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Game Developer Review:

Take-Two Interactive's CHEAP Playstation Games

A Review of Several Titles that are giving Playstation Owners more BANG for their BUCKS!

By: Badseed

     Take-Two Interactive is an interesting company that releases games for the Playstation at $9.99 when other companies are releasing games in the range of $30-$40. While consumers are complaining about the rising prices in video games, Take-Two Interactive seems to have the consumers' feelings in mind when they release their cheaper games.

     Cheaper is often times not better and at $9.99, there is a reason to believe that many of their games would be rather cheesy, containing bad graphics, sound and horrible game play, but that is not necessarily the case with this company. Take-Two Interactive is making a name for themselves and putting some pressure on the higher priced video games we may just start passing over. What follows are reviews of four of the company's most recent releases.

Ball Breakers

     This is a very interesting type of game. Set in a futuristic world, you are a convict who must compete in battles against other convicts. Only problem is, your legs have been cut off and replaced with a ball. Think Gladiator, but with a ball guiding you in battle.

     You have been sentenced to life in prison and must compete in these types of gladiator contests to move up in the system and earn your freedom. There are six characters to choose from, each containing specific attributes, combo attacks, and moves. You choose one that will compete in 80 levels, taking place in 10 incarceration facilities. You start off in one and as you get past each level, new facilities open up and you move on. Bonus levels open up as you do even better.

     Each competition offers a different aspect that keeps things interesting; from battling other convicts in a fight, to Rollerjam like competition. You can enter contests to collect a certain amount of amulets in order to move on and so on. There is plenty to keep you occupied in Ball Breakers.

     Badseed's Bottomline: 5 out of 5. This game is crazy addictive and is extremely fun to play. It has an interesting premise and brings a new type of sports game that is exciting and challenging. This is one of those guilty pleasures that will keep you playing for hours.

Action Bass

     This is the sore spot of the four games. I don't really like fishing games, but Sega Fishing beat all games out and makes anything else look amateurish. The graphics are nice here. The game play has the right idea. You earn lures that react differently in certain types of water and you also fish in many different locations that differ from one another, as well. Things look good, but once you play, you become very disappointed. It becomes too hard and not worth the effort at times.

     Badseed's Bottomline: 1 out of 5. It looks nice and there is even an aquarium mode to look at the fish you caught during free play, but without a rod controller, your aquarium is empty. Without the special controller, things become too hard. It is virtually impossible to catch a fish and the requirement necessary to make it to the next round is too much to obtain. How can I catch 300 ounces of fish, when it is hard enough to catch 30? Why play this game when I can play Sega Bass Fishing. Good try, but it's time to go back to the drawing board.

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