Review by: David Laprad
Published: November 13, 1997

Generally, when a game publisher or developer enters a new genre, they start out slowly, learning the basics of programming and design before attempting a more ambitious project. However, this simple philosophy was not a part of the design specifications for Microsoft’s racing simulation CART Precision Racing. Instead, the software behemoth, along with the developers at Terminal Reality, skipped the pace lap and shifted into high gear right from the starting line. The result? A highly refined masterpiece that sets a new standard for realism in racing simulations. ( read more… )

Review by: David Laprad
Published: November 11, 1997

High concept ideas are a dime a dozen in the entertainment industry, but when they hit the right nerve, can earn the masterminds untold wealth. The best ideas are those that cross a prevalent component of popular culture with an appealing twist. For example, the film Star Wars is a “mythic western in outer space.” The inspiration behind DreamWorks Interactive’s Chaos Island is, “Let’s cross Command and Conquer with Jurassic Park.” While the concept sounds promising on the surface, the actual execution fails to offer the depth real-time strategy fans have come to expect. ( read more… )

Review by: Shawn Quigley
Published: November 11, 1997

Just like the original Need for Speed from Electronic Arts, there is a new version out now that includes “SE” in its title. The SE, or special edition, contains enhancements to different areas of the game, while maintaining the basic formula for what the original version contained. Most important is the included support for 3D acceleration using the 3Dfx chipset. The visuals and detail enhancements that the 3Dfx version offers have to been seen. ( read more… )

Review by: Emil Pagliarulo
Published: November 9, 1997

Any gamer worth his or her weight in 5 1/4 inch floppies has heard of the Ultima series of role-playing games. Before the AD&D Gold Box series, before the Build engine, and yes, even before the X-Com trilogy, there existed Ultima. The brain child of Richard “Lord British” Garriot, the Ultima series has often been regarded as the pre-eminent force in computer role-playing. Set in the Realm of Britannia (or Sosaria, for those die-hards), Ultima and its sequels tell the story of a man from a strange universe, presumably 20th century Earth, who mysteriously appears in the strange, magical land during a time of great need. For unbeknownst to him at the time, it was this person’s destiny to be the hero to a realm besieged by evil. In fact, there have been as many diabolical villains in the Ultima series as there have been games themselves. From the evil wizard Mondain to the demonic Guardian, our hero has certainly faced his share of bad guys. But there was always something about Lord British’s games more involving than just simple bad guy beating or dungeon hacking. Integral to the storyline and gameplay was you, the player. Throughout the series, from the first Ultima, into the Underworlds, and finally to the mysterious isle of Pagan, your character continued to grow. He (or she, in the later games) evolved from simple hero to mighty Avatar — a living symbol of virtue and good will. Because of this deep focus on character growth and development, the Ultima games have been as much the chapters in an epic morality tale as they have been great role-playing adventures. ( read more… )

Review by: Shawn Quigley
Published: November 7, 1997

Last year a new hockey game hit the market and gave the dominating EA Sports NHL series a run for its money. That game was NHL Powerplay from Virgin Interactive. Many people thought the game’s artificial intelligence and playability put the EA Sports version to shame. This year, NHL Powerplay is back, and tries to continue building upon an already impressive foundation. ( read more… )

Review by: Jordan Thomas
Published: November 6, 1997

Brian Fargo, creator of Wasteland, and the team at Interplay set the scene:

With a single blinding flash and a billowing mushroom cloud, modern civilization as we know it ceases to be.

Cities are incinerated, transformed from once-powerful metropolitan centers of commerce to desiccated husks. Millions of people perish instantly, utterly destroyed by the fires of nuclear war. The earth’s once-rich ecosystem is now an endless sun-blasted badland, and human life has been scattered. The few surviving settlements are brutal and desperate. Life will never be the same. Everyone on Earth feels the planet’s scars. ( read more… )

Review by: David Laprad
Published: November 5, 1997

Former Vice-President Dan Quayle must have been speaking of corporate America when he said, “What a waste it is to lose one’s mind. Or to not have a mind is being very wasteful.” (I loved that guy! We need to re-elect him in some capacity and get him speaking in public again.) To be fair, he had probably been spending too much quality time with his favorite Dilbert characters when he made that unintentionally humorous statement. ( read more… )

