Category Archives: Game Review

Oni is Only Average

For a game that was originally planned two years ago, Bungie’s Oni was praised as the most anticipated game at trade show after show. That praise has continued through 2000 (including a feature at E3), and was also planned to be a launch title for the PlayStation 2. However, that never happened. In fact, it was not released until February 2001, and after playing it on my PlayStation2, I wonder why it got so much praise. To me, it’s just average. I know a lot of anime buffs will easily get hooked into Oni because the game begins with an … Continue reading Oni is Only Average

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

Phantasy Star Online is Ultima for Console

Ok, it’s no secret to anyone out there; I don’t like RPGs! I do not see how anyone can sit there for hours on end watching FMV look-alike characters getting slaughtered by opponents who use the cheap all out attack (cough, Super Nova, cough, Final Fantasy series, cough) over and over again. Not to mention that I hate having to stay in one small area all day beating foes that cheaply pop out of nowhere in order to get a high enough level to beat a boss. I will admit that some RPGs I do enjoy (Grandia 2 instantly comes … Continue reading Phantasy Star Online is Ultima for Console

The Longest Journey is Paradise Found

The Longest Journey has been the top selling adventure game in Europe for sometime, but only recently has started to make inroads in the United States. I can tell you this right off the bat: you will not find a better looking game anywhere. Adventure games have gotten a bit of a bad rap lately, but not so much because people do not like them as much as folks have just sort of lost interest in them. Back about five or 10 years ago they were all the rage, but now seem encompassed by shooters and real-time strategy games. The … Continue reading The Longest Journey is Paradise Found

Escape from Monkey Island Has Appeal

Yes, friends, your old pal Guybrush Threepwood is back for his fourth appearance, but this time he’s in 3-D! Guybrush, now married to the beautiful but dangerous Governor Marley, returns to his old stomping grounds on Melee Island(TM) (all of the islands in the game series are trademarked for some reason) to find most of the pirates gone, and his wife declared dead. You must help save her mansion from being destroyed, and sail forth to try to find lawyers to help your plight. Of course, nothing is that easy, as you must figure out how to accomplish necessary tasks … Continue reading Escape from Monkey Island Has Appeal

Tower of the Ancients is Puzzle Psychosis

Tower of the Ancients is a puzzle game that might be best described as a cross between Tetris and Connect Four. The objective is to line up the blocks that fall from the sky to create horizontal, vertical, or diagonal rows of identical symbols. Get three or more identical symbols in a row, and they disappear. When the blocks stack up too high, you lose. This isn’t the most polished game I’ve ever played; the graphics aren’t terribly sharp, and trying to improve the resolution somehow changed my system’s color settings as well. The game has also frozen up during … Continue reading Tower of the Ancients is Puzzle Psychosis

The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea Has Girl

Return to the Sea is part of the Disney Princess series of games aimed at girls ages 5 and up. And this is a good game. It isn’t as sexist or simple as some of Disney’s other titles aimed at girls. There is a choice of five games or activities to play in Return to the Sea. Melody, the daughter of the ever-popular Ariel from The Little Mermaid, is the central figure in all the games. Melody’s Daring Dive has Melody diving for gems in the ocean. Girls have a choice of three different ocean scenes and game play has … Continue reading The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea Has Girl

Tokyo Road Rage Continues

Tokyo Xtreme Racing was definitely a surprise hit when the Dreamcast launched last year. Granted there was much not variety in courses (there was only one, but it was big). The feeling of racing on the actual streets of Tokyo was quite a thrill. Considering that it reminded me so much of the DC Beltway, I felt quite at home with the first title, and enjoyed it thoroughly. Tokyo Xtreme Racing 2 follows the same formula. There still is just the one course, but it is three times larger than before, involving more offramps to use and more shortcuts. Cars … Continue reading Tokyo Road Rage Continues

Final Fantasy IX Keeps the Edge

The final, Final Fantasy on Playstation is a wonderful reminder of everything that Squareoholics hold dear about the seminal RPG series. Littered with references to previous installments, a gameplay system reminiscent of former FF games and an overall feeling of nostalgia, FF IX is a wonderful trip down memory lane in what will probably be a very different series from here on. While the game, certainly isn’t perfect, it is a tremendous addition to the FF ranks. Sporting some of the most likable and endearing characters the series has ever seen, this band of a charming thief (Zidane), a doubting … Continue reading Final Fantasy IX Keeps the Edge

Majesty is Medieval Mayhem for Mac

Reviewer’s Note: Rarely have I found a game so engaging as I’ve found Majesty to be. I was compelled to finish every level to the bitter end, and finishing some of them was quite bitter indeed. Still, in spite of the absolute obsession I had over Majesty, I do recognize that the game has its flaws. Nonetheless, no matter what bad things I might say about it, know this: I love this game. Feel the Love: Majesty is a wonderful combination of a simulation game (SIM) with artificial intelligence (AI) and a role-playing game (RPG). The mix makes for a … Continue reading Majesty is Medieval Mayhem for Mac