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Platform: Playstation
2
Related Links: Review: Billy Hatcher & the Giant Egg (GC)
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Astro Boy
Astro Boy conjures up a lot of good feelings for people around the world and is one of Japan’s most recognizable exports. And it looks like Sega is finally going to do justice to the Astro Boy legacy, with the aptly titled, “Astro Boy.” What struck me most about Astro Boy at E3 was how much it looked like an updated Astro Boy cartoon. It’s got a great style, but on with the facts from Sega: Join Astro, the robotic superhero with a human mind, in a jet-fueled adventure to reunite the robotic race with humans. Working with Tezuka Productions and Sony Pictures Television, SEGA's SONICTEAM studio has faithfully recreated the Astro Boy universe, lending authenticity to the franchise and paying homage to a classic icon of Japanese anime that is now a featured series on Cartoon Network. |
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Osamu Tezuka, who is known as the pioneer of Japanese animation and the "father of manga," created Astro Boy in 1952. Since then, Astro Boy has become one of the most recognized characters in Japanese animation and was the first Japanese animated television show shown in America. Airing in more than 40 countries and selling more than 80 million comic books and $3 billion in merchandise, the beloved character has amassed a global following that borders on cult status.
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In Astro Boy, gamers use Astro's Rocket Feet, Arm Cannon, 1,000,000-horsepower Strength, X-Ray Vision and other special abilities to help save Metro City. With each case solved, Astro's skills develop; preparing him to face off against the strengths of Atlas, Acheron, the Blue Knight and more! Features:
Play as Astro, rocket thru Metro City, and unlock and develop seven super-abilities including 1,000,000-Horsepower Strength, Digibeams (laser-beam fingers), Arm Cannon, Rocket Feet, X-Ray Vision, Supersonic Hearing and Power of Analyzation. Interact with familiar characters from Tezuka and the Astro Boy franchise like Dr. O'Shay, Atlas, Dr. Tenma, Zoran and more. Unique flight mechanics allow for high-flying fun and free-roaming action. Play in 10 areas created to replicate Astro Boy environments like Metro City, Astro's home, and other landmarks from the animated series. Learn more about Astro Boy history by beating sub quests; collecting more than 50 cards. Havok2 physics engine enables realistic character to environment interaction.
Being able to roam freely around Metro City as Astro Boy would also be enough for fans of the robot, but battles play a huge role. Deploying Astro Boy’s abilities like the Digibeams and Arm Cannon should cap the experience for fans. And considering the pedigree of Sonic Team (Sonic the Hedgehog, the underrated Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg) we could be looking at a great action game. The only problem that Astro Boy could face is too-high expectations but from what I’ve seen, those expectations just might be met. Look for it mid-August. - Omni (July 19, 2004) |
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