PC Gamer 3.10/1998-01_Disc_3.10.iso/MEDIA/REVIEWS.TXT

Text File | 1997-11-05 | 292KB | 845 lines

category    appname    highs    lows    Bottomline    Rating    AlphaSortKey    CoName    Address    City    State    Zip    Phone    Phone2    email    m/y/pg
Review Index    11th Hour, The    Looks and sounds great (with the proper hardware).    Puzzles still seem unrelated to the game's story; limited innovations are not worth the performance penalty.    A good puzzle game; lots of patience and a nitro-fuel burning PC recommended.    76    E    Virgin    18061 Fitch Ave.    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            April
Review Index    1830    A unique and entertaining approach to familiar subject matter.    The design is too focused; it doesn't allow the free-wheeling, open-ended gameplay it could.    A well-executed and entertaining game that sticks too close to its boardgame origins.    80    E    Avalon Hill    4517 Hartford Road    Baltimore, MD 21214            [phone]            June
Review Index    3D Lemmings    A great new look, plenty of control options, and lots of levels that╒ll keep you busy for weeks.    The controls may be a little awkward, even for die-hard Lemmings fans.    3D Lemmings is an addictive puzzler that's a bit out of the norm.    91    T    Psygnosis/Sony Interactive    919 E. Hillsdale Blvd.    Second Floor, Foster City, CA 94404            Tech/ Tip Line: [phone]            January
Arcade    3D Ultra Mini-Golf    Nice production values. True Putt option makes things interesting.    Annoying viewing angles; limited replay value.    For real putt-putt golf excitement, take a pass on Mini-Golf, load up the car and head for the nearest mini-golf course.    47    T    Sierra    3380 146th Place S.E. Suite 300    Bellevue    WA    98007    [phone]            August '97, p. 123
Arcade    3DO Games: Decathlon    Beautifully animated players, network compatible.    Sterile presentation, cramping fingers from button mashing.    While it may look pretty good, this game suffers from a lack of excitement. ItÆs not worth the finger cramps.    60    T    Studio 3DO    600 Galveston Drive    Redwood City    CA    94063    800-336-3506            June '97, p. 118
Review Index    5th  Fleet    Ease of play masks the depth of authentic data in this game. Exciting scenarios; crisp graphics.    Lovers of high-tech micro-management, a la Harpoon, may find it too streamlined.    An elegant conversion of a board-gaming classic; a must-have for fans of naval war who relish action above all other elements.    85    F    Avalon Hill    4517 Hartford Rd.    Baltimore, MD 21214            [phone]            January
Simulation    688[i] Hunter/Killer    Detailed; great sound effects; a good mission editor; some multiplayer support.    May be too complex; unimpressive 3D view; videos occasionally don't match performance.    A great submarine sim, but only hard-core sim nuts should apply.    85    S    Jane's Combat Simulations    1450 Fashion island Blvd.    San Mateo    CA    94404    415-571-7171            September '97, p. 164
Interactive Movie    A Fork in the Tale    Lots of great comedy from Rob Schneider; fast-moving, lag-free video.    Tedious, uninteresting story; banal gameplay; frustrating repetition.    Think FMV sucks? YouÆll think it again.    34    A    AnyRiver Entertainment    280 Utah Avenue    South San Francisco    CA    94080    415-742-7932            May '97, p. 129
Simulation    A-10 Cuba!    Detailed and frisky flight model; outstanding sound; smooth, simple graphics.    Somewhat irksome controls; no printed manual; only 12 missions.    An immersive but very limited flight sim that thrives in the Win 95 environment.    68    A    Activision    11601 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1000    Los Angeles    CA    90025    [phone]            March '97, p. 160
Review Index    Absolute Zero    Playing as a variety of characters gives AZ depth; the story is well-written.    Only persistent gamers will be able to deal with the linear gameplay.    An exercise in frustration that will put off all but the most patient gamers.    61    A    Eidos    303 Sacramento Street    San Francisco, CA 94111            Tip Line: (900) 288-GAME            March
Review Index    Abuse    Great design, lots of hidden goodies, and built-in level editor.    The interface takes some getting used to, so you won╒t be hooked right at first.    One of the most enjoyable shooters of the year.    88    A    Crack.dot.com    Austin, TX        [phone]                    January
Review Index    Aces of the Deep    When everything works right, AOD is dramatic and convincing.    Everything might not work right all the time. In places, the graphics are disappointing.    Aces of the Deep is a worthy, ambitious, and detailed submarine simulation.    82    A    Sierra    3380 146th Place SE    Suite 300    Bellevue, Washington  98007                    February
Review Index    Across the Rhine    Operational level feels authentic; "alternate history" campaign mode can be fascinating.    Interface is all but impenetrable; learning curve is steep; even the shoot-'em-up mode fails.    What works in ATR works impressively; be prepared to invest many frustrating hours for the payoff, however.    76    A    MicroProse Software, Inc.    180 Lakefront Dr.    Hunt Valley, MD 21030             [phone]            November
Strategy    Admiral: Sea Battles    Great graphics, intense action, challenging scenarios.    The manual needs to be translated into real English; some awkward design elements cause needless irritation.    A tight, clean, unpretentious little game that could become a classic.    80    A    Megamedia Corp.    47381 Bayside Parkway     Fremont    CA    94539    [phone]            February '97, p. 164
Review Index    Aegis: Guardian of the Fleet    A realistic but manageable sim of one of the world's most sophisticated ships.    Maybe too high-tech for some; the lack of full-screen battle images mutes the intensity.    Easier to get into than Harpoon, perfect for players scared off by that game's complexity.        A    Time-Warner Interactive Group    2210 Olive Ave.    Burbank, CA 91506            BBS: 1-818-295-6730            July
Review Index    Afterlife    Humor; novel concept; a fully-fleshed, complex and challenging sim.    Blocked graphics, puzzling terminology, and thin documentation.    A great sim for the diehard simmer. If you loved the SimCity games, you╒ll like this.    85    A    LucasArts    P.O. Box 10307    San Rafael, CA 94912            [phone]            October
Review Index    Age of Rifles    Wide variety of campaigns; detailed, accurate historical info; great editor.     Disjointed campaigns, several bugs, and only average graphics and sounds.    A great title with tons of customizability and months of gaming stuffed into one CD.     86    A    SSI    675 Almanor Ave.    Suite 201    Sunnyvale, CA 94086                     November
Wargame    Age of Sail    Huge number of scenarios; solid campaign mode; excellent battle-editor.    Controlling big engagements too often means zooming out and missing some of the fun.    A sumptuous looking, smooth-playing recreation of a fascinating era.    85    A    TalonSoft    P.O. Box 632    Forest Hill    MD    21050-0632    [phone]            March '97, p. 141
Shooter    Agile Warrior F-111X    Numerous missions to accomplish; lots of ammunition to play with.    Bland landscapes; jerky control; targets difficult to find.    Even die-hard shooter fans will find this insipid and uninspired.    40    A    Virgin Interactive    18061 Fitch Avenue    Irvine    CA    92614    714-883-8710            May '97, p. 116
Review Index    AHD-64 Longbow    Gorgeous sights and sounds; incredible realism and detail, balanced by a great tutorial.    Very steep hardware requirements; occasionally long load times; onlly one campaign.    AHD-64 Longbow isn╒t just the best chopper sim ever, it╒s one of the best flight sims, period.    94    A    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Blvd.    Sand Mateo, CA 94404            [phone]            July
Review Index    Air Havoc Controller    Truly beautiful 3-D animations and realistic stereo sounds.    No provision for saving or restoring scenarios; little variation in gameplay.    AHC's outstanding graphics and sound make it stand out from the crowd.    75    A    Trimark Interactive    2644 30th Street    Santa Monica, CA 90405            [phone]            January
Review Index    Air Power    Imaginative concept and strategy elements; beautifully executed graphics.    Control feels unresponsive; unusual keyboard commands.    So close to being a classic, but misses it by just an inch.    82    A    Mindscape    88 Rowland Way    Novato, CA 94945            [phone]            March
Review Index    Al-Qadim    The game's series of simple challenges makes it accessible to beginning players.    The series of simple challenges isn't very likely to satisfy experienced players.    Good for the young set, maybe ages 8-11, as an introduction to the world of fantasy RPGs.    76    A    Strategic Simulations Inc.    675 Almanor Avenue    Suite 210    Sunnyvale, CA 94086                    July
Review Index    Albion    Entertaining story; lots of items, charcters, and places to explore; tons of magic.    Movement can be frustrating at times; story is fairly linear; some graphics are dated.    Albion has all the elements of a great roleplaying adventure. It may not be as non-linear as Daggerfall, but it's still a blast.    88    A    Blue Byte Software    870 E. Higgins Rd., Suite 143    Shaumburg     IL     60173    [phone]            November
Review Index    Alien Breed    Delivers plenty of fun.    Not much variety involved.    A good, solid shooter lacking in the razzle-dazzle, but full of solid no-brain game play.    75    A    MicroLeague    1001 Millersville Road    Lancaster, PA 17604            [phone]            June
Adventure    Alien Incident    Colorful graphics, good writing, and a solid game at the core.    Flaky sound drivers, some setup troubles, no in-game voice acting.    A good choice for adventure gaming beginners, or something to take out when the whippersnappers come over.    73    A    Gametek, Inc.    3 Harbor Drive, Suite 110    Sausalito    CA    94965    (800) GAMETEK            February '97, p. 129
Review Index    Alien Legacy    Smooth and challenging with solid graphics and an intriguing storyline.    The same things occur every time you play, so it can get too easy to cheat the fates.    A fresh new feel in strategy gaming--although the straight-arrow storyline that makes it fresh also hurts replay value.    80    A    Sierra On-Line    3380 146th Place SE    Suite 300    Bellevue, Washington  98007                    August
Review Index    Alien Odyssey    Nice graphics and environments; good sound effects.    Enemies are weak and uninspired. The gameplay is confusing, and only moderately challenging.    The game would be a winner if it stuck with one style.    70    A    Philips Media Inc.    10960 Wilshire Blvd.    Los Angeles, CA 90024            [phone]            February
Review Index    Alien Virus    Crisp hi-res graphics; simple point-and-click interface.    Very slow gameplay. You're a space-age locksmith, trying to open doors just to play the game.    The puzzles aren't very challenging, and there's little else to hold your interest    59    A    Vic Tokai    22940 Lockness Avenue    Torrance, CA 90501            [phone]            August
Review Index    Aliens    Great graphics and cut scenes    Extremely weak voice acting and dialog; timed puzzles make most of the game unnecessarily frustrating.    A troubled and disappointing adventure for only the most patient gamer.    59    A    Mindscape    88 Rowland Way    Novato, CA 94945            [phone]            February
Review Index    Allied General    Many of the same qualities that made Panzer General a winner, plus multiple-window interface.    Not enough new here, and some desirable features are missing.    A good beer-n-pretzels wargme for Windows, but it could have been a bit better.    89    A    SSI    675 Almanor Ave    Suite 201    Sunnyvale, CA 94086-2901                    April
Review Index    Alone in the Dark 2    Fantastic graphics and gameplay sure to please all but the most jaded gamer.    Alone 2 lacks the same eerie atmosphere and devious puzzles that made the original game such a hit in the first place.    A great game, superior to the already excellent original in all but atmosphere.    85    A    I-Motion    1333 Ocean Avenue    Suite J    Santa Monica, CA 90401                    June
Review Index    Alone in the Dark III    Fluid motion; inventive puzzles and gameplay; and good atmosphere.    Finding a good shooting angle is tough; it's still just Alone in the Dark.    A rip-snorting good horror western, with the right blend of chills, humor, action, and puzzles.    88    A    I-Motion    1333 Ocean Avenue    Suite J    Santa Monica, CA 90401                    May
Puzzle    Amber    A  promising opening; nice rendered graphics.    Illogical puzzles; mostly static backgrounds; very small amount of gameplay.    Amber falls more than a few steps short of achieving its potential.    53    A    Changeling    2507 Albata Avenue    Austin    TX    78757-2102    512-419-7085            May '97, p. 133
Review Index    American Civil War    Excellent balance between political and military aspects; clean interface.    Some aspects of ACW become clear only after many hours of play; manual could be better.    An admirable but somewhat recondite game with a steep learning curve.    80    A    Interactive Magic    P.O. Box 13491    Research Triangle Park, NC 27709            [phone]            September
Shooter    Amok    Fast, frenetic action; it runs from the CD!    Frustratingly difficult; stingy password allotment; no mouse or joystick support.    Although it wonÆt win any prizes, Amok is a decent, but somewhat dated and repetitious, shooter.    65    A    GT Interactive    16 East 40th Street    New York    NY    10016    212-679-6850            May '97, p. 125
Review Index    Angel Devoid    Good use of video technology and a good story line.     Compatibility problems; less patient gamers may have a hard time sticking with it.    Angel Devoid isn't a perfect full-motion video adventure, but it's encouraging proof that "interactive movies" can be enjoyable games.    78    A    Mindscape    88 Rowland Way    Novato, CA 94945            [phone]            May
Review Index    Anvil of Dawn    An easy-to-learn interface and some solid, if mindless, RPG action.    Mediocre graphics and sound effects; an almost complete lack of innovation.    An attractive and enjoyable RPG that doesn't stretch the boundaries very far.    73    A    New World Computing    PO Box 4302    Hollywood CA 90078            [phone]            March
Review Index    Anyone for Cards?    A wide variety of card games to choose from, many not available in other Windows game packs.     The price ($49.95) seems a bit steep considering the overall quality of the game.    A decent CD if all you're after is the occasional game of cards.    75    A    Capstone    501 Brickell Key Drive    6th Floor    Miami, FL 33131                    January
Review Index    Apache    Terrific flight model; countless options and missions; great gameplay.    Explosion graphics could be more impressive.    A flight game with broad appeal: Everyone from arcade players to sim hounds should delight in it.    95    A    Interactive Magic    P.O. Box 13491    Research Triangle Park, NC 27709            [phone]            October
Review Index    APBA Baseball     Harwell's play-by-play; great SFX; realistic replays.    Somewhat clumsy integration among the game's modules.    Digital commentary has all the wonder the national pastime had when it was the national pastime.    90    A    Miller Associates    11 Burtis Avenue    Suite 200    New Canaan, CT 06840                    October
Action/Adventure    Archimedean Dynasty    Great graphics; sophisticated combat engine; plenty of strategy; involving story line.    May run slow on older machines, gameplay is fairly linear, and there are no multi-player options.    This intriguing sub combat game will please action lovers everywhere.    84    A    Blue Byte Software    870 Giggins Rd., Suite 143    Shaumburg     IL    60173    [phone]            March '97, p. 138
Review Index    Archon Ultra    Modem play; strategically challenging.    Very picky about sound cards and mouse drivers.    The combination of strategy and arcade sequences give it great replay value.    76    A    Strategic Simulations Inc.    675 Almanor Avenue    Suite 210    Sunnyvale, CA 94086                    June
Shooter    Area 51    Lots of enemies to kill. Loads of ammo, power-ups, and aliens.    Grainy graphics, sluggish pace, one-dimensional gameplay.    Unless you absolutely adored the arcade version and can overlook some glaring flaws, donÆt bother.    58    A    Midway/GT Interactive    16 East 40th St.     New York    NY    10016    [phone]            February '97, p. 167
Review Index    Armored Fist    Good mission editor and some entertaining shooting action.    Spotty graphics; lack of important options; frustrating play.    Graphics cripple the play so much that Armored Fist doesn't work as either a detailed tank simulator or as a  shooter.    65    A    NovaLogic    19510 Ventura Boulevard    Suite 200    Tarzana, CA 91356                    February
Adventure    Arrival, The    Outstanding graphics and sound, eerie and atmospheric.    Some puzzles too easy; moderate amount of CD swapping.    An engaging adventure despite the simplistic puzzles.    81    A    Live Interactive    15400 Sherman Way, P.O. Box 10124    Van Nuys     CA    91410    818-988-5060            June '97, p. 80
Review Index    Ascendancy    What's not to like? Just re-read all the adjectives in the review.    It can be tricky to make your way through all the information that accumulates as your empire expands.    Ascendancy is the best game if its kind, period.    93    A    Broderbund Software Inc.    17 Paul Dr.    San Rafael, CA 94948             [phone]            November
First-person shooter    Ashes to Ashes    Attractive graphics, multiple vehicles, and interesting outdoor environments.    Disorienting, confusing. Uninspired.    ThereÆs no reason to recommend this. ItÆs bland, confusing, and tiresome.    25    A    Corel Corp.    1600 Carling Ave.    Ottawa, Ont., Cananda K1Z8R7        K1Z 8R7    [phone]            February '97, p. 145
Action    Assassin 2015    Adrienne BarbeauÆs husky voice-overs are nicely done.    The game is very short, not very challenging, and, aside from the cut-scenes, looks very dated..    Assassin seems to miss the point of what first-person shootinÆ fun is all about.    35    A    Inscape    P.O. Box 251829    Los Angeles    CA    90025    [phone]            January '97, p. 236
Review Index    Assault Rigs    Fast action on later levels; wide range of viewing  options; varied graphics.    Slow to start; maddening menu animations; clumsy viewpoints.    Assault Rigs provides a modest amount of fun, but it could╒ve been so much more.    61    A    Psygnosis    919 E. Hillsdale Blvd.    2nd Floor    Foster City, CA 94404                    August
Review Index    AstroFire    The prettiest version of Asteroids we've seen; plays well on a 286.    Pretty or not, it's still just Asteroids; no music; loads slowly on that 286.    A good trigger-finger workout; and it's easy to try before you buy.    72    A    ORT Software    2A Berceau Walk    Watford, Herts WDI 38L    United Kingdom                    October
Review Index    Atari 2600 Action Pack    Perfect recreations of some genuine gaming classics; killer nostalgia-fodder.    The games themselves just aren't as much fun as I remember them. They're simplistic and repetitive.    Don't buy it for the games, but do buy it for the memories it'll evoke.    68    A    Activision    11601 Willshire Boulevard    Suite 1000    Los Angeles, CA 90025                    May
Review Index    Atari 2600 Action Pack 2    Happy reminders of good days gone by; some truly classic games.    Bafflingly slow performance; some agonizing reminders of how bad some of these games really were.    If you're willing to time-warp back a dozen years, get it. If not, stay away.    66    A    Activision    11601 Willshire Boulevard    Suite 1000    Los Angeles, CA 90025                    October
Review Index    ATF    Beautiful graphics; lots of high-tech planes to fly; high replay value.    Frequently too tough; hardware requirements are still pretty steep.    With its good looks, variety, and playability, ATF belongs in every air combat fan's collection.    90    A    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Blvd.    San Mateo, CA 94404             [phone]            June
Adventure    Atlantis: The Lost Tales    Stunning scenes; gameplay is reasonably entertaining; good variety.    Same old puzzles. Same old pop-up dialog boxes. 3D character movements are jerky and unbelievable.    It's a standard graphic adventure that will only do in a pinch.    62    A    Cryo    1592 Union St. #155    San Francisco    CA    94123    [phone]            November '97, p. 291
Arcade    Atomic Bomberman    Fast-paced action; multi-play for up to ten players; entertaining time killer.    Takes up way too much hard-drive space; no advancement system; ugly playing boards.    Good clean fun for you and your buddies -- if you've got the hard-drive space to spare.     75    A    Interplay    16815 Von Karman Ave.    Irvine    CA    92606    (800) 969-GAME            October '97, p. 210
Adventure    Azrael's Tear    Beautiful in high-res; interesting plot-line; well-developed characters.    Runs poorly even on high-end machines; lots of hunting for yet another key.    A good graphic adventure with lots to explore, but you need a powerful PC.    82    A    Mindscape    88 Rowland Way    Novato    CA    94945    [phone]            February '97, p. 160
Review Index    Back to Baghdad    Lots of options; extremely thorough recreation of instruments, radar modes, etc.    Very expensive; demanding system requirements; unimpressive terrain.    While the system demands and price are a bit hard to swallow, Back to Baghdad delivers and exciting F-16 simulation that╒s a great addition to your flight sim arsenal.    78    B    Military Simulations, Inc.    5 Tannery Drive    Medfield, MA 02052            [phone]            December
Review Index    Bad Day on the Midway    Bizarre, hallucinogenic style keeps you guessing and wanting more.    Occasionally too hip for its own good; quirky camera angles; some abstract graphics.    Weird and wacky, this adventure plays out like a David Lynch film.    80    B    Inscape    P.O. Box 251829    Los Angeles, CA 90025            [phone]            August
Review Index    Bad Mojo    Absolutely unique; well-conceived and executed; intense and disturbing.    May be too intense & disturbing (and possibly too easy) for some players.    Until they make a game out of the movie Eraserhead, this is as weird as it gets..    84    B    Pulse Entertainment    246 First Street, 402    San Francisco, CA 94105            [phone]            February
Puzzle    Baku Baku    Nicely rendered animals; great two-player mode; extra strategy makes it stand out.    May be too ôcuteö for some; PC conversion loses a little.    Despite its full-screen failings, Baku Baku is a puzzle game not to be missed.    83    B    Sega Entertainment    P.O. Box 8097    Redwood City    CA     94063    [phone]            January '97, p. 251
Strategy    Baldies    Cute. A new twist.    Much of the game relies on luck. You have little control over the baldies, which is very frustrating.    It's a great attempt at making something fresh and funny, but it falls flat after the first few levels.    55    B    Panasonic Interactive Media    4701 Patrick Henry Dr., Ste. 1101    Santa Clara    CA    95054    408-653-1898            April '97, p. 112
Action    Banzai Bug    Lots of originality; good graphics and sound; cute touches throughout game.     Flawed basic design; often frustrating to play; technically spartan.    A promising title that didnÆt quite live up to its potential.    56    B    Grolier Interactive Inc.    90 Sherman Turnpike    Danbury    CT    06816    800-356-5590            May '97, p. 134
Review Index    Batman Forever    Lots of different gadgets to use.    Clumsy interface makes using those gadgets a real pain; gameplay is stupefyingly unoriginal.    It╒s all been done before, and done much better. For Batman completists only.    40    B    Acclaim Entertainment    1 Acclaim Plaza    Glen Cove, NY 11542-2777            [phone]            June
Review Index    Battle Arena Toshinden    Fast colorful fighting action, if you have the right hardware to run it.    Choppy animation and sluggish control if you don╒t.    Stay away unless you╒ve got confidence in your machine.    55    B    Playmates Interactive Ent.    16200 S. Trojan Way    LaMirada, CA 90638            [phone]            September
Review Index    Battle Beast    Wonderful graphics, inventive story, and a whole lot of silly humor.    Controls are sluggish; lack of a ╥tournament╙ structure makes for repetitive battles.     It╒s a decent fighting game, but one with significant flaws.    69    B    7th Level Inc.    P.O. Box 832190    Richardson, TX 75083-2190            [phone]            December
Review Index    Battle Bugs    Idiot-proof interface; funny animations; and a thorough online help system.    The two-player mode suffers greatly from lack of modem support.    A real winner! This is the perfect wargame for people who normally don't like wargames.    89    B    Sierra On-Line    380 146th Place SE    Suite 300    Bellevue, Washington  98007                    November
Review Index    Battle Isle 2200    It has the most important qualities of any good wargame: It's easy to learn yet tough to master.    Only one unit can attack an enemy at a time; the graphics and sound are average.    A wargame you can jump right into, but that offers plenty of challenge.    86    B    Accolade    5300 Stevens Creek Boulevard    San Jose, CA 95129            [phone]            May
Review Index    Battle Isle 2220    A truly unique strategy game packed with fascinating details and subtleties.    Steep learning curve; oddball rules and conventions will be a turn-off to players who find the mass of detail overwhelming.    One of the most eccentric games of its genre, but also one of the most imaginative. If you can get into it, it can be quite addictive.    80    B    Blue Byte Software    870 E. Higgins Rd., Suite 143    Shaumburg     IL     60173    [phone]            May
Review Index    Battle of Britain    Gives a realistic impression of what the RAF command was up against in the autumn of 1940.    That's all it does. The graphics are drab, and there's just not much depth of gameplay.    Competent, but uninspiring. There are a lot of better choices out there.    55    B    Deadly Games    38 Wayaawi Avenue    Bayville, NY 11709-10115            [phone]            November
Strategy    Battlecruiser 3000 AD    The intro animation is very cool.    Annoying bugs; frequent crashes; features that donÆt work; a pathetically inadequate manual. This game simply wasnÆt finished when it shipped.    Maybe Take 2 can still fix this game. Until then, donÆt buy it.    15    B    Take 2 Interactive    1004 Ligonier St.    Latrobe    PA    15650    [phone]            January '97, p. 208
Review Index    Battledrome    The ability to play over modem or network.    Mediocre graphics and shell; repetitive combat scenarios.    Rather uninspired and a sore disappointment after the terrific EarthSiege; head-to-head could sell this to dedicated modem players.    65    B    Sierra On-Line    3380 146th Place S.E.    Suite 300    Bellevue, WA 98007                    April
