Category Archives: Game Review

PlanetSide is Hardcore Perpetual Action

PlanetSide is a bit unique among massively multiplayer online games. Instead of role-playing a character, the game is all about battle. And on battle, it has plenty. Set on a futuristic world, the plot of the game is that humans from the Terran Republic have set down on a new world bristling with alien technology. They are connected to their empire only by a wormhole. But when the wormhole collapses, the humans begin to fight. One group decides it wants to remain loyal to the republic. One group generally likes the laws of the republic but wants a bit more … Continue reading PlanetSide is Hardcore Perpetual Action

A Strong Force for Fun

The many Star Wars games that have come out over the years have let us play many different people in that universe. We have been Jedi knights, rebel pilots, bounty hunters, planetary biologists, wartime strategists, imperial officers, trade federation droid handlers and just about everything else imaginable. But now LucasArts is letting us be something completely new – ourselves. Well, you can be yourself if you want. Or you can be a Wookiee, Mon Calamari, Bothan, Rodian, Trandoshan, Twi’lek, Zabrak or simply a human completely different than yourself. The point is that the only massively multiplayer game devoted to the … Continue reading A Strong Force for Fun

GamePaks Put Fun in the Bag

I travel a lot. Every other week I head back home for a few days, and most of the time I take my Xbox with me. As a result I need to use something to carry my Box around. Originally I used a gym bag to carry it around in addition to my PS2 and at times my Gamecube. Packing three systems in one gym bag, not including software, controllers, DVD remotes, power and video cables, and whatever else I can think of can be a total pain. Lately companies are coming out with dedicated carrying cases that are designed … Continue reading GamePaks Put Fun in the Bag

If It’s Not Scottish, It’s"

Yep! It’s Another real time strategy (RTS) game where you gather the raw materials, make buildings that can manufacture troops, research technologies that allow better buildings to make better troops armor and weapons etc. But this one has a few differences plus a decided "Scottish flavor" to it. The graphics are ok. They are choppy at times, but generally ok for this type of game. The sound is ok as well; nothing to write home about or drive you screaming from the room either. It does have a decent in game tutorial that can get you familiar with the basics … Continue reading If It’s Not Scottish, It’s"

There’s a Bloodmoon on the Rise

I just can’t get too much Morrowind. And considering that 80,000 readers voted it the PC game of year and game of the year in the environment category, I’m not at all alone. Bloodmoon is the second expansion pack for the Morrowind game, and builds out the massive single-player RPG even further with an entire new land to explore that is alien and strange to those of us who have spent hundreds of hours adventuring on the mainland. Gone are the soupy hot swamps and dusty, dry mountains most of us call home. Bloodmoon features the island of Solstheim, home … Continue reading There’s a Bloodmoon on the Rise

Freelancer is Alpha 1-1

The space flight genre has always been a fascinating one for most PC gamers. It is one area where the PC will probably always be ahead of the console world, at least in terms of massive universe type games that would really be too advanced for most consoles, even the vaulted Xbox probably. Freelancer is yet another entry into this genre, and follows in the tradition of Wing Commander, Privateer and even – going way back – Starflight. Freelancer most resembles the Privateer series – Privateer II will always have a soft spot in my heart – in that you … Continue reading Freelancer is Alpha 1-1

Marvelous Music Mayhem

The game Frequency was cast aside by many gamers amidst the holiday buzz of November 2001. The game was praised by many reviewers, deservingly so, but was lost not unlike games such as ICO. It featured a new spin on the Dance Dance Revolution and Parappa the Rapper-style games. The easy to learn, hard to master gameplay featured many popular artists, as well as some underground techno DJ’s. However, it succeeded well enough to spawn the sequel Amplitude that was released in March 2003. The game follows the same pattern that Frequency laid out: hit buttons to a beat to … Continue reading Marvelous Music Mayhem

Fritz checkmates other chess tutors

Learn to Play Chess with Fritz and Chesster is a bit like a wolverine in that it’s cute and furry on the outside, but has some real teeth once you get involved with it. Although the game is designed to teach children how to play chess, the underlying engine is Fritz, which is a mighty powerful AI that is highly respected in chess circles. Grandmasters like Vladimir Kramnik use Fritz to train for big matches. But children won’t be thrown against the full weight of Fritz until they are able to handle it. In fact, most children won’t even realize … Continue reading Fritz checkmates other chess tutors

Colin Rallies Again

Another year and another Colin McRae Rally comes along which, so far, has been no bad thing. This year, Codemasters are bringing 3 to the Xbox for the first time and luckily it got passed my way. I have worked for the organizers of the British Rally, been to a rally and played every previous incarnation of Colin McRae Rally, so I reckon I’m qualified to judge. The question is, can Codies produce a game that a) surpasses their previous successes and b) survives my expert scrutiny? The Colin McRae titles are renowned for looking gorgeous and CMR 3 is … Continue reading Colin Rallies Again

1893: More Than Fair

Let me take you back to the golden days, back to a time when life was simpler. When it didn’t matter so much how much money you were making; as long as your work was a job well done, you know you would get by. A time when things were (at least in my opinion) better. What? Back to the Victorian era of 1893, you say? God, no! Cholera, polio, and who knows what else was trying to kill you, labor conditions were atrocious – I bet if it weren’t for things like the World’s Fairs, everyone would have done … Continue reading 1893: More Than Fair