Small Soldiers: Little Guys Pack a Big Punch Company: EA Games The graphics are beautiful! The textures used in Small Soldiers are extremely detailed and help to maintain continuity throughout the levels. The character models are very true to form, closely resembling their big screen counterparts. The levels are very reminiscent of Deathtrap Dungeon, only with better gameplay (but I?ll go into that later). The background music is very heavy, with chanting going on all the while. But it works with the feel of the game. The comments that the various commandos shout at you during gameplay are pretty funny, though; makes me feel like I?m in a Burger King commercial. There is a character that looks amazingly like two french fries with a head. Hmmmm... Small Soldiers is a 3rd person game set in a 3D environment, and it?s very similar in feel to Deathtrap Dungeon, with much improved gameplay. You play the role of a Gorgonite, fighting to save your native Gorgon from an onslaught of commandos who wish to enslave your people. During the course of the game, you are to release your captive friends; big friends, who gratefully fight with you after their release. This is a cool aspect, because you don?t have to take all of the heat yourself. There are multiple weapons you can acquire, my favorite being the one that toasts your enemies. And, it?s not just a Doom-style game where you run around killing everyone. There are also many puzzles to solve along the way. It takes a little bit of time to get used to the control of Small Soldiers. It?s a bit awkward at first, but this just means you have to play it more. :) Some of the puzzles can be quite daunting, however. You won?t finish this game too quickly. There are secrets in every level, so for even more gameplay, look for them all. Plus, if you didn?t find them the first go-round, go back again and hunt. Small Soldiers has the ability to save to a memory card, but also gives you a password. They gotcha covered. There?s a built-in autofire feature, so no more sore thumbs. All menu screens are done in a very innovative way. Animated creatures stand poised above your menu choices, occasionally flailing an arm or two. It?s just different and cool looking. The preview I played was not Dual Shock, but hopefully the final version will be. One problem with the graphics engine is that the textures will deform when you get really close to them. The same problem is prevalent in tunnel games. But if you have time to stare at the walls, you are missing the whole point of the game. -Psibabe, GameVortex Communications AKA Ashley Perkins