Review by: Jordan Thomas
Published: June 23, 1998

Simplicity.

One word, one concept — often both the pride and the fall of a creative project. Dink Smallwood is a perfect example of the refined basics of classic RPG and adventure games. This is a fairly unique title, in purpose and in implementation. It achieves what it sets out to do: to entertain the fans with a return to the golden roots of the genre. And yet, I must make clear that this is indeed best viewed as a bare-bones RPG with an endearing sense of humor. If your gaming tastes these days can only be sated by the crime of industry technology, this might be under par. But if not, you’re in for a hell of a good time. ( read more… )

Review by: Jordan Thomas
Published: May 27, 1998

As evidenced by recent titles such as Uprising, Battlezone, and the upcoming Urban Assault, there is a new genre of dual-appeal games crawling up from the primordial ooze. This new animal is a combination of the time-tested genetic structures found in the classic real-time-strategy world with those originating in the fight-or-flight immersion of a solid 3D shooter. Indeed, such games are gaining a strong repeat following which grows with every purchased copy of the aforementioned works. ( read more… )

Review by: Jordan Thomas
Published: May 10, 1998

Imagine, if you will for a moment cast aside the chains of skepticism…that the world is far less secure than it appears. Consider that each and every act of justice has an ethereal, though absolutely significant measure against the fate of the race. And of course, the darker half of the equation rings true; inky black marks of damnation are scrawled across our future for every rage-filled murder or unfaithful lover. The foreshadowed plotline contained in Of Light and Darkness: The Prophecy is about the nature of sin and the salvation of the human race. It is, decidedly, a more weighty story than one usually finds on a pressed plastic disc, or even a videotape. This is the dreamstuff of scripture and revelation, and though fictional, it engages the mind by probing moral issues closer to the spirit. Unfortunately, the gameplay, while initially stimulating, needs a great deal more to it, which I’ll explicate later. ( read more… )

Review by: Jordan Thomas
Published: May 3, 1998

We, as a species, possess a fascination with time travel. Our perceptual set organizes the flow of time into a stream; a linear set of events which defines the way we understand the universe. Given that within these boundaries, an effect is the direct consequence of a cause, and reaction can only occur after an action…then why should we not wish to experiment with the process? Few people on the planet have gone through their lives without reconsidering their chosen course, and occasionally wishing they could alter the past.

( read more… )

Review by: Jordan Thomas
Published: April 19, 1998

“So, you all decided to join the corps. Hell, considering those podunk little towns you came from, I don’t blame you. That’s my way of saying welcome to the team! Now get your butts in gear! Snap to attention! That’s right. ( read more… )

Review by: Jordan Thomas
Published: April 7, 1998

The Frenzy.

You know it, and you’ve felt it. It is the phenomenon that courses through our veins as gamers, and propels us to deny food, sleep, and sometimes even more sundry indulgences for the pursuit of the next challenge. For some, it is the next level, with the ludicrously tough opponents and the heavy-caliber powerups. For others, it is the drive to conquer a puzzle or complete an impossible mission objective. And for still another breed, it is bloodlust; the thrill of battle. I am one of these.

Last weekend, I sacrificed my prime work hours, from about six p.m. to three or four in the morning. Something was driving me on, burning my mind deep into the night. That sensation came from a kind of obsessive enjoyment I’ve only derived from rare works of creativity. A smattering of novels here, and a precious few games there. The reason for my binge? I was dueling with horrendous beasts, immersed in the most realistic melee combat system I’ve ever experienced. And of course, the title that so possessed me was Die by the Sword. ( read more… )

Review by: Jordan Thomas

Published: March 29, 1998

Texas after dark…on the road.

Moonlight serves as the sole illumination. A ghostly silhouetted desert landscape clings tightly to a stretch of blacktop. The only audible sounds are the slow howl of the night wind, and the song of the crickets. Abruptly now, the tranquility is broken.

Piercing the calm like a spear of sound, the shriek of an engine tears the silence asunder. Headlights flash briefly as a resounding metallic collision rocks the badlands, and the phantom vehicle streaks off intothe horizon. A battered shard of metal rattles across the highway behind it, scarred with tire treads. As it scrapes to a stop, the engine roar fades into the distance. Upon closer inspection, one might notice that the bit of decimated debris was until recently, a sign. A careful observer might discern what it once read, numbers lost in the ruined twist of steel:

55 mph.

