E3 2005: Level Up
The Golden Touch For Your Wallet in 2005
Product: Midas Interactive's E3 Line
Company: Midas Interactive
Date: 05/19/2005
Avaliable On:

Midas Interactive Entertainment has another diverse lineup ready for 2005 that won?t break your bank account. Showcasing a lineup of 18 games, exclusive to the PlayStation 2, Midas is bound to have at least one game this year that will satisfy that gaming urge for even the poorest of college students.

War fans and American army aficionados will not be disappointed. Midas is offering a plethora of games to help you make the world a better place for democracy, democracy with teeth. Clearly based on the current dealings in Iraq, Stealth Force offers players gritty urban warfare in a modern city set in the Middle East. If you prefer something a little less modern, WWII: Tank Battles will let you get behind the guns of 8 true life tanks from that era, from both sides of the conflict. You will control everything from Shermans to Panzers as you plow your way through the verdant landscapes of Normandy or the dunes of North Africa. Players can also flex their camo muscle in titles like Project Minerva: Professional, Pacific Warriors II: Dogfight, or Operation Air Assault. If war really isn?t your thing you might prefer something like Swat Commando, or if hiding in the shadows is more your style, you can try The Sniper 2.

At one point while touring Midas? area, I was rather shocked as I looked up and who should be staring me right in the face but a poster of He-Man. For old-school fans, Midas will be offering Masters of the Universe Interactive He-Man: Defender of Grayskull. You?ll take control of He-Man as he battles the minions of Skeletor. You will even be able to ride his sometimes ferocious companion, Battle Cat, into the action.

Racing fans on a budget will easily find a home in Midas? lineup. In Golden age of Racing, travel back to the mid 1960?s, ?A time when race car drivers were the real heroes.? If you prefer something a little more modern, MaXXed out Racing will offer a unique racing experience, focusing on the track prowess of Japanese muscle cars. Dirt Track Devils will take you across various environments where you will battle the tracks themselves as much as any opponent. In case you?d have more fun on a more extreme end of the spectrum, ISK International Super Karts and Truck Racing 2 allows you to take control of some of the smallest, and biggest, racing vehicles around.

If you?re like me and have always enjoyed the cutesy 3D platformers no matter how old you get, or if you have some younger gamers that enjoy them, Anubis: Curse of the Pharaohs will satisfy your need to jump around frantically, collecting everything in sight.

Rollercoaster games seem to be everywhere nowadays and Midas is giving us their own take on the idea with Rollercoaster World. Not only will you be able to create the most insane rollercoasters you can come up with, you will be able to place them in your own amusement park that you build from the ground up.

Those who gain pleasure from building might want to keep their eyes out for BCV Battle Construction Vehicles and The Seed: -Warzone-. While BVC focuses on construction yard type vehicles and is geared for a younger crowd, The Seed involves researching, designing, and building more futuristic types of ships to fight.

If you have a hankering for something more in the fantasy genre, you can kill some monsters in the action RPG Eternal Quest, blow up cool ships in Steel Dragon EX, or bust out some combos in Deadly Strike. Old school game fans might like the recreation of the classic Breakout in the 3D puzzle title bust-A-bloc.

If sports games are more your speed, you can try Boxing Champions, International Cue Club 2, Black Market Bowling, Snowboard Racer 2, or Alpine Skiing 2005. Some games will never die and Ultimate Mind Games brings classics like Chess, Backgammon, Chinese Checkers, and Go to your computer.

It?s not likely that any of the games in Midas? lineup will break retail records or win lots of awards, but for a gamer on a budget they just might do the trick.

Alucard aka Stephen Triche

GameVortex PSIllustrated TeamPS2