Retro Game Review

Operation: Inner Space - PC

2011-12-14T12:00:00.000Z

Another brain-child of the shareware scene, Operation: Inner Space was a unique game, the likes of which have never been seen since, but also lost to obscurity. I was lucky enough to catch it on a shareware disc my father picked up. It didn't take long for us to order the full game.

Operation: Inner Space starts with your computer briefing you with you. An evil force called the Inner Demon and its viruses have invaded your computer and infected its icons. You have to go into your computer to stop it. You do this by collecting icons (the currency of the game) to improve your ship until you can defeat the Inner Demon. Yes, this does sound silly, and it takes a hardened cheese factory worker not to cringe as a little ship flies into your computer screen (and then through computer chips shaped like the Death Star's trench, causing every computer geek not using an All-In-One to groan in pain), but you can't deny the creativity and uniqueness involved. The twitching will subside and the fun game will bleach out any memory of the starting splash screen.

The main gameplay element is the collection of healthy icons and destruction of infected ones. However, there are also races and shooting elements. Inner Space is fairly easy going, so you're not bound by the completion of objectives. You play as you want. If you enjoy role play, you can play within the confines of one of seven factions, each with different relationships with each other. How you behave determines how AI players will react to you. For example, if you allow an ally to be attacked by pirates without helping them, they will be less inclined to help you. If you are ruthless to your enemies, they'll either flee or attack you with extra venom.

There's an eighth faction: the Enforcers. While most actions in Inner Space are permissible, destroying a healthy icon or attacking an Enforcer is 'illegal'. If you do either of these, the Enforcer will try to arrest you and bring you before the Court of Justice where you will be made to pay a fine for all of the laws you have broken. The more subsequent violations, the more you are fined. Resisting arrest will cause you further trouble and, if you're a big enough nuisance, the Enforces may decide to call in the heavy ships to destroy you. As well as the Enforces, there is an AI 'Hospital' that can be summoned to repair your ship.

Flying around the game is fun, but a little tricky. The maps are littered with hazards and most ships manoeuvre like one. I found my wings were more likely to be clipped by a hunk of space rock than shot off. As Icons are susceptible to breaking apart when hit by an asteroid, you could find your medical bills rising faster than your income.

The full game (not the shareware trial) has a detailed ship-builder. You can draw and animate your own ship, place the basic guns on then, determine the fuselage, and set sound effects. The software calculates the aerodynamics of your ship, making thicker ships heavier and tougher, and streamlined ships faster and lighter. Yes, aerodynamics in the vacuum of space. Don't ask me how it works.

The graphics and sound in Inner Space is great. Smooth, cartoon-like graphics added to the sense of silly fun that this game provides. Watch out, though, as on some modern computers the graphics will randomly glitch, forcing you to reload the game or play blind.The sound and music are fantastic on the highest setting, which most computers should be able to run in 2011. However, the slightly robotic woman saying "You’re hot" when you pick up an icon, "Please stay’"when you try to exit the game, and "Try to come back in one piece" when you enter a directory can get repetitive and annoying. The ship sounds and weapons are varied and well done.

Closing Comments
If you're looking for a game with fantastic, human-like AI and a fun premise, then you could do far worse than Operation: Inner Space. Its unique gameplay mixed with high-quality sounds and fun graphics makes this one of the best games for Windows 3.X. The shareware trial allows you to play the entire game for two weeks, which should be enough time to finish it. Well worth a download.

Presentation: 8/10
The documentation and floppy disks come in a great portfolio case that looks fantastic. The menus are easy enough to navigate, but the block serif text can be harsh on the eyes.

Graphics: 7/10
Fun and cartoon-esque, they lend themselves to the retro genre nicely without falling into the realm of pixelated. A fatal flaw on modern computers hampers the game somewhat.

Sound: 8/10
The sound effects and music are great. On the highest setting, they're rich and detailed, especially for a mid-'90s title. However, the repetitiveness of the sci-fi woman's voice can grate.

Gameplay: 8/10
There's so much to do! A game chocked full of freedom and with few set laws, which only adds to the fun. However, if you stuck solidly to the main element of collecting Icons, you would soon grow bored. Furthermore, a lack of direction during the boss fight can prove frustrating.

Lasting Appeal: 6/10
You'll probably spend 14 fun-fuelled days exploring every aspect of Inner Space, but you won't need much more. You'll put it to the back of your wardrobe until something triggers in the back of your mind, prompting you to play it again. Rinse and repeat.

Overall: 7.4/10 - A Champion of Windows 3.X

Wolfenstein 3D - DOS

2011-12-07T12:00:00.000Z

You know you're in for a treat when the box art has a picture of a Rambo-style soldier kicking a Nazi and firing a machine gun in the air. And sure enough, Wolfenstein 3D was a treat 20 years ago, but does it hold up today? Sadly, not as well as I would have liked.

In 1992, id Software (Commander Keen and Quake) released Wolfenstein 3D, often thought of as the father of first person shooters. There are some earlier examples, like Battlezone, but Wolfenstein 3D and DOOM (also by id Software) created a standard that, to some degree, is still followed today.

Despite over ten years of games set during WWII, none created as much of a controversy as this one. The levels were covered in Nazi symbols and the menu featured Horst-Wessel-Lied, the theme of the Nazi party. This led to it being banned in Germany, which has caused a huge underground following; with the source-code freely available online, it's nearly impossible to police who's playing it.

You play as William "B.J." Blazkowicz, an Allied spy, who has been captured while trying to find the plans for a secret Nazi plan known as Operation Eisenfaust. Imprisoned in Castle Wolfenstein, Blazkowicz has to escape and put an end to this nefarious Nazi scheme. Initially armed only with a knife and a Walther P38 after overpowering a guard in his cell, you have to hunt through the levels until you get out. Then you have to put a stop to whatever the Nazis are up to.

Including the prequel add-on pack, there are 60 missions including six bosses, culminating in a fight with Hitler in a robot suit. You won't see that on Call of Duty. Like many games in the '90s, the first 10 missions were distributed as shareware and only after the first boss would you have to hand over cash (the opposite of the current system, where you buy a half finished game and then the DLC to complete it). There were also six secret missions for the more savvy gamer, which required you to find a hidden elevator. One mission where you played a First-Person PacMan, complete with terrifying ghosts.

While it sounds tongue in cheek (and is), there are many tense moments, which are primarily caused by either finding an open area overrun by gnashing dogs, or being ambushed by a German guard, who'll shoot you as he spews German words that sound creepy. Discovering secrets is great too, though the levels are maze like, and there is no form of map or compass to guide you. The boss encounters can cause you to bite your nails until your fingers are just stubs. Your out-gunned and they have far superior health, but, like a lot of bosses of this era, strafing will often be your greatest weapon.

Like most '90s FPS games, Wolfenstein featured a health system which was shown as a percentage at the bottom of the screen. There was also a portrait of B.J. which gets more bloodied the more damage you take. You recover health by eating food. You can also collect Nazi treasure for extra points.

Despite the title, Wolfenstein 3D isn't 3D. instead, it uses a 2D map and 'ray-casting' to create a pseudo-3D environment, similar to the old Windows Maze screensaver, and the characters and objects are 2D sprites. The dogs show off the graphic capability of this game, but the human enemies tend to look squashed.

The music is atmospheric, and the put-put sound of your weapons is more satisfying than a lot of modern games. However, it's the German voices, which usually signal a guard spotting you, that steals the audio-show.

Despite having good audio and clever graphics, Wolfenstein 3D has a fatal flaw; the gameplay. Due to the restrictions of the engine, there is little discernible variationin the levels. Nor is there any variety in any other aspect of the game. This means that, while it may be fun at first, it's a flash-in-the-pan kind of entertainment that you can't play for too long.

Closing Comments
You'll jump from the first few hidden guards, you'll likely be entertained by the first few German outbursts, and you'll refuse to be defeated by the first few boss battle, but then something happens. The fun, nostalgic graphics begin to lose their charm. The room full of enemies you stumbled into will make you sigh rather than sit forward. A frustrating boss will make you put down the controller without feeling guilt. You'll find that one level blends into the next and that the lack of depth truly feels wrong. Finally, you'll realise that Wolfenstein is a piece of gaming history to be revered, but not the all-time champion PC game of the '90s, and put it to one side in your mind, ready to try pastures new.

Presentation: 7/10
The box has a picture of a soldier kicking a Nazi while firing a machine gun. Can a game be presented any better? Pity in-game lacks the depth and polish of other games of the era.

Graphics: 7/10
The dogs look great, and the people look quirky in a nostalgic kind of way. However, the lack of variety in textures and lighting lets the side down.

Sound: 8/10
From Nazi yells to the put-put of my Luger mowing them down, the sound effects are satisfying in an inexplicable way. The music is fairly moody and atmospheric.

Gameplay: 5/10
Five stars for the in-the-moment enjoyment, but nothing more. Like magnesium, it burns bright and it burns fast, leaving you holding the ashes for the rest of the play-through.

Lasting Appeal: 4/10
If you're a die hard fan of FPS games and a completionist, then there's a lot here for you. Secrets abound, and the allure of the 100% score can drive those concerned on time and time again. However, for the rest of us, a single run is a chore.

Overall: 6.2/10 - Best Left a Fond Memory

Syndicate Wars - DOS

2011-11-30T12:00:00.000Z

Syndicate Wars, like its predecessor Syndicate, used to frustrate me as a child. My older brother used to play it, and was very good, but when I would try my men would drop like flies. Still, it was an important part of my childhood that warned of the dangers of hubris. It deserved another play through. I'm glad I did. What I found was a gritty strategy game that's fairly unique and very fun.

In 1993, the then infamous Bullfrog Productions created Syndicate, which showed a destopian future of mega corporations attempting to gain control through mind altering chips, fighting with each other in the process. From this war, one company rises up and reigns supreme: EuroCorp. They control the world. But a technologically superior cult hopes to undermine their authority by disrupting the chips with a computer virus. You assume the role of either a EuroCorp Executive or a Church of the New Epoch High Disciple to either help or hinder this plan to liberate the world and convert them to a religious sect.

The game plays much like Syndicate; you control your four heavily armed and modified cyborg agents from an isometric point of view. You go from cityscape to cityscape performing any number of violent or underhand assignments. You can control your cyborgs as a group or individually as you see fit, and arm them with a dozen or so weapons which can be researched along side cybernetic enhancements. The interface has a slick Tron-like look and feel with '90s Sci-Fi sound effects. Furthermore, you can steal cars, which act like clown cars as there is no capacity limit; and destroy...well whatever you feel like destroying.