Review by: Jim Brumbaugh
Published: November 4, 1997

In the land of Dominia, things have changed. There are new Lands. There are additional Spells. There are more enemies looking to battle one-on-one. Furthermore, there are new tools available to the Human Wizard which will assist him in achieving his nefarious goals. For owners of the original Magic: The Gathering for the PC, the expansion set Spells of The Ancients is spawned for your amusement. ( read more… )

Review by: Pete Hines
Published: November 3, 1997

In September 1944, the Allies attempted to seize a series of major bridges over a 60-mile stretch that would allow the allies to move from Holland into Germany, and straight towards Berlin. This operation, known as Operation Market Garden, relied heavily on the use of paratroopers to drop in and take the bridges, which would then be used by armored troops that would move in and make the big push. However, communication failures, some back luck, and a few other factors (like a copy of the complete plan for the operation falling into German hands) eventually found the Allies falling just short of their final objective, despite less than full resistance from the Germans. The armored units never made it to help relieve the paratroopers at the last bridge in Arnhem — as it turns out, they went a bridge too far. The mission failed. ( read more… )

Review by: Emil Pagliarulo
Published: October 29, 1997

Here’s the cold, hard truth about 3D computer gaming: any good 3D accelerator card will run you anywhere from $150 up. That’s a pretty good chunk of change, and an investment many gamers just aren’t ready to make. Even more discouraging is the fact that more and more 3D games are relying on, and in some cases requiring, 3D acceleration to deliver the best graphics and visual effects. Is it possible to create a great-looking 3D shooter without incorporating acceleration technology? Even more importantly, can a gamer hope to find a good 3D game if he or she doesn’t own a 3Dfx card? ( read more… )

Review by: Shawn Quigley
Published: October 29, 1997

It is slightly cold outside, the leaves are floating off the trees, and the feeling of fall is in the air. This is the time of football…college football. In the past, the football games that have received the most attention have been the Madden Football series and Front Page Sports Football. What these two titles were all about was pro football. There really have not been any solid college football titles to write home about. A few have come and gone, but none have ever made a lasting mark. EA Sports is trying to change that this fall by bringing a new football title to the table, NCAA Football 98. ( read more… )

Review by: Pete Hines
Published: October 28, 1997

Worldwide Soccer is the new soccer simulation from Sega. The player can choose from 48 national teams and compete against the best the world has to offer in one of six game modes: exhibition, world league, worldwide cup, cup tournament, penalty shootout, or multiplayer. You can customize your team through lineup changes, choose your formation and strategy, and then take to the field for fierce competition. ( read more… )

Review by: Brian Pipa
Published: October 27, 1997

Take No Prisoners (TNP) is the latest title from Raven Software and follows hot on the heels of Mageslayer, a similar game using the same engine. Mageslayer used a medieval theme full of demons and monsters, but TNP is set in a post-apocalyptic San Antonio. The survivors of the war have been horribly mutated and represent the scum of the earth. You play Slade, a man who is sent in to wipe up the Zoner population and bring some order into this world of disorder. ( read more… )

Review by: Pete Hines
Published: October 26, 1997

I’m no student of the Civil War, but I know a bit about it. Living in the D.C. area, there are lots of historic battlegrounds near me, and I have good friends who live in Gettysburg. I’ve toured the battlefields, seen some of the recreations, and have a general sense of the history and significance of this war. Civil War Generals 2, the sequel to Robert E. Lee: Civil War Generals, is an effort to allow gamers to take to the battlefield and lead the North or South in a number of different battles and campaigns. Unlike it’s predecessor, CWG2 allows you to assume the role of one of three generals, Lee, Sherman, or Grant, and provides two theatres of battle, Eastern and Western. One thing you’ll find out very quickly is that history doesn’t always repeat itself, and brilliant or bad moves on your part can change its course. ( read more… )

Review by: David Laprad
Published: October 24, 1997

Here’s the scoop on MGM Interactive’s Machine Hunter. The year is 2034, and Earth is all but drained of its resources. A large fleet of robots programmed to perform labor-intensive mining tasks has been stationed on Mars. However, aliens intending to use the Red Planet as a launching point for an invasion of Earth reprogram the robots, and begin mass production of deadly machines. As a member of an elite task force, you refuse to suffer the outrage, and set out to accomplish what huge armies and millions of dollars of futuristic technology are apparently incapable of doing — blow up the bad guys real good and rescue the hostages. ( read more… )