E3 2003: SEGA Announces Game Lineup
SEGA spills the beans on all of their big titles scheduled to make a debut at this year's E3.
Published: April 28, 2003
With the rapid approach of the month of May, and of course, the wonderful glory of the three-day gaming expo known as E3, publishers nationwide are scrambling to compile their list of upcoming titles expected to make an appearance at the big show. SEGA is no exception to this, which may explain why today, SEGA of America released the official list of their fall and winter releases that will be debuting at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2003. Featuring big PS2 titles such as Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution, an upgrade of the acclaimed Virtua Fighter 4, and Sonic Heroes, a brand new adventure starring the blue hedgehog himself, SEGA's lineup for E3 will surely knock the socks off of journalists and spectators alike.
"With an impressive lineup of world-class entertainment and sports titles, SEGA's E3 2003 showing is testament to our legendary properties and franchises and the strength of our world-renowned development talent," said Tetsu Kayama, president and CEO, SEGA of America, Inc. "With an enormous catalog of iconic character-driven franchises and a completely redesigned 2K4 sports series, SEGA is committed to delivering industry leading content across all platforms in 2003 and beyond."
Now let's find out just which PlayStation 2 titles will be debuting at E3, courtesy of SEGA, shall we?
Altered Beast
As a special military operative, you are sent to investigate a deadly genetic outbreak in a small West Coast town. Hunted by unspeakable horrors and haunted by your past, you soon discover that in order to overcome evil, you must become more than evil. The only thing that can save you is your darkest power, the ability to transform into a variety of powerful beasts. As you defeat wave after wave of failed genetic experiments, the line between human restraint and primal instinct will blur, until nothing is left but the savage desire to uncover the true nature of the beast. Explore your inner demons. Unleash your fury. Alter your reality.
Dororo (working title)
Dororo is a modern day action epic adapted from the classic manga by Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy). Like the original manga the game follows the adventures of Hyakkimaru, a samurai haunted by a shocking secret, who is on a quest to uncover his past and regain his humanity. Players can choose to battle with various weapons such as blades embedded inside Hyakkimaru's arms, a bazooka hidden inside his leg, or weapons that are found during the course of the adventure. Dororo delivers the ultimate Samurai fighting experience with intense 3D action from one of Japan's most famous storytellers.
Headhunter: Redemption
Picking up where the first game's story left off (20 years later after the devastation of the Bloody Mars virus), Headhunter: Redemption tells the gritty story of Jack Wade, the Headhunter in charge of keeping order in a futuristic world corrupted by organized crime and mass-media. Although Jack already seems to have his hands full, the real trouble starts when he and his partner Leeza X discover an arms smuggling operation that threatens the fate of the world. Together, they must put a stop to it and save the world from its predestined doom. Featuring a world divided into two symbolic realities, "Above" and "Below", Headhunter: Redepmtion will surely deliver a dark stealth/action blockbuster gamers that have been waiting for.
Kunoichi (working title)
A rift to the demon realm has placed Tokyo in great peril. As Kunoichi, a deadly female ninja, you are charged with the task of collecting the scattered pieces of a legendary weapon while dispatching a relentless army of powerful demonic foes.
NBA 2K4
NBA 2K4 advances to the next level of the game with a blowout of new and innovative gameplay improvements. Replicating the quickness and athleticism of the NBA like no other basketball video game, NBA 2K4 rises to the top with online play, an all-new franchise mode, redesigned player models and arenas and hundreds of new animations including highlight-reel dunks. An unrivaled telecast presentation brings this all to life with a more dynamic production that only ESPN can deliver.
NCAA College Basketball 2K4
NCAA College Basketball 2K4 truly embodies the tradition, pageantry, and purity of college hoops. This year, the game features dramatic enhancements including all-new player models, redesigned school-specific arenas, an expanded Legacy mode, more than 100 fight songs and mascots, the ability to create teams and players and customizable gameplay sliders to adjust the game to your preferred style of play. Along with an all-new ESPN presentation format and online play for the PlayStation 2 (and Xbox), NCAA College Basketball 2K4 delivers the complete college hoops experience.
NFL 2K4
NFL 2K4 hits the line hard, challenging the conventions of football video gaming once again, with a fresh new experience that will put gamers right into the action. Enter a new world of ESPN integration, bringing you behind the scenes and into a captivating environment of new presentation schemes. A new play calling system makes it easy for gamers to navigate through menus, while more than 1,000 new animations and enhanced moves give NFL 2K4 a new level of realism that is unmatched. Playable online and ready for the season to begin, NFL 2K4 is destined for greatness.
