same opportunity that its predecessor (or successor) did on the GameCube hardware by appearing as gorgeous or better than the remake has.

This fall will be the time of a new dawn when Capcom finally completes its much-anticipated Nintendo 64 to GameCube Resident Evil prequel. For the first time, the millions of Resident Evil nuts out there can experience the story as to why the Bravo team has been secluded inside the mansion filled with hideous and horrifying creatures. Sure Capcom could leave as many researcher diaries as they want scattered around the mansion...but to live, feel, hear, and see the horror for yourself...is a completely different perspective, and I for one can't wait to see what Capcom has in store for everyone.