Review by: Pete Hines

Dragon Dice is the computer version of TSR’s fantasy/strategy dice board game. The game centers around the struggle of four races to become masters of the four realms. Each race is the result of the mixing of two elemental forces of nature or an elemental force and death: Goblins — Earth and Water; Coral Elves — Air and Water; Dwarves — Earth and Death; and Lava Elves — Fire and Death. In the end, what this means is four diametrically opposed races each looking to eliminate the others. ( read more… )

Review by: Pete Hines

All is not well on Planet Ruhelen, as four republics are all locked in a power struggle for control of this planet. The Human, Scorp, Darken and Merc civilizations are all suspicious of one another and it seems as if total war could break out again at any moment. To make matters worse, the Scorp have developed a secret military weapon that can throw the balance of power in their favor. This device, called the G-NOME, is a genetically engineered machine which they developed through experimenting on prisoners of war. As the head of a special Human task force, your job is to make your way deep into Scorp territory, find the G-NOME, and destroy it. You’ll use a number of different mechanized vehicles along the way, called HAWCs, and every situation will demand something different from you. Throughout the missions, you’ll rely on your own wits and skills as well as those of the other members of your team. You’ll join up with them along the way, if you’re successful.

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Review by: Pete Hines

After reviewing the demo of Sega Rally Championship I was eager to get my hands on the full version to see what it looked like. I thought the demo was ok (3 1/2 stars) but that it could have been better. After playing this game for hours on end, I am pleased to announce that the full version is, in fact, even better. This high-speed racing simulation game features some cool 3D graphics, easy controls, and challenging courses that should please the speed demon in anyone.

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Review by: Pete Hines

Assume the role of one of the four races that inhabit the Zeta Galaxy and use your special skills to fight your way to the top in this real-time strategy game from GT Interactive and Metropolis Digital. In order to survive, you’ll need to make quick decisions, manage resources well, and know when to attack and when to defend. Without ignoring important aspects like graphics and FX, this game really focuses on the strategy aspect of the game. Let us first look at how the game is played.

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Review by: Pete Hines
Published: October 27, 1999

When Seven Kingdoms burst onto the strategy scene, it took a lot of people by surprise and was touted by many, including myself, as a better representation of what Age of Empires was supposed to be. It featured a great mix of activities that relied on building up towns, attracting new subjects, spying on neighbors and searching out enemy spies in your own ranks, and engaging in combat when necessary. Seven Kingdoms 2 basically takes the original concepts and fine tunes them, adds some things here and there, but doesn’t do a complete makeover. I’ll give you a brief summary of how things work, and if you want more detail, you can check out my review of SK, because the fundamentals are pretty much unchanged. I view SK2 the same way I do Dungeon Keeper 2 in that both enhanced and refined their originals, but were much more evolutionary than revolutionary. ( read more… )

Review by: Pete Hines
Published: September 16, 1999

The Operational Art of War II: Modern Battles 1956 – 2000 (OAW2) is the second title in the series by Norm Koger that brings the board game to the computer. It is an effort to take everything about combat and strategy that fascinates hardcore wargamers and encapsulate it in an entertaining PC title. While the first game was not without its share of glitches and was perhaps a bit guilty of trying to encompass more than it could handle, this iteration looks to expand upon the original with a new setting, new units and a couple of new ideas. It is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a new beginning or change of pace, but rather focuses on a different era of war that provides its own unique challenges and opportunities. ( read more… )

Review by: Pete Hines
Published: August 13, 1999

The legacy of Dungeon Keeper (DK) has yet to be determined. We are only just now beginning to see the effects it has had on the gaming industry. Certainly, it’s hard to dispute the highly original concept it brought forth and the unique style of gameplay that captured many an imagination. Dungeon Keeper 2 (DK2) expands on the original with a variety of new features and gadgets, a revamped interface and a brand new look. At the same time, the core elements remain largely unchanged and will be quite familiar to anyone who experienced the original. ( read more… )

Review by: Pete Hines
Published: July 21, 1999

If Carmageddon and Links LS got thrown into a blender, the result might be something like Links Extreme. This latest title from Access looks to take the popular Links series in another direction, or maybe another dimension, and provide a golf experience that uses elements of combat and plain old wackiness. The action takes place on several demolition driving ranges, the equivalent of a golf shooting gallery, as well as on a bizarre 18-hole course called Mojo Bay and a nine-hole trip back to a World War I battlefield. While the basic interface and gameplay from the Links LS series are here, the game is really nothing like its namesake. ( read more… )

Review by: Pete Hines
Published: July 2, 1999

Four siblings were charged by their father to take over four main regions of Darien, each one controlling an area that is in keeping with their own characteristics. Apparently, they’ve learned nothing from Darien’s turbulent past and the lessons learned from abuses of power and magic. Things have subsequently reached a boiling point, and after years of small wars and skirmishes, these four sides are squaring off against each other with alliances formed along lines of magic. Two sides, that of Aramon and Veruna, will clash with Zhon and Taros in a bloody struggle of ideology. In Total Annihilation: Kingdoms (TA:K), you take turns controlling all four sides and determining the outcome of this war. While based on the Total Annihilation engine, you’ll see that TA:K really isn’t much like its cousin at all.

