Dominik D.   VideoGameReview: Fifa2000

    EA's (Electronic Art) cyber athletes return once again and this time it's in another Fifa title.  Last year Fifa '99 was one of the best selling soccer titles ever.The game had great graphics and excellent sound, courtesy of EA. It changed in realism and gameplay. It looks like EA Sports' Fifa 2000 looks to do the same except it will feature a couple of new features here and there, like commentary by Phil Schoen and Julie Foudy.Graphically, Fifa 2000 speaks for itself. The game screams "look at the characters' detail".  Well, I have to say that the graphics are excellent.  The game features fluid moving players with excellent frame rate as well as great looking character models. The detail in each character is phenomenal.  It really looks like EA Sports spent a lot of time on making the characters move and look their best.  Like all the EA Sports titles, the play by play commentary, is near perfection. The commentators keep up with all the action.  Playing this game makes me feel like I'm watching a real soccer game on TV.  Also, while the game is paused you will hear songs which feature excellent quality, and I have never heard any break up in either the EA Sports intro or the commentary. In my opinion this is the most realistic soccer title I have ever played.  Not only does it feature hi-quality graphics, but it also features superior gameplay. I admit I'm not a huge soccer fan but I do watch it from time to time and I think it's a great sport.  It isn't very easy to create a game as realistic in terms of gameplay as Fifa 2000 is.  Basically the gameplay is very real;  every aspect of it is taken straight out of the real thing.  You can do every thing from a power tackle to getting a card for it. You can also fake out your opponents with great moves by pressing R1 or R2 buttons.  For some reason there is no better feel than making a goal.  It's the weirdest thing of any video sports game I played.  Whenever I make a shot and score a goal I literally scream "GOAL!"  Maybe I do this because it's exciting to make a goal. Another very real feature in Fifa 2K is that when the referee cards you, you see a zoomed in shot of your player arguing with the referee. I won't forget those great looking goal celebrations. Every time a goal is made, you will witness the players dance.  The dancing is very realistic, plus they're funny. For a while the control may be difficult, but later on it will fit you, and pretty soon you will see yourself faking out your opponeandscoring goals as fast as you can spell G-O-A-L. The offensive control layout goes like this: Triangle is turbo, X is pass, Square is an air pass, and O is to shoot. The defensive layout goes like this: Square is a hard tackle, O is to do a conservative tackle, X is to switch player and Triangle is turbo. Keep in mind that this is a party game for eight players (including yourself), and if you have a multi tap, make sure to use it with this game. Call up seven of your freinds and get Fifa 2000.
    I would recommend this game for everyone including adults. If you liked Fifa '99's music and great graphics, this is the game for you.

Charles H.      Video Game Review: Final Fantasy 7

    The planet has different challenges to deal with and you must save it. Shinra Inc. (a company that drains the planet's energy a.k.a. mako) is always trying to stop you. Sephiroth (a man with incredible power trying to destroy the planet) mistakes his past and is also trying to stop you.

    You have materia. Special orbs formed when mako solidifies. These orbs can be used to cast spells, use commands, summon mystical monsters, and other things. Different interesting characters with strange pasts join to help you on your journey. Each character has a unique ability called a "limit break". Limit breaks are used when the characters are inflicted a certain amount of damage. When you do certain things, new limit breaks are learned. Your main character, Cloud Strife, joins a group just for money but starts his epic journey. Cloud's past is shrouded in mystery but all comes clear in the end. All characters that join your party can be renamed. Puzzles, riddles, and challenges await you. Different items are used for different reasons. Special items are used to alter the story sometimes. Some rare items are used to learn the final limit breaks. Making choices are tough to do by yourself.

    Chocobos (large bird creatures) are able to be breed later in the game. Using special nuts to allow special chocobos to be born allowing you to get to secret places. Yellow can go only on land. Green can go over mountains and land. Blue can go over water and land. Black can do all. Gold can do all and find a rare island. Each rank of chocobo can go faster than the last. Greens are used to increase stats of the chocobo. Other transportation is accessible in the game. Breeding to get a gold chocobo is a long process of getting nuts and, capturing specific chocobos is well worth it.A buggy, airship, a crashed airplane used for a ship, and a submarine.
    I recommend this game for ages 10 and up, due to language and certain scenes. Final Fantasy 7  is definitely a MUST buy game for the Playstation game console.

Ilya G.    Video Game Review:No Mercy

    Drop kicks, head butts, stunners, rock bottoms!! All of this and more could be found in the new wrestling game No Mercy for Nintendo 64. No Mercy I think will be the most electrifying game in sports entertainment today.  It's true, it's true.   I think it will be a best seller because......Wait! I don't want to spoil it, so go online or get the game to find out why it's so electrifying.  The game was developed by AK and was published by THQ.   Up to four people can play this game which I think is a great hit.  I would recommend it to people over ten (not younger) because there is blood in the game that might frighten younger children.   Check it out.

Jon Claude G.   Video Game Review:Twisted Metal 2

    Boom! There goes the Eiffel Tower. Boom! There goes the Hollywood Sign. This is a game called Twisted Metal 2 and mass destruction is a major part of it. There are any number of weapons you could use to destroy your enemy and you may choose from a large selection of characters when playing the game.   The characters have amazing special attacks, some  strong, some weak.  This game contains a lot of risks.You either risk your life collecting weapons or get to a safe place to avoid being attacked by an enemy.  In order to win a player must save good weapons that can take the life of an enemy.  Health and life are qualities that can form and return to a player. If you have little health or life you need to find more in order to destroy your enemy.  If the player does not have health, then he or she must avoid enemies until the health once again forms.    This is a game of destruction and survival and it's cool.
 
 

Andrea N.     NASA Student Involvement Project (NSIP)

    If you like science, you would like this web site. This website is exciting and it tells you about N.S.I.P. in the news.  If you are doing a NASA project in your class, you would find this website very useful.  Need to know how to design your project?    You can see some winning entries from the previous year. This site gives you tips, facts, links, and resources that might be very helpful to someone who wants more information.  If you want to keep up with NASA, you could join the mailing list.   Visit:  http://www.nasa.gov/nsip

Anthony B.   Video Game Review: Twisted Metal 4

    Missile launchings, bombs exploding, it's all part of Twisted Metal 4.  Twisted Metal 4's objective is to beat one's opponent without using up all the energy.   If you use all of your energy, you die.   You can beat your opponents by firing missiles and bombs at them.  You can pick any arena in which you want to play.  If you beat the game a new arena is unlocked.   You can pick from many diffrent players.  There are also secret players but you need passwords to take on their identities.  This game is for the Play Station console. If you thought that Twisted Metal 3 was fun, just wait until you play Twisted Metal 4.  There is even a large choice of characters firepower.  I recommend this game to kids ages 9-13.This game is full of thrills.