Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: February 26, 2002

Most of us love to see an underdog come out of nowhere to become a smashing success. Such was exactly what happened when little Croteam from Croatia released Serious Sam last year, only to find it quickly become both hugely popular with consumers and applauded by critics. It was a fun, whimsical old school first-person shooter that captured the hearts of most who played it. Now less than a year later, Croteam has released Serious Sam: The Second Encounter — can the little guy win again? ( read more… )

One Piece Grand Battle for the Gamecube is a visually beautiful representation of a television show from 4KidsTV, and as ports from TV show to game go, this one seems to have worked out quite well. It is effective both in maintaining the appeal necessary for the show’s regular viewing audience, and in maintaining a light-hearted but overall fun experience for players simply looking for a good beat em’ up. ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: February 18, 2002

Up until recently, a clear divide between retail game releases and shareware offerings involved the provision by the former of much more depth, complexity and longevity than the latter. In the last few years, this gap has narrowed, as little firms have released downloadable titles reflecting tremendous sophistication. On occasion, however, a retail release from a major publisher looks more like a little shareware effort. Such is the case with Beach Head 2002, the new product developed by Digital Fusion for Infogrames. ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: February 14, 2002

When a company develops a reputation for a certain kind of product, it can be either a blessing or a curse. NovaLogic has had the image of being a consistent creator of light simulation titles, replicating in a reasonable, if not perfectly authentic manner, real military vehicles and their combat performance. So what happens when the firm tries to develop something more of the arcade action variety? In its new release Comanche 4, you get the opportunity to take the controls of a RAH-66 Boeing-Sikorsky Comanche, the highly advanced ferocious attack and reconnaissance helicopter, and engage in a true blastfest. ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: February 4, 2002

A couple of years ago arcade racers were all the rage, but not any more, and those incorporating combat seem particularly scarce. In my mind, although Psygnosis’ classic Wipeout originated this niche on the personal computer, Beam Software’s Dethkarz has stood for a long time at the top of the heap of PC releases combining fast driving with shooting action. While GRIN’s recent lightning speed racer Ballistics received much praise lately, including from me, it de-emphasized the combat element, leaving what has seemed like and endless wait for the “next big thing” in this exciting sub-genre. So when I heard that Cryo Interactive and Dreamcatcher Interactive — both known more for adventure rather than racing offerings — were about to release MegaRace 3, I jumped at the chance to review it. ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: January 29, 2002

I am one of the many gamers for whom Wolfenstein is a magic name, for id’s Wolfenstein 3-D literally defined my introduction to 3D action shooters around ten years ago. What with groundbreaking action and sound level design, the idea of navigating around full three-dimensional environments seemed too good to be true, especially after years of just being able to view action on 2D scrolling screens. So when I heard that Gray Matter Studios was making a Wolfenstein sequel (Nerve Software developed the multiplayer component) for Activision, my excitement skyrocketed. ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: January 22, 2002

The hype associated with major forthcoming PC games sometimes reaches unfathomable proportions. Every title in development is reputed to redefine the very nature of virtual entertainment, breaking old barriers and setting new standards for the future. Massive Development’s recently released AquaNox, published by Fishtank Interactive, faces the same dilemma of sky-high expectations. Despite the failure of other undersea adventures to achieve their stated goals, including Microsoft’s Deadly Tide, Ubi Soft’s Sub Culture and Deep Fighter, and SegaSoft’s Fatal Abyss, can AquaNox meet and even exceed our watery hopes and dreams? ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: January 14, 2002

Most of us dream about driving custom racing cars, with sleek curves and huge engines generating incredible speed on the roads. Far more than stock production models, these experimental vehicles represent the farthest stretches of designer imagination combined with futuristic features well ahead of anything currently available to the mass consumer. To be able to build as well as drive these magnificent automobiles should be the thrill of a lifetime. Well, Activision has recently released a computer game, Supercar Street Challenge (developed by Exakt Entertainment), that caters precisely to this set of fantasies.

