Review by: Gavin Carter
Published: July 26, 2002

The turn-based strategy genre is experiencing something of a renaissance. With the excellent Heroes of Might and Magic IV and Disciples II both released within months of each other, as well as the titan that could be Warlords IV being prepared for the fall, it’s easy to see why turn-based games are demanding more and more attention. Late 1999 saw the release of a rogue title in the turn-based strategy genre called, Age of Wonders. Age of Wonders integrated an imaginative setting with tried and true turn-based gameplay to become something of a sleeper hit, though it did suffer from some design problems like a shoddy AI and a loosely focused story. Now Triumph Studios has released Age of Wonders II: The Wizard’s Throne, hoping to mop up the flaws of the initial release and take players on a turn-based odyssey through the realms of magic.

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Review by: Gavin Carter
Published: July 12, 2002

The PC role-playing genre owes everything to its pen-and-paper brethren. Even before Richard Garriot first dreamed up the world of Brittania, groups of players regularly gathered together to become wizards and warriors, scribbling crude maps onto graph paper and rolling oddly shaped dice late into the night. The experience of taking on mythical personas together with ones’ friends is what drew players to games like D&D and Shadowrun then, and why those games continue to be popular. Despite the years of technological advancement in the gaming industry, there has yet to be an RPG that truly recreates the pen-and-paper experience on the PC. All that is set to change with the release of Bioware’s Neverwinter Nights. From the title’s announcement over three years ago, the famed developer of the Baldur’s Gate series made it clear that their goal was to recreate as much nuance of tabletop D&D gaming as possible. ( read more… )

Review by: Gavin Carter
Published: July 5, 2002

Creating games based on movies is generally a hit-or-miss proposition. While there have been a few good ones, most are rushed to match deadlines with the movie’s debut, or simply thrown together in hopes that the license can float the product on its own. One title trying to buck that trend is Red Storm’s The Sum of All Fears. This game is somewhat different from Red Storm’s previous releases such as Ghost Recon and Rainbow Six; it seeks to capture the casual gamer with its simplified mechanics and high accessibility. ( read more… )

Review by: Gavin Carter
Published: June 7, 2002

Product licensing is big business, especially for game development studios. Snagging a hot license like Dungeons & Dragons or Terminator guarantees an instant audience for a company’s title. Tie-ins with current pop culture phenomenon often guarantee a measure of success, such as with the recent Spiderman games. The idea of licensing takes a giant leap back through time with the release of Piranha Games’ Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza, based on the original Die Hard movie released nearly 14 years ago. ( read more… )

Review by: Gavin Carter
Published: May 31, 2002

The Might & Magic franchise used to be one of the most venerable and well-respected series in all of RPG gaming. The originals established the bar for all stats-based RPG’s to meet; merging terrific and involved gameplay with healthy doses of plot and innovation. Unfortunately, the series began to lose its luster after installments six, seven and eight came out in rapid-fire succession all using the same graphics engine and offering few improvements in gameplay over one another. New World Computing is seeking to turn the series around with Might & Magic IX. They’ve moved the title to the Lithtech graphics engine, rendering everything in full 3D, as well as tweaking things like dialog systems, skills, and magic. I recently played through the retail version, in hopes that my faith in the series would be restored. ( read more… )

Review by: Gavin Carter
Published: May 23, 2002

Massively multiplayer online games have come a long way since their humble beginnings. What started as simple text-based programs have now evolved into shining examples of the latest in technology, all with full 3D environments and the latest visual and gameplay bells and whistles. Yet many gamers yearn for those bygone days when MMOG’s didn’t need a monster computer to run properly. One MMORPG that harks back to that simpler time is Astonia III – The Conflict, developed by Intent Software. I gave Astonia III a whirl to see if it could compete with the genre’s big names. ( read more… )

Review by: Gavin Carter
Published: May 3, 2002

In the feverish race by development companies to strike gaming gold, often tried and true ideas are the quickest route to success. The rage in online gaming for the last couple of years has undeniably been Counter-Strike, a team-based title that allows groups of terrorists and counter-terrorists to go head to head. Counter-Strike still manages to stay at the top of online gaming despite its age and, by today’s standards, its sub-par graphics. Trying to emulate such success is Barking Dog, the Canada-based developer of Homeworld: Cataclysm, with their own team-based online shooter, Global Operations. Global Operations takes the venerable Counter-Strike formula, tosses in a bit of innovation, and ends up with a product hoping to find success in a genre fast becoming crowded with new releases. ( read more… )

Review by: Gavin Carter
Published: April 26, 2002

One would think that if there’s any form of entertainment that could easily make the transition to a computer game, it would be comic books. All the elements for a great gaming experience are there, from powerful heroes and villains to deep storylines and character relationships, and even a built-in fanbase. Sadly, most licensed superhero releases have been mediocre at best, relegated to limp fighting titles and platformers. Nearly all attempts at creating original superhero properties never even got to store shelves, as the case was with Microprose’s Agents of Justice and Bullfrog’s The Indestructibles. Looking to buck the trend is Irrational Games, formerly the developer of System Shock II, with Freedom Force, a title that takes more than a fistful of inspiration from the 1960′s silver era of comic books.