Review Index    Battleground: Ardennes    Colorful and dynamic gameplay, first-rate interface, excellent use of video enhancements.    Some players simply won╒t want another Battle of the Bulge game, no matter how well done.    A remarkably fresh and original design, executed with real flair.    91    B    Empire Interactive    13220 Wisteria Dr.    Germantown, MD 20874            [phone]            January
Review Index    Battleground: Gettysburg    Magnificent graphics, near-perfect interface; dramatic and creative use of video clips.    A few might-have-been scenarios would have been nice - like giving Lee all of his cavalry to see what difference J.E.B. Stuart might really have made.    This is a classic wargame in every respect.    89    B    TalonSoft    PO Box 632    Forest Hill, MD 21050-0632            [phone]            March
Review Index    Battleground: Shiloh    Beautiful map, slick interface, great videos and music.    This is the complex, hard-to-control battle; novices should not attempt total command until they get used to things.    Another superb addition to the growing shelf of ╥Battleground╙ titles.    84    B    TalonSoft    P.O. Box 632     Forst Hill, MD 21050-0632(            800) 211-6504            October
Review Index    Battleground: Waterloo    Colorful simple to learn; ╥What-if?╙ scenarios will yield hours of replay value.    You have to be very much ╥into╙ Napoleonic history to get the most out of this game.    A vividly colorful recreation of one of the most epic battles in Western history.    91    B    TalonSoft     P.O. Box 632    Forst Hill, MD 21050-0632            [phone]            August
Review Index    Battles in Time    Good strategic-tactical game with lots of unique twists; the usual thorough QQP head-to-head support.    Larger armies tend to move woefully slowly in the strategic section.    Lots of replay value and an innovative design make this a truly entertaining wargame.    89    B    QQP    495 Highway 202    Flemington, NJ 08822            [phone]            January
Strategy    Battleship    Hey, it's Battleship -- with snazzy cutscenes and great multi-player support.    Those snazzy cutscenes refuse to go away, and there's no option for turn-based combat during the scenario modes.    A pretty good port of a classic.    78    B    Hasbro Interactive    50 Dunham Road    Beverly     MA    01915    [phone]            March '97, p. 110
Action    Battlesport    The name is kinda nice.    Ancient graphics, lackluster gameplay, and shoddy controls deal a triple does of death on this clunker.    Simply terrible. Trust us on this one, you'll want to avoid it at all costs.    20    B    Acclaim Entertainment    1 Acclaim Plaza    Glen Cove    NY    11542-2777    516-656-5000            August '97, p. 127
Review Index    BC  Racers    Great music; humorous animation; challenging racing.    Can't customize racer; no network or modem play.    If you want simple racing action and don't mind the few flaws, you'll enjoy this game.    75    B    U.S. Gold    303 Sacramento Street    San Francisco, CA 94111            [phone]            October
Review Index    Beast Within    Superb script, excellent videos, a fresh "take" on the traditional werewolf theme.    Extreme system demands; if you get hooked on it, you may have to invest in a quad-speed CD-ROM drive, whether you're ready to or not.    A great horror adventure, driven by a script that puts the competition to shame.    96    B    Sierra    3380 146th Place SE    Suite 300    Bellevue, Washington  98007                    April
Review Index    Beavis & Butt-Head    A real, no-foolin╒ graphic adventure with all the funny elements of the MTV show.    You╒ll want a fairly fast machine, and gamers who don╒t have Win ╘95 are out of luck.    Fans of MTV╒s delinquent duo will adore it, but people who miss the point of the show won╒t understand the game, either.    90    B    Viacom New Media    1515 Broadway    New York, N.Y.,10036            [phone]              February
Action    Bedlam    Easy to control, lots of explosions.    No multi-player mode, questionable level design, tedious switch-hunts, enemies too easy to kill.    A reasonably workmanlike effort with some drawbacks.    68    B    GT Interactive    16 East 40th St.     New York    NY    10016    [phone]            January '97, p. 225
Review Index    Beneath A Steel Sky    Some of the funniest dialog ever; simple interface; runs entirely off the CD.    The difficulty of the puzzles in the final third of the game is disproportionately high.    A slick, funny, and absorbing adventure that will appeal to a wide variety of gamers--two thumbs up!    91    B    Virgin Interactive    1806 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            December
Roleplaying    Betrayal in Antara    Engrossing story line; tried-and-true interface; huge game world.    Traveling becomes repetitive; interface needs streamlining; lack of a professional writer's touch.    If you liked Krondor, buy this game. It's deep, it's engrossing, and it's fun.    81    B    Sierra Online    3380 146th Place S.E., Suite 300     Bellevue    WA    98007    [phone]            October '97, p. 214
Review Index    Big 3 (The)    A sincere and well-intentioned game with lofty design goals.    Scale doesn't work; elements of gameplay are murky; no real feeling of strategy.    Here's a classic case of "ten lbs. in a five-lb. bag."    57    B    Alliance Interactive Systems    1859 N. Pine Island Road    Plantation, FL 33322            [phone]            May
Review Index    Big Red Racing    Nice graphics, multi-player features and unique vehicles..    Annoying commentary, fuzzy controls, limited gameplay.    One of the better arcade racing titles out there, but only in small doses.    75    B    Eidos    303 Sacramento Street    San Francisco, CA 94111            Tip Line: (900) 288-GAME            July
Review Index    BioForge    A good mix of action and puzzle-solving; outstanding animations and graphics.    Way too much text to read; camera angles aren't conducive to combat; steep system requirements.    Despite a few flaws, you'll play this one all the way to the end.    88    B    Origin Systems    12940 Research Boulevard    Austin, TX 78750            [phone]            June
Review Index    Blackthorne    Great animation and plenty of bang-bang make this the best action-adventure since Flashback.    You'll find yourself doing the same thing over and over again; weak enemy animations.    A great mix of gunplay and puzzles, sure to please any arcade fan.    86    B    Interplay    17922 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            January
Review Index    Blake Stone: Planet Strike    Four skill levels; some mighty mean monsters; and impressive firepower.    It can get a bit repetitive. The graphics are only average.    Not a bad game--in fact better than a lot of the first-person stuff we're seeing. But it's no Doom, though.    75    B    FormGen    7641 E. Gray Rd    Scottsdale, AZ 85260            [phone]            February
FIrst-person shooter    Blood    Good fun; lots of dark humor; simply awesome Deathmatches.    Very difficult. Doesn't feel quite as 'solid' as Duke.    An excellent implementation of the BUILD engine that makes for a truly wicked shoot-'em-up.    85    B    GT Interactive    16 East 40th St.    New York    NY    10016    [phone]            July '97, p. 208
Review Index    Blood Bowl    Original concept; clean design.    AI is really slow and none to bright; promised modem support is a no-show.    A faithful translation of a popular board game, but the PC version adds nothing new.    71    B    MicroLeague    1001 Millersville Road    Lancaster, PA 17604            [phone]            August
Strategy    Blood & Magic    Lots of terrain variety, good graphics (for VGA), great single-player game.    Flat sound effects, constantly clicking on basal golems.    It's not just another WarCraft, Blood & Magic has some interesting, new ideas.    83    B    Interplay    17922 Fitch Avenue     Irvine    CA    92714    Tech Support: [phone]            March '97, p. 118
Review Index    Bloodwings    Easy to install; high-quality sound effects and music.    Choppy animation; so-so graphics; uninteresting gameplay.    The most die-hard horror fans won't stick with this one long enough to make it worthwhile.    46    B    MPCA Interactive    1401 Ocean Avenue    Suite 301    Santa Monica, CA 90401                    September
Review Index    Blown Away    Good full-screen video and some really nice puzzles.    The video and puzzles are a lot better on their own than combined; not very interactive.    Another "multimedia" game. There's just not enough interaction here to satisfy most gamers.    79    B    IVI Publishing    7500 Flying Cloud Drive    Eden Prairie, MN 55344            [phone]            February
Review Index    Blues Brothers' Jukebox Adventure    Mindless arcade fun, and you can play it straight off the disk!    Weak graphics; repetitive action; a disappointing soundtrack.    You don't have to be a nostalgia hound to enjoy this shooter, but it helps.    65    B    Titus Software    20432 Corisco Street    Chatsworth, CA 91311            [phone]            October
Review Index    Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess    Excellent for beginners.    Graphics in play mode take you back to EGA days.    The excellent beginner lessons, historical reference, and strong AI can't outweigh that ugly 2-D board.    67    B    Mission Studios    P.O. Box 1265    Palatine, IL 60078            [phone]            March
Review Index    Brainstorm!    Interesting and challenging puzzles.    Dry, clinical feel; limited replay value; and too few puzzles.    If you╒re into puzzles that really make you think, this is for you.    67    B    Simon & Schuster Interactive    175 Fifth Ave.    Suite 2122    New York, NY 10010                    October
Review Index    Bravo Romeo Delta    Generates loads of tension; has a marvelously authentic feel to it.    As we say down in the South, "It looks like it's been whupped with an Ugly Stick!"    For those who can stomach the prospect of nuclear war -- and the horrid graphics -- it's a unique experience.    65    B    R.A.W. Entertainment Inc.    957 NASA Road One, #146    Houston, TX 77058-3098            [phone]            June
Review Index    Breach 3    Entertaining squad-level combat. Good mission builder.    Retro grraphics, lack of narrative thrust.    An entertaining squad-level game that doesn╒t quite measure up to the current crop.    77    B    Impressions    222 Third St.    Suite 234    Cambridge, MA 02142                    January
Review Index    Breakthru    A lot like Tetris, but with more bells and whistles.    The action and strategy quickly becomes familiar, then frustrating, and eventually tiresome.    Good for a while, but isn't unique enough to have the staying power of a Tetris.    67    B    Spectrum HoloByte    2490 Mariner Square Loop    Alameda, CA 94501            [phone]            December
Review Index    Brett Hull Hockey    Great player and goalie animations.    The limited elements put BH 95 far behind in the simulation stakes.    Not for sim fans who like to manage all aspects of their team; those who don't want frills should hit the ice.    73    B    Accolade Inc.    5300 Stevens Creek Boulevard    San Jose, CA 95129            [phone]            July
Review Index    Bridge Baron for Windows    Basic strength of play is its best feature, but there's so much more.    If you don't like bridge, there's nothing here for you. Any faults beyond that would be pretty nit-picky.    Stacked with well-thought-out features, Bridge Baron really delivers the goods.    88    B    Great Game Products, Inc.    8804 Chalon Drive    Bethesda, MD 20817                        August
Review Index    Bridge Olympiad    Great graphics and a smooth interface make for quick play against strong opponents.    Playability is slightly hampered by lack of minor features, such as auto-playing, forced moves, and canceling a rubber match.    A really solid program.    86    B    QQP    495 Highway 202    Flemington, NJ 08822            [phone]            September
Sports    British Open Championship Golf    Easy to get into, tremendous atmosphere; gorgeous graphics; good commentary.    Only two courses; lack of Internet options is a bummer.    The tournament setting, presentation, and ease-of-use makes this a winner.    88    B    Eidos Interactive    303 Sacramento St.    San Francisco    CA    94111    [phone]            July '97, p. 204
Review Index    Bruce Jenner's World Class Decathlon    Wide variety of events.    Gameplay is little more than clicking your mouse at the right time; limited multimedia elements.    One or two times through is probably enough, unless you want to invest enough hours to challenge Bruce one-on-one.    52    B    Interactive Magic    P.O. Box 13491    Research Triangle Park, NC 27709,            [phone]            October
Review Index    Brutal: Paws of Fury    Nice cartoon-style characters, a variety of special moves, and some genuine humor.    Limited in gameplay; fast animation can be hard to follow.    The simple nature and less-than-demanding gameplay keep it from standing out in the growing field of fighting games.    75    B    GameTek    2999 Northeast 191st St.    Suite 500    North Miami Beach, FL 33180                     November
Arcade    Bug!    Cute characters; solid control.    The game itself is incredibly dry and uninspired. Not SegaÆs best title to choose to port over to the PC.    Unless youÆre a die-hard platform freak, stay away from Bug!    44    B    Sega Entertainment    P. O. Box 8097    Redwood City    CA     94063    [phone]            January '97, p. 259
Review Index    Bureau 13    Simple interface; a good variety of puzzles; and lots of replay value.    Numerous flaws will frustrate you; the voice acting is embarrassingly bad; the game world lacks vitality.    If nothing else, Bureau 13 provides a good fix until a better graphic adventure comes along.    76    B    Take 2 Interactive    1004 Ligonier Street    Latrobe, PA 15650            [phone]            May
Review Index    Buried in Time    Beautiful graphics; strong story line; and rich soundtrack.    In the beginning, it's all too easy to become frustrated by the movement interface. Runs slow on 486s.    A good sci-fi yarn with plenty of interesting puzzles; just don't expect to get through it in a weekend.    80    B    Sanctuary Woods    1825 S. Grant Street    San Mateo, CA 94402            [phone]            October
Review Index    Burn Cycle    Cool cyberpunk atmosphere, great soundtrack, complex story line.    Graphics are sometimes chunky; the plot is too linear.    The blend of puzzles, arcade action, mysteries and cyberspace won╒t be too interesting.    71    B    Philips Media, Inc.    10960 Wilshire Blvd    Los Angeles, CA 90024            [phone]            January
Review Index    C.E.O.    An adequate train and bus simulation.    Never jells into a cohesive whole; clumsy design elements, gameplay; sparse statistical data.    More a transportation sim in disguise, C.E.O. never convinces you that you're running a huge corporation.    65    C    I-Motion    1341 Ocean Avenue    Box 417    Santa Monica, CA 90401                    October
Review Index    Caddyhack    The animations, graphics, and course design are nicely done.    Lousy ball physics, bad controls, and cheesy horror theme.    Minature golf gone bad. The poorly executed gameplay has given miniature golf sims a bad debut.    29    C    Virgin Interactive Entertainment    18601 Fiitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            December
Review Index    Caesar II    Magnificent grahics; well balanced strategy elements; highly addictive; rewarding.    Some may find routine city-building monotonous; the frustration level may be a bit too high.    Caesar II provides a colorful, rich, absorbing, game-experience and should delight a large, diverse audience.    93    C    Sierra Online    3380 146th Place S.E.    Suite 300    Bellevue, WA 98007                    January
Adventure    CallahanÆs Crosstime Saloon    There are some genuinely funny jokes. Gameplay is just right; not too easy or hard.    There ar esome genuinely unfunny jokes. Some puzzles were pointless.    A traditional adventure game with a good story, funny bits, and decent puzzles.    86    C    Take 2 Interactive    1004 Ligonier Street    Latrobe    PA    15650    412-474-2000            May '97, p. 139
Review Index    Campaign II    Fans of the original will probably like it.    This game has weak graphics, a clunky interface, and very confusing arcade sequences. It's just not much fun.    It all adds up to frustration with a capital F. Only the games' designers (and possibly their mothers) could love this gobbler.    35    C    Empire Software    4 Professional Drive    Suite 123    Gaithersburg, MD 20879                    June
Review Index    Cannon Fodder    Incredible fast-paced gameplay; solid graphics engine; good sound effects.    Sometimes hard to get exact control from the mouse interface.    A great arcade game in every sense of the word; a simple idea that has been done up right.    88    C    Virgin Interactive    1806 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            November
Review Index    Capitalism    Broad and deep business simulation, helped along by an excellent tutorial.    Too complex for some gamers; too tedious for others.    If you╒re the least bit interested in the subject, give this one a try.    89    C    Interactive Magic    P.O. Box 13491    Research Triangle Park, NC 27709            [phone]            December
Arcade    Captain Quazar    ItÆs easy to set up and start playing.    No fun, plenty of annoying faults.    Half-hearted arcade dross to be avoided.    19    C    Studio 3DO    600 Galveston Dr.    Redwood City    CA    94063    [phone]            February '97, p. 141
Racing/Action    Carmageddon    Guts and gore! Very playable and addictive.    An unfinished feel; feeble graphics engine; too many minor nags.    An incredibly fun game, but rough around the edges and technologically inferior to other action racing games on the market.    78    C    Interplay    16815 Von Karman Ave.    Irvine    CA    92714    (800) 969-GAME            October '97, p. 211
Review Index    Carriers at War II    Simple interface, a wealth of info, and varied scenarios make it a winner.    Graphics could be a lot better, and a decent campaign mode would be welcome too.    The best carrier wargame around; easy to get into and deep enough to last.    85    C    SSG    P.O. Box 30085    Pensacola, FL 32503                        July
Review Index    Case of the Rose Tatoo: The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes    Great story; gorgeous graphics; good puzzles.    Typical graphic adventure complaints; jarring lapses in realism; snail-like pace except on fast machines.    A must-have for Sherlock Holmes fans and anyone who enjoys a good mystery.    80    C    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Blvd.    San Mateo, CA 94404            [phone]            December
Review Index    Casino Deluxe    Beautiful graphics; accurate representations of popular casino games.    No options for multiplayer competition; weak strategy guides.    A great way to get your gambling fix without taking a big hit to your wallet.    80    C    Impressions Software    222 Third Street    Cambridge, MA 02142            [phone]            October
Review Index    Casino Expert for Windows    You won't be risking much even if you don't like the game.    You just can't lose, so this ain't gambling. And the games are all quite average.    If realism doesn't matter to you and you're tight on cash, you might like it.    51    C    Expert Software    800 Douglas Road    North Tower, Suite 355    Coral Gables, FL 33134                    August
Review Index    Casino Tournament of Champions    Modem/network features mean you don't have to wait for Saturday night to play a little poker.    A less-than-intuitive user interface makes for a lot of delays and unnecessary clicking.    Plenty of casino gaming for the buck. A little tweaking could've really made this baby sing.    79    C    Capstone    501 Brickell Key Drive    6th Floor    Miami, FL 33131                    June
Review Index    Catfight    At least it╒s better than the same company╒s Island Peril.    Truly awful on all accounts. Bad graphics, tiresome action, and lame controls.    A complete bore. Avoid this one like the plague.    18    C    Atlantean Interactive Games    15127 Califa St.    Van Nuys, CA 91411            [phone]            October
Strategy    Cave Wars    A novel concept, with a multi-tiered world and bizarre subterranean milieu.    A lack of update screens, diplomacy, interaction, custom options, tactical combat.    Bare bones strategic gaming with few frills; fresh ideas but poor execution.    75    C    Avalon Hill    4517 Hartford Road    Baltimore    MD    21214    Order Hotline: [phone]            March '97, p. 162
Review Index    Celtic Tales    Detailed control; great historical background; absorbing storyline.    Confusing gameplay; poor instructions for beginners.    It's a great game for experienced strategy gamers, but the average gamers will find the game confusing.    87    C    KOEI Corp.    1350 Old Bayshore Hwy.    Suite 540    Burlingame, CA 94010                    September
Review Index    Chaos    A grreat story with tricky puzzles.    Graphics could be smoother, and some online hints would be welcome for the toughest puzzles..    A refreshingly different sort of adventure game, it will surelyy inspire many players to learn more about Chaos Theory.    82    C    Harper Collins Interactive    10 E. 53rd St.    New York, NY 10022            [phone]            July
Review Index    Chaos Continum    Very impressive graphics and sound.    Pretty short on actual gameplay.    Like many CD-ROM games, it looks great, but you'll have to decide if that's enough.    61    C    Creative Multimedia    514 N.W. 11th Avenue    Suite 203    Portland, OR 97209                    June
Review Index    Chaos Control    The graphics and animation are as good as they get.    It╒s a tough game, and it could have used a bit more variety.    The graphics and story elements help raise an otherwise monotonous shooter into an absorbing tale of adventure.    82    C    I-Motion    1341 Ocean Ave.    Box 417    Santa Monica, CA 90401                    December
Review Index    Chessmaster 5000    Very strong AI; instructional aids; graphics -- all detailed and customizable.    Supports Win 95 only.    The flexibility of almost every aspect of this program makes it inviting for chess fans at any level.    90    C    Mindscape    88 Rowland Way    Novato, CA 94945             [phone]            November
Review Index    Chessnet    For playing over third-party BBSs, networks, and direct modem connections, this program is the king daddy.    As a stand-alone chess opponent, this program bites.    If you're a chess player with a modem and $20, buy Chessnet 3.    81    C    Masque Publishing    P.O. Box 5223    Englewood, CO 80155            [phone]            November
Review Index    Chronicles of the Sword    Nice, high-res graphics and a decent game engine.    Not enough story; gameplay dissolves into a series of pixel hunts.    Synthetic Dimensions draws on neither the strength of their game engiine nor of the subject matter for this laclkuster title.    65    C    Psygnosis    919 E. Hillsdale Blvd.    2nd Floor    Foster City, CA 94404                    September
Review Index    Chronomaster    Excellent graphics, variety of puzzles, raning from no-brainers to hair-pullers; good plot and lots of interaction keeps things interesting.    Too much time is spent traveling; newcomers may find the options overwhelming.    It doesn't break any new ground, but it delivers a mighty big dose of puzzle-solving fun, even for experienced gamers.    84    C    Capstone    501 Brickell Key Dr.    6th Floor    Miami, FL 33131                    April
Review Index    CIA: Central Intelligence    This could have been a great premise.    Not entertaining; not exciting; not really much of a game.    A lesson in wasted potential, Central Intelligence is strictly for those who like stats-based, slow-paced gaming.    53    C    Ocean of America, Inc.    1855 O'Toole Avenue    Suite D-102    San Jose, CA 95131                    June
Adventure    Circle of Blood    Simple interface; beautiful, crisp graphics; challenging puzzles; intriguing story line.    Voice acting isnÆt exactly professional; some puzzles require too much pixel-hunting.    ItÆs entertaining, challenging, and worth playing, but itÆs not a graphic adventure that will blow you away.    80    C    Virgin Interactive    18061 Fitch Avenue    Irvine    CA    92714    [phone]            January '97, p. 234
Arcade    Circuit Racer    Runs on low-end systems; only takes up 7MB.    Blah, circa-1995 graphics; no convincing sense of speed; unrefined gameplay.    You can do a lot better than this -- unless you have an older system, there are no reasons to bother.    58    C    WizardWorks    2300 Berkshire Lane North    Plymouth    MN    55441    [phone]            November '97, p. 230
Adventure    City of Lost Children, The    The graphics are sensational; dark mood.    Incredibly short playing time; pointless puzzles; Euro-crap interface.    Rent the cult movie instead; it'll blow your mind. The game will just blow your temper.    48    C    Psygnosis    919 E. Hillsdale Blvd.    Foster City    CA    94404    [phone]            July '97, p. 194
Review Index    Civil War: 1861-1864    It's packed with  details and achieves great balance between the strategic and the tactical.    Graphic style may alienate as many as it pleases, especially the miniatures-style battle scenes.    The most ambitious Civil War game ever designed for the PC. Very impressive indeed.    84    C    Empire Interactive    13220 Wisteria Drive    Germantown, MD 20874            [phone]            May
Puzzle    Clandestiny    Nice rendering, and there's a hidden book with some good Scottish recipes.    Cheesy animation, bad dialog, lame-o puzzles.    If tired puzzlers ye buy, best give it a try. If ye're nae inta it, ye'd best let it sit.    30    C    Virgin Interactive    18061 Fitch Avenue    Irvine    CA    92714    Order Hotline: [phone]            March '97, p. 157
Review Index    Classic Five    Mouse interface is easy to use; lots of games for one price.    No bells or whistles; you'll probably yearn for a more intelligent computer opponent.    Individually these games have been done before and done better.    56    C    Interplay    17922 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            July
Review Index    Classic Jackpot!    Five fast-playing casino games; perfect for work breaks.    Three of the games require little or no skill, and there's no tutorial to help you master the other two.    A fun--and safe--way to enjoy casino action.    77    C    Impressions Software    222 3rd Street    Suite 0234    Cambridge, MA 02142                    September
Review Index    Clockwerx    Intricate movement system adds new dimension to an otherwise standard puzzle game.    Lack of humor and the limited variety of puzzles affect the games' longevity.    As puzzlers go, the idea behind Clockwerx is clever enough to demand a look.    75    C    Spectrum HoloByte    2490 Mariner Square Loop    Alameda, CA 94501            [phone]            July