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Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: January 9, 2002

Extreme sports have been slowly but surely making their way into the personal computer gaming landscape. The incredible success of Activision’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, released in 1999, helped to trigger this trend. In addition to skateboarding, freestyle bike riding has attracted considerable attention. If anyone is even crazier than motorcycle stunt riders, it is bicycle stunt riders: risking life and limb, they perform unbelievable tricks on flimsy vehicles with little protection. Into this context Activision has recently released Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX, developed by Gray Matter. Mat Hoffman is a highly successful BMX rider from Oklahoma who developed many of today’s BMX stunts in a sport that began in the early 1970s when young people began jumping bicycles over any obstacles they could find. Given that this new title uses the same engine as Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, can Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX match its prowess on the virtual screen? ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: December 31, 2001

Construction simulations and real-time strategy offerings have proliferated lately, and many have been top sellers. However, the vast majority place their emphasis on audiovisual bells and whistles and ease of play for maximum accessibility, rather than on intricate subtle decision making. A clear exception to this pattern is Flying Lab Software’s first release Rails Across America (published by Strategy First), catering to the huge crowd of railroad lovers. Unlike PopTop Software’s Railroad Tycoon II or Microsoft Train Simulator, Rails Across America focuses exclusively on using your wits to succeed. ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: December 26, 2001

Off-road racing, defiantly ignoring established paths and rules, has a long tradition on the personal computer, including, for example, the Test Drive Off-Road series from Accolade/Infogrames, Off-Road Redneck Racing from Rage, and the Monster Truck Madness series from Microsoft. In 2000, developer Terminal Reality and publisher Gathering of Developers joined forces to release the groundbreaking arcade off-road racing title, 4X4 Evolution. Now the two companies are combining their efforts to put out a sequel (to be developed for the Xbox as well as the personal computer), 4X4 EVO 2. Here you get to compete in sports utility vehicles and light trucks in zany off-road racing out in the wild open country. But how far can this new release extend this form of free-spirited unconventional driving? ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: December 17, 2001

Electronic Arts entered the world of Formula One racing simulations late in the game, but in typical tenacious fashion has been trying to speed to the top of the heap. After having released F1 2000 and F1 Championship Season 2000, displaying a number of critical problems, the company has completed F1 2001 armed with a new 3D engine in the hopes of competing against formidable foes such as Grand Prix 3. But does this new title live up to expectations? ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: December 12, 2001

Atlantis has been an enduring site for virtual recreation over the years. While Disney’s recent movie and computer game on the topic has attracted a lot of attention, without question the most enduring series on the personal computer dealing with Atlantis has been that developed by the French company, Cryo Interactive. It released the groundbreaking Atlantis: The Lost Tales back in 1997 (published by Interplay in the United States), and then in 1999 it followed up with the even better Beyond Atlantis (Atlantis II in Europe), published by Dreamcatcher Interactive. Now, two years later, like clockwork, the two companies have collaborated again with the release of Beyond Atlantis II (Atlantis III in Europe). ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: December 5, 2001

For generations, zoos have served as recreational centers of fascination, learning, and enjoyment for kids and adults all over the world. With “tycoon” construction simulation games sprouting up like weeds on the personal computer, it is not at all surprising that someone thought about using live animal exhibits as promising subject matter. Now Blue Fang Games has developed a title for Microsoft — Zoo Tycoon — attempting to capture the essence of this form of entertainment. Depicting with great attention to authenticity the atmosphere of zoos, this release allows you to use your imagination to build a personalized animal kingdom like none ever seen before. ( read more… )

Review by: Bob Mandel
Published: November 26, 2001

Although the adventure genre was proclaimed dead by naysayers, the last few years have seen a steady stream of releases in this category. Nonetheless, I have reviewed a series of decidedly mediocre titles lately, including Adventure at the Chateau d’Or, Road to India, and Mystery of the Druids. Now Polish developer LK Avalon has entered the fray with a new title in this same niche — Schizm: Mysterious Journey. While available for CD-ROM, this product was designed for DVD (the version reviewed here), and takes advantage of the large capacity and improved speed of this new technology. The game takes up both sides of a single DVD, facilitating a gargantuan total of over 10 gigabytes of data. Can this mega-release restore the vitality of the genre? ( read more… )