We've done the whole village thing now, and we understand the no-zombie slant, so it's time for Resi 4 to prove that it's more than just a 3D engine and a pile of leaves.It's been twelve months since we first witnessed, Resi's brave new direction but we'd still only scratched the rustic surface of the game. That was until we got hands-on with the latest demo - now's there are mines, dusty underground tunnels and of course the castle - monks and all. Shortly after the village has been ...
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4 Nov 2004

Killer 7

GC Preview | Killer 7

The sharpest, oddest death-fest on any Nintendo system ever is starting to make a little more sense now. Harman Smith's the wheelchair-bound man who holds the key to defeating evil Kun Lan and his army of suicidal Heaven's Smile bomb squad. It's his seven different personalities - all hardened assassins - that you get to play in the game, as well as Harman himself.You can switch between these personalities at key points throughout the game - only if you feel it's necessary (and you will). Each ...
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3 Nov 2004

Mario Party 6

GC Preview | Mario Party 6

Back when Donkey Konga first arrived in the NGC office, we were surrounded by journalists from magazines dedicated to 'rival' game consoles, eager to prod and pat our collection of bongos. You'd think they'd never seen someone clasping a set of plastic drums between their knees before. When we get hold of Mario Party 6, we're confident we can pull an even bigger crowd, thanks to the 'Nintendo Gamecube Mic' that we can bark orders into.Yes, there's the familiar Party mode, where you go ...
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28 Oct 2004

The Urbz: Sims in the City

GC Preview | Urbz: Sims in the City

Don't be different, blend in. Don't have your own opinions, go with the crowd. Don't choose your own clothes, just do it! These are all valuable - and painful - lessons we have learnt from playing The Urbz, that and the fact that 'weasel packing' isn't a metaphor. It's a job, but you do still need the rubber gloves. For a Sim raised in the 'burbs (where the greatest danger is a singed microwave meal or lost lover) learning to fit-in on these mean streets is the key to surviving and thriving. ...
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31 Aug 2004

Animal Crossing

GC Preview | Animal Crossing

Hurrah! At long last Nintendo are releasing the brilliant Animal Crossing in the UK.It's been a long time coming. The game was originally released in Japan for the N64 years ago - then it go rejigged for GameCube and hit the US last September. And finally, at long last, PAL gamers are going to get the chance to see what all the fuss is about. Animal Crossing is all about moving to a new town and living your life - interacting with the inhabitants, making a living, paying off your mortgage - and ...
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12 Jul 2004

Geist

GC Preview | Geist

You can impress pretty German exchange students with the knowledge that 'Geist' translates as both 'ghost' and 'mind'. Just don't mention you learned the word while wandering the world in spirit form and merging your brain with a bowl of dog food.Gamecube exclusive Geist has been spookily elusive since E3 2003. But, at last, we've finally had the chance to control the game's body-hopping 'Spectral Operative'. He ain't got no body - literally, because it's been nicked by evildoers unknown. The ...
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28 May 2004

Viewtiful Joe 2

GC Preview | Viewtiful Joe 2

The sight of a toon-shaded Dante sticking his tongue out at the audience can only mean one thing: Shinji Mikami was so incensed by Tsuyoshi Tanaka's direction of Devil May Cry 2 he has turned to art to vent his fury. Seriously, though, Dante is back, but this time he's fighting in Movie Land, home of the unexpectedly popular GameCube hero Viewtiful Joe. But hang on, isn't Dante exclusive to PlayStation2? Let's freeze frame, zoom in, and take a look at this in more detail.The answer is that ...
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14 Apr 2004

Resident Evil 4

GC Preview | Resident Evil 4

You are about to enter the world of survival horror. It's been a long time since that sentence, glowing white on black, triggered a frisson of anything other than familiarity. Which is what makes the attacks on Resident Evil's new direction seem so extraordinary. Chances are you already know why the initial reaction from hardcore zombie-fanciers was so depressingly childish. Simply put, there are no - repeat, no - zombies in Resident Evil 4. And if you're looking for an illustration of just how ...
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7 Apr 2004

Killer 7

GC Preview | Killer 7

As befits a game starring the seven murderous personalities who live inside a professional assassin's head, Killer 7 is not entirely 'normal'.'Deranged', 'unhinged', and 'utterly mental' are three of the more printable comments we heard at Capcom's recent hands-on Killer 7 demonstration in Las Vegas, an event that left us with almost as many questions as we had before it started.So how does the actual gameplay work, then? Well, it's a combination of third-person exploration, first-person combat ...
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4 Mar 2004

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords

GC Preview | The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

Nintendo have been harping on about GBA connectivity for absolutely ages and, apart from Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles and Pac Man VS, we've seen precious little evidence that the feature is really worth bothering with. Four Swords is going to change that.FOUR TIMES THE FUN? Anyone played Zelda: LTTP's Four Swords extra? No? Well, shame on you, because it's one of the gaming worlds most criminally underplayed experiences - with you and your mates navigating through dungeons, solving puzzles ...
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