Χ-Play (2003)

MechAssault 2, Kingdom Hearts, MegaMan X8 and more! (3x5)

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On tonight's episode of X-Play, we review MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf. The original MechAssault struck an important chord in the then burgeoning Xbox system. Not only was MechAssault an entertaining, pure action take on the solid BattleTech franchise, it was, more importantly, one of the first Xbox Live titles. Sporting game modes that are now standards, MechAssault was a fun yet shallow play. Day 1 Studios knows that lightning can’t strike twice, so the sequel tries to broaden the playability of the game, on and offline. Kingdom Hearts is the result of one of the most bizarre corporate hook-ups ever and is phenomenally successful to boot. Setting the stage for this year’s highly-anticipated Kingdom Hearts 2, Square’s crossover fan-fiction opus continues with Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. When a racing game has a name like Crash ‘N’ Burn, you’re probably not going to enjoy a safe, leisurely drive through scenic vistas. As expected, the emphasis here is on colliding with rivals, using your car as a weapon to take the competition out of the running. With its focus on demolition racing, budget price tag, online support, and the promise of the “most insane crash effects seen in a game,” Crash ‘N’ Burn seems -- at least on paper -- to be the perfect alternative to a year’s worth of anger management classes. There’s nothing like slamming into a smoke-chugging sports car and watching it burst into flames to help ease the frustration of being cut off or stuck in traffic in the “real world.” By now, everyone who considers themselves a gamer has played at least one music/rhythm game -- be it Parappa, Dance Dance Revolution, Space Channel 5, etc. With that experience comes a few givens for entries in the genre: You know you're going to be staring intently at the onscreen control cues; you know you'll be either trying to put a song together or keep one from derailing; you know that you'll hear some recognizable tracks from today's hottest