There are two types of assignment: kill the bad-guys, and kidnap someone. This leads to a massive flaw: Syndicate Wars is repetitive. You couldn't sit down and play through all 20 missions in one go as there's little variation. This means that, despite the interesting political story, it's a drop-in-drop-out game. However, there is one thing saving you from all out boredom: the violence

In fact, most of the fun from Syndicate Wars is derived from indulging in pointless violence.While playing the game, I spent an unhealthy amount of time destroying everything that came near my operatives. You name it, I shot it. Even the skyscrapers and lampposts explode if you shoot them enough, though I discovered this by accident as I was chasing cult members and got too close to a lamppost which proceeded to kill half my men. I either killed or brainwashed hundreds of civilians, often both! And as for running over police officers with a stolen vehicle...well let's just say GTA has nothing on this game. I wonder what my therapist would say.

Syndicate Wars has a fantastic texture-mapped, 3D polygonal engine. Each city is rendered in astonishing detail; pedestrians wander about ready for your Persuadatron, shiny hover-cars swerve around corners and break apart into falling flaming bits, polluted rain patters endlessly, and flickering video screens stream advertising. But the graphics is also where Syndicate Wars falls down. Everyone in the game are indistinguishable pixelated sprites which can lead to indiscriminate killings or accidental ambushes by the enemy. You'll find yourself relying on the radar more than your ability to tell two pixels apart.

The music has a fantastic way of blending with the creepy setting to create something truly memorable with some tracks having a Blade Runner feel to them. However, Syndicate Wars falls flat on its face with sound effects vicious battles between EuroCorp and the Church seem stale because of repetitive, almost bored grunts of victims. I'm not sure whether screaming civilians will ever get old. Luckily, the explosions are just as impressive on the ears as they are on the eyes and the hover-cars sound Sci-Fi enough for my taste.

Closing Comment
There has never been an RTS game as gritty and destopian as the Syndicate series. Syndicate Wars puts you in the shoes of a terrible corporate overlord, but you quickly become more than willing to use your power to its full extent. Not many games can say that. Yes, it has its flaws, but overall, this game is serious fun to play. Here's to hoping the 2012 Syndicate game is just as good.

Presentation: 9/10
The Tron-like feel of the interface makes for an enjoyable experience. It feels like the future and makes you feel like you are in control.

Graphics: 6/10
Hit and miss. The backdrop and textures are fantastic, and the explosions are all too eye-catching, but the pixelated sprites that populate the game don't do it justice.

Sound: 7/10
The music is amazing; a treat for the ears, the explosions are ear-candy as much as they are eye-candy, and the Sci-Fi effects of the cars are just right. However, the limited grunts and sounds during battle lose the immersion for me.

Gameplay: 6/10
The destructive setting was a nice touch that wouldn't really be seen again until Mercenaries for the PS2. Furthermore, the construction of the game mechanics is top notch. However, the core mission mechanics get repetitive pretty quickly.

Lasting Appeal: 5/10
Repetition takes away any plans for a marathon run, creating an on-off game that could last you months or could end up at the back of your wardrobe.

Overall: 6.6/10 - Decent, But Spoilt By Repetition

Metal Gear - MSX

2011-11-23T12:00:00.000Z

Much like the 'casual' games of today, the 8-bit era was dominated by simplistic, fun gameplay. Stories were limited to a plumber saving a princess and a carpenter saving his girlfriend. The limitations of the system and the age of the medium meant that narrative was often relegated to a blurb in the manual. In '86 a creative young man called Hideo Kojima joined Konami. A year later his first game was released and the gaming world was changed. Metal Gear started nearly 25 years of gaming innovation, often polarising players. Regardless of your stance on the Metal Gear franchise, this game gave us a new type of gaming. It was heralded as a new action game that was driven by a mature narrative instead of simplistic children's story. It was the introduction of stealth mechanics in the hardware generation that was driven primarily by arcade ports and colourful platformers. It was an innovation that pushed gaming forward.

There were two main versions of Metal Gear; the MSX version, which was popular in Japan and Europe, and the NES version, also popular in Europe, but more so in America. If you've only played the NES version you've never played Kojima's vision. Konami approved a number of changes to the port, both in gameplay and mechanics, and Kojima has vocalised his disappointment with this version. Not only were there numerous mistranslations, such as "I feel asleep" and "The truck have started to move", they changed the final boss. Instead of being an American secret agent, they created the character of Col Cadaffi, a clear play on the late Cold War dictator, and removed the Metal Gear, replacing it with a super computer. No, if you've played the NES version you've not played Metal Gear.

Two-hundred km north of Galzburg, South Africa, lies Outer Heaven, a fortified state founded by a 'legendary mercenary'. The west has discovered that this mercenary state is building a weapon of mass destruction. Special Forces unit FOXHOUND sends Gray Fox, one of their top agents, to infiltrate the fortress, assess the situation and neutralize the threat. This is when things start to go wrong. Contact with Gray Fox is lost and his last transmission simply reads "METAL GEAR...". Solid Snake, FOXHOUND's newest recruit, is ordered by squad leader Big Boss to rescue Gray Fox and carry out his mission.

The gameplay of all future MGS games have their roots firmly planted in Metal Gear. From codec calls to the infamous cardboard box, virtually every gameplay mechanic makes an appearance in this legendary title. The genre defining stealth aspect has barely changed in quarter of a century. As Snake moves around the Outer Heaven complex, he must keep out of the vision cone of rebels, guards, and security cameras. Combat is limited, especially as he's dropped into the combat zone without any weapons, though can collect them to deal with the more curious guard. Of course, the controls are limited, so they're not as complicated as the PSX title, restricting your potential actions.

Being an 8-bit title means it's not true 3D, instead relying on an isometric view to create the illusion of 3D. While some modern gamers might view this as a negative, it was a clever way of getting around a problem with hardware and done very well. However, it also means you can only move in four directions. There's also no crawl ability.

The first thing an MGS fan might notice is how quite your codec is. Instructions are few and far between and there's no form of witty conversation backwards and forwards between you and the supporting staff. Not only does this create a sense of loneliness, it often causes you to get lost. While in more modern Metal Gear titles, you'll be told "Try the X" or "Find the Y", in Metal Gear you have to rely on your own sense of judgement and help via the internet. This isn't helped by the fact 56% of the text is missing in the English translation.

The graphics haven't aged well at all, especially when compared to earlier games such as Mario. This isn't an issue with teh developers, and it couldn't really be avoided, but 8-bit gaming doesn't lend itself to grey, green, and deep blues well. The murky pallet makes it an eye-sore, when compared to the vibrancy of '80s platformers. Even compared to the NES port and the sequel, Metal Gear 2, Metal Gear's graphics aren't great.

If you're looking for a huge orchestral score like the later games, then you'll be disappointed. The music, while impressive, lacks variety and can start to drone. Again, this was a sacrifice Konami had to make to create such an epic story; games could only be so big. The sound effects are typical late '80s and do their job, so you can't really fault them.

Closing Comments
At the heart of it, this game is Metal Gear through and through. It may not have the polish, direction, or ability of later games, but it was revolutionary and is thoroughly enjoyable to this day. If you don't mind getting lost, only moving in four directions, and a repetitive score, then you will be rewarded with hours of enjoyment. Even if you do get frustrated, this is a piece of gaming history that will give you a new respect for Solid Snake and Co.

Presentation: 7/10
While it lacks the polish of the NES port, it has a fairly easy interface and fantastic box art.

Graphics: 5/10
Murky colours do not suit the 8-bit era. Five stars for the isometric view.

Sound: 6/10
What's there is good, though it can easily get repetitive. A curse of limited memory. The sounds are effective.

Gameplay: 7/10
The story is immersive and the game style is revolutionary, but the lack of direction spoils it slightly.

Lasting Appeal: 8/10
The game is long for an 8-bit title and will set you off playing a series that spans a quarter of a century. It has some replayability, but not much as the story is based on surprise.

Overall: 6.6/10 - Decent but Dated. Still Worth a Play.

Halo: Combat Evolved

2011-11-16T12:00:00.000Z

Yesterday was the tenth anniversary of Halo: Combat Evolved. When Halo was first released, didn’t really come as much surprise when Microsoft snatched it up; it was a game the FPS community had been hailing as the second coming of Gordon Freeman, making it perfect for the carefully balanced Xbox launch line-up. It was a game that was meant to win the hearts and minds of the PC FPS players and quickly became the reason to own an Xbox. It was a modern masterpiece and the game to model all marine FPS games on thereafter. Bungie brought a game to the Xbox that proved thousands of naysayers wrong. For its birthday, it got a remake, but does the original from 2001 still stand up with the updates? Is it still the genre-defining game it was at the turn on the millennium?

Halo takes place in a space-faring future, where Earth's forces have come into conflict with an alien alliance known as The Covenant. In the beginning of the game, Halo's protagonist, a cybernetically enhanced soldier called Master Chief, is woken up from cryo sleep as the space cruiser he is in is under attack. Eventually, you learn that The Covenant are trying to obtain a mysterious artefact, perhaps a weapon, on an artificial ring-shaped world known as Halo. Of course, it's your job to make sure they don't get to it.

The gameplay focuses on the 'shoot' part of First-Person-Shooter. However, what makes this game so amazing is just that: the combat mechanics. There are three variables that affect Master Chief in combat: ammo count, health, and shield. The mix of fixed health requiring med-packs to heal and a recharging shield is the best blend of 'new style' cover-based mechanics and 'old-style' med-kit based health that I know. It has the tough feel of the '90s FPS with the fluidity of the modern shooter.

Furthermore, above the Easy setting, this game isn't a test of speed or reaction as is so common of the FPS genre. The AI adapts and evolves depending on your tactics, which forces you to adapt and outsmart them. Furthermore, the difficulty steadily increases, making you more skilled the more you play. While this has been implemented in a fair few games now, it was revolutionary then. You also have to take into account the personality of each enemy to outsmart them.

Grunts are cowardly that will run away if they have no backup. Elites have a rechargeable shield similar to Master Chief's and won't back-down in a fight. When their shields drop, they'll duck and cover. When hurt they turned savage and run in for a close-up kill. There's also a cloaked Elite which wield an energy sword that's best avoided. There are several other enemy types, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, each requiring a different tactic.