NHL 2K4
NHL 2K4 emerges with new levels of realism and detail, not yet seen before in hockey video games. Experience the complete NHL environment from the real-time reflections of the arenas on ice to the lifelike appearances of the NHL pros -- no detail has been spared. Add to this a polished gameplay engine with adaptive AI and a variety of new modes, including online play for the PlayStation 2 (as well as Xbox). A remarkably authentic ESPN presentation system completes this package, making NHL 2K4 the enforcer this season.
Sonic Heroes
In Sonic Heroes, Sonic embarks on his biggest adventure ever, with his trademark blazing speed and a new gameplay twist. Sonic and his friends have evolved, adopting a configuration feature that allows gamers to control three playable characters simultaneously, using Sonic's speed, Knuckles' power, and Tails' ability to fly, to conquer massive worlds. This team-based gameplay marks the next evolution in Sonic's gaming career, taking platform gaming to a completely new level. Using the three formations and the powerful moves that each team member has, Sonic and his friends combine forces to battle the ultimate evil. Watch out – this blue hedgehog is looking to take the PlayStation 2 by storm!
Vectorman
As a robotic soldier fully equipped to wreck havoc, Vectorman must set out to rescue Gamma 6 from the evil Volt. To aid you on your mission, you'll have access to more than 15 massive weapons, as well as 25 upgradeable parts to use on that walking arsenal you call Vectorman. To suit such a destructive soldier, the game's environments will be fully destructible and interactive, which in some instances, can be used to your advantage. In addition to the amazing interactive environments, Vectorman is said to feature advanced enemy A.I. Orbots will come as prepared as you will, adapting to their own environments and using strategic combat tactics to use against Vectorman. Kiss those yellow-balled Genesis days goodbye, Vectorman!
Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution Greatest Hits
After the huge success of SEGA's last fighting blockbuster, Virtua Fighter 4, what better way to follow up than with an upgrade of that same game, featuring major graphical improvement and better gameplay! But as any Darwinist will tell you, Evolution is not about looks - it's about the survival of the fittest. Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution will feature more aggressive A.I. opponents, newly detailed arenas, more than 1,500 new costume items, and two brand-new characters. Better break out that old "Karate for Dummies" book… you're gonna need it.
Virtual On Marz
Mech combat meets street brawling in this lightning-fast weapon-intensive arena-based Battle Royal. As a member of "Marz," a Robotic Special Forces unit, players are thrust into the pilot's seat of a giant mech known as a Virtuaroid (VR), an immensely capable machine built specifically for combat. Through a variety of missions on various planets, players set out to defeat enemy VRs, locate new areas, attack enemy locations, defend allied bases, attack enemy convoys, and fight alongside other VRs in explosive two-on-two battles. Looks like Zone of the Enders will be getting a run for its money!
While this may be SEGA's official word for now, don't be surprised if they have a few tricks up their sleeves for E3 2003! In any case, check back PSX2.com throughout May as we bring you the best Pre-E3 news and live E3 coverage around!
"With an impressive lineup of world-class entertainment and sports titles, SEGA's E3 2003 showing is testament to our legendary properties and franchises and the strength of our world-renowned development talent," said Tetsu Kayama, president and CEO, SEGA of America, Inc. "With an enormous catalog of iconic character-driven franchises and a completely redesigned 2K4 sports series, SEGA is committed to delivering industry leading content across all platforms in 2003 and beyond."
Now let's find out just which PlayStation 2 titles will be debuting at E3, courtesy of SEGA, shall we?
Altered Beast
As a special military operative, you are sent to investigate a deadly genetic outbreak in a small West Coast town. Hunted by unspeakable horrors and haunted by your past, you soon discover that in order to overcome evil, you must become more than evil. The only thing that can save you is your darkest power, the ability to transform into a variety of powerful beasts. As you defeat wave after wave of failed genetic experiments, the line between human restraint and primal instinct will blur, until nothing is left but the savage desire to uncover the true nature of the beast. Explore your inner demons. Unleash your fury. Alter your reality.
Dororo (working title)
Dororo is a modern day action epic adapted from the classic manga by Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy). Like the original manga the game follows the adventures of Hyakkimaru, a samurai haunted by a shocking secret, who is on a quest to uncover his past and regain his humanity. Players can choose to battle with various weapons such as blades embedded inside Hyakkimaru's arms, a bazooka hidden inside his leg, or weapons that are found during the course of the adventure. Dororo delivers the ultimate Samurai fighting experience with intense 3D action from one of Japan's most famous storytellers.
Headhunter: Redemption
Picking up where the first game's story left off (20 years later after the devastation of the Bloody Mars virus), Headhunter: Redemption tells the gritty story of Jack Wade, the Headhunter in charge of keeping order in a futuristic world corrupted by organized crime and mass-media. Although Jack already seems to have his hands full, the real trouble starts when he and his partner Leeza X discover an arms smuggling operation that threatens the fate of the world. Together, they must put a stop to it and save the world from its predestined doom. Featuring a world divided into two symbolic realities, "Above" and "Below", Headhunter: Redepmtion will surely deliver a dark stealth/action blockbuster gamers that have been waiting for.
