Review by: Mike Laidlaw
Published: November 8, 2000

Chances are if you owned a Super Nintendo then Street Fighter II was one of the first cartridges to find a home in your system. By expanding on the “Beat-em-up” genre, this classic was considered the first title to really refine digitized combat to an art form. Due to the large variety of characters, it required arcade and console players alike to adapt to a wide range of fighting styles. These unique techniques ranged from the up-close and personal savagery of Blanka, to the balanced precision of Ryu’s attacks, making each character a unique experience. Somehow, the game that spawned a legion of offspring managed one of the most difficult feats in the genre’s history: each fighter was almost perfectly balanced against the others. Slowly, though, small flaws in the gameplay were revealed and certain competitors began to dominate among the hardcore crowd. ( read more… )

Review by: Mike Laidlaw
Published: November 4, 2000

Imagine, if you will, a convincing setting for a horror novel or game. Start with the time: perhaps the late Victorian age, with its tense struggle between mechanization and mysticism would suffice; and thus we will settle upon 1898, the same year Alistair Crowley begins his life long study of the arcane. The location should be isolated and brooding, so we shall place the action in a medieval monastery that was not always used for God’s work and hides dark secrets under the blanketing mist of the Welsh moors. For a final touch, make our story unfold on the night when spirits are known to be restless: October 31st, otherwise known as Halloween. It is within just such a setting that the story of Koudelka unfolds. ( read more… )

Review by: Mike Laidlaw
Published: November 1, 2000

Growing up with a pinball machine in your basement makes you appreciate the amount of craftsmanship that goes into each table. The precision mechanics and careful design make for an experience that, for some, eclipses any game ever produced for a console system. Pinball machines don’t need rumble packs, surround sound or careful physics engines to immerse players in their world — they have a solid, real world appeal with their bright lights and imposing size; and they present an open challenge that few can resist so long as the price is right. Unfortunately, these Methuselahs of the arcade world are slowly disappearing from arcades thanks to the easier maintenance of electronic games and the soaring price tags of increasingly complex machinery. ( read more… )

Review by: Mike Laidlaw
Published: October 21, 2000

Each year, hundreds of car enthusiasts converge upon a racing event that’s set apart by its participants, the vast majority of whom are everyday folk rather than professional drivers. In what could be called the ultimate dream of street racing, these businessmen, ranchers, doctors and other automotive enthusiasts take a break from the everyday to explore their passion: The Ferrari Challenge. Established in 1993, this highly specialized racing circuit offers Ferrari owners a chance to really test their mettle and machines in a fairly safe environment; and experience the true power of their cars without fear of their ability to accelerate from zero to jail in six seconds. ( read more… )

Review by: Mike Laidlaw
Published: October 19, 2000

It’s somewhat ironic that while the entire electronic entertainment industry is surging forward with almost daily technological developments, it’s very hard to put your finger down on any specific event and say, “That changed things. Yes, that right there was a new beginning.” Especially in the PC market, developments seem to build seamlessly from previous changes, evolving faster than Darwin’s dream ecology. Right now, however, there’s an event worth marking on your gaming calendar, because NFL 2K1 is the first time that a console game has shouldered its way onto the Internet for an online multiplayer experience. Before examining the Internet aspect of this title, we should delve into the game itself in the hopes that its online capabilities won’t overshadow the remainder of the review. ( read more… )

Review by: Mike Laidlaw
Published: October 12, 2000

“In space, no one can hear you scream”
Alien, 1979

“That’s nothing, in the ocean everything can hear you scream, but nothing cares.”
My Nova Scotian Uncle, 1998

A few years back I traveled out to the Canadian Maritime provinces to visit with some family. I arrived with all the confidence of a landlubber that I wouldn’t be emotionally nudged by the so-called power of the oceans. ( read more… )

Review by: Mike Laidlaw
Published: October 4, 2000

How exactly do a premonition, a mislabeled CD and this review relate? It’s a tangled web but we’ll try to unravel its intricacies. When my copy of Strider 2 arrived, I was pleased to discover that it contained both the original Strider and its sequel. The two games made for an appealing pair of titles, as the original had spent many a night in my NES as I struggled to overthrow the Grandmaster and his global domination. Deciding to cut right to the chase, I grabbed the CD for the sequel and booted it up to see what the next chapter in one of my favorite old school console games would be like. ( read more… )

Review by: Mike Laidlaw
Published: September 30, 2000

It has been a long time since the first Turok smashed onto the N64 with its hardcore first-person gameplay, impressive arsenal and engaging storyline. Since then some of the glamor has faded from the franchise: Turok 2: Seeds of Evil suffered from abnormally long gaps between save points and Turok: Rage Wars‘ bots provided a less than spectacular single player experience. For the final N64 installment of the venerable series, Acclaim chose to try and integrate the best elements of their previous titles into one cohesive opus. ( read more… )

Review by: Mike Laidlaw
Published: September 22, 2000

It should be stated from the outset that Threads of Fate should not be judged by its cover. Those who do so will inevitably jump to the conclusion that the game represents a highly promising blend of action, role playing and compelling storyline all conveyed in fully 3D graphics reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time. This comparison is mostly workable, though Square’s title has more emphasis on the action of combat than on role-playing and exploration. The game’s case promises “two entirely different storylines” filled with “challenging puzzles, unusual enemies and unknown dangers” but does so under somewhat false pretenses. Threads of Fate seems to bring the style of The Ocarina of Time to the PlayStation, and Square has worked very hard to maintain this illusion. ( read more… )

Review by: Mike Laidlaw
Published: September 14, 2000

On first impression, Chrono Cross is just another clone of the Final Fantasy series: the same style of overland movement; the zoomed in 3D combat scenes; the expansive story and multiple characters available to join the always inscrutable hero in his quest to discover a mysterious secret from his past. Not that this would necessarily be a bad thing, as Square has consistently delivered high quality stories and quality gameplay in their flagship titles, but Chrono Cross is the sequel to the highly acclaimed Chrono Trigger. As the latter is considered one of the best role-playing titles ever available for console, players have a right to expect something more than just another Final Fantasy from its sequel. ( read more… )