Graphically, the game hasn't aged well. It runs at 30FPS, which was disappointing at the time and is hugely dated now, causing some chopping and jumping. The early '00s as a decade hasn't aged with grace, with graphics too advanced to be charming and too rough to be considered advanced. On the other hand, the lighting and textures are still a fine example of games design.

The sound effects in Halo tie in with the game, as a lack of maps mean you have to keep an ear-out to know what to do and where to go. Even in stereo sound, your instructions come through clear, even in a crowded firefight. The sound is so crisp and clear that you'll be able to identify a recharging shield, an approaching vehicle, or the type of enemy after a couple of hours playing. It's adequate on an inbuilt speakers, but really argues the case for a high quality 5.1

The music is simply stunning. From the ethereal, gothic chanting in the menu to the heavy string pieces at the climax of a battle, it's fantastically composed. It sets the scene and emphasises the mood in a subtle, yet important, way.

Closing Comments
While Halo hasn't aged with grace graphically, it's still a genre-defining game that's all important to the Sci-Fi FPS fan. The gameplay is the perfect blend of new and old, with AI that's still impressive to this day. If you haven't played the original Halo and you're an FPS fan, you need to get your hands on a copy. If you can't deal with dated graphics, then the Anniversary edition is the perfect solution.

Presentation: 9/10
The polish is unprecedented. It's one of the best sci-fi universes ever created, and it started at its highest point.

Graphics: 6/10
Good at the time, but it suffers from the curse of the '00s graphics. Textures are its only saving grace.

Sound: 10/10
Top-notch voice acting and well put together sound effects. The soundtrack is one of the most outstanding pieces created for Western games. One of the finest FPS OSTs ever.

Gameplay: 10/10
It doesn't get much better than this. A mix of realism (only carrying two weapons) and traditional (you can jump nearly as high as in DOOM), it's the best of both worlds. The story is outstanding, outshining the subsequent games.

Lasting Appeal: 9/10
With replay value, amazing co-op, and a fairly long campaign, Halo is worth the price tag.

Overall: 8.8/10 - Get the Remake

Disney's Aladdin - DOS

2011-11-09T12:00:00.000Z

When I was a child, we had a beat up old Windows 3.1 computer we used to play games on. From Commander Keen to Dark Forces a few years later. However, there were a set of floppy disks that made my childhood. On those floppy disks were Disney games.

In 1992 Aladdin hit theatres and caused a global frenzy. To this day, most children of the '90s can sing at least one Aladdin song and will always remember Robin Williams as the Genie. However, as video game developers like to remind us, a good movie doesn't necessarily mean a good game, but for some reason Disney kept licensing great game after great game. Aladdin was one such game.

The story is very similar to the movie, which is loosely based around the Arab Folktale Aladdin and the Magic Lamp from One Thousand and One Nights. The protagonist is a thief and street urchin called Aladdin. He falls in love with princess Jasmine, but she is coveted by the evil vizier Jafar. Aladdin has to save the princess, defeat Jafar, and rid the kingdom of his treachery. The story flies (sometimes literally) from the streets of Agrabah, to a magic cave full of gold, to a royal palace. It has all the ingredients of a great game: there's a sprinkling of sword-play, a dash of magic, and a healthy douse of humour. Oh, and a side order of morals, as Aladdin learns that love and honour are far more important than wealth and fame. While the game can't convey the underlying message as easily as the film, it's a valiant attempt.

Unusually, Disney licensed different developers for different versions of the game, with Virgin working on the Sega Mega Drive version (which was ported to DOS) and Capcom working on the SNES, each having completely different graphics and gameplay. This is a sign of why the game succeeded: Disney didn't cut corners. This is evident in the graphics, which has all the beauty of the movie. The animation is smooth and detailed, from billowing pants to a flapping carpet; it's a pleasure to behold, even today. The 2D sprites were based off the original animation sprites, giving it a similar feel and look to the film.

The game plays like a standard 2D platformer with a few extras thrown in. Thanks to the versatility of the keyboard and the four-button Mega Drive controller, Aladdin doesn't have to resort to the Mario-esque head-jump to dispatch enemies. Instead, he has a scimitar to slash at on-coming thugs, as well as apples which have equal effect. These two combat techniques combined with quality platofrming made for great gameplay. To prevent it from becoming representative, the traditional platforming was interspersed with simple flying segments and bonus mini-games. Like a lot of games from that era, there was no saving. Furthermore, it's more difficult than the standard game today, but far from impossible.

The negatives for this game are few and far between. The difficulty may cause problems among some more casual gamers, and the lack of save feature prevents you from dipping in and out of the game as you like. For this reason, Disney/Virgin decided to keep it short, which makes you yearn for something more, even after the tenth play through. However, this is a minor gripe and very common in the '90s.

Closing Comment
Armed with patience and a steady hand, this challenging game can be beaten without much frustration. Furthermore, the excellent animation makes for an immensely playable game. While unlikely to hit Xbox Live or PSN any time soon due to licensing issues, it's well worth a hunt online for a used copy. A fantastic platformer that deserves to be remembered.

Presentation: 9/10
Well polished and made, it's faithful to the source material without getting bogged down by it. A smattering of other Disney eater eggs stokes the fire of an eager fan.

Graphics: 9/10
Drawn from the movie art, this game looked fantastic 20 years ago and it looks fantastic today. It may not be ground breaking, but it's certainly well done.

Sound: 8/10
The soundtrack transfers into 16-bit well, but isn't anything new. Earns bonus points for the fantastic arrangement written for the film.

Gameplay: 8/10
A technically incredible platformer with some well-made mini-games make this a fantastic classic. The combat is a little tricky and enemies are easily beat with glitches and technical faults.

Lasting Appeal: 7/10
One of the best platformers I've ever played, so replay value is high. Pity about the length.

Overall: 8.2/10 - A Disney Classic

Crazy Taxi - Dreamcast

2011-11-02T12:00:00.000Z

As of late, I've been talking about serious gaming. I've talked of RPG, TBS, FPS, and some other acronyms. However, even in the late '90s, casual gaming was becoming a popular past time for people of all ages. One of the most iconic casual games was the arcade classic Crazy Taxi. Originally an arcade game, Crazy Taxi was made by Sega’s fabled arcade division and released to the dwindling arcade market in '99. Despite the fall of the classic arcade, Crazy Taxi went on to swallow coin after coin, prompting a Dreamcast release.

Set in the fictional city of "The Small Apple" (which looks a lot like San Francisco), there is very little story to be had other than the fact you're a taxi driver with a twist. Unlike many of the cabs I've been in, the idea isn't to take the most scenic route possible, but rather to deliver your fare to their destination as quickly as you can. Fares are decreasing over time, instead of climbing the further you go, making this a race against the clock. You get a bonus if you can deliver the customer quickly enough, giving you more time on the next fare. Carry on until you run out of time. Clean, simple fun. The variety comes from your choice of cars, which have different speed, acceleration, and handling.

While it might not engage you mentally, and can cause the odd broken controller as you miss a fare by half a second (but you were totally there on time! Must be lag), it's a beautifully simple game with epic pick-up-and-play-ability. You can give the controller to your grandmother or kid brother and both will be able to play, making it a universal success.

Another point of interest is the presentation. The cartoon-like graphics suit the carefree fun and feel of the game, but are also very well done. Sparks fly, phone booths are destroyed, pedestrians dive out of the way (and are impossible to hit, so stop trying), and cars flip; aesthetically there is little to complain about. This coupled with the fast paced gameplay draws in a crowd of onlookers like no other casual game in history.

The soundtrack is spot on. There's something about having a car spin through the air to Offspring that's just so right. There's also a host of voice samples and clips that, after your tenth hour of play, can get repetitive and annoying, but are otherwise well composed. Passengers will comment on your skills and will complain if you're driving like a mad man. This can either keep you focused or distract and annoy, depending on who you are. Overall, it's an impressive audio package.

I like to focus on the positives, especially with a game as care-free as Crazy Taxi, it does have a few minor quirks. One of my biggest frustrations was going too fast for the game. When hurtling down a hill, I have found cars appear in front of me as I out pace the engine's ability to create setting. Furthermore, some maps and tracks that were created for the Dreamcast feel less polished than the arcade ones, but by no means are they unplayable. However, these pale in comparison to the arrow misleading you or spinning in place, though this is a rare occurrence.

The concept may seem shallow, it's the closest thing to a digital drug around: the more you play the more you want to play. Just like a drug, your friend gives you a free go, then you buy it for yourself, and then you find yourself skipping work just to play one more round. I remember the sinking feeling I got when I had my first fare and realised that was it, my social life was over. Very few games can do that.

Closing Comments
I'm not sure I can do Crazy Taxi justice. It's fast paced fun, but, on paper, it's simple and repetitive. However, it's a game that will quickly become your chosen way to kick back and relax after a stressful day. Well made, addictive, and fun: the hallmark of a classic.

Presentation: 9/10
From the map design, to the fast paced engine, this game is a rounded game where the thought and effort by the designers is clear to see.

Graphics: 9/10
Fast paced entertainment, the FPS doesn't tend to drop below 60. The great graphics are as skilful as they are fun.

Sound: 9/10
One of the best soundtracks ever made, accompanied by some fun vox-pop vocals from your fares and pedestrians. Needs more variety.

Gameplay: 9/10
Simple and fun, there's little room for improvement. My only gripe would be the phantom arrow and ghost cars.

Lasting Appeal: 10/10
As addictive as drugs. After 40 hours of playing, you'll still want to try again, just to get that extra $1,000.

Overall: 9.2/10 - Buy the Re-Release

Phantasy Star - Sega Master System

2011-10-26T12:00:00.000+01:00

As a gamer, there are sure to be games that have changed how you play for ever. The first game to make you scream like someone set your pants on fire; the first time you destroyed your friends online; the first game to open your eyes to the wonder of a new genre. However, as well as having personal epiphanies, there are moments when a whole generation is changed and defined by a game or series. Phantasy Star was one such series.

Phantasy Star is set in the fictional universe of Algol, a solar system of three planets, is ruled by the once benevolent King Lassic who now rules with an iron fist. The story centres on a young girl called Alis Landale, a 15-year-old who witnessed the death of her brother, Nero, at the hands of the robo-cops which roam the land, crushing rebellion. At first Alis is on the quest for revenge, but, as she sees the plight of Algol, her mission becomes one of liberation.

