Baldur’s Gate

It has been a long time since I’ve journeyed to the Sword Coast via the magic of a Dungeons and Dragons game. Computer RPGs have never really been able to capture the flavor of a pen-and-paper role-playing, with several friends sitting around a table drinking sodas, eating chips, solving problems and slaying dragons. (well, only occasionally slaying a dragon) But that all changed with the release of Baldur’s Gate. Black Isle studios, a development arm of Interplay, has a great deal of experience with computer RPGs, and for the first time, someone has gotten it right. Most computer RPGs, especially … Continue reading Baldur’s Gate

Fallout 2 serves up a mess of nukes and kooks

When I reviewed the original Fallout, I said that 80 years after a global nuclear war, the old neighborhood had changed a bit. Now Fallout 2 takes place a generation after the first, but things in the wasteland haven’t changed that much. Your character still has to face all the greed, crime, corruption, murder and mayhem that a degenerating society can throw at them, and it’s a heck of a lot of fun. When the original Fallout came out, people were amazed that such a quality role-playing game could take place without an elf, magic-user or dragon in sight. Many … Continue reading Fallout 2 serves up a mess of nukes and kooks

Heart of Darkness has soul of adventures past

Wow. That’s the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Interplay’s Heart of Darkness. One of the best things Interplay ever did was to divide its development houses into different areas of expertise. Heart comes from Tantrum, the action game side of the family. With low system requirements making it accessible to nearly anyone who bought a computer sometime in the past four years (66 MHz required), simple controls and a story line that appeals to both adults and children, Heart is destined for greatness. In early GiN industry awards voting (see our Web page if you have … Continue reading Heart of Darkness has soul of adventures past

Virtual Pool 2 takes all the breaks…

Virtual Pool 2, an "enhanced" DVD-ROM game from VR Sports, tries to take the billiard amusements to higher levels with this 3D simulator. But the only existence of the DVD is for tips and tricks from some of today’s professional pool sharks. Quite honestly, I tried to watch the movie training sessions. But if I’d watch one, the movie would end and the viewer and game would simply lock up. Installation of the game was disappointing. Although it could detect my 4M AGP X2 graphics accelerator with 3D support, Virtual Pool 2 reverted to the least common denominator–low resolution without … Continue reading Virtual Pool 2 takes all the breaks…

Freespace: a welcome alternative to cramped tunnel fighting

To anyone who has read my past reviews, it can easily be found that I am a die hard Wing Commander addict. I just feel that no other game series provided me with such excitement (and yes, many wrist injuries from breaking in so many flightsticks), and always gave me that urge to do "just one more mission." And other the other hand, I’ve never truly been a big fan of the Descent series. I don’t know why it is, but just the claustrophobic feeling of flying through those tight corridors just didn’t please me much. And when I heard … Continue reading Freespace: a welcome alternative to cramped tunnel fighting

If this is the end of the Millennium, I want to stay home

"Of Light and Darkness – the prophecy takes its inspiration from the "end time" stories concerning the coming Millennium. Awakening in a village somewhere between Heaven and Hell, you are the "Chosen One," thrust into a climatic battle between the forces of light and darkness. The Clock of Judgement is counting down to the end. Apparitions guilty of the Seven Deadly Sins, herald the coming of the Anti-Christ, Armageddon and the end of Paradise. As the chosen one, you are challenged to discover the secrets of the Millennium prophecies, while Gar Hob – The Dark Lord of the Seventh Millennium … Continue reading If this is the end of the Millennium, I want to stay home

Interplay calls on VSIM technology to push gaming envelope

Interplay Production’s latest release, Die by the Sword, takes the behind the back perspective made famous in Tomb Raider and successfully incorporates it into an all encompassing sword fighting experience. The main game involves a warrior named Elric, a simple swordsman who is enjoying a peaceful evening with his girlfriend Maya. They are suddenly attacked by an army of kobolds, and Elric chases after them. Little does he know that other kobolds arrive to carry Maya away in order to be used as a human sacrifice. Returning to the area to find his beloved missing, he races to a cave … Continue reading Interplay calls on VSIM technology to push gaming envelope

Further your education with Starfleet Academy

After years of wading through barely-tolerable Star Trek titles, Interplay has finally created a game that lives up to the Star Trek name. It looks good, sounds incredible and is a lot of fun to play. The game lets players boldly go where every federation officer went before, through the doors of the famous Starfleet Academy. Classes are taught in full motion video by William Shatner, Walter Koenig and George Takei. Video clips in the cafeteria and other locations around campus give wanna-be captains time to interface with the inexperienced classmates assigned to their crew. Handling interpersonal conflicts early, by … Continue reading Further your education with Starfleet Academy