Review by: Chris Harding
Published: August 26, 2000

Gamers are a finicky group, prone to infatuation, hot tempers and short attention spans. We make it hard on developers and publishers, not knowing what we want from season to season, embracing a technology or design technique one minute and crucifying it the next. Take full motion video for example. When it first burst onto the scene it was all the rage; we couldn’t get enough of it in Wing Commander 3. But by the time Phantasmogoria strolled into town, FMV was considered a death sentence. Another, more ambiguous example is linearity. For years linear design was thought to be the only means by which a developer could incorporate good stories and well thought out puzzles. The idea of dynamic, open-ended, user defined gameplay progression didn’t really catch on until Bethesda’s Arena in 1993. Much earlier, however, there was a space combat game called Elite that realistically deserves the credit for establishing non-linear gameplay as a foundation of quality design. It’s been an interesting turn of events since those days, and a number of attempts to recreate its magic have failed. ( read more… )

Review by: Chris Harding
Published: August 15, 2000

The guys at Ritual Entertainment make it really easy to get excited about their games. For starters, they know a lot about their audience. Most of them earned their stripes within the hallowed halls of 3D Realms creating Duke Nukem 3D. Their reputation for fast action, quick wits and timeless personalities have made them and their designers some of the most well-known developers in the industry. Even their aging and much maligned shooter SiN, which was released prematurely and has had to undergo reconstructive surgery because of it, is still a very exciting title. ( read more… )

Review by: Chris Harding
Published: August 9, 2000

If ever there was a time to be excited about the game of golf this is surely it. But golf hasn’t always been what it is today. Even professionals like Jack Nicklaus, the Golden Bear of golf, have struggled to attain the status so easily given to superstars in other sports. Still, Nicklaus’ dominance of the links over the years made him a household name. Today’s game, though, is much different.

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Review by: Chris Harding
Published: August 7, 2000

I guess originality is pretty hard to come by in today’s world of sequels and countless me-too products. At least those were my thoughts when news broke of the infamous eight leaving John Romero’s Daikatana development team to form Third Law Interactive, and begin work on a shooter centered around the rock band KISS. I wondered, had the concepts of first person shooters become so diluted that the only ideas left encompassed four rockers from the 70′s and a travelling circus gone mad? Known primarily for their outlandish costumes, makeup and stage antics, the members of KISS didn’t actually fit my idea of video game heroes. Don’t get me wrong, I’m actually old enough to remember the days of Gene Simmons’ “Christine 16,” and have fond memories of the days that were my youth. Heck, I even own an eight-track of “KISS ALIVE II,” and was fortunate enough to see Ace Freeley and gang perform “Shock Me” (with the exploding guitar) first hand many years ago. So it’s not that I’m ignorant of the band’s appeal, but in a first person shooter? Come on, what’s next, a Led Zepplin adventure game? ( read more… )

Review by: Chris Harding
Published: July 31, 2000

Renown wildlife expert Steve Irwin says he’s at his best when facing the world’s deadliest creatures. He’s known to refer to his time spent with crocodiles, cobras and rattlesnakes as his Element — a time where he’s one with the Outback. This “element” Steve refers to is not unique to crocodile hunters; athletes know it by many names — in basketball it’s the Zone, while in baseball it’s labeled a hot-streak. Sony Pictures’ “Jerry Maguire” co-star Cuba Gooding, Jr. made up his own word, calling it the “Quan.” Even the ancient Druids of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons’ Forgotten Realms refer to it as balance — a harmonious relationship between man and nature. Whatever you choose to call it, “It” is a state in which an individual, team or group transcend beyond normal abilities and achieve supernatural results. ( read more… )

Review by: Chris Harding
Published: July 19, 2000

James T. Kirk, Mr. Spock, Dr. McCoy — household names so well known and familiar that many of us consider them colleagues and even friends. Each week their voyages into the vastness of space introduced television viewers of the 1960s to what now constitutes one of the most popular and well established fictional universes ever created. Yet even with one of the most dedicated fan bases in any entertainment forum, the Star Trek license remains an eyesore to the gaming populace; not that it’s for a lack of trying.

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Review by: Chris Harding
Published: July 17, 2000

Three years ago, at about this same time of year, the real-time strategy genre was king of the computing world. Riding high on the successful coattails of Westwood Studios’ Command & Conquer line, as well as Blizzard’s Warcraft series, the RTS race to market was on, and seemingly every developer on the planet had an offering to share. While there were some standouts such as Chris Taylor’s Total Annihilation, the majority of 1997′s releases fell somewhere between the run-of-the-mill me-too stuff like SSI’s Warwind and the completely useless, such as Eidos’ ill-fated Conquest Earth. Lost somewhere in the middle of this real-time strategic mayhem was a game by Australian developer Auran, called Dark Reign. Published by Activision, Dark Reign’s development marked the departure of Ron Millar, one of Blizzard’s top designers. This individual and word of his involvement with the project consequently sparked a lot of interest from RTS hounds all over the world. ( read more… )

Review by: Chris Harding
Published: July 11, 2000

Entertainment is essential to our lives — whether it is playing cards, watching sports or playing computer games we all need to have fun. In the world of computers fun means different things to different people and over the years it has expanded to include many of those ideas. One such idea is the pen and paper role playing game. Its popularity, descriptive environments, and most of all, the use of numbers to generate combat and characters make it an ideal product for computers. The CRPG, or computer role-playing genre (or game) is ever expanding and recently has been one of the most dominant forces in the industry. With high profile releases such as Diablo II, Deus Ex and Icewind Dale, the CRPG is the current crown jewel of computer shops all over the world. As is often the case however, popularity spawns a number of challenges for those of us wanting to know how best to spend our money.