To this day, female protagonists are few and far between, imagine how revolutionary it was to have a young girl as a strong, quest-driven main character in '87. Phantasy Star helped create and cultivate the idea of a strong woman in the gaming industry, a typically male domain. Without Phantasy Star, who's to say whether we would have Lara Croft, Tifa Lockhart, or Joanna Dark.

Graphically, no game as expansive in '87 could compare. In fact, it remained one of the largest and most impressive games for several years to come, even when 8-bit gave way to 16-bit. The colours were vibrant, rich and detailed, which complimented the well-drawn sprites and backgrounds well. Perspective shifted from the usual isometric view to first-person seamlessly and frequently, but this wasn't the most impressive aspect of the game; the part everyone remembers is the 3D dungeons. Do you remember the first time your jaw dropped and you had to show your friends and family something about a game? That happened collectively in the '80s when Phantasy Star was released. Not only were these labyrinths huge (some taking months to complete), the movement was incredibly smooth, even if a bit sparsely detailed.

The sound effects in Phantasy Star are strong and a majority of the soundtrack is memorable. While it's no Final Fantasy VII (what RPG gamer can't hum One-Winged Angel), but it added considerably to the atmosphere. In Japan, the sound was even more impressive as it used the Yamaha FM-chip, which was removed from the European and North American Sega Master Systems to cut cost.

To call Phantasy Star a classic RPG is slightly misleading. It was the RPG that ushered in an era. As such, it had most of the elements of a traditional RPG. The free-roam-able world is scattered with shops to buy weapons and armour with money you recover from turn-based random encounters, which are numerous. However, there is an element of luck that Final Fantasy fans might not like: you don't have a choice who you attack, it's chosen at random. This can cause some frustration in the tougher battles.

Phantasy Star was from an era where victory wasn't handed to you on a plate. No regenerating health. No checkpoints. No huge sign in the sky saying "Here be Monsters". Instead, it relied on the hard grind, something that tends to polarise RPG gamers these days. XP and money, both necissary from the get go, are tough to come by, require large amounts of time roaming the huge landscape for the random encounters, which happen more often than some would like. And they were tough. None of this giant rat business, to get to the next town you had to be on your guard and a few levels higher than you already are.

While this might put some people off, the effort makes the reward that much sweeter. When you finally have enough money to buy the Hovercraft, the game universe opens up, spanning three huge planets. Grinding is just as rewarding; gaining levels allows venture into more difficult caves, and even if you come out by the skin of your teeth, the feeling of accomplishment is much better than modern games allow. Phantasy Star gives you the freedom to explore a whole universe. That's nothing to bite your thumb at.

Closing Comment
When it comes to gaming 'firsts', there are few games that had so many for an entire generation. The game is tough, but the reward of beating the game is that much better because of it. The graphics were jaw dropping and, when taken in context, is still extremely impressive. The score is no Final Fantasy, but it's still impressive and atmospheric. The story may be slightly thin, with little to no character development, but the massive free-roaming exploration makes this game great; very few games can compare.

Presentation: 8/10
The system was adopted by many, becoming the tried-and-tested staple.

Graphics: 9/10
From sprites to backdrops, Phantasy Star pushed the 8-bit era to its limit and beyond. The dungeons were impressive and smooth scrolling, but lose a mark for being bland.

Sound: 7/10
While it doesn't hold up next to Nobuo Uematsu's work, it provides atmosphere and remains memorable. The soudns anre vivid and strong.

Gameplay: 7/10
The element of luck and heavy grinding may put some off, but the vast setting is awe-inspiring to this day. Pity about the story and characters.

Lasting Appeal: 8/10
With the first playthrough lasting months, you'll almost certainly come back for more after finishing the rest of the series.

Overall: 7.8/10 - Stands the Test of Time.

Duke Nukem 3D - PC

2011-10-19T12:00:00.000+01:00

I've put off reviewing Duke Nukem 3D out of respect for 3D Realms. The Duke Nukem franchise helped make them into an iconic development studio and Duke Nukem killed them. Still, I think enough time has passed to pay tribute to, arguably, their greatest work.

Duke is portrayed as the most alpha of alpha males. He has more guns than hands, muscles and women hanging off each arm, no conscience, and no concept of love; he is the toughest tough man. A stereotype and amalgamation of most action heroes, Duke swore like a trooper and had some classic one liners, most taken from over the top action movies. The storyline was as simple as Duke: on returning to earth, the aliens shoot down his hoverbike. Bad move. Now those “alien bastards are going to pay”. Duke progresses through a number of levels, eventually defeating bosses and saving the world once again.

The world is dystopic to the extreme. Women are reduced to sex symbols, popular movie franchises are now X-rated, and the LAPD are now mutated pigs (literally). It's up to Duke to save this pathetic husk of a world any way he sees fit. Not something to show your mother.

The game play is, on the surface, another DOOM clone. However, where other clones have scaled back the violence to get past the increasingly strict rating systems, Duke it. The only reprieve for angry mothers everywhere is an 'adult password' that can be set to turn off the 'worst' of Duke. Not satisfied with flying blood, exploding guts, and aliens coughing and choking on their own body fluids they die, the game designers also included violence's traditional partner: sex. Strippers and duke worshipping bimbos are a dime a dozen, second only to aliens.

Furthermore, the gameplay is a lot more complicated that DOOM or any of it's spiritual successors. Levels are totally free-roaming and a lot more sandbox-esque. There is a heightened sense of 3D; enemies can attack you from the front, back, above, side, or just about anywhere else. This gives the first rule of Duke Nukem: if it moves, shoot it.

Everything in Duke's world has been thought through, most of which is interactive. More over, interacting with your environment is encouraged. For example, if you're low on health you can use a toilet. Other parts of the scenery just get a verbal response from Duke, such as the Duke Nukem arcade game which makes him say; "Hmmmm…don’t have time to play with myself". It's full of pop culture references, including the body of a few famous movie characters. This gives us the second rule of Duke Nukem: if it doesn't move, shoot it.

The sheer scale of weapons is another impressive aspect of the game. Weapons include the 'Mighty Foot' (a basic kick attack), a pistol, a shotgun, a chain gun, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, pipe bombs, freeze- and shrink-rays, laser trip mines, and the rapid fire 'Devastator' rocket launcher. There's also an expander gun with the Atomic edition. There were also a handful of items Duke can use to help him out, including steroids, which make him quicker.

The multiplayer in Duke 3D was revolutionary. It took skill, tactics, and finesse like no other game. At the highest levels, it became a game of cat and mouse depending on who got the first kill. The Xbox Live remake doesn't do it justice.

Of course, with a game like this, controversy was soon to follow. Lies, malicious rumours, and half-truths circulated the media, though the game was never meant to be taken seriously. Anyone that takes their mantra from Duke Nukem needs to be checked into a mental ward. It's funny, fun, and frivolously violent. Taken as such, it's totally inoffensive.

Closing Comment
The well known first-person format lends itself well to Duke, and the game sucks you right in. Even more fun are networked games, which are still available today through fan supported sites. Some may find it offensive, but actually it's just over the top tongue in cheek fun. Hail to the king!

Presentation: 7/10
Classic DOOM-clone presentation.

Graphics: 6/10
The textures and sprite screams of DOOM, which was made three years before, so it's nothing special. Fairly average for the era.

Sound: 8/10
Duke's wise cracks are fantastic. The sound fits perfectly for the genre and era. The music can get boring.

Gameplay: 10/10
It pioneered several of the mechanics that FPS games use today and did so very well. Fun gameplay that is tougher, and therefore more rewarding than today’s variety, shines. Environmental interaction is a lot of fun. Cool multiplayer.

Lasting Appeal: 9/10
Unforgiving at time, misogynistic at others, it's still a fantastic game that'll keep you coming back for more.

Overall: 8/10 - Buy The Xbox Live Release

Star Wars: Dark Forces - PC

2011-10-12T12:00:00.000+01:00

It was only a matter of time before I uttered the magical words 'Star Wars'. The Expanded Universe has spiralled out of control, with hundreds of books and dozens of games. However, many fans will remember the infamous Dark Forces fondly and with good reason.

The story revolves around ex-Imperial officer Kyle Katarn, now a mercenary working for the Rebel Alliance. In the first mission, Katarn has been sent to steal the plans to the Death Star in a nice little wink to the movie Saga. The Rebels then call on Kyle to investigate a new type Storm Trooper called Dark Troopers. They are heavily armoured, dangerous and arguably one of the coolest looking characters in the Star Wars Universe. Along the way Kyle runs into many obstacles and travels to lots different planets including well known locations like Nar Shaddaa and Coruscant. Most of the story is told in text, so you might have to use your imagination a little, but overall it is interesting and fits the setting and can be forgiven when you consider how large the game is.

Following in the footsteps of games like DOOM and Wolfenstein 3D, Dark Forces is an early first person shooter released for DOS on the PC, and later ported to Mac, PS1, and re-released on Steam. Dark Forces can be pretty unforgiving and frustrating due to difficulty, but if you push through it you will see an epic Star Wars tale that has now evolved into a series of five games.

Although they may not look like much today, the graphics in Dark Forces were top notch for its time. The texturing on the walls and floors make every level look unique and the enemy models and weapons are all very detailed. There are quite a lot of cut scenes in the game that use some pretty impressive 3D animation. Even though the graphics have not aged well, they certainly don’t hurt the experience. Just don’t try to play it full screen on a giant monitor. Your eyes may not survive the experience.

While some consider Dark Forces to be a DOOM clone, there are some significant differences. The stages have a unique feel and are often labyrinthine in design. They take everything that's good about puzzle games and apply them to an FPS and throw some precision platforming in for good measure. When these game play aspects are combined with the unique, multi-levelled stages in the game, it creates a whole new experience completely different from other games, even to this day.

The main gameplay aspect of Dark Forces comes from the gunplay. There are ten weapons (one for each number key), each of which have different abilities, secondary fires, and ammo. They include rifles, grenades, and fists. While you'll probably stick with the traditional Storm Trooper rifle, when facing off against the larger enemies, heavy weapons are invaluable.

Every Star Wars fan will recognise the sound and music used. It uses the traditional score and would be less of a Star Wars game without it. Furthermore, the voice acting is surprisingly well done, which is always a bonus.

Most of the control layout in Dark Forces is great. There is no tutorial in the game, but if you have played an FPS on the PC before, the controls will feel very similar. You move the mouse to aim, press the WASD keys to move forward, backward and strafe, click to shoot, etc. The only problem is the default keys for looking up and down are the page up and page down keys respectively. This means you'll have to take your hand off of either the mouse or the WASD keys if you want to shoot an enemy that is higher or lower than you. If you are playing on Steam, you can find the complete control layout as well as a small tutorial on how to alter them on their website.

