Racing with a Story

I will admit that I have had very little experience with Codemasters’ racing titles. Most of the racing that I have done on consoles has either been through Gran Turismo on the PS1 and 2 as well as EA’s excellent NASCAR Thunder series. I know Codemasters has a strong track record with both their Colin McRae Rally and TOCA Championship series, but this is the first title I have been able to try out. Pro Race Driver is actually the latest in the TOCA series (in fact it is called TOCA Race Driver in Europe, but for this version, a … Continue reading Racing with a Story

I’m Going Back In!

The IGI, or I’m Going In series proves that you don’t have to own a console to get a good stealth shooter. The IGI series in its original incarnation is far older than either Metal Gear Solid or the Johnny-come-lately Splinter Cell. Unlike most stealth shooters on the console, you can resort to mindless violence to solve levels in IGI2, but you are going to have a much harder time if you play this way. The situations you are put in are nearly impossible. You are sometimes outnumbered 100 to one, which in a game featuring realistic damage levels means … Continue reading I’m Going Back In!

Trekking Ahead for Adventure

We’re all too familiar with the fact that lucrative licenses such as Star Trek will have publishers rubbing their hands together with glee, their eyes glinting with pound or dollar signs and the sweet sound of cash registers ringing in their ears. "Quick cash-in" is a fate that has befallen many a Star Wars title and Trekkies may be reluctant to fall for the same trick. Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force will wash away the fears of Star Trek fans everywhere. Here is a game that successfully immerses you in Gene Rodenberry’s universe. And gasp, even if you’re not a … Continue reading Trekking Ahead for Adventure

The Great Escapes

To me Prisoner of War was marketed as a cross between the movie Stalag 17 and the TV show Hogan’s Heroes for the computer. As a fan of both, when I saw that it was coming out, I ran to my editor and begged to be the reviewer. He is also a fan of the show and the movie, so we worked out a compromise, he agreed to take a look at the PC version, and the Xbox version was all mine. I figured it was a fair trade and I was not disappointed. The game is set during World … Continue reading The Great Escapes

Flashpoint Explodes Standard War Games

Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis is one of the most realistic war simulations I have ever played. At times this can be both wonderful and frustrating at the same time. You start out in the campaign mode as a single infantry soldier. You are confused as to what is happening and so are the rest of the men, as evidenced by the different cut scenes where you and your buddies get to talk. You get to do everything from being part of a massive infantry attack on a town, to running in full retreat when you are obviously overwhelmed, to … Continue reading Flashpoint Explodes Standard War Games

Blade of Darkness Cuts Deep

Once upon a time there was this game reviewer who played a first person sword game and was so disappointed in it that a massive, evil and powerful skepticism grew over his hopes of ever enjoying the genre. This dragon of negativity hung heavy over his heart, but there was always hope a champion would arrive one day to slay the foul beast. Not to bust on another game, but this event occurred a long time ago – in game industry terms anyway – when people still wrote with runes, if you get my drift. Anyway, back to the story. … Continue reading Blade of Darkness Cuts Deep

Colin McRae Rally 2 Takes the Win

Another average, boring day at work in leafy Middlesex and what lands on my desk? None other than Colin McRae Rally 2.0, from our pals at the GiN office over in the US. The prospect of a decent driving game did wonders for my productivity that day. I rushed home, fired up the old PlayStation and I have to say I wasn’t disappointed. Over in the States you may not be too familiar with rally driving, but when it comes to driving games, I’ll take mud and gravel over tarmac any day. That is how we do it in England. … Continue reading Colin McRae Rally 2 Takes the Win

Jarrett and Labonte is Off to the Races

Jarrett and Labonte Stock Car Racing is a single or two-player racing game for the Playstation console. The goal in this game is to become lord and master of the World Stock Car Racing Championship. There are over 40 different cars to choose from, and a ton of options to give them the performance you need to be king of the road. There are four modes of play in Jarrett and Labonte Racing. They are Quick Race, Time Trial, Free Race, and, Championship. All these modes seem self explanatory, but I’ll go over them anyway. The Quick Race mode is … Continue reading Jarrett and Labonte is Off to the Races

Insane Races Toward Classic Status

Every racing game has to have its own "niche" in order to declare its individual uniqueness and to let it take a run at the Gamer’s Hall of Fame. I mean let’s take a look back at some of the great ones. Ridge Racer for PlayStation brought us out of the era of two dimensional racing when it introduced its 3D escapade of race cars and cool environments. The Sega Saturn’s first "VRally" title set the pace for most "offroad" racers to come. Then came games like "Gran Turismo" claimed fame with its impressive "reflection images" and awesome replay. Other … Continue reading Insane Races Toward Classic Status

Mike Tyson KOs Boxing Simulators

Do you want to be just like Mike Tyson? asks the marketing release that came with Mike Tyson Boxing, "Or how about kick his ass?" "Or bite the ears off of opponents, just like Mike?" Ok, I made that last one up. Even though I like this game, I can’t help throwing in some Tyson jokes. Nonetheless, yes, I want to be like Mike, and yes, I want to kick his ass. Mike Tyson Boxing for the PlayStation is the game in which you can do both. Mike Tyson Boxing is a realistic boxing sim for 1 to 8 players. … Continue reading Mike Tyson KOs Boxing Simulators