Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: October 15, 2002

Although racing titles are not nearly as popular on the personal computer today as they were a few years ago, a few diehard simulations persevere. As the fastest car racing circuit on the planet, Formula One competition has become increasingly popular in recent years. For Formula One gaming fans, there are now just two competitors: Electronic Arts’ F1 series, the latest of which is F1 2002, and Infogrames’ ten-year-old Grand Prix series, with Grand Prix 4 just released. Under the guidance of the famous Geoff Crammond and his development studio Simergy, this new offering for the PC attempts to solidify its lead on the opposition. ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: October 7, 2002

Crime has always made solid entertainment. Movies have long thrived on cops-and-robbers escapades, and recently, so have computer games. By way of Eidos’ Gangsters and Hitman, JoWooD’s The Sting!, SCi’s The Italian Job, Xicat’s Sniper and Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto III, illegal violence has been in style. Now Czech Republic-based Illusion Softworks, creators of the acclaimed Hidden & Dangerous series, has developed Mafia for Gathering of Developers. Focused on stealing cars, avoiding the police and operating in the criminal underworld, Mafia is a gritty third-person combination of driving and shooting. ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: October 1, 2002

For the last four television seasons, “Farscape” has been one of the most popular programs on the SCI FI channel. Filmed in Australia and airing on Friday nights, the series has built a loyal fan following; on September 6, however, SCI FI announced it would not pick up the show’s fifth season option. Nonetheless, Jim Henson Interactive and Red Lemon have licensed and developed for Simon & Schuster Interactive a game based on the “Farscape” TV program. This title offers third-person, team-based action mixing ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: September 24, 2002

One of my favorite science fiction-horror movies of all time is “The Thing,” both the original 1951 version and John Carpenter’s more famous 1982 incarnation. Like the film “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” what makes it so terrifying is the notion that anyone can be infiltrated and taken over by a grotesque enemy. But could this idea be translated into a solid interactive virtual entertainment experience? Computer Artworks, buoyed by the success of Evolva, thought so and developed an action-horror game based on this franchise for the personal computer (as well as Xbox and PS2). ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: September 17, 2002

Every once in a while a computer game comes along that knocks the socks off even the most seasoned reviewer. Perhaps the last source from which one would expect such a blockbuster would be a comic book writer. Yet Benoat Sokal, the graphic novelist who gave us Amerzone back in 1999, has accomplished just that feat under the guidance of Microads with the recently issued title Syberia. While the location Amerzone is referenced several times in Syberia, this new release utilizes a third-person rather than a first-person perspective, has more character interaction, and is a much more polished effort. ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: September 10, 2002

Engaging in naval combat on the high seas has always possessed a fascinating allure, whether in real-life or on the virtual screen. There have been many attempts to replicate the rousing excitement of ocean battles, but on the personal computer, they have met uneven critical and commercial success. One of the most enduring and respected efforts in this regard has been Age of Sail, begun by Talonsoft in 1996 with the original and continued by the release of Age of Sail II last year by Russian developer Akella. Now Akella, buoyed by its success, is issuing another offering in the series, Privateer’s Bounty: Age of Sail II. Originally intended to be an expansion for Age of Sail II, this new version was instead turned into a self-contained product because of the many changes incorporated. ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: September 3, 2002

There is a long tradition of having computer games emerge based upon hit movies, but having a 30-year time span between the two is more than a bit unusual. Such is the case with the mission-based driving offering, The Italian Job, based on Paramount Pictures’ identically named British cult movie of 1969 starring Michael Caine. Previously released for Sony’s PlayStation by RockStar Games, Take-Two subsidiary Global Star recently ported this title over to the personal computer. The resemblance between what you see on your computer screen and what you would have watched at the movie theater is uncanny, right down to the cinematic closing scene. ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: August 13, 2002

