Resident Evil 2

And, not surprisingly, it's the 'big one' for the PlayStation that has had the video games industry in a tizz these past few weeks, Resident Evil 2.

This is surely the game that put the X in X-rated, the game that will keep you AWAKE AT NIGHT....but it is great fun.

You play one of two survivors in a fetid, terrifying land peopled by zombies and monsters and ghouls and all kinds of other unspeakable nasties that are, quite simply, brilliant.

Leon is a cop and Claire is a young woman cool enough to cope as they try to track down and destroy the source which is bringing to life the zombies and their creepy buddies. Not surprisingly, the zombies and co are not too happy, so watch out.

It really is a nightmare world, but the game is a dream. True, there is nothing much new in the way of gameplay: find your way around, solve a few clues etc etc.

Where Resident Evil 2 excels is with the stunning graphics and the heavy, evil-feeling atmosphere.

Resident Evil looks the business.

You are armed with a pick and a gun and gather more and better weapons and ammunition as you go along and, believe me, you will need them with zombies around every corner, lurking in the shadows of every street, in every room. But the sheer pleasure in blasting these puss-dripping, scabby scumbags is tremendous. Limbs are blown away, heads are blasted off...and they keep coming at you, oozing blood, guts and goodness knows what else.

In the entertainment world, only the mega-movie Titanic has made more money in America this year and it is also the biggest-ever selling game in game-crazy Japan.

It's definitely not for the young, squeamish or those of a nervous disposition and some parents will think it the creation of a sicko world. But then again, some people complain about the violence in Tom and Jerry cartoons, so who is to judge.

Suffice to say, if you like great effects, stunning visuals and a scare around every corner, then Resident Evil 2 is the game for you. JE

A racing cert

IT must be said that there are some tired old games out there for the PlayStation and at times I wonder whether we have had the best.

Late last year we had Tomb Raider 2 and this month Resident Evil 2, two star performers in a short space of time. Top notch stuff, no complaints. But what's next? Is there anything worth your hard-earned cash?

Well, the answer is definitely YES and it's here now. Gran Turismo is a racing simulation game from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe but don't think of other racing games.

Compared to GT, they are strictly pedestrian. I thought Porsche Challenge was pretty hot, I don't now. GT breaks all the barriers. The graphics, the detail, the precision and the cars are simply stunning, the realism is almost unreal and the camera angles can be sensational. Just watch the race replays to see what I mean.

Entertainment and gameplay wise, well, think in terms of months.

I don't want to go over the top completely, but this is a must-have with bags to offer racing fans. And boy, is it big!

In the Quick Arcade Mode you can choose from 40 actual sports cars - Honda Preludes, TVRs, Nissan Skylines - and you can select either single race, time trials or split-screen for two-player races.

In Gran Turismo mode players must win money to upgrade their cars and even buy new ones. I've set my sights on an Aston Martin DBE, or maybe a Chrysler Viper, but then again, I quite fancy the Chevrolet Corvette!

There are around 10 different championships and more than 11 different tracks and you must learn to fine tune your driving skills to master the very detailed handling attributes of the various cars.

And it isn't just me who has been amazed at the quality of the game. One games magazine Edge, which gave nine out of 10 to both Tomb Raider 2 and Resident Evil 2, have gone all the way with a perfect 10 out of 10. JE

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.