Review Index    Close Combat    Realism, strategy, immersion and action combine in one close quarters wargame.    Minuscule men, control problems, no elevation, and a limited choice of scenarios.    Close Combat is brilliant and engaging, a bold new chapter in wargaming, but not without its drawbacks.    89    C    Microsoft    1 Microsoft Way    Redmond, WA 98052-6399            [phone]            October
Review Index    Colonization    An effective interface for gaming complexity to satisfy the most exacting player.    Graphics could be a lot better, and a decent campaign mode would be welcome too.    Strategic simulations as only Sid can do it; need we say more?    85    C    MicroProse    180 Lakefront Drive    Hunt Valley, MD 21030            [phone]            January
Simulation    Comanche 3    Overall fun gameplay and sharp graphics engine.    Idiot wingman, small game world, dippy AI in general.    A fun, good-looking game that will keep you playing -- just don't expect Longbow - level sim quality.    78    C    NovaLogic    18510 Ventura Blvd., Suite 200    Tarzana     CA    91356    818-744-0600            July '97, p. 148
Review Index    Command & Conquer    A great real-time wargame set against a well-executed cinematic backdrop.    More could have been done to upgrade the Dune II Engine, such as an additional zoom level.    If you like strategy games, get Command & Conquer.    91    C    Virgin Interactive Entertainment    18061 Fitch Ave.    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            November
Review Index    Command & Conquer: Red Alert    It╒s a follow-up to one of the best games of all time, and it╒s faithful to the original.    Some changes are merely cosmetic; the AI hasn╒t improved that much; some missions have too much of a ╥puzzle╙ element.    Red Alert will be liked by the legions of the faithful, and win new converts as well.    91    C    Virgin Interactive Entertainment    18601 Fiitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            December
Review Index    Commander Blood    There's certainly nothing else quite like it.    Once the novelty wears off, there's just not enough gameplay to hold your interest for long.    If a friend buys it, it's worth watching him or her play for a few minutes.    58    C    Mindscape    88 Roland Way    Novato CA 94945                        May
Review Index    Congo: Descent Into Zinj    Simple interface, above-average acting.    The solutions to puzzles are often far-fetched; inability to examine the items you pick up; steep system requirements.    Die-hard adventurers may like it, but most folks will toss up their hands in confusion.    57    C    Viacom New Media    1515 Broadway    New York, NY 10036            [phone]            April
Review Index    Connections    James Burke and his collection of videos; great graphics.    Not much gameplay; thin connections; only five levels.    Burke is entertaining to watch, but that doesn╒t necessarily make Connections a great game.    59    C    Discover Channel Multimedia    7700 Wisconsin Ave.    Bethesda, MD 20814            [phone]            December
Review Index    Conquer for Windows    Slick, fast-paced, strategic exploration and combat. It has a nice balance between strategy and production priorities.    Pig-ugly; a brazen rip-off of a better game.    If you liked Empire, you╒ll like Conquer. They╒re practically the same game.    65    C    Micro Star    2245 Camino Vida Roble    Carlsbad, CA 92009            [phone]            August
Review Index    Conqueror, A.D. 1086    Looks great, sounds great, and the field battles are good, bloody fun.    Hopeless mouse control in jousting segments, big logic-holes in the economic system, no siege warfare, numerous skimped details that could easily have been corrected.    A beautiful but half-baked game from a company that should know better.    60    C    Sierra On-Line    3380 146th Place S.E.    Suite 300    Bellevue, WA 98007                    March
Review Index    Conquest of the New World    Flexible gameplay lets you focus on what you want; best combat model of any nation-building sim; network play.    Not a lot of variety in the graphis; interaction is dry and lifeless; no map editor.    An enjoyable strategy game for fans of the genre; good change of pace for any gamer.    79    C    Interplay Productions    17922 Fitch Ave.    Irvine CA 92714            [phone]            July
Review Index    Conspiracy    The video clips, and Donald Sutherland's fine performance, really stand out.    Aside from the new high-tech shell, this is a very basic game with a linear plot and confusing tone.    A case of new clothes for an old game.    58    C    Virgin    18061 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            June
Review Index    Corridor 7    Fast-paced action, plenty to do, and some nice extras.    The sound and graphics aren't all that great, hurting the overall package.    If this is the sort of gameplay you'll love, It's worth a look. If it's not, though, this game won't convert you.    68    C    Capstone    501 Brickell Key Drive    6th Floor    Miami, FL 33131                    July
Review Index    Cowboy Casino    The interaction with each character is good for a few hoots and belly laughs.    Limited gameplay; what's here just isn't very challenging.    The game's best feature is the live action video. When the novelty wears off, though, you're left with a mediocre game.    64    C    Intellimedia Sports, Inc.    Suite 300    Two Piedmont Center    Atlanta, GA 30305                     September
Review Index    Creature Shock    Incredible graphics, great atmosphere...did I mention the incredible graphics?    The gameplay is thin; the controls are occasionally frustrating.    The visuals earn it a high rating--but if you're hoping for depth, keep looking.    83    C    Virgin Interactive    18061 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            March
Review Index    Crime Patrol    Nice, bright video; good B-movie soundtrack.    Some truly cheesy acting; low on interaction.    One of the best titles from American Laser Games, and a fun arcade romp. Don't expect a lot of strategy, though.    78    C    American Laser Games    4801 Lincoln Road NE    Albuquerque, NM 87109            [phone]            February
Review Index    Crossword Wizard    Easy to use, tons of puzzles, and lots of options to personalize the game.    Obviously, if you don't like crossword puzzles, this one won't hold a lot of appeal for you.    A great way for crossword addicts to get their fix.    88    C    Cogix Corp.    419 Redwood Rose    San Anselmo, CA 94960                        September
Review Index    CrossWorld    Lots of crosswords; lots of ways to cheat.    Outdated an lame clues; nearly unreadable ╥Decoder╙ section; lazy design.    There╒s nothing new here; for crossword fanatics and cheaters only.    30    C    GameTek    2999 Northeast 191st St.    Suite 500    Aventura, FL 33180                    July
FIghting    Crow: City of Angels, The    Lovely backgrounds. Lasts longer than the movie.    Bad audio, bad control, bad movie. The Crow walks funny.    The worst movie license fighting game since Expect No Mercy.    32    C    Acclaim    1 Acclaim Plaza    Glen Cove    NY    11542-2777    [phone]            July '97, p. 205
Review Index    Crusader: No Regret    Gamepad support, cool new graphics and weapons, and brutal new levels.    Extremely violent. Too tough at times, sluggish response at times, and touchy controls.    If action, adventure, and a little multimedia hamminess is up your alley, look no further than Crusader: No Regret.    88    C    Origin    5918 Courtyard DR.    Austin, TX 78730            [phone]            November
Review Index    Crusader: No Remorse    Incredible graphics, sound and gameplay..    Graphic violence, unsuitable for youngsters; no joystick support.    A great alternative to first-person shoot╒em-ups, and a definite must-play for action fans..    93    C    Origin    5918 W. Courtyard Dr.    Austin, TX 78730            [phone]            December
Strategy    Crush! Deluxe    Unique, turn-based style of play; multi-player mode can be entertaining.    Bore-o-rama graphics and sound; the higher math can get tedious.    A mediocre thinking-man's game of blood, sweat, and tears.    58    C    MegaMedia    47381 Bayside Parkway    Fremont     CA    94538    (800) MEGAMEDIA            November '97, p. 250
Review Index    Crystal Caliburn    Realistic graphics combined with seamless arcade play make this one a classic.    No screen-scrolling option; sound effects could have been a lot better.    Shows that you don't need a CD-ROM to find extraordinary arcade fun.    90    C    StarPlay Productions Inc.    P.O. Box 217    Greeley, CO 80632            [phone]            December
Review Index    Crystal Skull, The    A few okay puzzles; some of the acting is good for its unintentional comedic value.    Mostly puzzles; less-than-great graphics.    If you want a Multimedia Aztec Adventure, try Inca instead. If you want a good adventure, go buy The Beast Within.    33    C    Maxis    2121 N. California Blvd.    Walnut Creek    CA    94596-3572    [phone]            February '97, p. 172
Review Index    Custer's Last Command    Does exactly what it sets out to d, and does it with real style.    The interface is annoyingly sluggish for some functions.    For anyone interested in Custer and the Battle of Little Big Horn subject, this game is a must.    86    C    HPS Simulations    PO Box 3245    Santa Clara, CA 95055             [phone]            November
Review Index    Cyber Judas    Interesting facts from CIA book; different players each game.    Interface can be clumsy; repetitive gameplay in some scenarios; long load times on slower machines.    Offers a lot to those interested in the presidency, but most will find it dull.    65    C    Merit Studios    13707 Gamma Road    Dallas, TX 75244            [phone]            October
Review Index    CyberBykes    Supports head-to-head play via modem or over a network, and there╒s a built-in editor for creating custom levels.    Unconvincing graphics, irritating soundtrack, frustrating gameplay.    The single-player game is a bust.    57    C    GameTek    2999 Northeast 191st St.    Suite 500     Aventura, FL 33180                    January
Arcade    CyberGladiators    Attractive graphics; smooth animations; intuitive controls.    Minimal story line or options; uninspired, angular characters.    CyberGladiators is a real arcade-style fighter for the PC that's more than capable of standing up to a fight.    80    C    Sierra Online    P.O. Box 3404    Salinas    CA    93912    [phone]            February '97, p. 117
Review Index    Cyberia    Lots of arcade action and gut-grabbing graphics.    Experienced gamers may be disappointed with this fancy shootin' gallery.    Lots of flash and a few puzzlers, but like Chinese food, it may leave you hungry an hour later.    75    C    Interplay    17922 Fitch Ave.    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            April
Review Index    Cyberia 2: Resurrection    It╒s easy to get into, attractively presented and good for a few aimless thrills.    Very little to get your teeth into, and even less to keep you playing after a few hours.    Cyberia is one game that really didn╒t need to be resurrected.    40    C    Virgin Interactive Ent.    18061 Fitch Ave.    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            July
Review Index    CyberMage    Gorgeous graphis, excellent sound effects; a very effective blend of action and adventure.    Not a lot of interaction with other characters; pretty steep hardware requirements.    A fantastic mix of all the best elements from several gaming genres.    92    C    Origin    5918 Courtyard Dr.    Austin TX 78730            [phone]            April
Review Index    Cyclemania    Full-motion video backgrounds look pretty sharp in high resolution mode.    The graphics are block in full-screen mode, and the odd perspective can be frustrating.    Cyclemania's nifty backgrounds just aren't enough to make up for mediocre gameplay.    66    C    Accolade    5300 Stevens Creek Boulevard    San Jose, CA 95129            [phone]            February
Review Index    Cyclones    It has all the good things that make a first-person shooter tick.    Moving while shooting in the heat of battle can be awkward at times. And that full-motion video--why?    Cyclones shows that Doom-like games are here to stay, and they're not all cheesy  rip-offs.    81    C    Strategic Simulations Inc.    675 Almanor Avenue    Suite 201    Sunnyvale, CA 94086-2901                    March
Review Index    D    Well-paced, compelling, and genuinely creepy.    The game is too linear, too simple, too short; there╒s very little replay value.    D is fair entertainment, for about two hours.    69    D    Acclaim Entertainment    1 Acclaim Plaza    Glen Cove, NY 11542-2777            [phone]            June
Adventure    D.A. Pursuit of Justice: Sunset Boulevard Deuce, The     Interesting and original; and even educational.    Short lifespan, game procedures can be repetitive and frustrating.    A game of limited appeal, but armchair attorneys willing to do their homework will find it interesting.    70    D    Legacy Software    5340 Alla Road    Los Angeles    CA    90066    310-823-2423            August '97, p. 124
Review Index    D-Day: America Invades    Beautiful graphics; smooth-as-silk gameplay; exceptional historical depth.    You may find the fighting a bit too claustrophobic for your taste.    This game is excellent in every respect.    95    D    Avalon Hill    4517 Harftord Road    Baltimore, MD 21214            [phone]            October
Review Index    D-Day: The Beginning of the End    Simple interface, good graphics, and a fun campaign game.    Micro-Miniatures combat is often confusing, making tactics nearly impossible.    Some interesting qualities, but they don't add up to a satisfactory whole.    71    D    Impressions Software    222 3rd Street    Suite 0234    Cambridge, MA 02142                    August
Review Index    Daedalus Encounter    Smooth, beautiful video; variety of gameplay; and plenty of puzzles.    Excessive sit 'n watch segments, and some really dumb dialog.    A sincere attempt to make a program that works both as an interactive movie and game.    79    D    Virgin Interactive Entertainment    18061 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            July
Review Index    Dagger's Rage    Excellent graphics; more than just an arcade game.    Action is repetitive and simple; strategic elements are frustrating, clunky interface.    It╒s all been done - and done better - many times before. Only worth a look if you╒re tired of play Raptor or Tyrian.    55    D    Microforum    1 Woodborough Ave.    Toronto, Canada M6M5A1            [phone]            December
Review Index    Daggerfall    A huge world with tons of dungeons, monsters, characters, spells.    Bugs that should╒ve been smoked out before release. Some of the generic dungeons are boring to explore.    Without a doubt, one of the more realistic, involved, and impressive RPGs on the market. A definite must for any roleplaying fan.    90    D    Bethesda Softworks    1370 Piccard Drive    Rockville, MD 20850            [phone]            December
Review Index    Dame Was Loaded (The)    Lots of puzzles; good interface; multiple endings give the game good replay value.    Poor save-game  option and inventory access; static photos make for a lifeless feel.    A fun adventure in spite of a few design problems.    72    D    Philips Media, Inc.    10960 Wilshire Blvd.    Los Angeles, CA 90024            [phone]            July
Strategy    Dark Colony    Good graphics and mix of units; the chance to play the "Grays."    Not too original; almost idential units for both sides. Simple AI.    Even though it doesn't improve on the real-time strategy genre, it's an enjoyable sci-fi romp with a good campaign mode.    79    D    SSI    675 Almanor Ave., Suite 201    Sunnyvale     CA    94086-2901    [phone]            November '97, p. 235
Review Index    Dark Eye    Truly inspired and evocative presentation of Poe╒s story.    Actual ╥game╙ content is lean; structure can be confusing.    A weird, wild, not altogether understandable nightmare journey, though not terribly interactive.    80    D    Inscape    P.O. Box 251829    Los Angeles, CA 90025            [phone]            August
Review Index    Dark Forces    Terrific Star Wars atmosphere; tons of weapons; and true 3D action.    No multi-player support, and some of the levels are a little too busy.    It's easily the best first-person shooter since Doom, and a must for Star Wars fans everywhere.    92    D    LucasArts    P.O. Box 10307    San Rafael CA 94912            [phone]            May
Review Index    Dark Legions    Outstanding graphics, sound, design, and gameplay--with modem play to boot!    Multicreature combat would have been a nice touch.    A rare, winning combination of strategy and arcade combat. Expect folks to be talking about this one for a while.    90    D    Strategic Simulations Inc.    675 Almanor Avenue    Suite 210    Sunnyvale, CA 94086                    July
Review Index    Dark Sun    Strong interface with playable combat and good interaction with NPCs.    Graphics aren't great, hard-drive requirements are horrendous, and handling objects can be clumsy.    If you liked the first Dark Sun game, buy this one immediately.     85    D    Strategic Simulations Inc.    675 Almanor Avenue    Suite 201    Sunnyvale, CA 94086-2901                    January
Action    Darklight Conflict    Gorgeous graphics, impressive effects and challenging missions.    No modem or TCP/IP options; poor control and limited joystick support; extremely difficult missions.    A beautiful and challenging alternative to cinematic space combat games.    80    D    Electronic Arts    P.O. Box 7578    San Mateo    Ca    94403-7578    415-513-7171            July '97, p. 158
Review Index    Darkseed II    Giger's artwork and backgrounds provide a menacing atomosphere.    Bad dialog, bad animation, bad puzzles.    It's not nearly as troubled as the original Darkseed, but it's certainly not a good way to spend your gaming dollar.    45    D    CyberDreams/MGM Interactive    2500 Broadway    Santa Monica, CA 90404            [phone]            May
Review Index    Dawn Patrol    Some of the finest plane graphics and forgiving flight physics.    Flight physics may be too forgiving; many missions feel the same; confusing keyboard commands.    Doesn't knock Red Baron from the skies, but makes a good addition to your flight-sim library.    83    D    Empire Interactive    13220 Wisteria Drive, Bay N-2    Germantown, MD 20874            [phone]            March
Arcade    Daytona USA    Realistic driving physics; smooth graphics.    Choppy frame-rate; limited number of cars and tracks; port could have been done much better.    Daytona USA is a solid, if limited, racing experience.    67    D    Sega Entertainment    P.O. Box 8097    Redwood City    CA     94063    (888) SEGA-SALES            February '97, p. 171
Review Index    Deadline    Nice variety of missions, a few interesting concepts.    Maddening interface, mediocre graphics, occasional problems with controlling your team.    Despite its interesting concept, Deadline is dead on arrival.    51    D    Vic Tokai, Inc.    22904 Lockness Ave.    Torrance, CA 90501            [phone]            August
Review Index    Deadlock    Deep, engrossing, and handsome, it╒s one of the best conquer-the-planet strategy games in years.    Surly and ungrateful colonists get pissed off too easily and too often.    This may well be the long-awaited inheritor of the Master of Orion crown.    88    D    Accolade    5300 Stevens Creek Blvd.    Suite 500    San Jose, CA 95129                    December
Arcade    Deadly Tide    Damn fine graphics, a semi-playable 360-degree shooting mode, and plenty of cool rendered bubbles.    Too bad itÆs still a cookie-cutter rail-shooter. Gets real boring, real fast.     The Waterworld of gaming.    60    D    Microsoft     One Microsoft Way    Redmond    WA    98052-6399    [phone]            January '97, p. 260
Arcade    Death Rally    Beautiful graphics; fast racing action; itÆs fun playing dirty    No race map;; merely average computer opponents.    You can take revenge on all those bad drivers in this fun little arcade racer (without all those nasty legal consequences).    84    D    GT Interactive    16 East 40th St.     New York    NY    10016    [phone]            February '97, p. 142
Action    DeathDrome    Runs fast, looks good, and it can be fun.    Once you figure out how to exploit a glaring design flaw, it's far too easy.    With a little more care and attention paid to gameplay, DeathDrome could have been a lot better.    68    D    Viacom New Media    1515 Broadway    New York    NY    10036    800-469-2539            April '97, p. 130
Review Index    Deathgate    Great visuals; unusual and absorbing storyline; and scores of challenging puzzles.    The lack of any animation or action may turn off gamers looking for more "modern" fare.    The best of Legend's text-and-pictures games--but perhaps a bit too bland for some.    83    D    Legend Entertainment    14200 Park Meadow Drive    Chantilly, VA 22021            [phone]            April
Review Index    Deathkeep    Each of the levels is different from the others.    Blocky graphics; difficult control; few roleplaying elements; jerky first-person movement; stupid monster AI; unoriginal story.    SSI has made some good RPGs using the TSR license, but his is not one of them.    20    D    SSI    675 Almanor Ave.    Suite 201    Sunnyvale, CA 94086                     November
Wargame    Decisive Battles of WWI: The Ardennes Offensive    Surprisingly good AI. Good replication of classic tabletop wargames.    Some questionable victory requirements. Retro design (which some will consider a "High").    Sure, it's just another Bulge game, but it's a very good one.    83    D    SSI    675 Almanor Ave., Suite 201    Sunnyvale     CA    94086    [phone]            October '97, p. 258
Review Index    Delta V    Visually stunning with fast 3-D gameplay and simple controls, so you can concentrate on flyin' and shootin'.    It may be pretty, but it's just too repetitive and frustrating to play for very long.    There's a great game lurking in here; I hope we get to see it one day.    68    D    Bethesda Softworks    1370 Piccard Drive    Rockville, MD 20850            [phone]            December
Review Index    Descent    Terrific graphics; non-stop action; and true 3D movement.    The complex controls can take a while to master.    Parallax did a magnificent job -- easily one of the most addictive and entertaining action games you'll play.    96    D    Interplay Productions    17922 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            (800) 969-GAME            May
Review Index    Descent II    Great new weapons, features, and graphics.    Too many l abyrinthine and claustrophobic levels; very, very tough.    If you thought the original Descent was a walk in the park, you╒ll meet your match in Descent II, but stick with it, and you╒ll enjoy the ride.    88    D    Interplay    17922 Fitch Ave.    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            June
Review Index    Desert Strike: Return of the Gulf    The graphics are decent, and the missions are varied.    Childish story; ticklish control; and some truly annoying sound effects.    If you wondered if you should have bought a cartridge system instead of a PC, Desert Strike will convince you that you made the right call.    61    D    Gremlin    2551 N. Clark Street    Suite 496    Chicago, IL 60614                    February
Strategy    Destiny    Strategic level play has great detail and epic sweep.    Tactical combat and 3-D modes just donÆt work; Discovery system is poorly explained.    An admirable contender, but it wonÆt replace Civilization in the hearts of many gamers.    75    D    Interactive Magic    P.O. Box 13491    Research Triangle Park     NC    27709    [phone]            January '97, p. 242
Review Index    Destruction Derby    Great slam-bang action; modem and network play.    The computer opponents are pretty wimpy.    Destruction Derby is a blast, and a welcome change of pace from high-end driving simulations.    88    D    Sony Interactive    919 E. Hillsdale Blvd.    2nd Floor    Foster City, CA 94404                    March
Arcade    Destruction Derby 2    Sensational graphics, bone-breaking action; about as subtle as a shower of anvils.    Hardware requirements are steep if you want maximum performance.    If you liked the original, you'll love this sequel.    86    D    Psygnosis/Sony Interactive    919 E. Hillsdale Blvd.    Foster City    CA    94404    [phone]            March '97, p. 124
Review Index    Detroit    A well-balanced, thoughtful, and enjoyable strategy game.    The graphics and sound aren't nearly as good as the game deserves.    One of the best economic strategy games to come along in quite some time. It's almost too much fun.    86    D    Impressions Software    222 3rd Street    Suite 0234    Cambridge, MA 02142                    July
Adventure    Deus    Immersive sound; two play modes; an improvement over its predecessor.    Irritations still outweigh any enjoyment you might find.    Interesting ideas are sabotaged by poor implementation and dated design.    58    D    ReadySoft    2221 Yonge St., Suite 400    Toronto, Ontario    Canada    M4S24B    416-322-7350            April '97, p. 137
Review Index    Devo's Adventures of the Smart Patrol    Lots of Devo influence, and some pretty funny moments.    It╒s too bad it╒s held together by a lousy game.    It╒s much better than the Cds coming from Queensryche and that little thing known as Prince, but that ain╒t saying much.    57    D    Inscape    P.O. Box 251829    Los Angeles, CA 90025            [phone]            December
Adventure    Diablo    Beautiful scenery; stream-lined interface; multi-player support.    Load times long for slow  PCs; quests are fairly linear when you get them; limited options with ranged weapons.    RPG fans have waited for this one for a long time, and they won't be disappointed.    90    D    Blizzard Entertainment    P.O. Box 18077    Irvine    CA    92713    [phone]            March '97, p. 102
Arcade    Die Hard Trilogy    Successfully captures the Die Hard spirit in three different, enjoyable game styles.    High system requirements, somewhat sluggish controls, gets a bit repetitive.    Great value for your gaming dollar, provided you have the horsepower.    84    D    Fox Interactive    P.O. Box 900    Beverly Hills    CA    90213    310-369-5369            June '97, p. 82
Review Index    Dig (The)    Good story line, challenging puzzles and satisfying gameplay.    Iit╒s a slow starter. Some puzzles are too vague at the beginning.    The Dig is yet another fun and rewarding adventure game from the masters of the genre.    88    D    LucasArts    P.O. Box 10307    San Rafael, CA 94912            [phone]            February
Review Index    Diggers    The variety of equipment keeps things interesting.    Controlling your miners can sometimes seem more trouble than it's worth.    A combination of Lemmings and Populous, Diggers doesn't quite offer the appeal of either.    75    D    Millennium Media Group    234 North Columbus Boulevard    Philadelphia, PA 19106            [phone]            April
Review Index    Dinotopia    Lush graphics; delightful, creative details; compelling, non-violent story.    Some episodes out-stay their welcome; occasionally tricky movement controls may cause frustration.    A handsome CD-ROM adaptation of a fantasy classic, and definitely a game for the whole family to share and enjoy.    89    D    Turner Interactive    1050 Techwood Drive NW    Atlanta, GA 30318            [phone]            June