Closing Comment
While it might not appeal to the more casual audience, Dark Forces is a classic game that offers a great challenge. Although it has aged, it still draws you in with the story and the engaging game play. It was cutting edge in '95 and it's still a good experience and is definitely worth the £3.49.

Presentation: 8/10
The lack of tutorial is frustrating, but overall it's very well done. The pre-rendered cut scenes look fantastic.

Graphics: 9/10
Cutting edge for the time. They may have dated, but you can still appreciate them. The fact they're 16 years old speaks volumes.

Sounds: 9/10
Wouldn't of been the same without the classic score. Good voice acting also helps.

Gameplay: 9/10
Unforgiving in all the right ways. Only gripe is the platforming can be tricky and frustrating.

Lasting Appeal: 8/10
The graphics didn't age well, but great gameplay and story more than make up for it.

Overall: 8.6/10 - Get The Steam Release

Sid Meier's Civilization - PC

2011-10-05T12:00:00.000+01:00

When it comes to strategy games, there's one developer that wears the crown: Sid Meier. The Civilization series has been at the forefront of turn-based strategy for twenty years and doesn't show signs of slowing down. Key to their success was the revolutionary nature of the first game.

You take on the role of a leader of a race and try to guide them through the ages, from 10,000 BC to the 21st Century. You’re tasked with guiding your people from their first settlement to the ultimate goal of being remembered as the greatest civilisation in history.

This is no small feat, but there are several ways to make this claim. While the happiness, wealth, and size of your empire are periodically ranked and contribute to your final score, your primary goal is: to destroy every other civilisation; reach the end of the modern era with the highest score; or win the space race by reaching Alpha Centauri first.

As the nation's leader, you have many responsibilities. You have to build cities and micromanage them, from the buildings you produce to the focus of your populous. Most of your citizens will be working on the lands to produce food without it, your civilisation won't survive or grow. You also have to manage production, build military units/buildings, and trade, which is used used to exchange money, science, or luxuries between civilisations.

Science is vital to researching new technologies. At first, you might be studying the Alphabet or Bronze Working, but later on you'll be researching Computers and Robotics. Most technologies give you some new units or buildings, although some have hidden effects. For example, after inventing the Automobile you'll find out that your citizens start producing pollution. If there's too much of it, global warming may occur.. Luxuries keep your populous' moral high, which is vital as if they become unhappy, the city will fall into disorder and production will halt.

Civilization looks and plays like a board game. Players take turns to build structures/units, move units, or modify aspects of their empire, such as building roads. The game world is viewed from overhead, with various moveable information windows showing stats of cities and tiles you’ve clicked on. Units move along a square grid, and interact with any unit adjacent in eight directions (including diagonals).

There are various government types with their own strengths and weaknesses – Despotism has few production bonuses, but can keep citizens happy with garrisoned military units, Democracy has increased trade but creates unhappiness when military units are away, the Republic has a Congress that can override your decisions, etc. You can swap among them as you please with the side effect of throwing your empire into Anarchy for a few turns, which ceases production.

As you might expect, the computer cheats mercilessly. Without being a programmer, it’s hard to know exactly how far the advantage extends, but your enemies seem to be very adept at knowing what you’re doing. They match your capabilities and beat you to tech advancements and wonders.

They take advantage of the fog of war (or as the manual calls it, "the shroud of mystery") to cover things like building instant cities, or randomly having completed Wonders. You can only guess at such rubber-banding though since you can’t see their activities. You don't know what’s legit and what’s not quite and begin to question their every move. Eventually, you'll surpass the computer and feel like a deity.

Yes, there is a lot to take in. It's a complicated game but it takes only a few moments to learn the basics. Mastering it may take a lifetime. While this might turn some people off, it's one aspects that make this game so revolutionary. No other game of the time had such complex gameplay while maintaining such a clean interface.

What has changed in the last 20 years in the Civilization dynasty? Well in the original, you're either on top or fighting for second place. When you're winning it's virtually impossible to be toppled. When you're losing, create realistic aims and go for second. In the later games, the developers took this into account and the top place can come as quickly as it can go.

Closing Comments
No matter what you think of strategy games, it's undeniable that Civilization changed the face of the genre. It was named one of the 16 most influential games in history at Telespiele, a German technology and games trade show, in 2007and named #4 on IGN's 2000 "Top 25 PC Games of All Time" list. That's nothing to be sniffed at.

However, is it worth playing it twenty years on? For nostalgia: yes. To see the beginning of a legacy: yes. As a game: no. Civilization II and III built on the original, taking the micromanagement pros and removing the cons.

Presentation: 8/10
For '91, it was a brilliant idea. The board-game interface and pop-up windows, as well as the menu screen, were all well done. A clean interface to help sort through the complexities.

Graphics: 7/10
I was tempted to write N/A for this. The graphics are basic and clearly came second to the intricate gameplay. However, they do their job and the game doesn't suffer for them.

Sound: 8/10
Fantastic soundtack all round.

Gaemplay: 7/10
The annoyance of either being untouchable or the impossibility of winning took a lot of the fun away. Plus, there has been instances of ridiculous battles, like spearmen beating battleship.

Lasting Appeal: 7/10
It hasn't aged well, but it's a great historic piece of art. Play as a scholar.

Overall: 7.4/10 - Revolutionary At The Time, Though Surpassed By It's Sequels.

Cannon Fodder - PC

2011-09-28T12:00:00.000+01:00

Modern war games, like most othergenres (even beat-em-ups) have to have a point; they have to betopical and clearly placed in context. There are even games in thegenre now that actually condemn violence (such as Metal Gear Solid).However, moral points weren't always thrust down your throat likeBrussels sprouts at Christmas. There was a time when the virtualworld could be seen as just that (not real) and let you escape. Theyallowed you to come to moral conclusions on your own, rather thanforcing them onto you. Sensible Software gave us Cannon Fodder.

Cannon Fodder had an anti-war message.More specifically, it was a clear condemnation of how the governmentperceive soldiers as expendable tools, though they wrapped it in darkhumour and fun. Of course, some media described it as shameful, butto those who played it, it was gleeful, shameless pleasure.

You took command of soldiers who haveno personality or distinguishing trait besides a unique name. Whetherthey live or die is fairly inconsequential, as you have a line ofrecruits at the door waiting to fill empty boots. You move your squadusing a simple point and click interface completing objectives suchas killing all the enemy soldiers or destroying their buildings. Thegameplay was intricate without being frustrating, with later missionshaving you take control of multiple squads and attempt to coordinateagainst the enemy perfectly, crossing the genres of strategy and point-and-click.

While this doesn't sound too differentfrom other games, it's the graphics that turns this into a newenterprise entirely. The cute, cartoony, style often seen in children's gamescontrasts bleakly with the war backdrop in a way that hasn't beendone since. Even when an enemy is writhing in a bleeding pile on thefloor, it's done in a comical way that won't make you feel guilty forplaying.

Furthermore, the way Sensible Softwaremanaged to separate you from your soldiers while still gentlyapplying the mounting realisation that your consequences have actionsin unprecedented. At first, you may feel that your soldier beingkilled by a piece of flying debris is all fun and games, comical towatch and inconsequential when there are more men willing to taketheir place, but when the number of crosses marking the dead start tolitter the hill side of the splash screen between missions, you beginto feel that maybe reducing these featureless men to cannon fodder iswrong.

Sensible Software have managed tosucceed in giving a moral message when many games have failed. How?By not forcing this down your throat and, instead, provoking thoughtin the midst of something that is pure gaming escapism.

Closing Comment

It's rare in gaming that, just like the old cult cartoons that were full of double entendres, it gives you something more when you come back to it a little bit older and a little bit wiser. A true classic that should never be forgotten.

Presentation: 9/10
From the poppy to the draft-line splash screen, the presentation is apt and fun but also adds to the creeping sense of wrongness.

Graphics: 8/10
The cute, top-down, 2D graphics are perfect for the surreal fun of the game. Compared to other games developed in '93, the graphics were above average, though some animations (such as the dying enemy soldiers) felt confused.

Sound: 8/10
You'll be singing the theme song for a long time afterwards.

Gameplay: 10/10
The cross-genre complexity is perfectly done.

Lasting Appeal: 9/10
For those that grew up playing Cannon Fodder, going back now would provide hours of fun. You'll also take something a little more away.

Overall: 8.75/10 - It's Abandonware, So Download It!

Rez - PS2

2011-06-29T12:00:00.000+01:00

Nearing the ripe old age of 10, some may argue that Rez is not a 'retro' or 'classic' game. However, considering its cult status, and with a new generation of consoles looming before us, I feel it's worth ignoring those pedants.

The game is set in the future. You are playing a hacker who is inside a super-system called the K-project, controlled by a now self-aware, and doubting, AI called Eden. Now doubting its own existence, Eden is trying to shut down and you must stop it.

Designed by the legendary Tetsuya Mizuguchi (Lumines, Ninety-Nine Nights, Child of Eden), Rez is hard to pigeon-hole. On the surface, you can describe it as a fairly standard on-rails shooter. You play an avatar that you don't directly control apart from to lock on weapons, much like Starfox. The fact you do it in time to music means that, at a push, you can call it a rhythm-shooter, but that doesn't begin to describe the synaesthesia that you are presented with.

The gameplay isn't the main tour de force for Rez. The whole experience is an aesthetic journey that you have to participate in, rather than a game that has nice aesthetics. The graphics are perfectly minimal, mostly just straight lines in neon colours, though they work perfectly in unison with the music. The screen pulses with the trance music as you move from sub-system to sub-system, destroying viruses and firewalls in time to the music. Even your avatar's body pulsates.

The trance music is fairly generic, though perfectly suited for this cyber world. Furthermore, the composers had to work in unison with the designers so that player controlled events (i.e. firing) were in time with the music: the game will fire your lined up shots on the beat. Watching the unison of music, gampeplay and graphics is well worth playing Rez again.

Closing Comment

An aesthetic game like no other, Rez is the perfect example as interactive entertainment as art. Brilliant composition and design, though it's a shame if you can't stand trance music. You're really missing out.

There is a direct port of Rez on the Xbox 360 market place, bundled with an HD make-over. It's also worth noting that Child of Eden is a brilliant evolution of Rez, and the Kinect interface is very useful and fun.

