Video Game Reviews

By ADAM SHEPPARD and SCOTT STEINLE
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 24, 2003

NHL2K3

• System: PlayStation 2
• Company: Sega
• Price: $49.99
• Rating: Everyone
• Grade: A

NHL2K3 is a great game for hockey lovers. The game play is excellent, but the graphics make the experience spectacular.

Players have many options on game settings, and even more while the game is in play. You can turn the penalties on or off. You control how hard the players hit. You can even choose the precise location of your shots. You can edit your lines and tell them when to change during the game. You can switch to playing goalie and make him perform a variety of moves. You can choose one of several camera angles. And the crowd noise is loud and realistic.

Uniforms and arena scenes duplicate the big-league teams, and rosters are up to date. Aside from NHL teams, you can also opt to play several national teams, such as Russia and Canada. And there are numerous playing modes, including single games or season.

-- ADAM SHEPPARD, Times correspondent

Jet X2O

• System: PlayStation 2
• Company: Sony
• Price: $49.99
• Rating: Everyone
• Grade: B

I feel all wet. Jet X2O (pronounced X-Two-Oh) is a high-speed watercraft racing game with 30 types of tricks and various race courses, drivers and racing crafts to choose from. It has futuristic-looking race venues featuring waterfalls as tall as 300 feet, giant ramps, boosts and hazards. The graphics in Jet X20 are great, with realistic-looking water, rocks, spray from the watercraft and people. The only thing that doesn't look good is the trees, which appear flat and 2-dimensional. The music fits the racing. There are four modes of play, including Rescue Mode.

When you start the game, certain players, watercraft and tracks are locked. You have to meet specified requirements to unlock them. The one bad thing about Jet X20 is the racers' and announcers' silly dialogue. It is kind of obnoxious. Overall, though, Jet X20 is a fun and exciting game that could be a good holiday gift.

-- SCOTT STEINLE, Times correspondent

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