Adventure    Discworld II: Mortality Bytes    Terrific animation, great music, and a huge story to work your way through.    Too much pointless dialog, working knowledge of Discworld books required.    Discworld fans will have fun, but everyone else will simply be confused.    73    D    Psygnosis    919 E. Hillsdale Blvd., 2nd Floor    Foster City    CA    94404    [phone]            April '97, p. 102
Review Index    Dominus    The ability to create your own monsters and discover new spells is a plus.    The manual could be better; it's easy to get lost in the clunky interface; and more combat views would be nice.    With real-time action and a variety of paths to victory, Dominus is a worthy addition to the growing pantheon of fantasy games.    79    D    U.S. Gold    303 Sacramento Street    San Francisco, CA 94111            [phone]            January
Review Index    Don't Quit Your Day Job    There's quite a lot of stand up comedy included in the game.     Bathroom humor; limited interactivity; mediocre graphics.    Avoid this really lame attempt at a graphic adventure -- it's not worth the time or money.     40    D    Philips Media    10960 Wilshire Blvd.    Los Angeles, CA 90024            [phone]            November
Review Index    Doom II    More Doom than you can shake a stick at; nice new levels; tough enemies; excellent Deathmatch play.    It's still just Doom, and a few more new additions would have been appreciated.    Go ahead and buy Doom II--if you think you can take the heat.    90    D    id Software    Town East Tower 180601 LBJ Freeway    Suite 615    Mesquite, TX 75150                    December
Review Index    Double Talk    One plus: The PC acts as a convenient timer.    There's only so much of these word puzzles one can stand.    Not a very successful mix of sports trivia and word game, or... ah, it's just disappointing that's all.    54    D    Boyle and Elggren Games, Inc.    77 W. 2nd S.    Salt Lake City, UT 84101            [phone]            February
Strategy    Dragon Dice    A good way to learn Dragon Dice. You can get dice combos without spending tons of money.    It's difficult to track the number and movements of your units. Lack of useful information.    It's a good learning tool, but the tabletop version is a deeper strategy game.    55    D    Interplay    16815 Von Karman Ave.    Irvine    CA    92714    [phone]            November '97, p. 303
Review Index    Dragon Lore    Great graphics; an entertaining story line; and enough action to keep it all pretty interesting.    Character animations are very stiff looking and many of the game's creatures are unrecognizable.    A solid adventure that goes beyond graphic gimmickry to create an intriguing story in an absorbing world.    82    D    Mindscape    88 Roland Way    Novato CA 94945                        May
Review Index    Dragon's Lair    It plays exactly like the arcade original.    It plays exactly like the arcade original.    If you liked the coin-op, you'll probably like this new CD-ROM version. But if you didn't, this won't change your mind.    65    D    ReadySoft    375 14th Avenue    Suite 7    Marham, Ontario, Canada L3R OH2                    August
Arcade    Dragonheart: Fire and Steel    Them dragons are good eatin'.    Clumsy controls, repetitive gameplay, and chunky graphics. A terrible use of a good movie license.    It's pointless and it has little to do with the movie. Don't bother.    25    D    Acclaim    One Acclaim Plaza    Glen Cove    NY    11542-2777    516-759-7800            April '97, p. 113
Review Index    Dragonsphere    An exciting new graphic adventure, packed with people and places to discover.    It could be longer, allowing for more detailed interaction with the characters you meet.    It's easy to lose yourself in this fresh, engaging game.    87    D    MicroProse    180 Lakefront Drive    Hunt Valley, MD 21030            [phone]            June
Review Index    Dreamweb    A gritty story and style and almost unlimited exploration.    Tiny view window and graphics give the game a dated look; more depth would be nice.    An involving gameworld and premise; not as polished as the best adventures, but definitely worth a look.    76    D    Empire Interactive    13220 Wisteria Drive    Bay N-2, Germantown, MD 20874            [phone]            January
Puzzle    Drowned God    Visually sumptuous and atmospheric, with interesting conspiratorial content.    Many familiar and frustrating puzzles, with almost as many bugs and frequent dead ends.    A fair twiddle-ware game that's undermined by bugs and mediocre gameplay.    69    D    Inscape    P.O. Box 251829     Los Angeles    CA    90025    [phone]            February '97, p. 110
Review Index    Drug Wars    Lots to shoot, and with the ALG Game Gun, Drug Wars should play just like an arcade game.    The video is pretty grainy; the repetitive action means there's little replay value here.    Easy-to-understand action that will more than satisfy fans of previous ALG games.    73    D    American Laser Games Inc.    4801 Lincoln Road NE    Albuquerque, NM 87109            [phone]            June
Review Index    Druid: Daemons of the Mind    Inventive story and game content; simple magic system.    Fussy interface, repetitive combat sequences.    An engaging adventure/RPG that purists may hate and newbies and adventure gamers enjoy.    81    D    Sir-tech    PO Box 245    Ogdensburg, NY 13669            [phone]            March
Review Index    Duke Nukem 3D    Incredible graphics; more non-stop violence than a John Woo film; level editor; addictive multi-player action.    Some levels are disorienting, and some bosses are very, very tough.    There╒s no sublte way to put it...Duke kicks ass!    93    D    3D Realms    P.O. Box 496419    Garland, TX 75049            [phone]            July
Strategy    Dungeon Keeper    Highly addictive, lots of subtle detail, and very attractive graphics.    Slow pace in multi-player battles; no built-in Internet support.    The line on the box is right; Evil is good.    90    D    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Blvd.    San Mateo    CA    94404    415-513-7171            September '97, p. 142
Review Index    Dungeon Master II    Good character development, nice magic system, and a nostalgic feel.    There's nothing new here; graphics and sound are extremely dated.    A return to the classic Dungeon Master universe; but is it really necessary?    65    D    Interplay    17922 Fitch Ave.    Irvine, CA 94086             (800) 969-GAME            November
Review Index    Dust    Realistic 3D environment; highly interactive characters; intuitive interface.    Lots of dialogue trees; slow story line; and bad voice acting.    If you╒re in the mood for a conversation with your computer, check it out. Otherwise, you╒ll probably get bored rather quickly.    68    D    Cyberflix, Inc.    4 Market Square    Knoxville, TN 37902            [phone]            December
Review Index    EarthSiege 2    Superb SVGA graphics and music, lots of missions, and a sleek interface.    Complex controls, steep system requirements, and a lack of variety in missions.    No matter how you look at it, EarthSiege 2 is an all-around good time.    90    E    Sierra    3380 146th Place S.E.    Suite 300    Bellevue, WA 98007                    June
Review Index    Earthworm Jim 1&2: The Whole Can of Worms    Excellent animation and level design, challenging action that never gets stale.    Sometimes touchy controls; very difficult levels; silly password/save system.    An incredible value for one of the best arcade titles available for the PC, period.    91    E    Playmates Interactive    16200 S. Trojan Way    LaMirada, CA 90638            [phone]            August
Review Index    Eastern Mind    Highly stylized, with a unique flavor and a metaphysical slant.    May be too obscure for many gamers; inspires the use of words like "metaphysical."    Pretty pictures, plenty of puzzles, but it's very strangeness may be off-putting.    58    E    Sony Imagesoft    2400 Broadway Ave.    Suite 550    Santa Monica, CA 90404                     November
Review Index    Ecco the Dolphin    A welcome departure from the usual platform game.    The controls can take some getting used to, and the graphics aren╒t great.    A solid, unusual bit of videogaming.    75    E    Sega of America    255 Shoreline Dr.    Redwood City, CA 94065                        January
Review Index    ECO: East Africa    Beautiful graphics; timely subject matter; good concept.    Monotonous game play; not enough action to keep your interest.    Only those who are interested in East Africa--and have a great deal of patience--need apply.    63    E    IVI Publishing    7500 Flying Cloud Drive    Minneapolis, MN 55344            [phone]            August
Review Index    Ecstatica    Ultra-realistic character movements; near-perfect perspective scaling; and fantastic graphic vistas.    Extreme violence and a touch of nudity may offend some.    A game that will delight and consume you in one fell swoop.    93    E    Psygnosis    675 Massachusetts    Cambridge, MA 02139            [phone]            February
Action/Adventure    Ecstatica II    Excellent graphics; lots of gameplay.    No joystick support; incredibly difficult and repetitive.    Despite its flaws, Ecstatica II is more than the sum of its parts, delivering hours of challenging, attractive gameplay.    82    E    Psygnosis    919 E. Hillsdale Blvd.    Foster City    CA    94404    415-655-5683            September '97, p. 170
Review Index    Eddie Kanter's Bridge Companion    Good lessons on playing out those difficult hands.    Lessons on advanced bidding theories are non-existent.    Overall, Eddie K delivers a strong program capable of competing with the better bridge programs on the market.    81    E    Lifestyle Software Group    63 Orange Street    Street Augustine, FL 32084-3584            [phone]            April
Review Index    EF2000    Cutting edge graphics; good flight engine; network play.    Very steep hardware requirements; a few bugs hamper the realism of the game.    A must-buy for hard-core flight simmers and a great game for novices.    88    E    Ocean of America    1870 Little Orchard St.    San Jose, CA 95125            [phone]            March
Review Index    Elder Scrolls: Arena    Fantastic graphics and sound; a very intuitive interface.    The storyline is a little thin, and there's not much meaningful interaction with NPCs.    A stunning technological achievement; give this game a better storyline, and you might have the best FRP ever designed.     88    E    Bethesda Softworks    1370 Piccard Drive    Rockville, MD 20850                        June
Review Index    Elements    A novel concept with nice graphics and sound.    Having to repeat things so often can be a pain.    A simple puzzler, but entertaining and challenging enough to keep you coming back.    78    E    Vila Crespo    1725 McGovern Street    Highland Park, IL 60035                        October
Review Index    Elk Moon Murder    High quality production of video sequences; fairly good acting; unique setting..    No replay value; lame murder mystery; doesn╒t add anything new to FMV game genre.    This is a good FMV game. Just don╒t expect to be entertained for very long.    68    E    Activision    11601 Wilshire Blvd.    Suite 1000    Los Angeles, CA 90025                     October
Strategy    Emperor of the Fading Suns    ItÆs epic in scale, atmospheric, and full of extremely deep gameplay.    Inadequate manual; stratospheric learning curve; solo play becomes a real trudge.    A lot of people are going to love this game; I didnÆt - but I respect it greatly.    75    E    SegaSoft    150 Shoreline Drive    Redwood City    CA    94065    415-802-4400            May '97, p. 138
Review Index    Empire II    The most powerful, flexible, wargame construction set ever published.    Some preset scenarios are pathetic; scenario builder is staggeringly complex and wretchedly explained.    One of the biggest disappointments in years.    63    E    New World Computing    P.O. Box 4302    Hollywood, CA 90078            [phone]            December
Review Index    Empire Soccer 94    Fast, fun and easy to play, but it presents a real challenge at higher levels.    Passing is tough because you can't see very far up field. Hold onto your seat--it may run too fast on the faster 486 machines.    There's plenty of entertaining soccer action packed into this little game.    79    E    Empire Software    4 Professional Drive    Suite 123    Gaithersburg, MD 20879                    September
Review Index    Endorfun    If you like no-brainers, Endorfun is as fluffy as they come. It╒s the Lite 1990╒s version of Tetris.    Excruciating color combinations, annoying New Age music, boring gameplay.    Endorfun just isn╒t fun. There are much better puzzle games out there.    59    E    Time Warner Interactive    2210 West Olive Ave.    Burbank, CA 91506            [phone]            December
Strategy    Enemy Nations    Solid core gameplay; good balance of elements; lots of replay value.    Gameplay glitches; poor memory management. Needs better way of presenting resource information.    Entertaining; just the right blalance of construction, research, resources, and combat.    86    E    Head Games    P.O. Box 2698     Reston     VA        [phone]            August '97, p. 110
Review Index    Entomorph    Both the cutscene animations and gameplay graphics look great. Puzzles are also terrific.    As original as it is, the plot tends toward chaos, and often leaves the player confused. Combat can be more frustrating than rewarding.    Entomorph is an attractive, innovative break from the usual RPG fare.    81    E    SSI    675 Almanor Ave.    Suite 201    Sunnyvale, CA 94086-2901                    January
Action    Eradicator    PIP; new enemies to kill; a few good weapons.    A few bad weapons; aggravating levels; repetitive, uninspired music.    ItÆs a decent shoot-Æem-up, but Eradicator needed to do more to take on Quake or Duke on their home turf.    78    E    Accolade    5300 Stevens Creek Boulevard, Suite 500    San Jose     CA    95129    [phone]            January '97, p. 212
Review Index    ESPN: Baseball Tonight    You get to hear Dan Patrick say "whiff" when a batter strikes out.    Once you go past the set-up screens, the visual quality turns "foul" with graphics that look at least five years old.    A decent baseball sim, but in today's market, that just isn't enough.    68    E    Sony Imagesoft    2400 Broadway    Suite 510    Santa Monica, CA 90404                    March
Review Index    Evasive Action    Fast, fun and easy to play, especially in two player mode.     Planes stall too easily, and the machine guns are set to semi-automatic.    Great fun, but probably too simple for serious flight sim fans.    80    E    Mindscape    88 Roland Way    Novato CA 94945                        August
Review Index    Expect No Mercy    Gory finishing moves; plenty of blood-and-guts; neat box art.    Ludicrous controls; lame puzzlles; tie-in with a grade B movie doesn╒t help it any.    Further evidence that movies should be seen and not played.    30    E    Microforum    1 Woodborough Ave.    Toronto, Canada M6M5A1            [phone]            September
Review Index    Expert Chess    Graphics are the strong units here with plenty of zany piece sets.    Weak AI; poor time controls; and no modem play.    There's really nothing new here. Even at $14.95, it's not much value to anyone but the novice player.    55    E    Expert Software    800 Douglas Road    Coral Gables, FL 33134            [phone]            January
Review Index    Exploration    A good, solid addition to a very popular genre.    Sub-par graphics; decidedly weird interface; too similar to other strategy/trading games.    Nothing new here, but if you haven't burned out on colonization games, it's a good time.    76    E    Interactive Magic    P.O. Box 13491    Research Triangle Park, NC 27709            [phone]            September
Review Index    Extractors    A good variety of mining tools; challenging gameplay; and plenty of levels.    Weird plot and characters; the interface can often prove more challenging than the puzzles.    If you like Lemmings-style puzzlers and can get past the convoluted story line, it's worth a look.    73    E    Vic Tokai    22940 Lockness Avenue    Torrance, CA 90501            [phone]            July
Arcade    Extreme Assault    Incredible graphics; fast action; slick presentation.    Complex control mode is a pain to master; steep difficulty curve.    It looks great, and sometimes plays great, but the fiddly control is too much of an obstacle for the average gamer to overcome.    68    E    Blue Byte Software    33 S. Roselle Rd., Suite 201    Schaumburg    IL    60193    [phone]            October '97, p. 224
Chess    Extreme Chess    Powerful chess engine; many classic games; strong analysis and annotation features.    Poor documentation; occasionally awkward and confusing interface; no Internet play.    This is the chess game for serious chess players. It may help improve your game.    91    E    Davidson/Simon & Schuster    19840 Pioneer Ave.,    Torrance    CA    90503    310-793-0600            April '97, p. 131
Review Index    Extreme Sports    Unique idea; varied gameplay; good contols.    Limited replay value, too few courses, and less-than-stellar graphics.    Extreme Sports is a limited diversion from the usual sports game. Just don't expect more than a few hours of fun.    62    E    Sony Interactive    919 E. Hillsdale Blvd.    2nd Floor    Foster City, CA 94404                    May
Review Index    F-22 Lightning II    Beautiful graphics; easy to get into; multi-player sessions require only one CD.    Too simplistic, and too easy, to satisfy most hard-core air combat fans.    F-22 Lightning II is hardly the realistic, detailed simulation NovaLogic claims it is, but there╒s still fun to be had here.    78    F    NovaLogic Inc. 2    6010 Mureau Road    Suite 200    Calabasas, CA 91302                     December
Flight Simulation    F/A-18 Hornet 3.0    Authentically modeled aircraft and systems. Smooth frame rates.    No real campaign; not enough missions (or an editor); kinda tough for beginners.    A realistic simulation that's also fun to fly once you get the hang of it.    88    F    Graphic Simulations Corporation    15400 Knoll Trail #104    Dallas    TX    75248    [phone]            July '97, p. 167
Adventure    Fable    Gorgeous backgrounds; good voice-acting; straight-forward puzzles.    Writing is mediocre; inventory is clunky and difficulty level is low. Allegedly "improved" ending is lame.    Beautiful production but only modestly challenging, or interesting, gameplay.    68    F    Sir-Tech    Ogdensburg Business Center, P.O. Box 245    Ogdensburg    NY    13669    [phone]            July '97, p. 190
Review Index    Fade to Black    Nice animation, exciting combat; adventure-style puzzles.    Commands are pretty complex; contrl is choppy on a 486.    A strong balance of battles and brain-teasers that should be a nice break from shooters and adventures.    82    F    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Blvd.    San Mateo, CA 94404             [phone]            November
Strategy    Fallen Haven    A simple approach that allows for quick play.    Too few units. High unit expendability in a turn-based game doesnÆt really work. No multi-player.    A fair bet if you want some quick gameplay, but it could use some refinements.    79    F    Interactive Magic    P.O. Box 3491    Research Triangle Park    NC    27709    919-461-0722            June '97, p. 113
Review Index    Fantasy General    Slick; colorful; easy to sink into; lots of exotic units and spells.    It lacks the depth of Warlords II; occasional lock-ups necessitate frequent saves.    It╒s not the best fantasy wargame out there, but it╒s still a terrific diversion.    78    F    SSI    675, Almanor Ave.    Suite 201    Sunnyvale, CA 94086-2901                    June
Review Index    Fast Action Paq    It will not interfere with normal Windows' operations.    There are only four games, and none of them are fun.    There are better ways to spend your gaming dollar, and better choices in Windows' entertainment.    49    F    Quackers (Mallard Software)    3207 Justin Road    Flower Mound, TX 75028                        July
Review Index    Fast Attack    Excellent design provides a you-are-there feeling; smoothly integrates the numerous complex elements into a working game of substantial depth.    Milquetoast enemies; no way to save a game in progress; mission time limit.    It╒s flawed, but Fast Attack is till the best nuclear sub game in many moons.    82    F    Sierra    3380 146th Place S.E.    Suite 300    Bellevue, WA 98007                    June
Review Index    Fields of Glory    Epic sweep combined with a fantastic amount of detail; very friendly interface; stunning graphics.    The AI routines are dodgy and tend to spoil the realism.    The finest tabletop miniatures wargame yet released, and a true joy to play.    89    F    Spectrum HoloByte    2490 Mariner Square Loop    Alameda, CA 94501            [phone]            August
Review Index    FIFA Soccer    Looks great, plays smooth, and has all the extras that a fan could want.    Difficult passing and power kicks take a great deal of the fun out of play, at least at first...    A very deep soccer sim for players who have the patience to deal with some quirky controls. Another winner from EA.    84    F    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Boulevard    San Mateo, CA 94404            [phone]            October
Review Index    FIFA Soccer 96    Multiplayer and modem options; brilliant graphics; realistic play; comprehensive league and tournament play.    You╒ll need a Pentium 90 or better to really enjoy the high resolution graphics.    If you╒re in the market for a top-notch sports sim, look no further.    92    F    Electronic Arts    11450 Fashion Island Blvd.    San Mateo, CA 94404-2064            [phone]            December
Sports    FIFA Soccer 97    Authentic, fun, gameplay; exquisite presentation.    Players occasionally behave erratically; tournament modes could be better defined.    FIFA 97 is a great leap forward for PC soccer games, and terrific entertainment in its own right.    88    F    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Boulevard    San Mateo    CA    94404    [phone]            March '97, p. 152
Review Index    Fighter Duel    Outstanding two-player dogfighting, excellent frame rate on modest systems.    Weak single-player game; no real compaign mode.    Modem dogfighters are in for a treat, but solo players should stick to in-depth sims.    84    F    Philips Media Inc.    10960 Wilshire Blvd    Los Angeles, CA 90024            [phone]            January
Review Index    Fighter Wing    Looks great; and multi-player games in low resolution can be fun.    Abysmally slow on the best systems.    It's better than Operation Airstorm, but not by much.    49    F    Merit Studios    13707 Gamma Road    Dallas, TX 75244            [phone]            June
Review Index    Final Doom    All the good features of Doom -- this game is still great.    The game is three years old now, and starting to show its age.    If, for some unfathomable reason, you've never played Doom and you can't find the original, Final Doom is worth picking up.    80    F    GT Interactive    16 East 40th Street    New York, NY 1006             [phone]            November
Review Index    Fire Fight    It╒s fast it╒s slick, it╒s action-packed, and it╒s multiplayer. What more do you want?    Only 18 sinel-player missions, so not much longevity for those without friends to play with.    The best out-and-out sprite-based blaster on the PC.    90    F    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Boulevard    San Mateo, CA 94404-2064            [phone]            August
Review Index    First Encounters    Impressive depth and variety; nice texture-mapped graphics.    Can be painfully repetitive, and combat is frustratingly tough.    First Encounters is an ambitious game--but it has a lot of problems that drag it down.    70    F    GameTek Inc.    2999 N.E. 191st Street    Suite 500    Aventura, FL 33180                    August
Review Index    Fleet Defender    Great graphics and sound; multiple realism options make it as challenging (or as easy) as you like.     Much horsepower needed to keep it airborne; learning the controls can be time-consuming.    MicroProse has scored a direct hit with it. If you enjoy modern air-combat sims, this is definitely for you.    88    F    MicroProse    180 Lakefront Drive    Hunt Valley, MD 21030            [phone]            June
Review Index    Flight Commander 2    A thoughtful, intelligent simulation, and one that really has no current competition.    May be too leisurely for many flight-sim fans; pedestrian graphics just barely pull the plow.    If the subject interests you, by all means give it a try. It's different, and it's designed very cleverly.    82    F    Avalon Hill    4517 Hartford Road    Baltimore, MD 21214            [phone]            March
Review Index    Flight Sim Toolkit    A super program that really does let you create your very own worlds.    It's in dire need of better documentation and can prove frustrating at first because of it.    Despite its limitations, a clever and original program worth sticking with.    87    F    Eidos Interactive    303 Sacramento Street    San Francisco, CA 94111            Tip Line: (900) 288-GAME            June
Review Index    Flight Unlimited    Best graphics ever seen in a flight sim; excellent flight school puts an instructor right beside you.    You'll need at least a Pentium 90 before the game really starts to cook.    With its incredible graphics and great flight school, Flight Unlimited soars above the pack of flight simulations.    91    F    Looking Glass Technologies    1 Alewife Center    Suite 450    Cambridge, MA 02140                    September
Simulation    Flying Corps    Visually gorgeous and full game world. Detailed flight model; strong gameplay.    Useless Win95 mode; screwy keyboard layout and viewing options; joystick problems.    A flawed gem, but a gem nonetheless. A wonderful sim with an authentic feel.    90    F    Empire    13220 Wisteria Dr., Bay N-2    Germantown    MD    20874    310-916-9303            May '97, p. 120
Racing    Formula 1    Pretty; 30fps with 3Dfx even on a P90; lots of tracks, teams, drivers.    Driving engine is terribly unrealistic; only supports four accelerator cards; no multi-player functions.    It's fun for a bit, but the lack of replayabilitiy will disappoint many die-hard fans.    60    F    Psygnosis    919 E. Hillsdale Blvd.    Foster City    CA    94404    [phone]            September '97, p. 190
Review Index    Fortress of Dr. Radiaki    Good character graphics and a sense of humor; plenty of action.    The level graphics and architecture leave a lot to be desired; no joystick support.    Fortress of Dr. Radiaki may not be the best shooter around, but it's definitely worth a look.    81    F    Merit Studios    1307 Gamma Road    Dallas, TX 75244            [phone]            February
Review Index    Foxhunt    Slapstick comedy and antics make the non-interactive sequences worth watching.    Bad video; long load times; little interaction.    If you're starved for low-brow entertainment, Foxhunt will do in a pinch, but if gameplay is your thing, you'll be disappointed.    57    F    Capcom    475 Oakmead    Sunnyvale, CA 94086            [phone]            May
Review Index    FPS: Baseball    The career play, physics-based action, and unmatched graphics and sound set a new standard for baseball simulations.    Weak stats and a few annoying bugs keep it from earning an Editors' Choice Award.    If you love baseball and even a computer, you must have this game.    86    F    Sierra    3380 146th Place SE    Suite 300    Bellevue, WA 98007                    December