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Written by: Gavin Carter
Published: April 19, 2002

In the search for the next big gaming phenomenon, developers constantly mix new, innovative ideas with tried and true formulas. Success begs to be emulated, and releases that shock the entire industry with quality and innovation, such as Half-Life or StarCraft, are bound to see imitations pop-up. One of gaming’s largest and most successful franchises is Blizzard Entertainment’s Diablo series. The seminal action-RPGs and their expansions have routinely sold over the million mark and opened the door to a genre full of potential. Other companies, such as Delphine with Darkstone, have tried to duplicate Diablo‘s success, but so far, none has unseated it. Next up at the plate is Dungeon Siege, created by gaming media darling Chris Taylor and his team at Gas Powered Games. Taylor was lead designer on the influential real-time strategy title Total Annihilation, and as such expectations for Dungeon Siege ran high throughout its development. With such anticipation in mind, I set out to see whether Dungeon Siege lived up to the hype. ( read more… )

Review by: Gavin Carter
Published: April 13, 2002

It seems everywhere I turn there’s another mediocre real-time strategy release following the same Warcraft II model that’s been playing for years now. One developer attempting to buck the trend is SSG, with their Warlords series of strategy games. The Warlords series has a long history beginning with the original turn-based Warlords and extending up through 1999′s Warlords Battlecry, the series’ first foray into the real-time realm. Warlords Battlecry offered up a few interesting alterations to the classic real-time formula such as a persistent hero to build up throughout the campaign. With the title’s success, developer SSG saw fit to release a sequel, Warlords Battlecry II, following the same real-time strategy paradigm of its predecessor. ( read more… )

Review by: Gavin Carter
Published: April 5, 2002

The Heroes of Might and Magic series is a stalwart defender of the turn-based strategy genre. Just when you think real-time games have beaten down turn-based offerings once and for all, developer New World Computing releases a new Heroes title or expansion, and players and critics alike are enthralled. Still, after three successful iterations, fans were wondering if 3DO could maintain its standard of excellence. New World’s soothing answer to such concerns is Heroes of Might and Magic IV, which in some ways is a departure, and in many ways is the same title people have loved since the initial release. I tore into Heroes IV to see how much has changed since 1999′s Heroes of Might and Magic III, and whether it was for the better. ( read more… )

Review by: Gavin Carter
Published: March 22, 2002

StarCraft remains a genre-defining title, even years after its initial release. Other companies actively seek to emulate it both in look and gameplay. StarCraft has spawned more than its fair share of impersonators, ranging from the truly terrible Thandor: The Invasion to the stellar Ground Control. Next up in the long line of StarCraft clones is Dark Planet: Battle for Natrolis. With Dark Planet, developer Edgies seeks to improve on the StarCraft theme by moving it to full 3D with more glitzy eye-candy than you can shake a Zergling at. It may be easy to write Dark Planet off as just another clone, but I set out to determine whether or not this title could hold its own in the fiercely competitive real-time strategy genre. ( read more… )

Review by: Gavin Carter
Published: March 21, 2002

When I sit down to play strategy games, I have certain expectations in place for the experience. I expect that I will be given command over a large, well-disciplined force that will carry out my orders to the letter. I expect my troops to give me their all, putting off even sleep if necessary to complete their task. Thus, Diggles: The Myth of Fenris, a title that tasks you with the management of a misfit, lazy band of dwarves, was a new and unique experience for me, as it will be for most strategy fans. Developer Innonics has taken elements from such disparate releases as Lemmings and The Sims and mixed them together to create a brand new genre-bending title. ( read more… )

Review by: Gavin Carter
Published: March 14, 2002

Star Trek Bridge Commander comes from Larry Holland and Totally Games, the team responsible for the incredible space combat simulation X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter. In their latest effort, you’re serving as first officer of the Galaxy-class starship USS Dauntless when you’re sent to investigate strange solar activity originating in the Vesuvi system. The Dauntless’ captain boards a shuttlecraft to personally look into the phenomenon from a nearby solar monitoring station. While he’s sailing toward the planet, the system’s sun inexplicably goes supernova, obliterating the captain and the colony, and causing great damage to the Dauntless. As the ship sits in dry-dock undergoing repairs, you’re promoted to the rank of captain. ( read more… )

Review by: Gavin Carter
Published: March 8, 2002

Nostalgia is big business. More than a few studios have tried to capitalize on the wistful longings of gamers for times gone past. Recently, a swath of titles with roots in the Golden Age of gaming have appeared including Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Pool of Radiance 2, and Reality Pump’s HeliHeroes. HeliHeroes is a present day homage to classics such as 1942 Air War, Galaga, and River Raid. Developer Reality Pump is banking on simple and pure gameplay elements to snag players who fondly reminisce about timeless shooter titles. ( read more… )