LAUNCH 3/LAUNCH.BIN/pc/pcreview/gamerev.txt

Text File | 1995-09-11 | 11KB | 225 lines

MechWarrior 2
(Activision)
By Brett Atwood
     After several delays, the much-hyped MechWarrior 2 has finally
arrived. It was well worth the two-year wait.
     The game opens with a stunning computer-generated sequence, created
by Digital Domain on Silicon Graphics workstations. A 70-second opening
animation sequence, which is among the best to appear in a CD-ROM game
so far, sets up the futuristic storyline.
     Gameplay takes place in the year 3057 amid a ceasefire between the
battling Clans and the Inner Sphere. The Clans have suffered a defeat in
the Battle of Tukayyid, and have agreed to not invade Terran space for
15 years. Broken by defeat, infighting has broken out in the Clan
colonies. Clan MechWarriors battle it out in an attempt to advance in
ranking. The goal is to become the Khan, who is leader of your Clan.
Once that is achieved, the player has the opportunity to lead the attack
to regain Terra.
     Fans of the BattleTech Universe and FASA's original series of books
and board games will be happy to note that MechWarrior 2 stays true to
the spirit of its predecessors.
     Fifty different missions offer distinct gaming environments,
including varied terrain and opponents.
     The player has the option of choosing between two different play
modes. The Trial Of Grievance allows the player to customize single
missions for immediate combat. However, to win the game, the player must
stay in career mode. By choosing one of two Clans, the player can build
in rank and strength in multiple missions.
     Combat takes place inside two-legged war machines, known as
BattleMechs. There are 15 different BattleMechs to choose from. The
weaponry and strength of each BattleMech varies, adding a strategic
element of choice to the gameplay. Over 20 unique weapons systems are
available to the player.
     Players are seated in a 3D virtual cockpit, with the capability to
rotate 360 degrees within the BattleMech. If the BattleMech takes a
direct hit, the player's cockpit rocks and rolls.
      The BattleMech combat playing field resembles a souped-up version
of the '70s Atari arcade classic Battle Zone. Real-time polygon texture-
map surfaces provide the terrain, which varies mission-by-mission.
     As the BattleMech walks through the terrain, the screen shakes
slightly to simulate its steps. The effect further adds to the immersive
nature of the game.
     For real metal-to-metal combat, MechWarrior 2 is upgradable to
network compatibility, allowing up to eight players to compete against
one another. The forthcoming multi-player version also will support two-
player modem combat.
     Combat controls are relatively easy to learn. However, Activision
has wisely made it easy for the beginning warrior with the addition of
several training missions to ease the player into combat. A training
voice teaches the player through the use of the controls that are
necessary to play the game, as it walks you through a series of simple
maneuvers.
      Although the player can use the keyboard and mouse, MechWarrior 2
plays considerably smoother with a joystick and virtual I/O helmet.
     Let the battle begin!


MECHWARRIOR 2 INSTRUCTIONS

INSTALLATION
1.) Quit to DOS
2.) Change to the MWARRIOR subdirectory on the CDROM drive
3.) Type "install" to start the installer
4.) Follow instructions to play
5.) During game play, press F1 for control references and help




FX FIGHTER
(GTE Entertainment)
By Jeff Kitts
     The folks at Argonaut, the design team responsible for the new FX
Fighter, are obviously well familiar with the art of the steal--a credo
that basically says that if you're going to rob, rob from the best. In
coming up with the blueprint for FX Fighter, they shut their brains off
and went straight for the best fighting game of its kind--Sega's Virtua
Fighter.
     FX and Virtua bear so many striking similarities that you can
almost smell a lawsuit in the air. The basic gameplay in each is
identical: two fighters square off against one another in a ring with no
ropes (falling outside the ring constitutes a "Ring Out" and the loss of
the fight--Argonaut could have at least given this cheapo maneuver a
different name!), pummeling each other with a wide array of wrestling
and kickboxing-type moves until one is left standing at the end of
either three or five rounds. The action is viewed through various angles
with the help of a "camera" that rotates and adjusts as the combatants
move--an effect pioneered by Virtua Fighter. But while the resemblance
between the two is undeniable, the truth is that FX doesn't hold a
candle to the mighty Virtua Fighter.
     Comparisons aside, FX Fighter is, on its own, a decent fighting
game--particularly for the largely untapped PC brawler market. The game
offers nine otherworldly beings to choose from, including an evil water
spirit, a cyborg fighting machine and a spiritual human monk. But as a
whole they're a pretty unattractive group--boring names, boring powers
and zero attitude. Some fighters prove to be more worthy than others,
which puts more emphasis on wise character selection than skill (choose
Ashraf and you'll kick major ass, fight as Venam and you're dog meat).
The game is further hampered by slow movements and reaction times;
sometimes waiting for your fighter to respond results in you being
hammered by a vicious roundhouse to the head. Each character is armed
with 10 or so special moves, some of which (like Ashraf's Back Break
Throw and Sheba's Frank N Steiner) are particularly cool. Gore hounds
looking for blood and fatalities ala Mortal Kombat should look
elsewhere--FX Fighter sticks with the clean Virtua Fighter motif and
stays clear of any exploding limbs or gaping wounds.
     The animation in FX Fighter isn't bad, but with everything made up
of polygons, there's a serious lack of detail or personality in the
game's visual aspect. And lowering the detail levels in hopes of making
the game run quicker only makes it more pixelated and drab.
     Despite these problems and an embarrassing lack of originality, FX
Fighter is still capable of providing some decent hand-to-hand combat
excitement at least for a short while, especially for PC owners who
don't have a dedicated video game system.