Review Index    FPS Baseball Pro 96    Same as in 1994; Good graphics; rich career play; physics-based action.    Same as in 1994: Steep system requirements; big statistical and gameplay problems.    Could╒ve been great if gameplay had gotten as much attention as graphics.    78    F    Sierra Online    3380 146th Place S.E. Suite 300    Bellevue, Washington 98007            Order Hotline: [phone]            October
Review Index    FPS: Football Pro 96    Gorgeous and realistic-looking SVGA grahpics; still the best football sim around.    Steep hardware requirements; few reasons to upgrade.    A minor upgrade, but still the chammp of football sims.    86    F    Sierra On-Line    3380 146th Place S.E.    Suite 300    Bellevue, WA 98007                    March
Sports    FPS Football Pro '97    The original design is there; you won't find a better way to make leagues and plays.    Dubious multi-player action; numerous bugs; Windows screen clutter, DOS hangovers.    You'd be better off with an earlier DOS version of the game.    65    F    Sierra    3380 146th Place S.E., Suite 300    Bellevue    WA    98007    800-757-7707            April '97, p. 116
Strategy    Fragile Allegiance    Nice production; good ideas (taken from other games).    Familiar themes; boring gameplay; repetitive; too much screen-hopping.    A competently programmed yawn with limited replay value.    60    F    Interplay    16815 Von Karman Ave.    Irvine    CA    92606    (800) 969-PLAY            July '97, p. 176
Review Index    Frank Thomas Big Hurt Baseball    Realistic pitching highlights excellent action play; and there are enough stats to keep purists interested.    Awkward keyboard controls.    One of the best action-oriented baseball games available for the PC.    89    F    Acclaim Entertainment    1 Acclaim Plaza    Glen Cove, NY 11542-2777            [phone]            September
Review Index    Frankenstein    Looks great; the sinister mood is well done.    Exploration is unnecessarily frustrating, game╒s solitary nature can get boring.    Folks who loved Myst might find it appealing, but if you demand more depth, you╒d probably be better off reading Shelley╒s book.    75    F    Interplay    17922 Fitch Ave.    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            February
Review Index    Front Lines    Beautiful graphics; a friendly interface; and a challenging variety of mission scenarios.    Experienced wargamers will probably feel like they've seen it all before.    This is a well-designed product that should have wide appeal.    80    F    Impressions Software    222 Third Street    Suite 0234    Cambridge, MA 02142                    May
Sports    Front Page Sports: Baseball Pro '98    Incredible depth; statistical accuracy; totally customizable; loads of play options.    Sterile, unexciting gameplay; primitive graphics; no sense of "being there."    Achieves what it sets out to do, but baseball has never looked less inviting.    60    F    Sierra    P.O. Box 3404    Salinas    CA    93912    800-757-7707            September '97, p. 174
Sports    Front Page Sports: Golf    TrueSwing is intuitive and realistic; fun, tough courses; realistic ball movement.    TrueSwing is tough to learn; pointless player commentary.    The truly revolutionary swing style makes FPS: Golf intuitive and fun.    90    F    Sierra    3380 146th Place S.E. Suite 300    Bellevue    WA    98007    [phone]            August '97, p. 114
Review Index    Full Throttle    A head-long adventure that will take your breath away from the very start.    Veteran players will finish the game quickly; gameplay is rigidly linear; arcade sequences get old.    It may be a little short, but it's one wild ride while it lasts.    90    F    LucasArts    P.O. Box 10307    San Rafael CA 94912            [phone]            August
Arcade    Full Tilt! 2 Pinball    Great graphics and sound; many clever enhancements over the original game.    We wish it came with five or six tables, instead of three.    No pinball addict should miss Full Tilt 2!    84    F    Maxis    2121 North California Blvd., Suite 600    Walnut Creek    CA    94596    (800) 33-MAXIS            March '97, p. 149
Review Index    Full Tilt Pinball    Good sound effects; slick grahpics and nice table design.    Only three different tables; not enough graphic options for some.    As pinball simulations go, Full Tilt Pinball is hard to beat - but there are still better ones out there.    86    F    Maxis    2121 N. California Blvd.    Walnut Creek, CA 94596-3572            [phone]            March
Review Index    Fury 3    3D action fans will love the nonstop flyin╒ and shootin╒ excellent terrain graphics.    High system requirements; gameplay gets old; where╒s the modem-play option?    This is a first-rate 3D game that proves Microsoft is serious about gaming.    84    F    Microsoft    1 Microsoft Way    Redmond, WA            [phone]            December
3D Fighter    FX Fighter Turbo    It's more of the same for FX Fighter fans; the network play is a plus.    Inferior graphics; little innovation; and clumsy controls.    If you must have network play, you might as well go for this one, but there are plenty of other, better 3D fighters.    47    F    GTE    2035 Corte Del Nogal, Suite 200    Carlsbad    CA    92009    (800) GTE-TODAY            March '97, p. 105
Action    G-Nome    Pretty graphics; the ability to eject and enter enemy æbots and buildings adds variety.    Choppy animation; sluggish control; inadequate manual.    G-Nome had the goods to be a hit, but poor execution makes it a disappointment.    68    G    7th Level    P.O. 832190    Richardson    TX    75083-2190    800-884-8863 Ext. 77            May '97, p. 116
Review Index    Gadget    Fantastic visuals and a powerful soundtrack give Gadget atmosphere to spare.    Where's the game? A few good puzzles could have put this in game-of-the-year territory.    Cinema meets gaming; cinema wins with a TKO.    63    G    Synergy    605 W. 7th Street    Los Angeles, CA 90017            [phone]            December
Review Index    Galactic Civilizations    Great AI; computer players have distinctive personalities and respond to your playing style.    You'll need OS/2 to run this one; graphics could be better; it's just another resource management game.    If you're wondering if a good game can be done under OS/2, you ought to check out Galactic Civilizations.    78    G    Stardock Systems, Inc.    Gibraltar, MI        [phone]                    May
Review Index    Game Creation System    A simple interface; plenty of tools; and a library of objects to get you started.    The basic engine you're building on doesn't stand a chance against the current crop of 3D games.    A reasonably priced construction kit that lets you show your friends how games should be made.    81    G    Pie in the Sky Software    1596 Ayrault Road    Fair Port, NY 14450            [phone]            June
Review Index    Gazillionaire    It's addictive; you just can't stop yourself from visiting one more planet.    It would be nice if there were more planets to choose from.    The funky atmosphere is much of what makes this simple but fun game work.    84    G    Spectrum HoloByte    2490 Mariner Square Loop    Alameda, CA 94501            [phone]            March
Review Index    Gearheads    It╒s a fun and catchy game built around a unique idea.    It can get old quickly, so it╒s best taken in small doses.    It╒s a simple little game that doesn╒t take itself too seriously.    75    G    Philips Media, Inc.    10960 Wilshire Blvd.    7th Flr.    Los Angeles, CA 90024                    June
Review Index    Gender Wars    A fun squad-based combat game.    Degrading to both sexes, and some weird screen flicker takes away from the enjoyment.    This one should hold you over ╘till Syndicate Wars arrives in town.    78    G    GT Interactive    16 East 40th St.    New York, NY 10016            [phone]            December
Review Index    Gene Wars    Clean interface, sharp graphics, and moody sound effects.    Uninspired combat and resource management, lack of vaariety in missions and unit types.    With more variety and less repetition, Gene Wars could╒ve been something special.    61    G    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Blvd.    San Mateo, CA 94404            [phone]            December
Review Index    Genghis Khan 2    A detailed sim with speed, drama, and depth.    Might be too complex for some.    One of the best Koei titles in some time. If you like historical sims, get this one!    81    G    Koei Corp.    1350 Old Bayshore Hwy.    Suite 540    Burlingame, CA 94010                    June
Arcade    Gex    A few interesting additions to the genre,and you can turn off Gex's voice!    So-so graphics; not all that amusing    If Microsoft tells you something's funny, run for your life. I found more humor in Windows 95.    58    G    Microsoft    One Microsoft Way    Redmond    WA    98052-6399    206-882-8080            April '97, p. 141
Review Index    Glider    Addictive, challenging gameplay makes it fun.    The simplicity and 2-D gameplay may discourage hard-core gamers from giving it a chance.    A fun, relatively non-violent game that will appeal to gamers of all ages.    84    G    Casady & Greene    22734 Portola Drive    Salinas, CA 93908-1119            [phone]            December
Review Index    Goblins Quest    Terrific gameplay, graphics, and sound.    A few of the puzzles might be a little too tough.    Part puzzle game, part graphic adventure, this is sure to please fans of either genre; a very good title.    89    G    Sierra On-Line    3380 146th Place S.E.    Suite 300    Bellevue, Washington  98007                    June
Puzzle    Golden Gate    Nicely done watercolor style graphics.     Really bad acting; tedious puzzles; complete lack of originality; one of the worst endings in gaming history.     If youÆve played Myst, you donÆt need to play it again in San Francisco.    31    G    Panasonic Interactive Media    4701 Patrick Henry Drive    Santa Clara    CA    95054    408-653-1898            May '97, p. 128
Casino    Golden Nugget    Adam West! Pure West!    Pitifully slow, even on a fast computer; no instructions; bad controls; poor recreation of casino games.    Golden Nugget makes you appreciate shareware casino games.    18    G    Virgin Interactive    18061 Fitch Avenue    Irvine    CA    92714    800-874-4607            May '97, p. 132
Review Index    Gone Fishin'    Captures the relaxing and thrilling feel of fishing. It's simple, addictive stuff.    The artwork could be better in spots, and the action may be too low key for some.    Try it. Even if you don't fish, you may be surprised how much fun this game is.    88    G    Amtex    P.O. Box 572    Belleville, Ontario, Canada K8N 5B2            [phone]            April
Review Index    Good to Firm    Loaded with all the statistics and the info you need to go horse racing.    Primitive graphics and lack of sound effects severely handicaps the racing action.    A solid horse-racing sim, but a visually weak presentation.    75    G    Wizard Games of Scotland    P.O. Box 498    Wilmington, MA 01887                        September
Review Index    Grand Prix II    Amazing graphics, unmatched detail, and a great sense of speed.    Steep learning curve; multi-player options don╒t include network support.    At least until Sierra releases the next title from Papyrus, Grand Prix II is the best racing sim you can get.    95    G    MicroProse    180 Lakefront Drive    Hunt Valley, MD 21030            [phone]            October
Review Index    Grand Prix Manager    An exhaustive and intriguing simulation of a big-league racing operation; user-friendly interface.    Not enough action for some gamers.    If the subject of big-time racing interests you, you'll love GPM.    86    G    Spectrum HoloByte    2490 Mariner Square Loop    Alameda, CA 94501            [phone]            April
Sports    Grand Slam    Unique control meters for pitching and batting; good graphics and sound.    No network or Internet play; simplistic arcade feel; not as fun as other baseball games.    Grand Slam does not score a grand slam. You'd be better off with Triple Play '98.    72    G    Virgin Interactive    18061 Fitch Ave.    Irvine    CA    92714    800-847-4607            September '97, p. 146
Review Index    Grandest Fleet    Plenty of depth; easy to learn but tough to master; good graphics.    Contrived scenarios require suspension of disbelief.    If you like The Lost Admiral, you'll love this, though there are as many differences as similarities between the two.    82    G    QQP    495 Highway 202    Flemington, NJ 08822            [phone]            July
Historical Simulation    Great Battles of Alexander    Rich graphics; historical accuracy; a good manual; a real sense of spectacle.    Slow battle development due to animation; steep learning curve; somewhat messy interface.    If you're at all interested in this era of warfare, this is the only game in town.    86    G    Interactive Magic    P.O. Box 13491    Research Triangle Park    NC    27709    919-461-0722            September '97, p. 178
Review Index    Great Naval Battles IV    Great graphics, sound; a fascinating range of historical might-have-beens.    It╒s still a very complicated sim, especially if you haven╒t played the previous installments.    If you╒re really into the subject, you╒ll have a great time changing history.    79    G    SSI    675 Almanor Ave.    Suite 201    Sunnyvale, CA 94086-2901                    February
Review Index    Great Naval Battles Vol. III    Gripping intensity; great graphics/sound; exceptional complexity.    Definitely an advanced simulator; for newcomers, a steep learning curve.    The balance between epic sweep and war-movie detail is ideal. Simply the best WWII naval sim on the market.    92    G    Strategic Simulations, Inc.    675 Almanor Avenue    Suite 201    Sunnyvale, CA 94086-2901                    June
Review Index    Greg Norman Ultimate Challenge Golf    Unique golfer profiles and great graphics.    Not enough features to make it competitive; looong load times.    An interesting new take on golf simulations, but one that needs more to make it work.    78    G    Grolier Electronic Publishing    90 Sherman Turnpike    Danbury, CT 06816            [phone]            March
Arcade    Grid Runner    Fast-paced action, good-looking graphics.    Network play would have been great, and the split-screen two-player mode wears on the eyes.    Grid Runner dares to be different, and succeeds, but where's the 'net-play?    77    G    Virgin Interactive    18061 Fitch Avenue    Irvine    CA    92614    Order Hotline: [phone]            March '97, p. 144
Review Index    H.U.R.L.    The idea is there for a great, non-violent kids game with Doom-like qualities.    There isn't much challenge, satisfaction, or fun here.    It fills a void in the kids market, just not very well.    53    H    Millennium Media    234 N. Columbus Boulevard    Philadelphia, PA (            215) 625-8928            August
Review Index    Hammer of the Gods    Vikings, this is your game.    If the whole Nordic thing turns you off, you probably won't get it.    A fresh and original concept, realized with energy and zest. The whole is decidedly better than it's parts.    83    H    New World Computing    P.O. Box 4302    Hollywood, CA 90078            [phone]            March
Review Index    Hannibal    Good strategic elements.    No real tactical component.    Beautifully detailed graphics, but it lacks the depth to make it great.    65    H    MicroLeague    1001 Millersville Road    Lancaster, PA 17604            [phone]            June
Review Index    Hardball 4    Stunning SVGA graphics; more extensive statistics than previous HardBall games.    Unrealistic play on the field; disappointing sound effects.    If you're a HardBall fan, or more interested in fun than realism, this latest version will surely satisfy.    79    H    Accolade    5300 Stevens Creek Boulevard #500    San Jose, CA 95129            [phone]            March
Review Index    HardBall 5    Excellent arcade play; improved league play and modem options make this the best HardBall yet.    Unrealistic replay statistics.    It╒s still weak on realism, but HardBall 5╒s the best action baseball game available.    86    H    Accolade    5300 Stevens Creek Blvd.    #500    San Jose, CA 95129                    January
Action    Hardline    Video quality is good; the graphic sex scene is sure to tick off the busy-bodies in Washington.    Held together by the worst arcade sequences in recent memory.    Go watch a Troma movie instead.    24    H    Virgin Interactive    1861 Fitch Avenue    Irvine    CA    92614    800-874-4607            May '97, p. 109
Review Index    Harpoon 2    Sleek interface; extraordinary realism; excellent scenarios; a massive database.    A tough game to learn and master; appeal is limited to those with an interest in modern naval warfare.    Simply the best modern warfare game ever. This is a classic made even better.    93    H    Three-Sixty Pacific    2105 South Bascom    Suite 165    Campbell, CA 95008                    September
Review Index    Harry and the Haunted House    The well-written story stars four funny friends and a gang of deliciously ghastly ghouls.    The story's message is a bit confusing.    Harry and the Haunted House entertains children with an excellent story and surprising embellishments.    95    H    Living Books    P.O. Box 6144    Novato, CA 94948-6144            [phone]            December
Review Index    Harvester    A serviceable adventure with an unflinshing approash; delivers the gory goods as promised.    Outdated interface; unrelenting unpleasantness bound to offend some.    Definitely not for the squeamish.    82    H    Merit Studios    13707 Gamma Rd.    Dallas, TX 75244            [phone]            December
Casino Game    Haunted Casino    Doesn't take much hard-drive space.    Casino games are ugly and poorly designed; adventure game element doesn't work.    Haunted Casino attempts to combine two wildly different game genres and succeeds in making both look bad.    15    H    Micro Star    2245 Camino Vida Roble, Ste. 100    Carlsbad    CA    92009    [phone]            October '97, p. 231
Review Index    Havoc    Plentiful multi-player options.    Solo action is pretty humdrum, thanks to uninspired enemies.    Havoc can be fun over a network, but the one-player action just doesn╒t cut it.    75    H    Reality Bytes    1 Kendall Square    Bldg. 400    Cambridge, MA 02139                    July
3D Shooter    Helicops    Nice arcade-like feel; solid if antiseptic graphics; interesting Japanese touches.    No real flight model to speak of; little replay value.    The lite beer of 3D shooters.    69    H    7th Level    P.O. Box 832190    Richardson    TX    75081    [phone]            July '97, p. 201
Review Index    Hell    Great story, puzzles, graphics, and believable voice-acting.    The nudity, violence and strong language may be a bit too much for some folks.    Hell draws the latest line in the sand for other designers to cross.    92    H    Take 2  Interactive    1004 Ligonier Street    3rd Floor    Latrobe, PA 15650                    March
Review Index    Hellbender    Nice accelerated graphics and, if you enjoyed Terminal Velocity, here╒s more of the same.    TV has been through enough incarnations. Big chunky graphics and nasty subterranean play equal frustration.    We╒ve seen this before, and it really is time to move on...    66    H    Microsoft Corporation    1 Microsoft Way    Redmond, WA 98052-6399            [phone]            December
Review Index    Hello Kitty's Big Fun Piano    A beautifully executed program with smooth graphics and clever options.    Limited scope might not hold a child's interest for long periods at a time.    Does one thing very well rather than spreading itself thinly across several activities.    87    H    Big Top Productions    548 Fourth Street    San Francisco, CA 94107            [phone]            December
Review Index    Heretic    Slick graphics; new enemies; and the chance to change your friends into chickens.    Heretic's mystic setting just doesn't equal Doom in bone-crushing atmosphere.    The same kick-in-the-teeth violence buffet as Doom, but with great new trimmings.    88    H    id Software    Town East Tower 180601 LBJ Freeway    Suite 615    Mesquite, TX 75150                    April
Review Index    Heroes of Might & Magic    Remarkably strong, simple strategy gaming. You won't stop playing!    It ain't flashy -- but that doesn't hurt the gameplay any.    One of the most enjoyable games of the year. This one will have a long life on your hard drive.    88    H    New World Computing    PO Box 4302    Hollywood, CA 90078             [phone]            November
Strategy    Heroes of Might & Magic II    A very well-designed strategy game. Anything this hard to stop playing has to be good.    The wait-your-turn, multi-player option for network and modem play can be tedious without any type of time limit imposed.    If you enjoy strategy games, you simply must have this one.    91    H    New World Computing    PO Box 4302    Hollywood    CA    90078    [phone]            February '97, p. 138
Review Index    Hexen: Beyond Heretic    Beautifully executed, with a wide variety of weapons and non-stop action, Many novel twists.    Gameplay is limited to the same mindless slaughter found in previous shooters. Not many secrets or puzzles.    A solid action game with terrific fantasy trappings, but ultimately familiar gameplay.    85    H    id Software/GT Interactive    16 East 40th St.    New York, NY 10016            [phone]            February
Review Index    Hexx: Heresy of the Wizard    Nice atmosphere, fast action, and a cleaner interface than in most RPGs.    There may be too many puzzles and not enough variety to keep your interest alive.    A well-designed, straight-forward game, well worth considering if you crave a similar form of roleplaying.    79    H    Psygnosis    675 Massachusetts Avenue    Cambridge, MA 02139            [phone]            July
Review Index    Hi-Octane    Real sense of speed; great graphics; and plenty of gunplay.    The game just ends, and much too quickly.    A very good game--but it could have been a great one.    82    H    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Boulevard    San Mateo, CA 94404            [phone]            September
Review Index    High Seas Trader    A good, solid trading sim with enough variables to keep gameplay fresh.    There's just not much to do besides trading; too many still screens.    Plenty of fun if you're a big fan of economic sims, but not enough variety for most gamers.    68    H    Impressions    222 Third Street    Suite 0234    Cambridge, MA 02142                    June
Review Index    Hind    A solid flight model with crisp graphics and a slew of gameplay options.    Dodgy joystick calibration and support. Explosions still chunky.    Just about everything a flight hack could want in a sim is here. Buy it.    90    H    Interactive Magic    P.O. Box 13491    Research Triangle Park, NC 27709            [phone]            December
Strategy    History of the World    Fans of the original will enjoy the multi-player options.    Solo play is predictable and routine, and the game quickly becomes boring.    Thisis for fans of the boardgame only.    55    H    Avalon Hill    4517 Hartford Rd.    Baltimore    MD    21214-3192    410-254-9200            September '97, p. 192
Review Index    Hive (The)    Gorgeous visuals and lots of button-pushing action.    Thin gameplay, rail-shooter design restricts interaction.    Pretty to look at, occasionally fun, but ultimately repetitive.    66    H    Trimark Interactive    2644 30th St..    Santa Monica, CA 90405            [phone]            May
Review Index    Hodj 'n' Podj    A truly "G-rated" game that's fun for the entire family.    Veteran PC gamers have seen it all before and may not care to see it again.    Within its modest parameters, this is a solid and successful game design.    80    H    Virgin Interactive Entertainment    18061 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            October
Review Index    Hooves of Thunder    Exhaustive simulation of a horse racing operation.    Not enough action for some gamers; better sound effects would help the track ambiance.    If the subject of world-class horse racing interests you, you'll love this game.    82    H    MicroLeague    750 Dawson Dr.    Newark, DE 19713            [phone]            April
Review Index    Horde (The)    Good acting in the video clips; a great soundtrack; and fast-paced gameplay.    The interface is somewhat clunky, and gameplay can get a little repetitive.    This is a solid mix of strategy and fun that anyone can start enjoying as soon as they pop it in their CD-ROM drive.    80    H    Crystal Dynamics    2460 Embarcadero Way    Palo Alto, CA 94303                        June
Card Game    Hoyle Poker    Many variations of poker, some you might not be familiear with; free access to SIGS.    The "attitude" gets tiresome real fast.    Sierra's put its experience to good use, with an attractive, easy-to-use, and fun poker simulation.    80    H    Sierra    3380 146th Place S.E. Suite 300    Bellevue    WA    98007    [phone]            August '97, p. 125
Action    Hunter Hunted    It looks good, sounds great, and is easy to pick up and play.    Addictive while it lasts, but it wonÆt last for long. The two-player mode isnÆt so compelling.    Impressive example of 2D action gaming, showing what the PC can do in this genre.    78    H    Sierra Online    P.O. Box 3404    Salinas     CA    93912    [phone]            February '97, p. 155
Adventure    Huygen's Disclosure    Well designed interface; some challenging puzzles.    Some of the puzzles are of the abstract, 7th Guest variety. Bad voice acting, graphics and dialog.    A decent graphic adventure with a handful of significant flaws.    68    H    Microforum    1 Woodborough Ave.    Toronto, Ontario    Canada    M6M5A1    800-465-2323            April '97, p. 153
Review Index    Hyper 3-D Pinball    Photo-realistic graphics; fantastic sound; plenty of great tables.    Steep system requirements; 3D perspective takes getting used to.    If you're a pinball fan with a fast computer, this one's a keeper.    90    H    Virgin Interactive    18061 Fitch Ave.    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            April
Action    HyperBlade    Fast action, smooth graphics, and built-in 3D accelerator support.    Odd controls, erratic artificial intelligence, and disorienting environments.    If you're willing to accept a few minor flaws, HyperBlade can make you a superstar in the sport of the future.    78    H    Activision    11601 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1000    Los Angeles    CA    90025    [phone]            February '97, p. 120
Review Index    I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream    Narrative elements that go deeper than any previous adventure game.    Extremely grim subject matter means the game isn╒t exactly fun.    An intriguing adult game  that definitely won╒t be everyone╒s cup of entertainment.    87    I    CyberDreams    23586 Calabasas Rd.    Ste 102    Calabasas, CA 91302                    January
Review Index    Icebreaker    Lots of levels; good difficulty range; mildly fun.    Below average control and movement, becomes boring; no motivation to keep playing.    This is not the worst puzzle game out there, but it╒s certainly not the best, either.    55    I    Twentieth Century Fox/Magnet Studios    3255 Grace St. NW    Washington, D.C. 20007            [phone]            August