Presentation: 8/10

Like everything else about this game, it's clean, as well as being visually beautiful.

Graphics: 9/10

You can't really compare the graphics to any other game. However, you can't really fault it. It's gorgeous.

Sound: 9/10

It's as good as trance music gets, which might be a problem for some. However, the way the music interacts with, well, everything is the real show stealer.

Gameplay: 7/10

It's not the central pillar of the game, and it can show. Still, it's simple and entertaining.

Lasting Appeal: 7/10

It's a short game, but the replay value makes up for that.

Overall: 8/10 - Worth 800 Microsoft Points

Exile: Escape from the Pit - PC

2011-06-22T12:00:00.000+01:00

The age of shareware was a beautiful time. Gamers were making games for fun, releasing a good deal for free and only if you enjoyed it did you have to buy the full game. Not many shareware games were more generous than Exile: Escape from the Pit. As a child, I received a shareware disc and on it was this game. I never reached the end. Only recently did I play the full game to it's conclusion. It is huge.

Exile narrates in second person (i.e. you) and it's your task to make your characters and party. The story is simple, you have done something terrible: spoken out against the crown. While most physical crimes are punishable by death in this land, vocal crimes such as your rebellion is punished far more leniently: you're thrown underground to spend the rest of your years away from the more civilised society of the upperworld. You are placed on a one way teleporter to living hell, but you're determined to find your way out.

Exile is a simple point-and-click RPG with turn based combat. Your actions have modern RPG consequences, such as if you steal a loaf of bread, the owner is going to become hostile. The combat is simple, if frustrating at first since the early monsters tend to wear you down. But combat and AI isn't the beauty of this game. The sheer size is. Spend 100 hours in game and you'll still have missed things. Final Fantasy VII doesn't touch Exile. The intricate, fairly complex, story is something of note. Very well done in a believable dystopian world that is sure to draw you in.

The graphics are simple, but when you consider the requirements include Windows 3.1 and 2MB of RAM, you can see just how far gaming has come, especially on the computer. Sprites look dated, even for '95, but they are only there to tell the story: a lizard is a lizard, that is all that's necessary from the graphics.

The sounds are simple, but in a quaint way. Music is kept to a minimum: it's not there. Sound effects include the clicking of boots on stone, the soft muffled sound of boots on grass and the woosh of a fireball. Nothing extraneous, but, again, effective means to an end (i.e. the amazing story).

Closing Comment
I can't stress this enough: this game is big. Further more, make sure you have a stockpile of food and a week of peace and quiet since it's more addictive then any current-gen game. If you enjoy RPGs with brilliant stories, simple gameplay mechanics and as non-linear as you can get, this is the game for you.

Presentation: 7/10
From the download website to the end credits, everything is clean and clear. Nothing too fancy, but nothing distracting either.

Graphics: 4/10
The main downfall of this game. Sprites are simple, movement unrealistic and terrain generic. But it serves it's purpose.

Sound: 5/10
Not much better than the graphics, but I was glad that there wasn't any music. Imagine hearing the same tracks for 100hrs+!

Gameplay: 10/10
My father always told me "keep it simple, stupid" and that's exactly what Exile provides: simple gameplay wrapped around an intricate non-linear story that will keep your head spinning with every twist and turn.

Lasting Appeal: 10/10
When you consider it'll take you 100+hrs to finish on the first run through, and you'll probably come back in due course (or play the sequels), then this game might have a longer lifespan than western civilisation.

Overall: 7.2/10 - Aesthetically Poor But Excellent Gameplay!

Dead or Alive - PSX

2011-06-08T12:00:00.007+01:00

I've never been very good at fighting games. When I first got DOA, the neighbour mentioned in a previous post used to relish destroying me heart and soul. It's 13 years later and I've discovered something crucial: I still suck.

Dead or Alive apparently has a story, but it's of so little importance I didn't know about it.

While the PSX version is based on the arcade classic, its graphics have been significantly improved and it's quite surprising when compared with Sega's Virtua Fighter or Tekken. The graphics are amazing for a game that's as old as my sister. 'Attention to detail' might be the wrong phrase to describe the ample bosom bouncing, which carries on long after the female characters have stopped moving, but it's an interesting gamification for the more 'fan-boy' PSX owner. Furthermore, the character models are smooth, rather than the sharp-edged Lara Croft. The scenery is stunning and ranges from the Antarctic to the Amazon.

The gameplay is simple and effective, especially when compared to the early Tekken games. It cincentrates on speed, creating a fast paced gameplay with simple, but effective, combos. It utilises very few keys and barely needs an introduction to play. However, ironically this is the games biggest failing: it's very similar to later offerings. Having played DOA again, I realised it's virtually the same as every other DOA, with only slight tweaks in the gameplay dynamics.

You have a punch, kick, block and throw button in every game and the only new addition to gameplay was the introduction of tag-team in DOA2. With that realisation came another epiphany: fighting games tend to age badly. They don't provide any real back story to later editions, they don't have any gameplay that's not been improved and, while they're fun, they're no more fun that it's sequels. The only exception I could think of is the Mortal Kombat series where the games got steadily worse (minus MK9).

The sound and music won't win awards, but it does the job.

Closing Comments
While the game was one of the best PSX releases, it's hard to judge it kindly in this day and age due to it's genre. Why would you want to play the same game with fewer characters and worse graphics? A leap forward that was sorely needed for the 3D fighting genre, but there's barely been a step forward in the series since.

Presentation: 8/10
The polish on this game is amazing. The interface is simple and anyone familiar with fighting games will navigate it blindfolded.

Graphics: 8/10
The smooth characters is a nice change from the usually spikey designs of the '90s. However, overenthusiastic designers may have added a bit too much bounce.

Sound: 5/10
Neither here nor there. Does what it says on the tin but no more.

Gameplay: 3/10
The gameplay is very good, but nothing has changed in 13 years to make it unique or worth the time.

Lasting Appeal: 1/10
Why play a technically inferior version of the same game?

Overall: 5/10 - Been there, done that.

Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island - PC

2011-06-01T12:00:00.000+01:00

I remember one Christmas, back when I was small, my neighbour and best friend got a Mega Drive. With his Mega Drive, he received several hedgehog based games, one of which being Sonic 3D. Walking around an unnamed game shop, I noticed they had a copy for PC in the window. Not remembering what the game was like, I decided I'd pick it up. It was only £1.50 after all.

I got mugged.

Doctor Robotnik has discovered strange birds called Flickies that live on an island in an alternate dimension. Because they can travel anywhere using large rings, he decided to turn them into robots to help him search for the Chaos Emeralds. Sonic, ever the green peace advocate, decides to free the Flickies and stop Robotnik from finding the Emeralds. Sound familiar?

Unfortunately, that's where the similarities to Sonic 3D's predecessors ends. The title is actually misleading as the game is in '2.5D' which is more akin to controlling Sonic in a top down platformer at a really bad angle. It doesn't break any ground gameplay wise, so it feels like an attempted throw back to early Mega Drive titles but manages to hit something a lot less interesting.

The controls are clunky, not least because of the isometric camera angle, and the PC port feels rushed. The graphics feel dated, a step back from Sonic 2, even though it was released 14 years ago. The worst gameplay issue? The gameplay objectives itself. Sonic is all about zipping through levels as fast as possible. Completing Green Hill in under a minute feels good. But Sonic 3D is all about liberating the woodland creatures from the evil grip of ~~Tony Hayward~~ Dr Robotnik.

You have to jump on the robot creatures to release the Flicky within and escort them to the exit. This brings 'tedious' to a new level, with each level being vast, for a platformer, but only containing five Flikies to free. One level had me totally stumped since the designer thought it'd be clever to hide one.

Perhaps the music is Sonic's saving grace? Nope. Most of it is taken directly from Sonic 2 or, worse yet, remixed from Sonic 1 & 2. No more thought went into the sound than went into the level layouts.

Closing Comment
A part of me will still love Sonic, even as part of a sports gaming franchise, but in the same way you love your dead dog: it may have been incontinent, but you had some good times playing catch. Sonic 3D is the beginning of the end for our confused, blue friend. Sega should asked itself whether a few more games of catch is worth the cleaning bill.

Presentation: 6/10
The save feature is nice and there was a mild level of smooth polish to the design. The box art is a simple throw back to Sonic 1 and the overall quality of the interface was poor.

Graphics: 3/10
Dated, clunk fake 3D. The only saving grace is there is some spit shine, but in the words of a famous comedian: polish a turd it's still a turd.

Sound: 4/10
The four points are for the reuse of classic sounds from older games. The loss of six stars was for the lack of originality and the remixes.

Gameplay: 1/10
The only saving grace of this poor isometric platformer is the introduction of a save feature.

Lasting Appeal: 1/10
If you finished it once you're probably a Sonic nut, a sadist, a journalist or all of the above.

Overall: 3/10 - Don't Bother

DOOM - MS DOS

2011-05-25T12:00:00.000+01:00

One of my earliest gaming memories was my brother, aged seven or so, hogging a family friend's computer playing DOOM. By time I got a go, aged four-ish, he had killed all the demons and I couldn't find the exit. While I was annoyed, I will never forget the pure terror of watching pink dog-like demons jump down and maul my brother. Recently, I played the Xbox 360 port with a close friend of mine. Much JD was consumed while we shouted "Kill the demon horde!" at the small TV screen. Fun was had. However, the 360 version was so unstable, I went back to the MS DOS version for single player.

DOOM was part of a golden genre: it was unashamed fun with a thin plot that didn't get in the way. For those of you that need a reason behind killing hundreds of demons and zombies the story is slightly convoluted, even if it is unobtrusive.: you play a marine stationed on Mars after assaulting his commanding officer. The station on Mars is experimenting on teleportation between its two moons, Phobos and Deimos. The experiment goes horribly wrong and Deimos disappears and "something fragging evil" starts coming through the portal. Hell itself has opened up on Mars and your left guarding the hanger with only a pistol while your colleagues run off to be butchered or possessed. Your on your own. The sole defender of Earth.

The DOOM graphics engine specifically made by id Software for this game was a leap forward in technology and gaming in general. Smooth, very fast, gameplay and brilliant graphics for the time meant that until '98 (five years later) the term 'DOOM-clone' was more common than 'FPS'. The contrast in lighting heightens even the most stoic person's heart rate. Even in the age of 'realism', the tension is still palatable. I still can't play it in the dark when I'm home alone.

