X Marks the Spot: Launch Guide Part 2

Dead or Alive 3 - Tecmo
Patrick Ц 5/5
In a word, DOA3 is completely unbelievable. Honestly, this game is going to be the #1 reason to purchase an Xbox next month. Having played DOA and DOA2, I cannot wait for DOA3 any longer. Fluid animation, especially on the women (heh, let's face it, that's what made DOA popular, was the bounciness), as well as a solid fighting engine, make this game one of the best fighters going now, even leaving Virtua Fighter 4 (no disrespect to Suzuki-san or Sega) and Tekken 4 in the dust. Holds, reversals, and those backgrounds (drool) are all excellent. If you don't or haven't yet pre-ordered this game, don't come crying to me when you can't find a copy on launch day.

Ryan Ц 5/5 (Just like I'd rate Kasumi.)
Dead or Alive 3 is without a doubt at the top of every Xbox purchaser's list of launch games to procure. Why is that? It's simple really; it's the third installment of one of the best fighting series ever made. Featuring three brand new fighters, absolutely huge fighting environments, an enhanced fighting engine, and jaw-dropping graphics, DOA3 looks to increase on every aspect of the previous titles. And seeing as Tekken 4, Virtua Fighter 4, and Soul Calibur 2 won't be out till something next year, DOA3 is going to be the fighting game for quite a while. So, if you're looking for the most kick ass, big breasted, panty shot filled (sorry, I have a one track mind) fighter on the planet, look no further. Warning: Your PS2 and Gamecube owning friends will be jealous, just tell them to go to hellЕumm, I mean to tell them to go buy there own damn Xbox.

Fuzion Frenzy Ц Microsoft
Patrick Ц 3/5
Who couldn't use a good party game? Not much to be said here. This is your basic Уhave a ton of friends over and go at it while laughing your asses offФ type of game. 45 mini-games, 6 arenas, and 4 player action equals loads of fun. Don't worry all you loners out there; there will be a single player mode. However, honestly, isn't it a lot more fun to trash talk and elbow your friends while you smack them around in a game of Fuzion Frenzy? Didn't think so. Go ahead, grab some pals, and have a little fun!

Ryan Ц 3/5
If the impossible shall happen, that being you and your three other friends get bored of 4-player Halo, DOA3, or even WWF: Raw is War, there is one game you might want to check out. That game is Blitz Games' Fusion Frenzy. A four-player party game like no other. Featuring, get this, over 40 different mini games, each totally different from one another. Complexity is not the name of the game here. Expect each one of these games to have a pick up and play feel to them, making for a simple, yet fun gaming experience. Also, word is that every single one of these games is graphically impressive. And lets face it; every system needs a party game, and far as I can tell, Microsoft is looking to have a winner on there hands.

Madden NFL 2002 Ц EA Sports
Patrick Ц 2/5
Madden seems to be spreading out to all three of the next gen consoles this time around. It has already been out on the PS2 for a bit, and looks to hit the Gamecube and the Xbox as well. Aside from cleaner graphics though, how much different can Madden 2002 on Xbox really be from that of Madden 2002 on the other two? Madden is a fun game and all, particularly the clothesline-style tackles. However, I am waiting to see what Visual Concepts can do with NFL 2K2 on Xbox first.

Ryan Ц 1/5
Hehe, oh how I have waited to give my opinions on this franchise. Okay okay, I won't let my hatred for EA interfere with my true thoughts. By the way, I hate EAЕ oh wait, did I already say that? Ok, just making sure. Anyways, we all know and love the Madden football franchise, I mean come on, we have all grown up playing them. The series has always been known for its solid gameplay, nice visuals, and moronic Madden comments. And you can more or less expect that here. The games have always been good, however, I do have a beef with the series. They hardly ever improve vastly upon the previous versions. Hell, this version doesn't play too differently than Madden '98 that I played on my Saturn 4 years ago. But regardless of how much better it is than its predecessors, the game will sell big, especially for the Xbox owners who can't wait for NFL 2K2, or just have no faith in NFL Fever. I for one have already purchased my football game for the season (NFL 2K2 on me Dreamcast), so this is at the bottom of my list. But let's get real, if this was the only football game on the planet, I still wouldn't purchase itЕ man, I'm scaring myself with this overwhelming biased opinionЕ oh well, it's fun. Plus, I'll never be as biased as the Official Xbox Magazine.

Shrek Ц TDK
Patrick Ц 3/5 Ok, this was all but expected to be a game ever since the movie released. The humor, the storyline, and action were just screaming УVideo GameФ at the top of its lungs. The graphics look almost as good as the pre-rendered movie was. All in all though, this appears to be your typical platformer, with added farting included. If you want a good laugh along the way, as well as a game the whole family can play (for you married gamers out there with kids and whatnot), then this is the game for you.

Ryan Ц 2/5
TDK and Digital Illusions are looking to bank off the success of the highly acclaimed CG movie, Shrek. If I remember correctly, Shrek was the highest grossing film of this year, bringing in well over $200 million dollars. That success of course brings the standard gaming license, and we all know that movie-to-videogame translations usually equal disaster. But Shrek is looking promising nonetheless. Instead of following the story you've already seen at the theatres, the developers have introduced a fresh adventure with brand new characters and all. The adventure/puzzle gameplay is set in a third-person perspective with some of the most gorgeous looking graphics ever. It's very close to the actual film quality, and if you've seen the film you that it's mighty impressive. As for my personal opinion on it, I admit it looks nice, but I'm really not too thrilled about it. Maybe it's the fact that just about all movie-licensed games usually play like crap. I could be wrong though. Oh, and farts jokes can only go so far.

Star Wars Starfighter: Special Edition Ц Lucas Arts
Patrick Ц 3/5
Star Wars Starfighter was one of the best games early on in the life of the PS2. It was fun, edgy, addictive, and just plain good. With the launch of the Xbox, we get an improved version, dubbed Star Wars Starfighter: Special Edition. This version of the game boasts cleaner visuals, better textures, and a new 2-player mode, as well as a few extra missions to fight through in the single player mode. The reason my score for its anticipation is so low for such a fun game, is that I already have the PS2 version of it. And while I would like to see the extra stuff in the SE version, don't see the need to purchase a game I already own. This one is classified under the Уrent firstФ category for me.

Ryan Ц 3/5
Okay everyone, follow me here. Go outside; grab a hand full of rocks (try and refrain from getting sharp jagged ones), then come backЕ done? Good, now to my point. I have never seen the original Star Wars trilogyЕ УaahhhhhЕ stop stoning me!Ф I didn't think this was that big a deal till Mr. Daniel УMonkФ Pelfrey freaked out on me about it, he's a Star Wars freak I guess. It makes sense though; the movies are part of our American heritage. Anyways, the game is looking to be very entertaining, increase that ten-fold if you're a Star Wars nut. It's actually a port of the Playstation 2 version that was released back in February of this year, hence the Special Edition add-on. The game received fairly positive reviews, so I'd expect this УenhancedФ version to be even better. Will it out squadron Rouge Squadron 2 for the Gamecube? Probably not, but for you Xbox fans looking for the УForceФ, you definitely can't go wrong here.

Final Note
See, there ya have it. Just us two gamers looking out for you as always. Remember, all of these games will be making preview appearances on the site as the time unfolds and their launch gets closer. Be sure to check them out, as well as all the other cool stuff we have for you at Xbox Target, and Gaming Target as a whole. Whether it be Nintendo, Sony, or Sega, we're there for you -- we all are after all, gamers first and foremost. Well, I'm off. Check here again, same XT time, same XT channel, for part three of our rundown. Till then, CHOW!