Activate

Activate 2004 - continued

The most impressive PC game on show was The Movies, which lets budding movie moguls create their own films using a host of in-game characters. The graphics are good and allow you to zoom right in. But it is the potential here that really impresses. Players will be able to add their own dialogue and soundtracks into the game and will be able to export their creations to the web. There's a whole side-game that involves building up your film studio too. The Movies has real potential to be a Sims style megahit and it's clear Activision are quietly confident about this one.

Other games on show included the extremely violent Mercenaries and the RPG-lite of X:Men Legends. The latter was a disappointment; a Baldur's Gate style hack 'n slash that looked tiresome for even the age group targeted. Mercenaries, however, looked a lot better. Offering GTA style freedom to use anything lying around - tanks, cars etc - Mercenaries lets you destroy pretty much everything in the game in your quest to make money. This is one to watch.

Elsewhere there were some slick movie tie-ins for children - Sharks Tale and Lemony Snickett. The former is made by the team responsible for Shrek while the latter is a Harry Potter-style fantasy based on the best-selling books.

The last two games shown were Vampire: The Masquerade a Deus-Ex style first person RPG and Tony Hawks Underground 2. The latter looks a sure-fire hit with its mix of skateboarding and Jackass humour.

Overall Activate 2004 was a slick showing from Activision. The games shown were, on the whole, mightily impressive and bodes well for the next 12 months. Activate 2005 should be a winner too, even if it is held in Bridlington.

Greg Howson

Tiscali Games.