INSTALLATION
To install the FX Fighter Demo onto your system:
1.) Quit to DOS
2.) Change to the FXDEMO subdirectory on the CDROM drive
3.) Type "fxinstall" to start the installer
4.)Type FIGHT to start the game.


THE DEMO
The Demo consists of 1 Player and 2 Player (VS.) mode only. The user
will only be able to select from two characters (Jake or Magnon).
However, Jake will be the only computer player available in the 1 Player
mode.  All other characters cannot be selected in this Demo.

The Lava World is the only environment available on this Demo.

The user will have the ability to configure the game by going into the
"OPTIONS" menu, but not all features are available in the demo.  The
following list of features are adjustable/operational in the
Configuration Menu:

BOUT OPTIONS
Game Speed: Slow, Normal, Fast, Turbo
Autosave Stats: On/Off
Sound/CD Volume: User Adjustable

KEYBOARD
All default key settings are adjustable. To change default settings
press the space bar and select the new key.  Use the arrow keys or the
jump and duck keys (Default P1 A & Z, P2 L & comma) to move around the
screen.

Note: Please ensure that the key you wish to change is the one that is
highlighted.

JOYSTICK
To calibrate the controller highlight the word "CALIBRATE" and press the
space bar or the punch button (A) on the controller. Follow the
instructions prompts underneath the respective Joystick to finish the
calibration sequence.

Note: Four button joysticks may conflict with the second player
utilizing the keyboard.  We recommend playing the demo with a two button
controller.

DETAIL LEVELS
The detail levels are user adjustable.  On lower end platforms
(486/33DX), we recommend that setting are set to LOW and OFF. Trying to
run the game at high detail settings may slow down game performance. The
user will be able to adjust the detail level of the characters and the
floor.

Note: The "Perspective" option is intended only for high end PCs. You
should not use the "Perspective" option unless you are running the game
from a Pentium PC.




EMERGENCY BROADCAST NETWORK: Telecommunication Breakdown (TVT)
(enhanced CD playable on both Mac and Windows CD-ROM)
By Brett Atwood
     Be warned. The Emergency Broadcast Network can induce headaches
when applied incorrectly. Sensory overload is a serious side effect to
EBN's in-your-face assault of video sampling and beat-intensive music.
Some will call it noise, which may very well be true. However, this is
noise with a purpose.
    The audio-only portion of the disc contains 20 tracks of organized
confusion. Soundbytes from television broadcasts are layered on top of
each other to form quirky, but catchy, melodies.
     EBN gained some attention a few years ago when it provided a video
sample-derived duet of George Bush and Bill Clinton performing Queen's
"We Will Rock You" for the opening portion of U2's "Achtung Baby" tour.
     That track isn't contained on this disc, but there are plenty of
other odd television-derived tracks present here, including the stand-
out tracks "Get Down Ver. 2.2," "Shoot The Mac-10," and "Sexual
Orientation." The only relief from the jumbled musical assault comes
from the one-minute meditational opening of "Super Zen State (Power
Chant No. 3)."
    A "video wall" of multiple video images opens up the multimedia
portion of the disc, which will play on both Mac and Windows CD-ROM-
equipped computers. Click on one of the many mock television screens to
see a video sample from each of the 20 songs.
    In addition, three full-length videos are contained on the disc.
    "3:7:8" opens with a simple image of a young boy singing falsetto.
Before long, a random assault of archive music footage kicks in. Ann
Miller dances, an old cowboy whistles, and, suddenly, that annoying
falsetto-singing boy is floating around the screen. It's a bit
overwhelming, to say the least.
    Infomercials infiltrate the clip for "Electronic Behavior Control
System," which overflows with the television personalities that you love
to hate. Video samples of Susan Powter and Tony Robbins are juxtaposed
with Bill Clinton and Ross Perot. "Nightline" host Ted Koppel interrupts
occasionally, while a hip-hop beat pounds on.
    The final video "Homicidal Schizophrenic (A Lad Insane)" is (not
surprisingly) the strangest. Some crazy dude babbles and drools, while
Suzanne Somers smiles on in mock merriment. Throw in a splash of O.J.
Simpson, hide the good kitchen utinsels, and reach for the lithium.
    Transmission out.


INSTRUCTIONS:
1.) Click on the Play Demo button.
2.) Your screen will soon fill with multiple television-screen images.
At the lower right-hand corner is what looks like a remote-control
device. Click on the button marked "Help," and an explanatory screen
will appear in the center of the screen.