Kunoichi (working title)
A rift to the demon realm has placed Tokyo in great peril. As Kunoichi, a deadly female ninja, you are charged with the task of collecting the scattered pieces of a legendary weapon while dispatching a relentless army of powerful demonic foes.
NBA 2K4
NBA 2K4 advances to the next level of the game with a blowout of new and innovative gameplay improvements. Replicating the quickness and athleticism of the NBA like no other basketball video game, NBA 2K4 rises to the top with online play, an all-new franchise mode, redesigned player models and arenas and hundreds of new animations including highlight-reel dunks. An unrivaled telecast presentation brings this all to life with a more dynamic production that only ESPN can deliver.
NCAA College Basketball 2K4
NCAA College Basketball 2K4 truly embodies the tradition, pageantry, and purity of college hoops. This year, the game features dramatic enhancements including all-new player models, redesigned school-specific arenas, an expanded Legacy mode, more than 100 fight songs and mascots, the ability to create teams and players and customizable gameplay sliders to adjust the game to your preferred style of play. Along with an all-new ESPN presentation format and online play for the PlayStation 2 (and Xbox), NCAA College Basketball 2K4 delivers the complete college hoops experience.
NFL 2K4
NFL 2K4 hits the line hard, challenging the conventions of football video gaming once again, with a fresh new experience that will put gamers right into the action. Enter a new world of ESPN integration, bringing you behind the scenes and into a captivating environment of new presentation schemes. A new play calling system makes it easy for gamers to navigate through menus, while more than 1,000 new animations and enhanced moves give NFL 2K4 a new level of realism that is unmatched. Playable online and ready for the season to begin, NFL 2K4 is destined for greatness.
NHL 2K4
NHL 2K4 emerges with new levels of realism and detail, not yet seen before in hockey video games. Experience the complete NHL environment from the real-time reflections of the arenas on ice to the lifelike appearances of the NHL pros -- no detail has been spared. Add to this a polished gameplay engine with adaptive AI and a variety of new modes, including online play for the PlayStation 2 (as well as Xbox). A remarkably authentic ESPN presentation system completes this package, making NHL 2K4 the enforcer this season.
Sonic Heroes
In Sonic Heroes, Sonic embarks on his biggest adventure ever, with his trademark blazing speed and a new gameplay twist. Sonic and his friends have evolved, adopting a configuration feature that allows gamers to control three playable characters simultaneously, using Sonic's speed, Knuckles' power, and Tails' ability to fly, to conquer massive worlds. This team-based gameplay marks the next evolution in Sonic's gaming career, taking platform gaming to a completely new level. Using the three formations and the powerful moves that each team member has, Sonic and his friends combine forces to battle the ultimate evil. Watch out – this blue hedgehog is looking to take the PlayStation 2 by storm!
Vectorman
As a robotic soldier fully equipped to wreck havoc, Vectorman must set out to rescue Gamma 6 from the evil Volt. To aid you on your mission, you'll have access to more than 15 massive weapons, as well as 25 upgradeable parts to use on that walking arsenal you call Vectorman. To suit such a destructive soldier, the game's environments will be fully destructible and interactive, which in some instances, can be used to your advantage. In addition to the amazing interactive environments, Vectorman is said to feature advanced enemy A.I. Orbots will come as prepared as you will, adapting to their own environments and using strategic combat tactics to use against Vectorman. Kiss those yellow-balled Genesis days goodbye, Vectorman!
Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution Greatest Hits
After the huge success of SEGA's last fighting blockbuster, Virtua Fighter 4, what better way to follow up than with an upgrade of that same game, featuring major graphical improvement and better gameplay! But as any Darwinist will tell you, Evolution is not about looks - it's about the survival of the fittest. Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution will feature more aggressive A.I. opponents, newly detailed arenas, more than 1,500 new costume items, and two brand-new characters. Better break out that old "Karate for Dummies" book… you're gonna need it.
Virtual On Marz
Mech combat meets street brawling in this lightning-fast weapon-intensive arena-based Battle Royal. As a member of "Marz," a Robotic Special Forces unit, players are thrust into the pilot's seat of a giant mech known as a Virtuaroid (VR), an immensely capable machine built specifically for combat. Through a variety of missions on various planets, players set out to defeat enemy VRs, locate new areas, attack enemy locations, defend allied bases, attack enemy convoys, and fight alongside other VRs in explosive two-on-two battles. Looks like Zone of the Enders will be getting a run for its money!
While this may be SEGA's official word for now, don't be surprised if they have a few tricks up their sleeves for E3 2003! In any case, check back PSX2.com throughout May as we bring you the best Pre-E3 news and live E3 coverage around!