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Review by: Pete Hines
Published: June 24, 1999

Ancient Conquest is a real-time strategy game that focuses on naval strategy and combat. While it is similar to the Warcraft series, in truth, it doesn’t remind me all that much of anything else I’ve played recently. It features some simple resource gathering, but really focuses on the creation of a naval fleet that can wipe out the other guy. While this offering takes a somewhat different approach from other RTS titles, the basics are very simple and straightforward. The story is set in ancient times and centers on a quest to recover the Golden Fleece. You do this mostly through naval exploration and battles rather than standard land-based units. Ancient Conquest features a 14-mission campaign, some standalone skirmishes and the ability to create custom scenarios with a scenario editor. In each, you build up a base that provides support functions while exploring the surrounding seas, returning any resources you come across and destroying anyone who gets in your way. You do this with two basic types of units: merchant ships and warships. ( read more… )

Review by: Pete Hines
Published: June 12, 1999

With the arrival of each baseball season comes the promise of new opportunity, fresh faces in the home jerseys and dreams of making the post-season. Along with this comes the latest slate of baseball titles to give those of us who aren’t fortunate enough to play in the big leagues a chance to live out our diamond dreams. Of all the baseball titles coming out this year for the PC, I was looking forward to High Heat Baseball 2000 (HH2K) the most. I thought last year’s title from Team .366/3DO showed great promise and I felt this game might offer the most enjoyable action along with the best simulation options of any game on the market. Before I go on, I should note that a patch was released while I was writing this review. It fixes a whole laundry list of problems, but our policy (and I think it’s a good one) is that games are reviewed the way they come out of the box, regardless of when or if a patch is released. ( read more… )

Review by: Pete Hines
Published: June 5, 1999

The period spanning the 16th through the 19th centuries featured a handful of European countries fighting for control of the continent, called the Old World, as well as racing to claim undiscovered lands in the New World. Imperialism 2 puts you in control of one of these great powers in a wide variety of scenarios that test your skills of resource management, production, trade, diplomacy and military strategy. You can spend your fortunes developing research that gives you a competitive advantage in the marketplace or build massive forces that will squash in one fell swoop those who oppose you. The path to victory is yours to choose. ( read more… )

Review by: Pete Hines
Published: May 29, 1999

In a fairly crowded field of baseball titles this year, Microsoft and developer WizBang have taken an interesting approach to Microsoft Baseball 2000. Not only are they trying to fix some of the shortcomings evident in the last version of the game to make it more competitive with the rest of the market, they are also pricing MS Baseball 2000 at a retail price of $19.95. You might be surprised, then, to find that this year’s version isn’t your average budget title, but a decent baseball game at a really good price, which makes it an attractive option for fans. For the purposes of this review, I’ll only compare it to Triple Play 2000 since we haven’t yet posted reviews of High Heat 2000 and Interplay Sports Baseball 2000. ( read more… )

Review by: Pete Hines
Published: May 21, 1999

For a good while now, Links has been the only computer golf game in town. Everyone else has been chasing them with only limited success. Chief among the also-rans has been the Jack Nicklaus series. While not quite up to snuff when it comes to graphics and features, these titles have garnered a loyal following through the years, mostly thanks to the course designer that allows players to create, trade and play hundreds of additional courses. Jack Nicklaus 6: Golden Bear Challenge is the latest in this series and looks to add to the successes of previous titles and also close the gap on Links LS 99. ( read more… )

Review by: Pete Hines
Published: April 24, 1999

April usually marks two important events for me: 1) The arrival of plenty of computer baseball games; 2) The Orioles blowing ungodly amounts of money by having another horrific year as cellar-dwellers in the American League East. I only actually look forward to one of these things, take a wild guess which one it is. The first baseball game to arrive on my doorstep was Triple Play 2000 (TP2K) from EA Sports, complete with Sammy Sosa’s giant mug on the box cover. Without insulting your intelligence too much, let me tell you about some of the basic elements and then we’ll look at how the game stacks up against the competition. ( read more… )