Right on, baby. ( read more… )

Review by: Jordan Thomas
Published: March 17, 1998

Dawn.

You arise from slumber, gratefully inhaling the aroma of automatic coffee. Shaking lethargy from your bones and still-tingling muscles, you scatter the dreams from your head and set about your morning routine. You brush your teeth, comb your hair, and apply a generous helping of deodorant. Yep, another day, another dollar. You crack your knuckles with relish, and yawn as you realize that its time to go to work. That in mind, you prepare to face the day by slipping into your favorite suit. The one that weighs in at approximately 100 tons.

( read more… )

Review by: Jordan Thomas
Published: March 1, 1998

Ah, it’s good to be evil…again.

When Dungeon Keeper was originally released, I found that my darker half simply reveled in the general indulgence of my villainous urges. I played on into the night, eagerly manipulating the forces of evil into massive attacks on the pitiful heroes that dared attempt to sack my domain. This game is possibly the most unique type of thrill that the gaming community was treated to in the last two years. Molyneux and his crew certainly brought forth the sinister lord in all of us, and we loved it. ( read more… )

Review by: Jordan Thomas
Published: February 15, 1998

I know you, dogfighters.

You hide polished, WWII-style goggles in your closet, right next to a trailing white scarf. You have model planes hanging menacingly from the ceiling of your room, grim birds of prey from the battle-torn skies of days long gone. Nothing thrills you like the curling tail of smoke that pours forth from the blackened fuselage of an enemy you’ve sent into his death spiral.

Your battlefield lies far above the trenches and the fathomless oceans. Your weapons are the sleekest aerial combat machines of history, and your only armor is the deceptive, fleeting cover that the surrounding clouds can provide. It’s a dangerous occupation, fit for few individuals. But you love it. You are, without question, a Fighter Ace.

( read more… )

Review by: Jordan Thomas
Published: February 12, 1998

Encased in glittering armor and weathered skin, adventurers from all walks of life band together for wealth, fame, or honor. Legions of lawless creatures stalk the surrounding forests and caves, hoarding treasure and raiding the bustling towns and cities that sprinkle the Sword Coast. Tribes of orcs bearing grim human-severed standards of battle march through the cavernous mountain ranges. They heft wicked, serrated weapons and sport bleach-white skulls on their thick belts. Fair-featured elven magi and rocky, axe-slinging dwarves join forces to combat these perpetual threats. High above amongst the clouds, a glistening black dragon prepares to rain acid death on a city below.

These are the Forgotten Realms.

( read more… )

Review by: Jordan Thomas
Published: January 18, 1998

You’re sitting alone there, staring at the screen in solitary concentration. Your surroundings seem pretty unremarkable, but everything is as normal, right? This planet is vast, and its diverse levels of life, construction, and form twist gently out from your location in concentric rings. Outside of your dwelling, there are others. Beyond those, the city limits delineate your community. Further than even those boundaries lie those of your district, or county. And as your mind’s eye continues to expand, you can observe states, countries, and continents reach forever outward, all centered on your singular perception; your world view.

Keep reading, but shut your mind off to your surroundings.  Sever your perceptual ties to the pallid lights and encircling walls. Close your mind’s eye for just a moment, and discard what you know. ( read more… )

Review by: Jordan Thomas
Published: January 16, 1998

Have you ever wanted to be a pirate? Have you ever felt an overwhelming desire to strap on a superfluous eye patch, take up a cutlass, and take to the seas for a life of pillaging, looting, and an entertaining guttural dialect? I thought so. Don’t try to deny it. ( read more… )

Review by: Jordan Thomas
Published: January 9, 1998

Have you ever woken up in the morning, to find that absolutely nothing about your existence had any form, order, or harmony? Have you been victim to hallucinations, delusions of grandeur, or simple dizzy spells? Can you stand up without swaying madly, due to the obscene way in which your surroundings warp and mutate? Have you ever had a conversation with a Bogartian plant seeking a Messiah? ( read more… )

Review by: Jordan Thomas
Published: January 5, 1998

The pristine, immaculate halls of King Arthur’s courtroom resonate with centuries of power. Here in the silent corridors of Avalon, the Knights of the Round Table maintain order throughout England, and through justice, they rule unchallenged. In an instant, all that is going to change.

( read more… )