Simulation    iF-22    First detailed simulation of F-22 Raptor; dynamic campaign engine.    Graphics aren't that great; huge hard-drive and hardware requirements; some significant design flaws.     The ideas behind it are sound; but lackluster execution keeps it from taking off.    65    I    Interactive Magic    P.O. Box 13491    Research Triangle Park     NC    27709    [phone]            October '97, p. 206
Simulation    iM1A2 Abrams    An exciting and challenging game, with solid graphics, excellent sound, and plenty of battlefield action.    Graphic presentation has some rough edges.    An exceptional, heavyweight sim, and a worthy successor to its forebearer.    89    I    Interactive Magic    P.O. Box 13491    Research Triangle Park    NC    27709    919-461-0722            June '97, p. 100
Strategy    Imperialism    Original, engrossing, and fun; for connoisseurs of raw strategy.    Artificial victory conditions; clumsy ocean maps; non-historical geography; no edit options.    Fresh, well-balanced gaming that serious strategy gamers shouldn't miss.    87    I    SSI    675 Almanor Ave., Suite 201    Sunnyvale     CA    94086-2901    [phone]            November '97, p. 297
Strategy    Imperialism    Original, engrossing, and fun; for connoisseurs of raw strategy.    Artificial victory conditions; clumsy ocean maps; non-historical geography; no edit options.    Fresh, well-balanced gaming that serious strategy gamers shouldn't miss.    87    I    SSI    675 Almanor Ave., Suite 201    Sunnyvale     CA    94086-2901    [phone]            November '97, p. 297
Strategy    Imperium Galactica    It's an elegant, challenging, addictive take on the classic space strategy themes.    The interface is burdensome, and the manual is almost as confusing as it is helpful.    A surprising and delightful product for fans of conquer-the-galaxy gaming.    87    I    GT Interactive    16 East 40th St.    New York    NY    10016    [phone]            July '97, p. 186
Review Index    In Pursuit of Greed    A semi-interesting twist on the action game idea; fair head-to-head play.    Pre-Doom graphics; not really challenging.    Wy bother? There are so many better games in this genre, this one is hardly worth a look at.    59    I    Softdisk Publishing    606 Common St.    Shreveport, LA 71101            [phone]            August
Review Index    In the First Degree    A great idea; quality video segments; good acting and story line.    It would be more fun if there were other cases; slow access times; excessive sit-and-watch segments.    A quality game. If you don╒t mind lots of video clips and some repetition, you╒ll like it.    82    I    Broderbund    500 Redwood Blvd.    Novato, CA 94948            [phone]            December
Review Index    Inca II    Great diversity of gameplay; and at $34.95, it's a real value.    Some of the gameplay is too simple, and the acting is pretty cheesy (not necessarily a bad thing!).    It's a weird mix, but Inca II is ultimately a winner. It's fun to play, easy on the wallet, and often stunning to look at.    81    I    Sierra On-Line    3380 146th Place S.E.    Suite 300    Bellevue, Washington  98007                    July
Review Index    Incredible Machine 2    Dozens of puzzles; a do-it-yourself mode; and near open-ended game play.    None, really, unless you consider a somewhat sensitive cursor and a hunger for base memory to be fatal flaws.    How often can you say really got what you paid for?    90    I    Sierra    3380 146th Place SE    Suite 300    Bellevue, WA 98007                    January
Arcade    Independence Day    Looks great, and runs well on minimum ( though high) spec machines.    Insanely difficult, repetitive, uncontrollable with analog joystick.    Gamepad slingin' console freaks will love it, but true PC gamers will probably (and rightly) expect more.    70    I    Fox Interactive    P.O. Box 900    Beverly Hills    CA    90213    [phone]            July '97, p. 181
Review Index    Indian Jones and His Desktop Adventures    Simple to play; low hardware requirements; and the price is right.    Repetitive structure means limited play life; poor graphics..    Desktop Adventures isn╒t spectacular, but it doesn╒t pretend to be. As time-killers go, it╒s a refreshing change from Solitaire.    72    I    LucasArts    P.O. Box 10307    San Rafael, CA 94912            [phone]            September
Review Index    IndyCar Racing II    Stunning graphics and sound; ;very detailed car physics. The replay mode is really excellent.    You╒ll still need a fast Pentium to enjoy the SVGA graphics mode.    Racing simulations don╒t get any better than this.    95    I    Papyrus    1 Arsenal Marketplace    Watertown, MA 02172            [phone]            February
Review Index    Inferno    Impressive graphics and outstanding music.    Complex keyboard commands almost make a programmable controller a necessity.    If you're itching for something new, Inferno's well worth the trouble.    76    I    Ocean of America, Inc.    1855 O'Toole Avenue    Suite D-102    San Jose, CA 95131                    May
Review Index    Inherit the Earth    Beautiful VGA graphics; good voice acting; and an exciting new game world.    Slow-paced with tedious gameplay and puzzles that just never seem to entertain.    It has everything going for it, except the thing that matters the most--enjoyable game play.    63    I    New World Computing    P.O. Box 4302    Hollywood, CA 90078            [phone]            August
Review Index    International Tennis Tour    Excellent animation and digitized speech, plus a good selection of difficulty options.    Doesn't save player statistics; no option for doubles play.    Terrific graphics and sound wrapped into this top-notch tennis sim make this game an ace.    83    I    Philips Interactive Media    10960 Wilshire Boulevard    Seventh Floor    Los Angeles, CA 90024                    December
Review Index    Interplay's 10 yr. Anthology    A great collection for nostalgia fans with some surprisingly playable old titles.    If you already have the two newer titles, the rest might not be worth the asking price.    A solid collection, and one of special value to those with a serious interest in the history of PC gaming.    83    I    Interplay    17922 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            August
Action    Interstate æ76    Original premise; great gameplay, graphics; built-in Internet support.    Steep hardware requirements; some frustrating missions.    Full of 1970s atmosphere and attitude, I76 proves that Activision has more tricks up its sleeve than giant robots. ItÆs a blast.    93    I    Activision    11601 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1000    Los Angeles    CA    90025    310-473-9200            June '97, p. 76
Review Index    Invasion of the Mutant Space Bats of Doom    Cheap, challenging, and runs on almost any system.    Gets very hard very fast.    If you're a shooter fan, there's no excuse not to get this one.    80    I    Pop Software    P.O. Box 60995    Sunnyvale, CA 94088                        September
Review Index    Iron Assault    Easy to manage; fun for two players in the city scenarios.    Primitive enemy animation and ill-conceived play areas.    Pretend it's an old Amiga game, and you'll love it.    74    I    Virgin Interactive Entertainment    18061 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            August
Review Index    Iron Cross    Much more attractive than the real war.    But then again, it doesn't have anything to do with the real war.    A lightweight combat game packaged as a tactical simulation. Not as fun as The Perfect General.    65    I    New World Computing    P.O. Box 4302    Hollywood, CA 90078            [phone]            January
Arcade    Iron Man/X-O Manowar In Heavy Metal    Umm, I'm thinking...    Poor graphics; sluggish control; no AI to speak of; lack of innovation; outdated comic book license.    Avoid this dog like it has rabies, and don't say we didn't warn you.    15    I    Acclaim Entertainment    One Acclaim Plaza    Glen Cove    NY    11542-2777    516-759-7800            April '97, p. 129
Review Index    Ishar 3    Thoughtful character development; sumptuous graphics; and a vast world to explore.    The combat system stinks, and the automapping function is frustratingly limited.    Hard-core FRPG fans will probably like it--novices will find it tedious, overwhelming, and frustrating.    74    I    ReadySoft    3375 14th Avenue    Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R OH2            [phone]            March
Review Index    Island Peril    It all fits in one subdirectory on your hard drive, so it╒s easy to delete.    Terrible graphics; anemic sound; appalling acting; thoroughly unoriginal and uninteresting gameplay.    What more can we say? Island Peril is an unmitigated dog.    13    I    Atlantean Interactive Games    15127 Califa St.    Van Nuys, CA 91411            [phone]            August
Sports    Jack Nicklaus 4    Much-improved graphics; superb play; marvelous course designer; your chance to play with the Golden Bear.    Some aspects of play are too easy.    Required equipment for computer golfers.    89    J    Accolade    5300 Stevens Creek Blvd., Suite 500    San Jose    CA    95129    [phone]            August '97, p. 100
Review Index    Jack the Ripper    Good, traditional, Sherlock Holmesian detective game.    May seem hum-drum to players weaned on high-velocity, graphics intensive adventure games.    Nothin' fancy, but a solid addition to the ever-growing Ripper canon.    78    J    GameTek Inc.    2999 N.E. 191st St.    Suite 500    Aventura, FL 33180                    April
Review Index    Jagged Alliance    An utterly engrossing experience, equal to the best fantasy RPGs.    As in a complex fantasy RPG, there are a zillion things to keep track of, which makes it frustrating.    Whatever you choose to call this hybrid genre, Jagged Alliance is right at the top of it.    89    J    Sir-tech Software, Inc.    Ogdensburg Business Center    Ogdensburg, NY 13669            [phone]            July
Review Index    Jazz Jackrabbit CD    Beautiful graphics; great music; and high-speed action.    Control with a standard joystick can be a little awkward.    If you find yourself missing the simple excitement of your old Sega or Nintendo machine, you need this game.    87    J    Epic Megagames Inc.    3204 Tower Oaks Boulevard #410    Rockville, MD 20852            [phone]            June
Simulation    Jetfighter III    Great action; impressive graphics, controls.    Fuzzy physics model, demanding system requirements. No multi-play.    If you can forgive the occasionally unrealistic action, you'll be rewarded with one of the most thrilling sims to date.    88    J    Interplay    17922 Fitch Avenue    Irvine    CA    92714    [phone]            March '97, p. 142
Review Index    Jewels of the Oracle    A generous selection of good logic puzzles nicely integrated into SVGA scenes.    Some spotty graphics and choppy animations; action is minimal.    If you like puzzle games of the Myst variety, you'll certainly enjoy this.    81    J    Discis    P.O. Box 66    Buffalo, NY 14223-0066            [phone]            July
Simulation    Jimmy Houston's Bass Tournament USA 97    Tournament play makes for a challenging day on the lake.    Unimpressive graphics, limited fishing areas, touchy casting interface, dull multimedia elements.    Anglers who prive diversity and challenge should stick to Trophy Bass or Gone Fishin'.    55    J    Sammy USA    901 Cambridge Dr.    Elk Grove Village    IL    60007    [phone]            November '97, p. 289
Simulation    Jimmy Houston's Bass Tournament USA 97    Tournament play makes for a challenging day on the lake.    Unimpressive graphics, limited fishing areas, touchy casting interface, dull multimedia elements.    Anglers who prive diversity and challenge should stick to Trophy Bass or Gone Fishin'.    55    J    Sammy USA    901 Cambridge Dr.    Elk Grove Village    IL    60007    [phone]            November '97, p. 289
Review Index    Johnny Mnemonic    It's a step in the right direction for IM games.    Substantial system requirements; initially confusing; not much replay value.    An acquired taste; if you're a traditionalist who shuns the video movement or have a slow system, forget it!    80    J    Sony Imagesoft    2400 Broadway Avenue    Suite 550    Santa Monica, CA 90404                    September
Adventure    Jonny Quest: Cover-Up At Roswell    Excellent production value for animation and sound.    Entirely too easy. The puzzles are very childish in nature.     The colorful animations of the ôJonny Questö universe arenÆt enough to propel this breeze of an adventure.    60    J    Virgin Sound & Vision    122 South Robertson Blvd.    Los Angeles    CA    90048    [phone]            January '97, p. 240
Review Index    Judge Dredd    Cool concept borrowed from the film.    Boring graphics, fussy controls, and forgettable gameplay.    A cookie-cutter side-scroller that doesn╒t explore the potential excitement of its big-budget film license.    38    J    Acclaim Entertainment    1 Acclaim Plaza    Glen Cove, NY 11542-2777            [phone]            October
Arcade    Jumanji    Sharp graphics; no violence; kids may enjoy the movie tie-in.    Too easy for skilled gamers; nothing to keep you coming back.    There are better arcade games out there for kids and adults.    65    J    Philips Media    10960 Wilshire Blvd.    Los Angeles    CA    90024    [phone]            February '97, p. 145
Review Index    Jump Raven    Nice graphics and voice acting; a lot of work went into creating this game.    Little variation in background graphics, in-flight dialog, and gameplay.    Die-hard arcade fans will probably love it, but others may not feel they're getting their money's worth.    76    J    Paramount Interactive    700 Hansen Way    Palo Alto, CA 94304            [phone]            September
Review Index    Jungle Strike    Good, solid, shoot-'em-up action.    The action can get repetitive, and the sound is pretty thin.    If you like shooters, this one's worth checking out.    74    J    Gremlin Interactive    2551 N. Clark Street    Suite 496    Chicago, IL 60614                    June
Review Index    Jurassic Park    Solid graphics and two types of gameplay.    The action quickly becomes repetitive.    There are much better action games out there.    54    J    Ocean    1855 O'Toole Avenue    San Jose, CA 95131            [phone]            June
Sports    Kick Off 97    Simple and easy to get into; above average control.    Nonexistent AI; slow pace of play; some presentation bug problems.    Yet another mediocre soccer sim to gather dust in the bargain bins.    56    K    Maxis    2121 N. California Blvd.    Walnut Creek    CA    94596    800-33-MAXIS            September '97, p. 148
Review Index    Kingdom O' Magic    Funny dialogue; the unexpected is the only thing you can count on.    Non-linear gameplay can leave you lost; the need for lots of backtracking makes it tedious at times.    The quirky adventure has comedic flair. If you like off-beat games, pick it up.    71    K    Philips Media, Inc.    10960 Wilshire Blvd.    7th Flr.    Los Angeles, CA 90024                    June
Review Index    Kingdom: The Far Reaches    Excellent sound and music. It'll make you nostalgic for Dragon's Lair.    It's repetitive, frustrating, and almost arbitrary in the many ways it kills you.    It just doesn't seem to have been made by people who play games.    60    K    Interplay Productions    17922 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            (800) 969-GAME            September
Review Index    Kingdoms of Germany    The game's easy-to-learn, easy-to-use interface gets you into the fray fast.     There's not much in the way of chrome, and the relative simplicity of gameplay limits overall complexity.    A good, solid wargame--although perhaps not as detailed as it could be.    77    K    Realism Entertainment    6N 522 Pine Street    Bensenville, IL, 60106                        August
Review Index    Kingmaker    An historical soap opera in the best blood-and-guts tradition.     So-so graphics and steep base memory requirements; complex gameplay will frighten newcomers.    A great game for hard-core strategy fans that has the added value of unraveling a confusing historical area.    81    K    Avalon Hill    4517 Hartford Road    Baltimore, MD 21214            [phone]            July
Review Index    Kings' Quest VII    Sierra always delivers pretty, enjoyable graphic adventures.    The interface doesn't leave much for the gamer to do, and the save-game method stinks.    It's not the best graphic adventure--or even the best in the KQ line--but it's fun and pretty and not too hard.    84    K    Sierra On-Line    3380 146th Place SE    Suite 300    Bellevue, WA 98007                    March
Review Index    Knight Moves    Interesting concept that mixes chess-style thinking with arcade reflexes.    The 3D interface is awkward; the no-frills manual and lack of features makes this as slim as some shareware releases.    More fun than Under Pressure, or Endorfun, but it's not Tetris.     65    K    Spectrum HoloByte    2490 Mariner Square Loop    Alameda, CA 94501            [phone]            March
Review Index    Knight's Chase    Graphically stunning; detailed and historical story line; simple interface.    Obscure puzzles require a lot of luck; bad camera angles; occasioanlly poor voice acting.    If the puzzles weren╒t so poorly done, it would be a fantastic adventure. As it is, it╒s probably best to wait for the next Time Gate game.    60    K    I-Motion    1341 Ocean Avenue    Box 417    Santa Monica, CA 90401                    September
Action    Krazy Ivan    Lots of weapons and power-ups; smooth gameplay; multi-player.    Easily finished in a few sittings; occasionally wonky controls.    Even as a PlayStation game, Krazy Ivan was a little too simplistic; most PC gamers will find it a hollow experience.    60    K    Psygnosis    919 East Hillsdale Blvd.    Foster City    CA    94404    415-655-5683            April '97, p. 154
Strategy    Krush Kill æN Destroy    Polished graphics, nice variety, decent multiplayer options.    Weak artificial intelligence. Extremely difficult  missions.    Like most me-too games, some of the touches that made the originals great arenÆt here, but KKND is still worth trying.    82    K    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Blvd.    San Mateo    CA    94403    415-513-7171            May '97, p. 112
Review Index    Last Bounty Hunter    Fun arcade action, plenty of challenge, and lots of bad guys to shoot.    Some scenes are ridiculously difficult; the acting occasionally gets too cheesy.    If you're a fan of ALG shooters, or looking for some mindless arcade action, check it out.    72    L    American Laser Games Inc.    4801 Lincoln Road NE    Albuquerque, NM 87109             [phone]            November
Review Index    Last Dynasty    It tries really, really  hard to do something different and stylish.    Play is confusing, uneventful; sound, video are below par.    The story is just a mess; the action is nothing special; and the adventure game is a muddle.    60    L    Sierra    PO Box 3404    Salinas, CA 93912             [phone]            November
Adventure    Last Express, The    Lovely graphics and mood are complimented by good acting and a rich story line.    Puzzles are often quite difficult, and the save-game system is off-putting in the extreme.    A unique and polished adventure game with a strong, sustained, historical flavor.    90    L    Broderbund Software    P.O. Box 6121    Novato    CA    94948    415-382-4400            June '97, p. 108
Review Index    Lawnmower Man    Sounds great; lots of animation; addictive.    32-color palette; no saved games--three strikes and you're out.    An intriguing, but flawed, first effort. Wait for the 256-color sequel that'll be released later this year.    67    L    Sony Electronic Publishing    2400 Broadway Avenue    Suite 550    Santa Monica, CA 90404                    June
Review Index    Legend of Kyrandia    Great characterizations; simple interface.    So-so graphics except in the Windows Mode; interface can get in your way.    Tricky puzzles; hilarious dialog; no single right way to win;  provides a challenging and entertaining adventure.    88    L    Virgin Interactive    18061 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            January
Adventure    Leisure Suit Larry in Love For Sail!    Great graphics; Al Lowe's skewed humor; the return of the (optional) text-based interface.    Fairly high "been there, done that" factor; sometimies the tongue-in-cheek humor is tiresome.    If you can handle Adult Situations and Partial Nudity, this is a ship-shape winner.    84    L    Sierra    P.O. Box 85006    Bellevue    WA    98007    206-644-4343            April '97, p. 133
Review Index    Lemmings Chronicles    Challenging puzzles; lots of levels.    New interface doesn╒t measure up to the classic.    Fans of previous Lemmings will still want to add this to their collection. Newbies should try the earlier games.    77    L    Sony Interactive.                                March
Review Index    Lemmings Paintball    Colorful graphics, easy to use interface and addictive gameplay.    Difficult puzzles in later levels. Half-realized multi-player games.    Psygnosis creates a wonderful new dimension of Lemmings fun that╒s every bit as challenging as the original games.    80    L    Psygnosis    919 E. Hillsdale Blvd.    2nd Floor    Foster City, CA 94404                    September
Review Index    Lighthouse    Interesting world and story, many good puzzles with different solutions.    Some frustrating puzzles, pixel hunting, occasionally awkward interface.    A somewhat flawed but overall entertaining trip through a parallel world.    82    L    Sierra    P.O. Box 3404    Salinas, CA 93912            [phone]            December
Review Index    Line Wars II    The use of light and shading is effective and eye-catching.    Controlling your ship is difficult, and the game screen is so dark that it becomes hard to even see the targets.     With so much good shareware out there, there's no sense in bothering with this.    50    L    Safari Software/Epic Megagames    10406 Holbrook Drive    Potomac, MD 20854            [phone]             December
Review Index    Links LS    Stunning graphics, multiple perspectives, modem play, and much more challenging golf.    High system requirements; it could be time for that new computer.    Golf on a computer can't get much better.    96    L    Access    4750 Wiley Post Way    Bldg. 1 Suite 200    Salt Lake City, UT 84116                     November
Sports    Links LS 1998 Edition    Incredible visuals; stable Internet play; plenty of features and courses.    Some reports of bugs and video card problems; club selection quirks in off-line tourneys.    A small step forward for the best of golf sims, but a step forward nonetheless.    95    L    Access    4750 Wiley Post Way, Bldg. 1, Ste. 200    Salt Lake City    UT     84116-2878    [phone]            October '97, p. 240
Review Index    Lion    Another fine and intriguing simulation of predators in the wild.    There's still not much to do between meals.    As Doom II is to Doom, Lion is to Wolf. It's more of the same, but well worth playing.    86    L    Sanctuary Woods    1825 S. Grant St.    San Mateo, CA 94402            [phone]            March
Review Index    Litil Divil    A great title character; varied gameplay; and nice graphics and sound.    Meandering labyrinths can get tiring; some game elements are often repeated.    You'll love that cute litil divil despite what he may have done to end up in hell.    86    L    Philips Interactive    11111 Santa Monica Boulevard    Los Angeles, CA 90025            [phone]            January
Review Index    Little Monster at School    Excellent graphics and music provide long-term interest for kids.    It doesn't make advances over other Living Books; a little more educational content would be nice.    This is a program you'll really enjoy exploring with your kids.    89    L    Living Books    P.O. Box 5144    Novato, CA 94948            [phone]            October
Review Index    Live Action Football    A quick, pretty dose of NFL action; good video and excellent audio play-by-play.    Video plays quickly become repetitive.    Kids will love it, but serious football fans may lose interest.    75    L    Accolade    5300 Stevens Creek Boulevard    San Jose, CA 95129            [phone]            April
Review Index    Lode Runner    Easy to learn but very tough to stop playing; perfect mood music and captivating character animations.    A modem-support option would give the head-to-head mode much more replay value.    Great fun for puzzle fans and arcade fiends alike--a real winner!    85    L    Sierra On-Line    3380 146th Place SE    Suite 300    Bellevue, WA 98007                    November
Review Index    Lords of Midnight    Lords of Midnight does have an interesting idea or two.    Bad sound, bad graphics, bad interface, impenetrable gameplay.    An absolute mess.    40    L    Eidos    303 Sacramento Street    San Francisco, CA 94111            Tip Line: (900) 288-GAME            February
Strategy    Lords of the Realm II    Excellent balance of strategic and tactical play; fun combat; superb realm-building.    More charts would help. AI is sometimes either too easy or too hard. No custom castles!     LORII is immense fun for both the empire-builder and the medieval combatant, with all the intrigue and bloodletting you could want.    92    L    Sierra Online    P.O. Box 3404    Salinas    CA     93912    [phone]            February '97, p. 148
Review Index    Lords of the Realm II    A good balance between micro and macro management.    The battlefield screens could stand a bit of enhancement.     Lords of the Realm has all the ingredients, and in the right proportions, to satisfy anyone interested in historical simulations.    91    L    Impressions Software    222 Third Street    Suite 0234    Cambridge, MA 02142                    November
Review Index    Los Angeles Times Crossword    Super-friendly interface; tournament play option.    It is just a crossword game; non-abecedarians need not apply.    For crossword lovers, L.A. Times is a whole lot of entertainment at a great price.    74    L    Random House Electronic Pub.    201 E. 50th Street    3rd Floor    New York, NY 10022                    May
Puzzle    Lose Your Marbles    Highly addictive gameplay; original concept; good graphics and sound effects.    Awkward keyboard configurations for multi-player games; no Internet mode.    Good clean fun that hooks you from the very start.    88    L    SegaSoft    150 Shoreline Dr.    Redwood City    CA    94065    (888) SEGASOFT            November '97, p. 241
Puzzle    Lose Your Marbles    Highly addictive gameplay; original concept; good graphics and sound effects.    Awkward keyboard configurations for multi-player games; no Internet mode.    Good clean fun that hooks you from the very start.    88    L    SegaSoft    150 Shoreline Dr.    Redwood City    CA    94065    (888) SEGASOFT            November '97, p. 241
Review Index    Lost Eden    Beautiful graphics; wonderful music; and an original setting.    Lurking behind the innovative premise are some old adventure-game cliches.    If you're looking for something different and genuinely entertaining, Lost Eden is your paradise.    89    L    Virgin Interactive Entertainment    18061 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            June
