Episode 5

On another anarchic outing of Thumb Bandits, Ian dives into the dark, futuristic online world of Neocron, praising its mutant-blasting missions, player-driven community and refreshingly elf-free sci-fi setting. The news desk tackles the rise of in-game advertising—from Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec to football sponsorship tie-ins—asking whether product placement will make games cheaper or just more intrusive. In the review arena, aerial combat heats up as Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies takes on Dropship: United Peace Force and cartoon racer Looney Tunes: Space Race, while Super Monkey Ball earns a rapturous, booze-fuelled celebration ahead of its Nintendo GameCube launch. Elsewhere, a retro arcade collector showcases classics like Space Invaders and Pac-Man, and previews tease Hitman 2: Silent Assassin and Gunmetal.