PlayStation 2: Sega has a reputation for quirky games, and its January release, Rez, only helps that rep. Rez is the world’s first techno-rave videogame. As you clear a sentient computer network of viruses, each enemy you shoot explodes in a synchronized riot of color and sound that complements the trippy visuals. Many fans initially bypassed Rez, but six months later we’re still hooked. Looking ahead, Sega has two PS2 must-haves on the horizon: the ninja adventure game Shinobi, and Sega Sports Tennis, whose cover girls are the Williams sisters.
GameCube: The concept behind Super Monkey Ball 2 is simple, yet engaging. Players must guide a clear plastic sphere containing a monkey across a series of vertiginous landscapes without falling off the edges. Also upcoming: Beach Spikers, an all-female beach-volleyball game, and GameCube’s first networked adventure, Phantasy Star Online.
Xbox: Sega’s games for Microsoft’s console have been a mixed bag. The anime- inspired in-line-skating game Jet Set Radio Future was nicely done, but the controls for the futuristic action-shooter Gunvalkyrie were too complicated for anyone but the most hard-core gamer. Coming soon: zombie splatterfest The House of the Dead III and Panzer Dragoon Orta, a visually beautiful game in which a dragon takes on its foes.