Review Index    Lunicus    Nice graphics, sound, and music with lots of explosions.    Incredibly repetitive combat sequences; doesn't coexist peacefully with QEMM memory manager.    The lack of variety in gameplay gives this one little replay value. If you do stick with it to the end, you'll be glad it's over.    55    L    Paramount Interactive    700 Hansen Way    Palo Alto, CA 94304            [phone]            December
Strategy    M.A.X.: Mechanized Assault & Exploration    Great balance among units and structures; tough AI; multi-player options; loads of replay value.    No Internet support; manual should have been better.    This could end up being the best turn-based strategy game of 1997.    90    M    Interplay    16815 Von Karman Ave.,     Irvine    CA    92606    714-553-6678            April '97, p. 124
Review Index    M4: Sherman Tank    Combat and navigation are easy to master.    Gameplay is very repetitive, and the graphics and sound do nothing to suspend your disbelief.    There's a good game here somewhere, but it's crippled by lifeless graphics and repetitive gameplay.    48    M    Deadly Games    312 E. 23rd    New York, NY 10010    Combat and navigation are easy to master.        Gameplay is very repetitive, and the graphics and sound do nothing to suspend your disbelief.            July
Review Index    Maabus    The graphics and animation aren't too bad.    A sluggish interface; vague documentation; and a zillion unavoidable deaths.    Buy it if you like flashy graphics and don't care about gameplay--otherwise, steer clear.    55    M    Microforum Inc.    1 Woodborough Avenue    Toronto, Canada M6M 5A1            [phone]            June
Review Index    Machiavelli the Prince    One of the best powermonger games around.    It is a revamped, repackaged title.    Colorful, complex, addictive, and subversive! Play with a friend (while you still have one...).    84    M    MicroProse Software, Inc.    180 Lakefront Drive    Hunt Valley, MD 21030            [phone]            July
Action    Machine Hunter    Addictive action. Unique strategy makes for varied gameplay.    Unimpressive graphics; sluggish gameplay on some systems.    Despite the chunky graphics and clunky control, Machine Hunter delivers a nice blend of fast-paced fun and puzzling.    72    M    MGM Interactive    2500 Broadway St.    Santa Monica    CA    90404-3061    [phone]            November '97, p. 232
Action    Machine Hunter    Addictive action. Unique strategy makes for varied gameplay.    Unimpressive graphics; sluggish gameplay on some systems.    Despite the chunky graphics and clunky control, Machine Hunter delivers a nice blend of fast-paced fun and puzzling.    72    M    MGM Interactive    2500 Broadway St.    Santa Monica    CA    90404-3061    [phone]            November '97, p. 232
Review Index    Mad Dog McCree II    Good video, good acting and music; you'll need a calculator to keep track of the body count.    It doesn't take long to finish even if you play all three games.    It doesn't have a lot of replay value, but it's a real kick while it lasts.    78    M    American Laser Games    4801 Lincoln Road NE    Albuquerque, NM 87109            [phone]             October
Sports    Madden NFL 97    Excellent graphics and animation; smooth interface; more than 100 teams.    The AI is suspect; questionable season simulation results; mediocre play-by-play commentary; numerous gameplay quirks.    ThereÆs a lot of fun to be had with Madden NFL 97, but not a lot of realism.    74    M    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Boulevard    San Mateo    CA    94404    [phone]            January '97, p. 216
Review Index    Magic Carpet    Amazing graphics; terrific sound and action.    No way to save a game in the middle of the level, which can take hours to complete.    There's a whole lot of game here, and it's all excellent. Magic Carpet may well become the talked-about game for 1995.    95    M    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Boulevard    San Mateo, CA 94404-2064            [phone]            April
Review Index    Magic Carpet 2    A great game made better with new visual effects and loads of new spells.    Some of the visual effects get tiresome. The game doesn╒t forge as much new ground as it might have.    More of what you  liked in the original - and then some.    88    M    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Blvd.    San Mateo, CA 94404-2064            [phone]            December
Strategy    Magic: The Gathering    Stays true to the Wizards of the Coast card game; intelligent computer AI.    Adventure element is not very interesting; no multi-player support; high system requirements.    If youÆve played the card game, youÆll like the PC version, itÆs also a good way to learn.    83    M    Spectrum HoloByte    2490 Mariner Square Loop    Alameda      CA    94501    Order Hotline: [phone]             June '97, p. 86
Action    Magic: The Gathering -- BattleMage    It tries to capture the feel of playing Magic: The Gathering real-time.    It fails to achieve its goal with any sort of success    A terrible game. If you want a Magic: The Gathering PC game, wait for MicroProseÆs turn-based version to come out.    30    M    Acclaim    1 Acclaim Plaza    Glen Cove    NY    11542-2708    516-759-7900            May '97, p. 102
Review Index    Majestic    Sharp graphics; nice sound effects; efficient interface.    Long CD accesses, short game time and weak puzzles.    A few peculiar puzzles add stamina to an otherwise uninspired game, but only if you╒re really bored.    52    M    Piranha Interactive Publishing    1839 West Drake    Suite B,    Tempe, AZ 85283                    July
Review Index    Manic Karts    Sharp graphics; upgrade system lets you improve your cart.    No crashes, no bounces. It╒s just high-speed graphics bumping into eachother trhough impossible turns.    Unless you just can╒t live without another arcade racer, don╒t bother.    59    M    Virgin Interactive    18061 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            August
Puzzle    Marble Drop    Gorgeous DaVinci-style graphics, low system requirements.    Tedious and repetitive gameplay; no level editor; not much fun.    Marble Drop is a love-it or loathe-it title. Proceed at your own risk.    48    M    Maxis    2121 N. California Blvd., Suite 600    Walnut Creek    CA    94596    (800) 33-MAXIS            July '97, p. 159
Review Index    Martian Chronicles    The Ray Bradbury interviews are interesting and provide some appeal.    Stunningly boring, cliched, lifeless, and bland.    A tragic waste of brilliant source material.    49    M    Simon & Schuster Interactive    175 Fifth Ave.    Suite 2122    New York, NY 10010                    February
Review Index    Master of Magic    Fantasy world has a vast array of races, spells, and combat units.    Uninspired sound; graphics could be better; and the artificial intelligence routines are sub-par.    A powerful mix of empire building, wizardry, and combat.    83    M    MicroProse    180 Lakefront Drive    Hunt Valley, MD 21030            [phone]            January
Strategy    Master of Orion: Battle at Antares    Endless replay value, thanks to randomly generated universes and gameplay variables.    The amount of micromanaging required is almost overwhelming.    A great update of a classic game, even with the micromanaging.    86    M    MicroProse    280 Lakefront Drive    Hunt Valley    MD    21030-2245    [phone]            March '97, p. 134
Arcade    Maui Mallard in Cold Shadow    Smooth animation and Disney's attention character design.    Reliance on traditional platform formula makes it predictable.    If you're nostalgic for a mindless action/platform thrill,, this could be it, but there are much better action games for the PC.    62    M    Disney Interactive    500 South Beuna Vista St.    Burbank    CA     91521    800-426-3306            April '97, p. 113
Review Index    Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing    Kids will easily identify with the charming main character.    The actual typing exercises are presented against an environment that can be distracting to kids.    Kids who  enjoy the main character will learn to type, but there are better children's typing tutorials on the market.    75    M    Mindscape    88 Roland Way    Novato CA 94945                        December
Action    MDK    Silky smooth performance, difficult levels, incredible graphics.    Complicated interface, vague puzzles and objectives; too short.    If you can warm to the console-style sensibilities of MDK, you'll find a brief but well-done action game.    86    M    Playmates Interactive    16200 S. Trojan Way    La Mirada    CA     90638    [phone]            July '97, p. 166
Action    Meat Puppet    Impressive character animation. Great music and sound effects.    Controls are awful and make playing the game a chore. Puzzles are annoying. AI is baffling.    Watch "Aeon Flux" instead. You get great animation without carpal tunnel syndrome.    45    M    Playmates Interactive Entertainment    611 Anton Blvd. Suite 500    Costa Mesa    CA        [phone]            October '97, p. 244
Review Index    MechWarrior 2    Cinema-quality visuals and sounds; silky-smooth control; demanding missions.    Demanding system requirements for hi-res modes; full-fledged net gaming will have to wait.    If you can only play one battling-robot game a year, make sure it's this one.    93    M    Activision    11601 Willshire Boulevard    Suite 1000    Los Angeles, CA 90025                    September
Review Index    MechWarrior II: Mercenaries    New business model, improved graphics make Mercs even more fun than Mech2.    New graphics options mean steeper hardware requirements.    If you liked MechWarrior 2, you╒ll love Mercenaries.    95    M    Activision    11601 Wilshire Blvd.    Suite 1000    Los Angeles, CA 90025                    December
Review Index    MegaRace    Psychedelics tracks alone are nearly worth the price.    The cars handle like motorized shopping carts; aside from different track designs, there's not much variety in gameplay.    If you like non-stop action and killer graphics, you'll love MegaRace.        M    Miindscape    88 Roland Way    Novato CA 94945                        July
Review Index    MegaRace 2    Gorgeous graphics and big, branching tracks..    Dodgy controls; long video segments; and underwhelming sense of speed.    Where the original MegaRace shined on the track, MegaRace 2 merely putts along at a leisurely pace, letting the world race by.    65    M    Mindscape    88 Rowland Way    Novato, CA 94945            [phone]            December
Review Index    Menzoberranzan    Good graphics and sound, and, eventually, a good plot.    Hack, slash, hack, slash. Are we having fun yet?    A solid engine, and a good premise, but is combat oriented in early levels and takes its sweet time getting to the narrative elements.    85    M    Strategic Simulations Inc.    675 Almanor Avenue    Suite 201    Sunnyvale, CA 94086-2901                    February
Review Index    Merchant Prince    If smooth, addictive gameplay packed with skull-duggery appeals to you, this game's for you.    The graphics aren't anything to write home about.    With its balanced gameplay, Merchant Prince is one of the best new trading games around.    85    M    QQP    495 Highway 202    Flemington, NJ 08822            [phone]             June
Review Index    Metal Marines    Delightful graphics and animation; fast and furious action.    Solo play is too damn fast for you to enjoy all the details.    Excellent for modem play; a bit too frustrating in the solo mode.    63    M    Mindscape    88 Roland Way    Novato CA 94945                        May
Review Index    Metaltech: EarthSiege    Plenty of action and a wide degree of control.    Hard to master the controls; some overly difficult missions.    A super battling robots game; undoubtedly the best on the market; a challenging but rewarding game.    90    M    Sierra On-Line    3380 146th Place SE    Suite 300    Bellevue, WA 98007                    March
Review Index    Micro Machines 2    Going against a friend head-to-head is a blast; excellent track editor.    Lacks network options; all multi-player action has to be played off the same PC.    Good clean fun. That╒s the reason it╒s been around so long, it╒s a good game.    80    M    GameTek    2999 Northeast 191st St.    Suite 500    North Miami Beach, FL 33180                     October
Review Index    Microcosm    Fluid animation and a good soundtrack keep the game moving.    Frustration levels are high, and the gameplay value is low.    It could only appeal to the hard-core arcade-shooter fans, but there's not enough gameplay on display for that crowd.    45    M    Psygnosis    675 Massachusetts Avenue    Cambridge, MA 02139    [phone]                    July
Sports    Microsoft Golf 3.0    Easy multiplayer options for playing over the 'net.    The graphics should've been updated; the menu-driven interface is sorta clunky.    If Internet competition is your thing, MS Golf delivers a seamless entry onto the web; if you're a die-hard duffer, stick to Links LS.    65    M    Microsoft    One Microsoft Way    Redmond    WA    98052-6399    206-635-6100            April '97, p. 136
Sports    Microsoft Soccer    Easy installation; network play.    Frustrating gameplay; average graphics; cheesy sound effects; only one view of on-field gameplay.    In the market for a great soccer sim? You won't find it here.    58    M    Microsoft    1 Microsoft Way    Redmond,    WA    98052    [phone]            March '97, p. 129
Review Index    Microsoft Space Simulator    Stunning high-res graphics; realistic approach to space travel.    Poor or non-existent sound; the interface can be awkward and confusing.    Solid science combined with a sense of wonder equals an entertaining, educational way to explore the galaxy.    84    M    Microsoft    1 Microsoft Way    Redmond, WA 98052-6399            [phone]            March
Review Index    Millenia: Altered Destinies    Innovative approach combining time-travel, strategy, and narrative elements.    Some sense of frustration over how to deal with certain problems or dead ends. Awkward and unnecessary combat sequences.    A refreshingly different type of narrative science-fiction game.    88    M    Take 2 Interactive    1004 Ligonier St.    Latrobe, PA 15650            [phone]            January
Review Index    Millennium Auction    Lavishly rendered solid 3D character, surreal animation and lovely digitized photos flesh out this engaging sim.    Little variation from game to game.    A believable game world that's entertaining and (gasp!) educational; much fun for CD-ROM owners.    79    M    Eidolon    5716 Mosholu Avenue    Riverdale, NY 10471                        August
Review Index    Mindgrind    Ten categories and five playing arenas make for loads of possible questions.    No clear variation between easy and hard questions; mediocre graphics.    Unless you simply adore trivia games, don't bother with this one.    45    M    Microforum    1 Woodborough Ave.    Toronto, ONT., Canada M6M5A1             [phone]            November
Review Index    Mirage    The graphics are pretty.    Stilted video, puzzling transitions, bad acting, and clumsy interface make it almost painful to play.    Nice visuals aren't enough to save this disjointed, confusing game.    47    M    Atlantis Interactive    15127 Califa Street    Van Nuys, CA 91411            [phone]            October
Review Index    Mission Critical    Fine graphics and sound, silky interface, good acting, exceptional script.    Inadequate online help, a bit too much corridor-prowling between the more intense sequences, and an anti-climatic ending.    A mature and thought-provoking adventure that plays the way a good science fiction novel reads.    85    M    Legend Entertainment    P.O. Box 10810    14200 Park Meadow Dr.    Chantilly, VA 22021                    February
Review Index    MissionForce: Cyberstorm    Slick production value, no-nonsense mission structure, and lots of options.    Hex-based movement is a pain; steep learning curve; limited multi-player excitement.    A solid and demanding strategy game that╒s every bit as exciting as the real-time shoot-╒em-ups.    82    M    Sierra Online    3380 146th Place S.E. Suite 300    Bellevue, Washington 98007            Order Hotline: [phone]            October
Adventure    Mode    Hitting the escape button gets you out of the game very quickly.    It exists. It takes up four Cds that would have been better used for John Tesh music.    The nadir of non-interactive video junk.    10    M    Corel Corp.    1600 Carling Ave.    Ottawa, Ont., Canada     Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1Z8R7    K1Z8R7    [phone]            January '97, p. 248
Review Index    Monopoly    Super smooth animations, Internet play, slick interface and plenty of options.    It is, after all, still a board game conversions, and so ultimately has a flat feel.    We bet that even Monopoly-haters will be charmed by this clever and well-executed game.    90    M    Virgin Interactive    18061 Fitch Ave.    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            November
Review Index    Monopoly CD    Super smooth animations, Internet play, slick interface and plenty of options.    It is, after all, still a board game conversions, and so ultimately has a flat feel.    We bet that even Monopoly-haters will be charmed by this clever and well-executed game.    90    M    Virgin Interactive    18061 Fitch Ave.    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            December
Review Index    Monster Truck Madness    Great-looking trucks; outstanding racing; fun network play. The horn plays ╥Dixie╙.    Really needs to monster systsem to run. More tracks would have been nice.    More fun thanyou can  have at the state fair arena.    85    M    Microsoft Corporation    1 Microsoft Way    Redmond, WA 98052-6399            [phone]            December
Review Index    Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail    Lots of Python for the Python lover.    Not much game play. Finding necessary items is a pixel hunt on the screen.     Only the most dedicated Python fan would play this game. Otherwise, just rent the film.    47    M    7th Level Inc.    P.O. Box 832190    Richardson, TX 75083-2190            [phone]            October
Review Index    Mordor    Plenty of stats-heavy roleplaying for gamers who miss the classics.    Almost no graphics or sound to speak of; very little gameplay apart from combat.    This is a dungeon crawl from the old school, but it's worth a look from the uninitiated.    68    M    TDA    720 132nd St. SW    Suite 202    Everett, WA 98204                    November
Review Index    Mortal Kombat    Great fighting action; clever graphics; and near-perfect gameplay.    A little bit too violent for some people--but hey, it's a fighting game.    If you've been burned by watered-down IBM action in the past, here's your chance to make up for it!    91    M    Ultratech    584 Broadway    New York, NY 10012                        June
Review Index    Mortal Kombat 3    Network options; more special moves than you can shake a bloody spine at.    The look and feel of the Mortal Kombat series is getting a little stale.    Yet another excellent arcade experience from the king of fighting games.    89    M    Acclaim Distribution Inc.    71 Audrey Avenue    Oyster Bay, NY 11771            [phone]            October
Review Index    Mortal Kombat II    All of the blood and gore and gameplay of the arcade version; excellent control with a gamepad.    If you've already spent a fortune in quarters playing MKII, you won't find anything new here.    A great arcade fighter that makes the transition to the PC with no compromises.    86    M    Acclaim Distribution Inc.    71 Audrey Avenue    Oyster Bay, NY 11771            [phone]            May
Review Index    Multimedia Celebrity Poker    Nice full-motion video footage; simple and intuitive interface.    Motions and comments by the stars become repetitive very quickly, so there's not much replay value.    Don't expect to stay up late nights with this one.    58    M    New World Computing, Inc.    P.O. Box 4302    Hollywood, CA 90078-4302            [phone]            September
Adventure    Mummy: Tomb of the Pharaoh    The music and sound effects provide a wonderful atmosphere.    Plot and puzzles are ordinary, without anything new to offer the seasoned player.    A good introduction to the adventure game genre, but there's better out there.    65    M    Interplay    16815 Von Karman Ave.    Irvine    CA    92606    714-533-6678            April '97, p. 150
Review Index    Muppets Inside    Colorful, entertaining, and extremely user-friendly.    It╒s the same old song; the better your system, the better the game performs.    You╒d have to be either Statler or Waldorf not to enjoy this game.    88    M    Starwave Corporation    13810 SE Eastgate Way    Bellvue, WA 98005            [phone]            September
Puzzle/Arcade    Mutant Penguins    Whimsical graphics, nice music, and tough puzzles.    Repeated access of the CD-ROM under Win95 will frustrate most players.    A new take on Lemmings with a budget price, Mutant Penguins is a wannabe winner.    68    M    GameTek    Three Harbour Dr., Suite 110    Sausalito    CA    94965    800-GAMETEK            June '97, p. 96
Review Index    Myst    Graphics, sound, and gameplay that pull you in and never let you go.    It's a crap shoot as to whether your particular hardware set up combo will bring even more woe to Myst Island.    Finally a game that validates the hype of CD-ROM. If you were looking for a reason to move up to those silvery little discs, this is it.    95    M    Broderbund    500 Redwood Boulevard    Novato, CA 94948            [phone]            June
Review Index    NASCAR Racing    Great graphics; stirring sound; hair-raising action.    A mid-range 486 is barely adequate to run the game, even in standard VGA mode.    If you're a race fan with a fast computer, your life simply isn't complete without NASCAR Racing.    94    N    Papyrus    35 Medford Stree    Somerville, MA 02143            [phone]            February
Simulation    NASCAR Racing 2    Improved graphics, framerate, interface; great multi-player options.    Demanding system requirements. Occasionally fishy AI.    If you're a fan of the original, this is a worthwhile upgrade. If you never tried the original, here's your chance to catch the fever.    90    N    Sierra Online    P.O. Box 3404    Salinas    CA    93912    Order Hotline: [phone]            March '97, p. 116
Review Index    National Lampoon's Blind Date    Realistic depiction of the tribulations of strategic naval command.    Limited appeal, and the usual drawbacks of the Windows environment.    An entertaining revival of the "dating simulation" concept.    74    N    Trimark Interactive    2644 30th Street    Santa Monica, CA 90405-3009            [phone]            December
Review Index    Navy Strike    Good graphics, campaign mode adds new dimension.    Bewildering keystrokes, m enus; unrealistic flight models.    With its emphasis on fun air combat and the intriguing Command Module, Navy Strike is a good introductory sim.    80    N    Empire Interactive    4 Professional Drive.    Ste 123    Gaithersburg, MD 20879                    February
Sports    NBA Full Court Press    Slick presentation; great commentary; what youÆd expect from an NBA license.    Bland graphics; unsatisfying feel; doesnÆt pack the kind of attitude an NBA license suggests.    There have been better basketball games; thereÆs better to come. Why buy this?    60    N    Microsoft    1 Microsoft Way    Redmond    WA    98052-6399    [phone]            January '97, p. 247
Review Index    NBA Live 95    You name it. Every about NBA Live '95 is a treat for the eyes and ears.    You can't edit players, and coaching and strategy options are limited.    If you're a hoops fan, and you have a high-end machine, you shouldn't be without this game.    90    N    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Boulevard    San Mateo, CA            [phone]            June
Review Index    NBA Live 96    Brings expansion teams, a player-creation feature, on-the-fly play-calling, and multiple camera angles to an already great game.    Too many blocked shots and out-of-bounds passes; tricky to find a good camera angle; steep hardware requirements.    A great simulation that can be enjoyed on a variety of levels.    88    N    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Blvd.    San Mateo, CA 94404            [phone]            May
Sports    NBA Live 97    Incredible graphics, full rosters, all the stats, and unequaled presentation.    Slippery control, poor frame-rate on slower systems, and some flaws as a sim.    the best-looking, best-playing, basketball game available, even with its flaws.    84    N    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Blvd.    San Mateo    CA    94404    (415)-571-7171            April '97, p. 98
Review Index    NCAA Basketball    Good oncourt gameplay; recruiting and multi-player optinos give it a good shelf life.    Results of simulated games are questionable; only one viewing perspective; no out-of-bounds; inaccurate physical stats and jersey numbers.    A fun college basketball sim, but one that can clearly stand some improvement.    65    N    GTE Entertainment    2035 Corte Del Nogal, #200    Carlsbad, CA 92009            [phone]            December
Sports Simulation     NCAA Basketball Final Four '97    Unprecedented variety of post-up moves.    Sloppy control; basketball is too big for the rim; speed is a little slow.    It's the best college hoops game on the PC, but there isn't much competition out there, either.    71    N    Mindscape    88 Rowland Way    Novato    CA    94945    415-897-9900            July '97, p. 154
Review Index    NCAA: Road to the Final Four 2    Three seasons of NCAA tournament fields; handsome graphics and some exciting action.    Choppy animation; awkward coaching interface.    If you've been waiting for a good basketball sim, Road to the Final Four 2 is definitely worth a look.    80    N    Bethesda Softworks    1370 Piccard Drive    Rockville, MD 20850-4304            [phone]            February
Arcade    Necrodome    Many play options; Internet support; lots of things to smash and shoot.    Murky, circular levels; too many stops and starts.    Fun and playable, but not really remarkable.    84    N    SSI    675 Almanor Ave., Suite 210    Sunnyvale    CA    94086-2901    [phone]            February '97, p. 114
Review Index    Need for Speed    Great hi-res graphics; cool videos of the cars.    Limited number of tracks; no crashes; the single-player mode gets old.    If you've been looking for a slick action game with the right mix of realism and arcade gameplay, look no further.    84    N    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Blvd.    San Mateo, CA 94404             [phone]            November
Arcade    Need for Speed II    Pretty graphics, lots of cute touches; mucho multi-player options.    Short tracks; no cops; slower than molasses on low-end Pentiums.    Try as it might, this just can't touch the original.    73    N    Electronic Arts    P.O. Box 7578    San Mateo    CA    94403-7578    [phone]            July '97, p. 180
Adventure    Nemesis: The Wizardry Adventure    Pretty graphics; unique puzzles; variety of creatures, dungeons.    Awkward combat interface; story line isnÆt involving.    A decent graphic adventure, but if youÆre dying to play more Wizardry games, youÆre bound to be disappointed.    73    N    Sir-tech Software    P.O. BOX 245    Ogdensburg    NY    13669    [phone]            February '97, p. 134