The MIDI music, ranging from blaring metal to orchestral scores, is well composed, though not as revolutionary as the graphics. The weapon effects are realistic enough, except the chainsaw, and the demons will still send chills down your spine.

Closing Comments
Playing DOOM brings back a lot of good memories and makes you wonder about the current state of gaming. When did we decide our characters didn't need to run faster than a squirrel on speed? When did we decide our characters needed names, faces, or bodies built by steroids? 'Fun', seems to have been put aside in modern game design to incorporate a sense of 'realism' or 'story line'. While DOOM had some clear issues, especially when playing whilst mildly intoxicated, it's still more fun than most modern FPSes on the market today and takes half a brain to play.

Presentation: 8/10
The box art is stunning. The game is well polished, but then again: this was from the time before patches.

Graphics: 10/10
For several years afterwards, nothing surpassed DOOM. It was the pinnacle of 3D shooters, using an innovative new engine. Even today, you can see why it became such a popular engine.

Sound: 8/10
Above average, though it suffers from being paired with the innovative graphics.

Gameplay: 10/10
I can't praise the people at id Software enough. Brilliant game perfectly executed.

Lasting Appeal: 9/10
The XBL release has a lot of replay value, with achievements, secrets and multiplayer to boot. The original DOS version has secrets and the pure mindless fun that is DOOM.

Overall: 9/10 - Get the re-release!

Sonic the Hedgehog - Sega Mega Drive

2011-05-18T12:00:00.000+01:00

Despite falling into disrepute over the past few years, the Sega mascot had a brilliant start as the lone saviour of animals. Since Sonic is one of the best known characters in gaming (as well as one of the best selling) this review was an inevitability.

The story is simple: Dr Eggman (Robtnika) wants to take over the world so has enslaving all the cute animals to help him look for the chaos emeralds. Sonic is chasing him through the zones to stop him, knocking sense into the enslaved animals he meets along the way.

The gameplay is just as clear cut: you can run and jump. In this iteration, Sonic's spin can't be charged and there's no co-op nor support character. The player must make it through each act, collecting rings along the way, to battle Eggman at the end of each zone (three acts). If the act isn't completed in 10mins, Sonic dies. If you still have 50 rings at the end of the level, you get a bonus zone, with the goal being collect chaos emeralds in a moving maze without touching the 'goal' bumpers.

One of the main innovations with Sonic was the introduction of a sort of health system. If you are hit, you loose the rings you've collected. If you're hit when out of rings you die. Another addition to differentiate Sonic from the standard platformers of the time was the introduction of speed as a major gameplay element. This creates two characteristics of the game: fast pace and short lifespan.

The maximum time to spend on each level is 10mins, there are 18 levels, so the maximum gametime is 180mins. However, this is more likely to be 60minutes with the bonus zones included. Also, there's little replay value apart from getting the 'good' ending by collecting all the chaos emeralds.

The sound is classic and the music is fairly varied and memorable, though you can see it's 20 years old. The graphics are similarly varied, with a large number of backdrops ranging from lush green areas to dingy laboratories which might make you question the age of your childhood friend.

Closing Comments
A quick hour of fun, but nothing too memorable. There are no passwords, so you can't play it in intervals, and it's a lot less of a challenge then you remember as a child. It's not worth buying a copy, but it is worth digging out your old Mega Drive for a quick round to remember the grace Sonic has fallen from.

Presentation: 5/10
The box art is nice, as well as the start screen, though forget about a menu system.

Graphics: 7.5/10
Sonic has aged with grace, with the graphics taking on a stereotypical retro/cartoon feel rather than a dated look.

Sound: 6.5/10
The music is varied, but the sounds get repetitive, especially the jump effect.

Gameplay: 7/10
Once the greatest platformer, now a blast of nostalgia that's quick paced and fun to go through.

Lasting Appeal: 2/10
With an hour of gameplay and little replay value, you might find it collecting dust in the loft quicker than you thought.

Overall: 5.8/10 - Best Kept A Fond Memory

Half-Life - PC

2011-05-11T12:00:00.002+01:00

When a start-up company announces its first title, no one thinks much of it. Another FPS in an era packed with them and playing a theoretical physicist adds up to an underwhelming reaction that Valve Software found hard to sell to a publisher. But nearly 10mil copies later, it's one of the biggest games to ever grace the PC.

You play as theoretical physicist Gordon Freeman who, ironically, is involved in an experiment which goes horribly wrong, ripping a gateway between his dimension and another filled with monstrous creatures that begin to take over the facility. Beginning to sound a bit like DOOM? You're not far wrong, but it's not the story that made Half-Life a legend in the FPS genre: it's the presentation of the story.

There's very little ground breaking about the standard elements of the genre. It has fairly normal weapons, the NPC all look like clones and many of the environments (I hesitate to use the word 'levels') have been done before. The physics engine was lifted straight out of id Software's Quake.

The ground-breaking differences come in the immersion is nearly total, with the concept of 'levels' being reduced to minor loading times, creating continuous, unbroken gameplay. All scripted 'cutscene' events happen in-game, seen through Freeman's eyes. This is helped by the protagonist being a mute. While games like Duke Nukem are fun, the quips don't add to a believable game world. The sound effects that are there are realistic, though the voices have a kind of echo to them and a limited script.

Furthermore, ammo and weapons aren't scattered around like the security guards have alzheimer's. Instead, they're found on dead bodies and weapon lockers. Power for your suit is either found in crates or nodes on the wall.

Adding to the immersion, the AI has its moments of brilliance, especially in the latter stages, but combat ranged from drawing aliens out one by one to blow them away with a quick shotgun blast and brilliantly programmed Spec-Ops soldiers. In fact, it's the human enemies that make the game. You'll have to combat an enemy laying suppression fire while his comrades flank you and another throws grenades. All this from a small, independent developer while other, much larger, development houses thought 'team-work' was having multiple enemies in the same corridor shooting in the same direction.

In recent days, Valve has been known for its puzzle based games (such as Portal) and, while puzzles aren't the core of gameplay, they make a significant contribution in Half-Life. While it's peers' idea of puzzles were performing gymnastic impossibilities to pull a lever, Half-Life has believable, plot motivated problems like repairing equipment.

The musical score is the most lacking part of Half-Life in as much as most of the game will be spent listening to footsteps. While this adds to immersion and creates tension through isolation, it can be off putting for long stretches of play.

Closing Comment
The question is 'has Half-Life aged well?' While it's still a fun, immersive game that 13 years ago warranted a play through in one sitting (despite it's long story), it's now far more suited for short bursts of fun. The story isn't as compelling as I remembered, but the AI makes it worth another play through. While the story is lacklustre, the level of believability is still rare over a decade later.

Presentation: 7.5/10
The menu system is easily navigated, the staged events are well done and the engine is smooth. However, there are occasional bugs that have never been patched which jar with the continuous story.

Graphics: 7.5/10
While your jaw won't drop, the graphics are clean and there's a variety in the level textures.

Sounds: 7/10
The sound effects are well done, with the screech of aliens in a dark ventilation system able to make the most stoic person jump, but the voices have a hollow sound to them and there's not much variety in the NPC responses. Music kicks in and out, leaving you mostly in silence.

Gameplay: 10/10
Immersive, fun and realistic; the gameplay is what made Half-Life a classic. There are very few games that can transport you to another world in the same way. Controls are easy and responsive, and the scripted events add to an overall brilliant gameplay experience.

Lasting Appeal: 7/10
The long story save Half-Life from a lower score, but it has little replay value.

Overall: 7.8/10 - Not Quite What You Remember

Final Fantasy VIII - PS1

2011-05-04T12:00:00.000+01:00

It was only a matter of time before I mentioned a Final Fantasy game, but I feel that VIII deserves it. Final Fantasy VIII is often forgotten, wedged between the ground-breaking Final Fantasy VII and the cute, loveable Final Fantasy IX, creating a 'middle child', but should be remembered as a classic in it's own right.

Square (now SquareEnix) decided to deviate away from their usual story construct by focusing more on the characters than averting the apocalypse. The story follows the moody, emotionally damaged, typical bad boy Squall who's part of the elite mercenary training group SeeD. Sent on a mission with the flirtatious ex-instructor Quistis and the hyperactive Zell to help a rebel group headed by the princess Rinoa, needless to say twists, turns and ensue, drawing you into a developed and well rounded story.

The issue is the 'romantic' plot line. Squall is even more depressing than Cloud and half as likeable. It's hard to see why the one-sided romance between Squall and Rinoa features so heavily on the box art and opening cutscene when there are only a couple of touching moments and Squall never seems to really thaw out. However, in reality, there's enough going on to overlook this slight to the audience and engage in a thoroughly enjoyable story.

The gameplay moves away from traditional Final Fantasy, which is unnerving for some. Magic is the most changed aspect of gameplay with the removal of a points system. Instead, characters 'Draw' magic from enemies they meet along the way, stockpiling individual spells, which can be shared among the party. When you run out of a spell, you either need to find a 'Draw Point' or an enemy that stockpiles the specific spell you want.

The summoning system changed as well, with summon materia replaced with Guardian Forces. You link the Guardian Force, which has it's own stats and levelling, to a character, giving them a set of abilities from being able to use items or attack during battle. However, characters are limited to how many abilities they can use, creating a new layer of strategy. While this system is complex, it works surprisingly well.

The problem with Guardian Forces is the cinematics. Flash, bright and long, they're fine the first 10 or 20 times, but then they start to drag and since Guardian Forces have the best spells, you'll want to use them a lot. While flashy summons have been a part of RPGs for as long as RPGs have existed, never before have they been so integral to battle, long and overdone.

The graphics improved a lot from the blocky, unrealistic Final Fantasy VII into a realm of realism previously unseen. Graphically superb, blowing all it's peers out of the water and setting the bar for the future unrealistically high for the 32bit era. The opening cinematic takes your breath away even today, and even the in-game graphics are head and shoulders above other '99 titles.

On a similar note, the music is exactly what Final Fantasy music should be: grand, beautifully composed and perfectly timed. I was happy to hear the battle-theme staying true to Final Fantasy tradition.

Closing Comments
One of the best RPGs ever made, Final Fantasy VIII is too often forgotten when it should reaming a constant presence in your PS, despite the character annoyances, the overly zealous random encounters and the complexity of the battle system.

Presentation: 8.5/10
Easy to use interface, but it takes a while to get used to the Guardian Force based ability system.

Graphics: 10/10
None of it's peers could keep up and it took several years for comparable graphics to surface. Even it's successor failed to live up in terms of realism.

