Atari
www.atari.com

Atari (don't call them Infogrames or they'll get mad) was showing off an impressive array of upcoming titles as well as riding high on the release of Enter the Matrix, which has since broken all sorts of sales records. Most of the "good stuff" was behing shown behind closed doors and I had the privilege of seeing it all.

Dead Man's Hand (Xbox)
Dead Man’s Hand is a first-person shooter set in the Wild West. You assume the role of El Tejon, a master gunslinger on a mission of vengeance. As the story unfolds, you will pursue members of "The Nine," a gang of ruthless outlaws who betrayed you and left you for dead. For the first time ever, you can experience the best elements of the Western genre brought straight from the silver screen to the Xbox video game system. Gunslinging, bar brawls, horseback action sequences, train chases and epic showdowns are just part of the Old West feel in this bona fide "period piece" adventure.

Dead Man's Hand incorporates unique gameplay elements taken from the Old West. Gamers will try their hands at blasting desperados from the back of their trusty steed and shooting it out on a moving train. In addition, as the game progresses, players will acquire "Legend," a unique scoring system that awards points as the player blazes a path into Western folklore. When accumulated, Legend will allow the player to pull off amazing trick shots and death-defying feats. Players will also be able to pick their own path through the game, selecting from mission choices to meet their abilities.

Anyone who loves westerns has been waiting for a great wild west shoot'em up type game. The genre has been lacking ever since LucasArts' Outlaws game way back in the mid-90's. Now Atari is brining us the ultimate cowboy shooters using the latest Unreal Technology for incredible graphics and enhanced multiplayer support using Xbox Live. With more than nine weapons, 25 enemies, and authentic wild west locales like mountains, mine shafts, and riverboats, Dead Man's Hand is going to fill a much-needed niche in a long-overlooked genre.

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Shadow Ops: Red Mercury (Xbox)
Race against time and terrorism as a member of the elite Delta Force in this all-out first person shooter. From the hostile streets of the middle-east, where danger can come from any direction, to the landmarks of a major European city. Your duty is to hunt down a terrorist overlord carrying a nuclear device before untold disaster is unleashed.

Sure, there are a lot of combat games out there but Shadow Ops is one of the most realistic and immersive games I have seen on a console to date. Join other elite forces from the US and Europe as you hunt down international terrorists either solo or in split-screen or Xbox Live multiplayer. Full support for the Live Headset allows you to issue orders and work cooperatively as a squad and taunt your enemies. Using the Unreal engine, the graphics have never looked better and the multiplayer support is highly optimized. Get ready to enlist June 2004.

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Mission Impossible (PS2/Xbox/GameCube)
One of the most promising new titles being shown was the new Mission Impossible game being developed by Paradigm. The build on display was very impressive and I got to see a very realistic CG Ethan perform all sorts of stunning moves and use all sorts of inventive gadgets. As you can imagine, there is a lot of stealth and strategy. Ethan can take pictures using his digital camera then make those famous latex masks to impersonate guards or key personnel. Even the the Mission Impossible genre is built around teamwork, the game is primarily a single player experience with the rest of your team assisting you via your com-link.

I'll admit, the game did have a Splinter Cell "feel" to it, but this is hardly a Sam Fisher knockoff. There is plenty of MI-specific content that fans of the series and the movies will certainly enjoy. The game is not going to tie in with the story of the next movie but you can expect a cross-promotion marketing campaign when they both release in 2004.

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Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (PS2/Xbox/GameCube/GBA)
Of course the big attraction in the back rooms of the Atari booth was Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. Based on the upcoming summer blockbuster, this will be the first next-gen game that allows players to become the Terminator Series signature icon, Arnold Schwarzenegger as the original Terminator. This game also marks the first time Arnold Schwarzenegger's voice and likeness has ever appeared in a home videogame.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines will feature exclusive film footage created specifically for the release of the videogame and not available in the motion picture. Filmed by director Jonathan Mostow, this 5-minute segment features Arnold Schwarzenegger and sheds new light on the mythology behind the origins of the Terminator. In addition, footage from the feature film is also used liberally throughout the game to set up key situations and story-related game elements.

The Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines videogame storyline will weave in and out of the movie script as players face enemies from the present in which the War of the Machines looms on the horizon, to the apocalyptic future where the War itself is waged on all fronts. While following the feature film's plot closely, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines will go one step further by providing fans of the Terminator series with a deeper look into the movie's universe and the role of the Terminator, a futuristic fighting machine reprogrammed to save humanity from the SkyNet holocaust.

You will be able to play in more than 20 unique locations taken from the current Terminator timeline and with more than 20 deadly weapons at your disposal, "terminating" has never been more fun. Destructible architecture means you can smash through walls and create your own path if no other is available. Look for this amazing new game this Fall.

There is also a PC version of the game in development that will support online squad-based warfare. You will finally be able to recreate those amazing futuristic battles of man versus machine. Play as the resistance or become your favorite model of Terminator including the flying HK's. More on the PC version as details are made available.

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