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Review by: Chris Harding
Published: July 6, 2000

It’s an interesting time to be a gamer. There is much hype surrounding the next-generation console systems, such as Microsoft’s X-Box and to a lesser degree Sony’s PlayStation 2. With arguments heating up over what direction is best for the industry, a number of high profile titles are now seemingly up in the air over release platform and timing. The two camps couldn’t be farther apart. Proponents of the console systems cite standardization of hardware and lower cost of ownership as the saving grace of the community, while hardcore PC enthusiasts hold fast in their testimonies that the PC is the incubator of innovation, depth, and complexity. For years now the console and computer markets have catered to separate audiences with few exceptions. As these audiences become singular, the challenge to create products that appeal to both will become increasingly more important. However, the elements that constitute a well received console game, such as quick load times, ultra-speedy gameplay, simplistic interfaces and reflex oriented action have proven difficult features to implement on the PC. Difficult, but not impossible.

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Review by: Chris Harding
Published: July 3, 2000

Deus Ex is a Latin term used to describe a person or thing that appears out of nowhere and unexpectedly resolves a great conflict. Pronounced Day-Us X, Ion Storm’s third release takes place in a futuristic setting and is home to the most elaborately detailed world ever created for the home computer. Created by well known producer Warren Spector, famous for his involvement in titles such as System Shock, Wings of Glory and Thief, Deus Ex isn’t like anything you’ve played before. While at first glance it strikes a similar pose to its creator’s previous works, under its trench coat of many mysteries, Deus Ex introduces us to a world so rich and unique that comparing it to any other game would serve as unfair criticism. ( read more… )

Review by: Chris Harding
Published: June 30, 2000

The flight simulator is an old and hallowed genre, one that’s been with industry from the very beginning. From the early days of Andy Hollis’ Strike Eagle to the more recent offerings from the likes of Paul Grace, realism has always been at the core of what critics consider great flight simulations. The competition between products has always been highly competitive, and time has proven that even titles loaded with realism, be that its only feature, will not be successful. Several things are crucial to a game’s success, such as accurate flight modeling, fantastic weapon effects, realistic-looking terrain, smart enemies and even engaging storylines. However, much like the action genre, nearly just as important is name recognition: the developer, their reputation and track record often become the discriminating factor when sim pilots go to make their purchasing decision. British developer Digital Integration has one of the best reputations for developing realistic and fun flight simulators. ( read more… )

Review by: Chris Harding
Published: June 22, 2000

Cyberspace — a realm of gameplay that has remained relatively untapped. For most of us the inside of a computer doesn’t sound like a fun, exciting, or even an interesting place to be. In fact we really don’t give our computers much thought until we have a problem with them, then however, it’s as if the world has come to an end. Over the years we’ve seen glimpses of life inside a computer with the 1982 movie “Tron” and the dangers of computer AI gone awry in “Wargames”, or its effects on humans in “The Lawnmower Man.” But perhaps the most significant look into the world of Cyberspace came from our own computer game industry, when Origin and Looking Glass teamed up to provide us with System Shock in 1993. Its sequel has only served to highlight the seemingly endless hazards and possibilities found there. Taking a cue from the critically acclaimed series, relative newcomer Nexus Information Systems & Marketing offers their take on a world controlled by computer AI systems in AI Wars: The Awakening. In AI Wars problems are rampant with AI; systems are evolving faster than humans can contain them — they are becoming sentient and self-aware, they are controlling themselves and the NET.

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Review by: Chris Harding
Published: June 19, 2000

For as long as the computer has been a staple in business and productivity, it’s also been an instrument of entertainment. Since the machine’s origin, there have been attempts to harness its technological power, and with it combine the elements of storytelling and visual stimulation. In the thousands of offerings the industry have given us over the past few decades, those regarded in the highest esteem are also the most original. Still, despite the countless attempts and subsequent failures, publishers and developers alike continue in their quests to reproduce successful novellas on the digital platform. Most direct re-productions of movies, books and licenses have been colossal failures, though a few standouts do exist. Perhaps the most notable and successful computer game living up to its namesake is LucasArts’ Jedi Knight. Few products have captured the essence of their license as well as the Dark Forces series did with Star Wars.

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Review by: Chris Harding
Published: June 14, 2000

Aerial combat has been one of the mainstays of computer gaming since games and computers merged. The genre has seen battles of many types over the years and more are surely to come. We’ve flown bi-planes in Red Baron, fighters and bombers in WWII Fighters, helicopters in Comanche and Ka-52 Team Alligator, spaceships in X-Wing vs TIE Fighter and Wing Commander, carpets in Magic Carpet, and dragons in Drakan, not to mention the pyros found in the Descent series. With the long and storied history of flight combat there have been a lot of methodologies around aerial travel. Sure there have been imaginative vehicles to fly, new flight models, even new places to explore, but there’s never been a title that incorporates all those options into a single offering, until now. Illusion Softworks, the blokes behind the tactical combat sim Hidden & Dangerous, has taken a leap of faith and attempted to define a new niche by combining the 3D shooter with the full freedom based combat flight simulation, in their new product Flying Heroes. ( read more… )

Review by: Chris Harding
Published: June 13, 2000

The evolution of the third dimension into the real-time strategy genre has been, by most accounts, a painful one. Marred by horrific camera systems and frustrating combat engines, it’s no wonder publishers are hesitant to invest and market such volatile productions. Whereas 3D polygonal engines dominate nearly all other forms of game design, attempts to infiltrate them and their associated gameplay into the strategic realm have been, with few exceptions, categorical failures. In truth, there’s been little to no redeeming value associated with many of the offerings. Titles such as WarGames, Machines, and the most forgettable of all, Star Wars: Force Commander offer ample ammunition to the argument that strategy offerings should remain two dimensional. Even so, I do not subscribe to that notion, and here’s why. ( read more… )