Sound: 9/10
While it's a near-perfect soundtrack, there's nothing that has the potential to become as iconic as One Winged Angel or Aerith's Theme.

Gameplay: 7/10
Intriguing, tactical gameplay is marred by it's own complexity and repetitiveness of the summoning system.

Lasting Appeal: 9.5/10
40 - 60 hours of gameplay each run through, it's an investment game with secrets and Easter eggs by the bucket load to keep people playing over and over again.

Overall: 8.8 - Stands the Test of Time.

Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons: "Marooned on Mars" - MS DOS

2011-04-27T12:00:00.002+01:00

id Software is about as pedigree a developer as you can get with titles like Doom, Quake and Wolfenstein to name a few. But before these block busters was Commander Keen, a humble eight year old genius/Defender of the Earth.

Pioneering shareware, Commander Keen was every child's fantasy: Billy Blaze is your average eight year old with too much time on his hands. So much, in fact, he builds a spaceship out of soup cans. One night, when his baby sitter is asleep, he borrows his brother's American football helmet, becomes Commander Keen and heads for Mars!

While he's exploring, dog-like aliens called the Vorticons steal parts of his ship. He has to travel through the different cities of Mars with his trusty ray gun (and collectable pogo stick) to repair his ship and get back before anyone wakes up. Easy, right?

The game is a simple 2D side scroller with easy keys and a clean interface. You can opt to use keyboard or joystick, though if using a DOS emulator to allow a USB device, the keys may be off.

On the 'world' map you control keen from a top down perspective through narrow paths, some of which have offshoots. When you touch a city or side area, a noise is played and you start the level. The story is not quite linear, with side areas and extra missions, though you can't go beyond an uncompleted city.

Technologically, Keen was a massive leap forward. It had unique smooth-scrolling graphics engine never before seen on MS DOS meant to rival Mario on the NES, a feat that was thought impossible. Not only does the graphic engine allow smooth scrolling, the cartoon style is brilliantly done, surpassing many of it's peers at the time.

Likewise, Keen featured some of the best MIDI sound effects ever seen on DOS. Every time you fire your ray gun, a wave of warm nostalgia hits you and the need for realism is lost in the stream of fun. It can only be described as "retro" rather than "old".

Closing Comments
Even to this day, it's shameless tongue-in-cheek humour, hard to find Easter-eggs, and easy gameplay makes Commander Keen one of the best games to come from the DOS era. We can only hope id sell the rights to the original creator, Tom Hall, for his promised sequel.

Presentation: 9/10
Clean, easy to use interface make this game a delight to install and play, whether you're using an emulator or a DOS system.

Graphics: 9/10
Cartoon-ish and fun, even at the ripe old age of 21, this game is as playable as ever and makes it's peers (even on the NES) look like the ugly step sister.

Sound: 10/10
Retro in the extreme and fun enough to not grate.

Gameplay: 10/10
The story is fun enough for children and the child-at-heart. To top it off, the controls are smooth and easy to use.

Lasting Appeal: 9/10
After finishing the numerous sequels, you will still feel the urge to come back and start from the beginning. Unending fun.

Overall: 9.4/10 - Buy The Steam Re-Release

Ecco The Dolphin - Sega Mega Drive

2011-04-20T12:00:00.003+01:00

When Ecco first splashed its way onto our screens there were very few complaints. Fun for all the family, challenging gameplay and an interesting story, what's not to like? In fact, Ecco was the the reason I started this blog. After a few pints with a friend, the conversation turned to how "they don't make dolphin simulators like they used to". However, after dusting off my Mega Drive and playing through it again I can see why.

The game starts with Ecco swimming with his pod, when a storm hits, sucking up his family and friends. He goes on a mission to rescue them. Through his journeys he meets other dolphins, an orca, an ancient mystical creature and he travels through time all to defeat a group of aliens harvesting the Earth's sea. Convoluted or fun and different? Definitely the latter with a sprinkling of the former.

I don't like being led through a game. I never buy guides unless there are secrets I can't live without seeing and then I only use it on the third or fourth play through. But Ecco is a different kettle of fish. You are given no direction or hint as to where to go.

For example, at the start of the game you can't progress until you perform a death-defying leap into the air to initiate a cutscene. The player isn't given any clue, hint or nudge in the right direction and the only reason I remembered was because I completed the game so many times as a kid. New gamers will be frustrated by the lack of direction and old gamers will feel like they're going through the motions.

To make it worse for new gamers, Ecco is hard. Not just because of the lack of direction, but the fast pace and many dangers that lurk beneath the surface. Dolphins are mammals, meaning Ecco has to regularly surface for air adding a new layer of danger. When faced with a particularly tough, complicated or deadly problem, you can't sit back and think it through without suffocating the little feller. This is a huge problem in the last three levels.

That said, Ecco is still a game that warms your heart. A dolphin platformer involving aliens and time travel is enough to make anyone smile. Furthermore, you may spend half the time it takes to complete the game at the starting point leaping through the water and talking to your dolphin friends. it never gets old

In an underwater platformer, you want fluid controls but, like all 16-bit games, Ecco is on an 8-point track. Line up perfectly for a puzzle, hit dash and you could find yourself flying nose first into a wall. But that's just the way of retro.

Closing Comments
While Ecco can be finished in a relatively short amount of time, if you're new you'll get bored of trying to work out what the developers want from you and if you're returning for some nostalgia you'll be disappointed.

Presentation: 5/10
Minimalist to the extreme, but clean and easy, like most early Sega games.

Graphics: 6/10
Ecco is showing his age, but it's still cute enough to be looked over. Don't expect anything ground breaking for '92.

Sound: 4/10
The music is catchy, but a lot of the sound effects are grating and annoying.

Gameplay: 2/10
The developers clearly hated gamers. Annoying controls (partly due to the 16-bit constraint), complex puzzles with no help and difficult beyond any games of today. At least being a dolphin is cool.

Lasting Appeal: 2/10
If you're new to Ecco and you managed to play it through to completion: we salute you, but don't fool yourself into thinking you'll play it again and again.

Overall: 3.8/10 - Better To Remain a Fond Memory.

Metal Gear Solid - PS1

2011-04-13T12:00:00.002+01:00

Metal Gear Solid was one of the most anticipated games on the PS1. From veteran director Hideo Kojima, Metal Gear Solid is the continuation from the MSX/NES Metal Gear series. Like its predecessors, MGS revolutionised action games.

You play as the previous series' battle-hardened protagonist Solid Snake, an agent for the fictional special forces group Foxhound. He's been brought out of retirement to save the world once again by infiltrating an Alaskan nuclear disposal facility that's been taken over by his ex-comrades. He's alone, unarmed and not all is as it seems.

At the start of the game the player is forced to rely on stealth to either sneak past guards or dispose of then silently. As the game progresses more weapons become available, but the game frowns on you for using them outside boss fights, especially for the first half when your health bar is so small a fire-fight is suicide.

You control Snake via an elevated, fixed third-person camera. The controls are simple, easy and well explained through the training stages, though they might be difficult for those used to standard gun-blazers or hack 'n' slashes.

The story path is a linear action adventure with RPG elements. Your objective isn't always obvious. There are no check points, nor is the base a single corridor. Instead, you're told what to do through the CODEC radio system by the ubiquitous Major.

While the depth of the immersion is brilliant, the star of the show is the AI. Guards have a believable field of vision, they notice footsteps in the snow (which are covered up after a few moments by fresh snow) and splashing in puddles. Konami have gone all out in detail and realism, especially for a game set in the 'future'.

Closing Comments
The blend of movie-like cutscenes and fourth-wall breaking gameplay is truly awe inspiring. A classic all gamers should play at least once. It's a pity Kojima set the bar so high for sequels and that they only re-made it for Gamecube. MGS has aged well and would make a welcome addition to the Xbox Live Market Place or PlayStation Network.

Presentation: 10/10
Clean interface, gorgeous cutscenes, perfect menu system.

Graphics: 10/10
PS1 at its best. Kojima knows how to push a console to its limits.

Sound: 9/10
Stirring soundtrack that you'd expect to find in a movie and incredible sound effects. Some of the voice acting and script could be worked on though.

Gameplay: 10/10
Fun, heart-pounding and incredibly rewarding. One of the best games on console to date.

Lasting Appeal: 9/10
You may leave a large amount of time before replaying, but replay you will. A classic that just keeps on giving.

Overall: 9.6 - When's The Re-Release?

Super Bomberman III - SNES

2011-04-06T20:28:00.000+01:00

Bomberman is a timeless classic. Its main charm is simple gameplay, which was hacked back for Super Bomberman III after a disappointingly complex Super Bomberman II, and cartoon-like graphics.

In the story mode you take on the role of Shirobon, or White Bomber, and Kurobon, if playing in co-op mode. You traverse six worlds, each with four levels, avoiding or blowing up enemies to then face the world boss: a resurrection of the five Dastardly Bombers and Bagular from SB II.

For the most part, the story mode is fairly easy. Anyone old enough to remember its release should have no problem reaching the last world. But then the game throws a curve ball. The final boss teeters on the border of challenging and irritating. Write down the password for the final world. You'll need it.

The Bomberman gameplay is hard to improve upon and painfully disastrous when they try (Act Zero still makes me feel ill). In SB III, you move around a map planting bombs to blow up crates, enemies and switches while hiding behind unbreakable walls. The main, highly attractive, addition to the gameplay is the introduction of Louies: a kangaroo like animal you can ride. Each Louie has a unique ability and allows you to take an extra hit without dying.

However, the main appeal of Bomberman is the battle mode. Up to five players, one more than the previous title, battle it out until just one is left. An interesting difference to previous instalments is that every bomber is allocated a country, much like fighting games of the same era, but this doesn't add any new dimension to the gameplay itself.

Closing Comments
Super Bomberman III is one of the greats from the SNES era. Although the story and music are rehashed from previous titles, the stripped back gameplay with a few decent additions help elevate it to a podium finish in the golden era of gaming and it's still much better than the Wii for party gaming.

Presentation: 8/10
Quirky cutscenes and clean, simple interface.

Graphics: 8/10
Cartoon-ish fun, though slightly dated for '95.

Sound: 6/10
Remixes from Super Bomberman I dominate the soundtrack. They're great, but I wanted more originality.

Gameplay: 9/10
Easy, fun and addictive. Simple controls for a simple game.

Lasting Appeal: 9/10
A great party game that you'll keep coming back to.

Overall: 8.0 - Stands The Test of Time