MaximumPC 2006 03

BEST INSIDE JOKE

SPLINTER CELL: CHAOS THEORY

The second Splinter Cell game was fi lled with alarms that,
once sounded, required you to restart the level—and it sucked.
In the third installment, after being warned not to set off any
alarms, Fisher asks, “And if I do, I have to start over, right?” His
boss then says, “Damnit, Fisher, this isn’t a video game.” Well-
played, Ubisoft. $50, http://www.splintercell.com, ESRB: T

THE MICROMANAGEMENT AND MACHINIMA

ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

THE MOVIES

We don’t usually go for games that require tons of micromanage-

ment, but there’s something pretty compelling about keeping

your rising starlets off the hooch and on the movie lot. Beneath

the Sims -style micromanagement, there’s an advanced open-

ended machinima-creation game, unlike anything we’ve ever

played before. $50, http://www.themoviesgame.com, ESRB: T

THE IT’S ABOUT DAMN TIME AWARD

GAMES ON DVD

We have had it up to here with multi-

CD installations. Having to swap

out six discs to install a game is

idiotic. When the fi rst games on

DVD arrived in our offi ce, we were

beside ourselves in ecstasy. All

we ask is for that to become the

norm in 2006, rather than being the

domain of more-expensive-yet-not-

so-special “Collector’s Editions.”

THE GIVE US MERCY AWARD FOR

HUMANE GAMEPLAY

BROTHERS IN ARMS: EARNED IN BLOOD

Die, respawn, die again, respawn again, die yet again—we’ve all

been locked into this frustrating cycle before. Brothers in Arms ,

however, gives frustrated gamers who are stuck in a tight spot a

helping hand. That’s the way we like to play.

$50, http://www.brothersinarmsgame.com, ESRB: M

THE GAME WE HATE TO LOVE

GRAND THEFT AUTO: SAN ANDREAS

We hate to admit it, but San Andreas is one of the best games

we’ve played in recent memory. Everything from the engrossing

story to the game’s superb voice-acting and myriad side-missions

sucked us in like no game has in a long, long time. Grove Street

for life! $50, http://www.gtasanandreas.com, ESRB: M

MOST ASININE GAME FEATURE

In Battlefi eld 2 , a “yes” vote has to be cast by damn near

everyone on the server to kick off a player, rather than by

just his teammates. That’s lame, with a capital L.

MOST DISAPPOINTING EXPANSION

Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil brought us back to the

Mars Facility’s test labs, as if we didn’t get enough of

that the fi rst go-around.

with multi-

norm in 2006, rather than being the

domain of more-expensive-yet-not-

MARCH 2006 MA XIMUMPC 45