One of the genres not well-represented recently on the personal computer is 3D arcade third-person shooters. While first-person shooters thrive, a simple change in viewing perspective seems enough to cause a drought in this alternative niche. Despite this seemingly irrational negative bias, now the Italian developer Prograph Research Interactive has prepared for Got Game Entertainment a new third person shooter release, Tsunami 2265. Utilizing the Japanese anime theme, this title provides intense battles within enemy bases where only the very best pilots survive. ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: August 5, 2002

Lately there has been a rash on interest in comic book heroes on the computer screen. LTI Gray Matter developed for Activision a highly competent Spider-Man game, followed shortly afterwards by Spider-Man: The Movie based on the highly successful theatrical release. Then Irrational Games developed Freedom Force, and it received rave reviews. Now, without much fanfare, Infogrames is releasing Hero X — developed by Amazing Games. So can the tidal wave of interest on the virtual screen in cartoon characters with super powers continue? ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: July 31, 2002

When a great novel emerges – globally recognized as a classic highly deserving of reader attention – there is a natural tendency to present it through forms of media other than the written word. Such is the case with German Michael Ende’s great work, The Neverending Story. Published in 1979, it was an international best seller (with over 6.5 million copies sold and translated into over 25 languages), was made into a successful movie (which admittedly deviated substantially from the book, to the author’s great dismay), and later became the basis of a television series. Long afterwards, German developer Discreet Monsters has been working for several years to turn this epic into a computer game faithful to the original story; and now at long last Dreamcatcher Interactive has finally published it as Auryn Quest (it was originally tentatively titled The Real Neverending Story). ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: July 26, 2002

If you travel a lot, as I do, you end up staying at hotels and motels a lot. Any frequent traveler begins to notice vast differences among the quality of the places in which they stay. Ever wanted to design your ideal accommodations? Well, now you will have a chance: Enlight Software has developed for JoWooD Productions a new title, Maximum Capacity: Hotel Giant, which combines key elements from two best sellers — the personal voyeurism of Maxis’ The Sims and the business resource management and construction of an offering like Chris Sawyer’s RollerCoaster Tycoon. ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: July 16, 2002

It has been an age since a quality arcade racer on the personal computer has sped across my desk. While this genre is alive and well on the console platform, on the PC it has seemed to suffer an ignominious death, with only a couple of titles such as GRIN’s Ballistics and Cryo Interactive’s MegaRace 3 emerging on the scene of late. Now the little Swiss company Epsitec has developed Buzzing Cars, a wacky arcade racer, for release, but can it breathe new life into this genre? ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: July 8, 2002

With the exception of the Serious Sam franchise, the battle over supremacy in the popular and sophisticated first-person shooter arena has largely occurred between id’s Quake engine and Epic’s Unreal engine. The specter of the upcoming releases of Unreal 2 and Doom 3 can be pretty daunting; and because of the high technology requirements in this most demanding of genres, the barriers to entry are considerable for new competitors. Now a new small company, 4D Rulers Software, has attempted to enter the fray through the release of Gore: Ultimate Soldier. As the culmination of more than five years in development by a small independent developer, can this product rock those of the established big boys? ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: July 1, 2002

For centuries Sheherazade’s famous tales of the 1001 Nights, told to keep the interest of an Arabian potentate so as to avert her demise, have entranced lovers of intrigue. The setting was so colorful, lush, and romantic that countless movies — and more than a few computer games — have emerged as a result. Despite many stabs, including the classic Prince of Persia series, the mystique of the sensuous atmosphere in the ancient Middle East has never been adequately captured on the virtual screen. Now Visiware/Wanadoo has developed a new release for Dreamcatcher Interactive, Arabian Nights, that attempts to rekindle the excitement of the revered classic. ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: June 25, 2002

Even with all the advances in science, there is an awful lot about the way the world works that we do not understand. Among the many enigmas is the fundamental question of exactly how energy can be generated. In a novel blend of science fiction and mystery, the Italian company Trecision (best known for Ark of Time and Nightlong) has developed The Watchmaker, recently published by Got Game Entertainment. As a 3D real-time puzzle-based adventure whose design process began way back in 1997, this title has the potential to breathe life into a clearly struggling genre. But does it succeed in this aspiration? ( read more… )