Review Index    Neverhood Chronicles    Wonderful claymation animations and backdrops.    Repetitive and pointless puzzling;; almost no interaction.    The tiresome puzzles and limited interaction squash the life out of what could have been an amazing adventure.    40    N    Dreamworks Interactive    640 N. Sepulveda Blvd.    Los Angeles, CA 90049            [phone]            December
Review Index    New Horizons    Plenty of variety gives this one a good replay value.    Way too cutesy, with cliched dialogue, videogame-looking graphics, and little real challenge.    Light, lively entertainment, but nothing new; not for the serious strategist.    68    N    KOEI Corp.    1350 Old Bayshore Hwy.    Suite 540    Burlingame, CA 94010                    July
Review Index    NFL Pro League Football    Lots of players, teams, and statistics; accurate and lightning-fast replay results.    Rough animations; sparse sound effects.    As a number cruncher, this is a solid football sim, but if you demand graphics as well, you can do better.    76    N    MicroSports    One Northgate Park    Suite 103    Chattanooga, TN 37415                    October
Review Index    NFL Quarterback Club 96    Unprecedented degree of control on the field; great animations; an extensive playbook.    Lack of trades or a draft; simulations of historic games only support one player.    The best action-oriented football sim yet.    90    N    Acclaim Entertainment    1 Acclaim Plaza    Glen Cove, NY 11542-2777            [phone]            May
Review Index    NFL Quarterback Club 97    Lots of pre-built plays, customizable camera views.    Annoying camera shifts during possession changes, confusing four-button gamepad controls, and chunky player graphics.    For fast, furious, football action QBC '97 delivers a rousing amount of playability, options, and fun.    80    N    Acclaim Entertainment    1 Acclaim Plaza    Glen Cove, NY 11542-2777            [phone]            November
Review Index    NHL 96    Knockout graphics, thrilling sound effects, modem options and the best hockey action around.    Some camera angles don╒t give the optimum view of the rink; steep system requirements.    If you love hockey or sports games in general, be sure and add this one to your collection.    90    N    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Blvd.    San Mateo, CA 94404-2064            [phone]            December
Review Index    NHL 97    Current high-water mark for sports sims, especially in its use of polygonal characters. Commendable AI.    No customizability, little management, sluggish fights, and some slanted scoring results.    If you╒ve got the system and are even remotely interested in hockey, pick this one up!    93    N    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Blvd.    San Mateo, CA 94404            [phone]            December
Review Index    NHL Hockey 95    Professional presentation and great game play.    There's not much other than improved game presentation and stats to separate this from the original NHL Hockey.    If you don't own the original, this is as good as it gets. If you do, try before you buy.    90    N    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Boulevard    San Mateo, CA 94404-2064            [phone]            January
Review Index    NHL PowerPlay 96    Fast-paced action; detailed player animations.    The look and feel of NHL PP ╘96 may seem a bit dated.    For accurate and controllable hockey without excessive extras, NHL PP ╘96 is one of the best hockey sims on the market.    86    N    Virgin Interactive    18061 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            August
Review Index    Nigel Mansell's World Championship    Driving is a snap because you couldn't wreck if you tried.    There's no real challenge whatsoever; racing has never been this tedious.    There are much better driving sims around.    40    N    Gremlin Graphics    2-4 Carver Street    Sheffield, England                        July
Arcade    Nihilist    The soundtrack is vaguely rocking.    Shallow gameplay and generally mediocre design make this game a downer even in the bargain bin.    Flashy graphics mean little when a game is this bad.    26    N    Philips Media    10960 Wilshire Blvd., Seventh Floor    Los Angeles    CA    90024    [phone]            March '97, p. 158
Review Index    Noctropolis    Gorgeous SVGA graphics and challenging but fair puzzles.    The dialogue could have used another pass through the typewriter, and the acting is strictly amateur.    Noctropolis is a solid adventure set in an intriguing and visually stunning world.    82    N    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Boulevard    San Mateo, CA 94404-2064            [phone]            February
Adventure    Noir    Well-chosen locations and music create the feeling of 1940s film noir.    Lack of interactivity; infuriatingly confusing movement interface.    Film buffs might appreciate what Cyberdreams achieved on a superficial level, but hard-core adventure gamers will be let down.    58    N    Cyberdreams    23586 Calabasas Road, Suite 102    Calabasas    CA    91302    [phone]            February '97, p. 126
Review Index    Normality    Slick navigation interface and generally good puzzles.    Dialog falls flat at times; may be too easy for some gamers; annoying hero.    Some good fun in the ╥I want to be Sam & Max when I grow up╙ vein.    80    N    Interplay    17922 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            September
Action/Strategy    Norse by Norsewest    It's more of the same for Lost Vikings buffs; nice presentation of cutscenes.    Sub-par graphics; very little improvement over the original.    Hardly a respectable follow-up, but it may keep fans of the series busy.    62    N    Interplay    16815 Von Karman Ave.    Irvine    CA    92606    [phone]            August '97, p. 122
Review Index    Nothing But Net!    The draft and playbook features are as good as you'll find.    Lack of a schedule creator makes for a lot of needless work; no real NBA players used; gameplay is slow.    Nothing But Net! is a good coaching simulation, but it's shortcomings are too serious to justify a recommendation.    64    N    Strategic Gaming Designs    659 Cary Towne Boulevard 176    Cary, NC 27511            [phone]            November
Review Index    Novastorm    A good shooter; Uses CD-ROM enhancements instead of being limited by them.    No save features; Not everyone likes shooters, and thatÆs all this is.    A refreshingly simple and effective CD-ROM title.    85    N    Psygnosis    675 Massachusetts Ave.    Cambridge, MA 02139            [phone]            February
Review Index    Obsidian    Great graphics and sound, engaging story line.    Lots of CD swapping. Brief gameplay for experienced adventure fans.    Obsidian manages to distanguish itself as a truly different adventure, where traditional puzzling melds with abstract thought.    83    O    SegaSoft    150 Shoreline Drive    Redwood City    CA    94065    415-802-4400            May '97, p. 124
Review Index    Old Time Baseball    Beautifull graphics, especially the stadiums.    A few bugs and some questionable statistical results.    A couple of errors keep this from being a perfect game.    82    O    Stormfront Studios    P.O. Box 11686    San Rafael, CA 94912            [phone]            February
Review Index    One Must Fall: 2097    Excellent moves and variety; just the thing for bloodless carnage.    Repetitive commentary following each bout; the graphics aren't particularly exciting.    Grab your gamepad and buy yourself some Band-aids because your thumbs are gonna get sore!    84    O    Epic MegaGames    10406 Holbrook Drive    Potomac, MD 20854            [phone]            February
Review Index    Operation Airstorm    The computerized model-assembly instructions are kind of neat.    Stupid narrative context; crude flight models; awful explosion graphics; cretinous AI.    Experienced gamers beware; for the budget-conscious novice only.    45    O    Expert Software    800 Douglas Road    Coral Gables, FL 33134            [phone]            April
Review Index    Operation Body Count    Having comrades that you control is nice, and one of the best ideas we've seen.    The flat, cardboard-cutout enemies are bad enough, but why does every floor have to look so much alike?    Check it out if you're a fan of the genre, but there's really nothing new here.    64    O    Capstone    501 Brickell Key Drive    6th Floor    Miami, FL 33131                    February
Review Index    Operation Crusader    A superb and wonderfully playable war game. It rules.    Disappointingly terse Tobruk scenario if you play the Allied side.    There are few PC wargames, past or present, that are able to reach a comparable level of excellence.    94    O    Avalon Hill    4517 Hartford Road    Baltimore, MD 21214            [phone]            December
Review Index    Operation Europe    The battlefield scenes are very good.    Complex, arbitrary rules will discourage novice gamers while veteran grognards will find the game risable in the extreme.    If you accept the game on its own terms, it can be quite entertaining; but it is not a serious simulation by any stretch.    64    O    KOEI Corp.    One Bay Plaza    Suite 540    1350 Bayshore Highway        Burlingame, CA 94010            December
Review Index    Origamo    One of the better Tetris-style games.    If your mouse is sluggish, you'll be frustrated; limited number of puzzles.    Plenty of options make it accessible to all skill ranges, and the backgrounds and music spice things up nicely.    78    O    QQP    495 Highway 202    Flemington, NJ 08822            [phone]            August
Review Index    Orion Conspiracy    An intriguing plot, and a fairly good cast of characters.    Sparse animation; lots of poorly written dialogue; and weak voice acting.    If you can endure the game's slow pace, there is a good mystery to solve.    50    O    Eidos Interactive    303 Sacramento Street    San Francisco, CA 94111            Tip Line: (900) 288-GAME            September
Action    Outlaws    Nice graphics, cutscenes; very good multi-player action and musical score.    In single-player mode, some levels are frustrating; enemy AI leaves much to be desired.    Outlaws has more atmosphere than any ten other 3D shooters, but it's not perfect.    82    O    LucasArts    P.O. Box 10307    San Rafael    CA    94912    [phone]            July '97, p. 174
Review Index    Outpost    Unbelievable graphics; fantastic sound; addictive and ever-changing gameplay.    Windows slows it down, and there isn't enough info in the manual to get you started on your first colony. Might be hard for first-timers.    It you're a strategy fan, you most own Outpost. Period.    93    O    Sierra On-Line    3380 146th Place S.E.    Suite 300    Bellevue, Washington  98007                    September
Strategy    Outpost 2    Variety spices up campaign missions; good multi-player action; free Internet play.    Inadequate manual; offers little originality.    A pretty enjoyable and solid game that doesn't deserve to be saddled with its predecessor's reputation.    75    O    Sierra    3380 146th Place S.E., Suite 300    Bellevue    WA    98007    [phone]            November '97, p. 225
Strategy    Outpost 2    Variety spices up campaign missions; good multi-player action; free Internet play.    Inadequate manual; offers little originality.    A pretty enjoyable and solid game that doesn't deserve to be saddled with its predecessor's reputation.    75    O    Sierra    3380 146th Place S.E., Suite 300    Bellevue    WA    98007    [phone]            November '97, p. 225
Wargame    Over the Reich    Elegant interface; exciting battles; engrossing campaign play.    High-tech sim-jockeys may find it too sedate, maybe too abstract.    A unique and singularly intelligent game; should captivate anyone with an interest in the subject of WWII aerial combat.    85    O    Avalon Hill    4517 Harftord Road    Baltimore    MD    21214    Order Hotline: [phone]            March '97, p. 165
Review Index    Pacific Air War 1942    Great graphics; optional tactical control of carrier battle; lovely details.    Demanding hardware requirements for high graphic settings; thin sound effects.    A great simulation that both novice and veteran PC pilots can enjoy.    95    P    MicroProse    180 Lakefront Drive    Hunt Valley, MD 21030            [phone]            June
Strategy    Pacific General    Many stand-alone scenarios are fun and historically interesting.    Lots of bad changes to the interface; Battle Generator is a nightmare; can't save at the end of a campaign battle!    One of the biggest disappointments I've ever experienced as a game reviewer.    48    P    SSI    675 Almanor Ave., Suite 201    Sunnyvale     CA    94086    [phone]            November '97, p. 312
Air Combat Simulation    Pacific Strike    The story setting makes for a great flight-sim environment, and there are tons of great planes to fly.    Poor frame rate; touchy controls; and confusing setup instructions.    Hold off until a CD-ROM version comes out. It's bound to be the best choice.    70    P    Origin    12940 Research Boulevard    Austin, TX 78750            [phone]            August
Action    Pandemonium    Attractive graphics, 3Dfx support, and large game world.    With a few exceptions, Pandemonium is full of repetitive, uninventive side-scrolling gameplay.    Even the most dedicated side-scroller fans will grit their teeth on this one.    58    P    Crystal Dynamics    2460 Embarcadero Way    Palo Alto    CA    94303    [phone]            November '97, p. 246
Action    Pandemonium    Attractive graphics, 3Dfx support, and large game world.    With a few exceptions, Pandemonium is full of repetitive, uninventive side-scrolling gameplay.    Even the most dedicated side-scroller fans will grit their teeth on this one.    58    P    Crystal Dynamics    2460 Embarcadero Way    Palo Alto    CA    94303    [phone]            November '97, p. 246
Review Index    Pandora Directive    Deep, intricate plot; memorable characters; excellent acting all around.    Some puzzles are exasperatingly far-fetched and require much repetitious travel to complete.    This is a better game, in every respect, than its predecessor.    90    P    Access    4750 Wiley Post Way    Bldg. 1 Suite 200    Salt Lake City, UT 84116                     October
Wargame    Panthers in the Shadows    Unexcelled realism and detail. A serious tool for study and a formidable game.    Drab graphics, wretched sound effects; demands a high level of commitment.    Overwhelming for casual wargamers; hardcore gamers will love its complexities.    78    P    HPS Simulations    P.O. Box 3245    Santa Clara, CA 95055-2345            [phone]            December
Review Index    Panzer Dragoon    Great looking graphics (at a distance); more interaction than most rail-shooter games.    Graphics get blocky at close range; frustrating delays on all but the fastest PCs.     If you've already got the Edge 3D, Panzer Dragoon is a good addition to the lineup.    70    P    Sega of America    255 Shoreline Dr.    Redwood City, CA 94065            [phone] (USA-SEGA)            May
Simulation    Panzer General    A beautiful, superbly balanced, hyper-addictive war game.    May be deemed too populist by the crustier grognards.    The best wargame since Empire--and we certainly can't think of any higher praise for a game.    93    P    Strategic Simulations Inc.    675 Almanor Avenue    Suite 201    Sunnyvale, CA 94086                    February
Adventure    Paparazzi!    Original idea; some funny riffs about Hollywood.    Tasteless jokes; repetitive gameplay; little interaction; not much challenge.    It would be too nice to say that it's mind-numbingly entertaining--it's actually just plain mind-numbing.    47    P    Activision    11601 Wilshire Boulevard    Suite 1000    Los Angeles, CA 90025                    October
Review Index    PBA Bowling    Great bowling action; intuitive interface, nice graphics.    Lack of multi-player options or computerized opponents.    PBA is a one-of-a-kind simulation, and great fun for fans of the sport -- but you may tire of the solo action before the beer frame.    70    P    Bethesda Softworks    15235 Shady Grove Rd.    Ste. 100    Rockville, MD 20850                    May
Wargame    Perfect General II    A beautiful, addictive, smooth-playing game with terrific replay value.    The manual is a disgrace and fails to explain adequately a number of elements.    A sequel worth the wait! It will make you long for those days of playing with toy soldiers. A masterpiece.    91    P    Quantum Quality Productions    495 Highway 202    Flemington, NJ 08822            [phone]            August
Fighting    Perfect Weapon    Smooth animation and nice backgrounds.    Plays crummy; annoying sound effects.    Tedious, and for the most part unenjoyable. Perfect Weapon just doesn't live up to its name.    54    P    ASC Games    9 Old Kings Highway South, Suite 301    Darien    CT    06820    [phone]            July '97, p. 171
Sports    PGA Tour 96    Spectacular graphics, sound, gameplay. Good difficulty levels.    You╒ll need a Pentium to overcome the slow load times. More courses would be a welcome addition.    If you love the game of golf, this is a duffer╒s delight.    90    P    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Blvd.    San Mateo, CA 94404-2064            [phone]            December
Sports    PGA Tour Golf 486    Outstanding graphics; real PGA pro playing partners; the best golf sounds yet.    Runs slow on all but the fastest machines.    PGA Tour Golf 486 is a serious contender--in fact, we'd say it's the current leader.    90    P    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Blvd.    San Mateo, CA 94403-7578            [phone]            December
Sports    PGA Tour Pro    Photo-realistic graphics and video-captured players; PIP windows are fun.    Poor club suggestion; targeting arrow limits play; requuires a monster system to enjoy.    PGA Tour Pro is great to look at, but the gameplay doesn't match the graphics.    70    P    EA Sports    P.O. Box 7578    San Mateo    CA     94403-7578    415-513-7171            September '97, p. 184
Adventure    Phantasmagoria    Amazing graphics, a genuinely suspenseful ending, and a cat named Spazz.    Generally poor acting, a little too easy for veteran adventurers.    Phantasmagoria proves that a full-motion video extravaganza can be a good game.    88    P    Sierra    PO Box 3404    Salinas, CA 93912             [phone]            November
Adventure    Phantasmagoria: A Puzzle of Flesh    Original premise; good acting; generally good special effects.    Very little interactivity; far too easy; ending feels tacked-on.    A Puzzle of Flesh  has great production values and more shock value than any previous PC adventure, but as a game it falls flat.    63    P    Sierra Online    P.O. Box 3404    Salinas    CA    93912    Order Hotline: [phone]            March '97, p. 122
Review Index    Philip Marlowe Private Eye    Wonderful animation, superior voice action, very easy to complete.    It╒s not much of a game; low interactivity; for novices only.    If you╒re a fan of Marlowe, it might be worth checking out. But don╒t expect a lot of gaming goodness from your investment.    60    P    Byron Preiss Multimedia Co.    24 West 25th St.    New York, NY 10010             [phone]            October
Pinball    Pinball Illusions    New display options, great pinball action and controls; authentic sights and sounds.    Can╒t change display options during gameplay; four tables may not be enough for some.    If pinball is your thing, you can╒t go wrong with Pinball Illusions.    87    P    21st Century Entertainment Inc.    P.O. Box 415 Webster    NY 14580            [phone]            January
Adventure    Pitfall    A solid arcade game that runs well under Windows 95.    Jerky animation on slower machines; there are simply better games in this genre.    A promising first outing for Windows 95 arcade games.    75    P    Activision    11601 Wilshire Blvd.    Sutie 1000    Los Angeles, CA 90025                     November
Strategy    Pizza Tycoon    A detailed strategy/resource game graced with good graphics; it's practically an alternative career.    It's practically an alternative career...    If you like nano-management tasks and hanker to own a chain of restaurants, by all means go for it.    65    P    MicroProse Software, Inc.    180 Lakefront Drive    Hunt Valley, MD 21030            [phone]            June
Sports    Planet Soccer    Great graphics; full team rosters; and plenty of options.    Bad documentation; awkward view of the action; and vague player control.    With all its stats and options, it has plenty of strengths--but you have to contend with a lot to enjoy them.    70    P    Infogrammes    1341 Ocean Avenue    Box 417    Santa Monica, CA 90401                    October
Arcade Racing    POD    Beautiful with MMX and 3D accelerator; tons of replay value with Internet connection.    Control is imprecise; there' s no real feeling of speed; high system requirements.    It's pretty to look at but not that much fun to play. Nice Internet options.    65    P    Ubi Soft Entertainment    625 Third Street, 3rd Floor    San Francisco    CA    94107    415-547-4000            July '97, p. 155
Adventure    Police Quest: S.W.A.T.    Good graphics, interface; the ability to choose multiple careers.    Finishing a given scenario is tough.    The emphasis on proceedure over gameplay brings an intriguing idea to a halt. Only wannabe police officers need apply.    70    P    Sierra On-Line    3380 146th Place S.E.    Suite 300    Bellevue, WA 98007                    March
Adventure    Pool Champion    A unique adventure mode keeps it interesting.    Stilted dialogue; an arcade-style interface.    It╒s no Virtual Pool, but it╒s well worth a look.    67    P    Mindscape    88 Rowland Way    Novato, CA 94945            [phone]            June
Strategy    Power    Good strategy game with simple rules; a potential for complex strategy.    No "chrome" on this one; just bare-bones graphics and sound.    As a player-vs.-computer strategy game it's OK, but the real strength is in modem, network, and internet play.    75    P    Power Games International    280 West 4800 South    Murray, UT 84107            [phone]            August
Sports    Power F1    Fun arcade-style racing in a realistic setting; impressive graphics and sound; Big Red Racing is thrown in as a bonus.    Poor control; high system requirements.    A decent, action-based racing game that isn't good enough to lead the pack.    73    P    Eidos Interactive    303 Sacramento St.    San Francisco    CA    94111    415-616-2022            September '97, p. 150
Card Games/Chess    Power Poker    Great new graphics and a million extra features add depth to a classic game.    The graphics seem a little spartan, even while you play in SVGA mode.    A great game if you're into playing all those crazy poker variations, but only fair to middlin' if you ain't.    79    P    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Boulevard    San Mateo, CA 94404            [phone]            October
Strategy    Powerhouse    Engaging mix of economics, strategy, and dirty deeds; good interface; detailed SVGA graphics.    Long-term play seems redundant. Modest video quality adds little to game.    A good game for business sim fans and SimCity aficionados, but others might find it a bit of a yawn.    80    P    Impressions    222 Third Street    Suite 0234    Cambridge, MA 02142                    September
Action    Powerslave    Good level-design, novel setting, nice music. Well intentioned...    ...But poorly executed, with a dated engine and inadequacies in everything from mouse support to modem play.    Pick up Duke or Quake, or wait for Shadow Warrior, Blood, Jedi Knight, etc...    58    P    Playmates Interactive    611 Anton Blvd., Suite 500    Costa Mesa    CA    92626    714-428-2112            May '97, p. 107
Fighting Game    Pray for Death    Lovely graphics and audio design.    Everyting else -- plays worse than Killer Instinct.    With good looks and lousy gameplay, itÆs the Myst of fighting games.    24    P    Virgin Interactive Ent.    18061 Fitch Ave.     Irvine    CA    92614    [phone]            February '97, p. 163
Fighting Games    Primal Rage    Killer graphics and animation, cool soundtrack, and enough hidden moves and goodies to satisfy hard-core arcade fans.    You need 16MB RAM and a 486/66 to see this game at its best; pulling off some of the special moves on a four-button pad is tough.     If you like fighting games, buy this one.    90    P    Time Warner Interactive    674 Sycamore Dr.    Milpitas, CA 95035-0782            [phone]            December
Review Index    Prince Interactive    Great full-motion videos and two new jams.    The gaming is silly with sluggish movements and a total absence of interaction with the artist formerly known as Prince.    If you are a true fan, you should consider waiting awhile for this baby to be reduced in price before purchasing it.    49    P    Compton's New Media    2320 Camino Vida Roble    Carlsbad, CA 92009            [phone]            September
Adventure    Prisoner of Ice    A good mix of challenging puzzles; some of the cinematic sequences are nice.    Poor voice-acting; timed puzzles are unnecessarily frustrating.    A quirky adventure game that's only for the die-hard Lovecraft fan.    73    P    I-Motion    1333 Ocean Ave.    Suite J    Santa Monica, CA 90401                     November
Action    Privateer 2: The Darkening    Great graphics; good acting; lots of weapons and ships.    A few bugs apparently slipped by in the playtesting stages; joystick control doesn't support fancier features.    A terrific space shoot'em up that has more to do between missions than watch movies.    92    P    Origin    5918 Courtyard Dr.    Austin     TX    78730    [phone]            March '97, p. 109
Sports    Pro League Baseball    A potentially solid combination of stats replay and action graphics.    The game locks up a lot, and the thin manual isn't much help.    Micro Sports supports their products, so there's a good change this game could be excellent once they work out the kinks.    77    P    Micro Sports    One Northgate Park    Suite 103    Chattanooga, TN 37415                    September
Sports    Pro League Baseball æ97    Hands-off general manager feature does an adequate job.    The game is buggy and the control interface is poorly designed. Practically useless manual.    Problem-plagued graphics and an unplayable arcade control system.    30    P    Micro Sports Inc.    1001 Millersville Road    Lancaster    PA    17604-9975    800-334-2722            May '97, p. 106
Pinball    Pro Pinball: The Webb    A well designed table, sharp graphics, and detailed touches make it close to the real thing.    There╒s just the one table to play on; sound effects are sparse.    One of the best pinball games out there.    81    P    Empire Interactive    4 Professional Drive    Ste. 123    Gaithersburg, MD 20879                    August
Arcade    Pro-Pinball: Timeshock!    Great ball physics, superb realism, great table design.    Only one table. Gets repetitive in a hurry.    If you've got that itch to play some pinball, but can't get to the pub, this is the next best thing.    82    P    Empire    580 California St., 16th Flr.    San Francisco    CA    94104    [phone]            October '97, p. 241
Adventure    Psychic Detective    This is an effective interactive movie, with good acting and an intriguing plot.    With its repetitive nature and low interactivity quotient, it's not much of a game.    As PC games go, Psychic Detective is one heck of a movie.    77    P    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Blvd    San Mateo, CA 94402            [phone]            April
Review Index    Psychotron    The quality of the video is fairly good, as is the acting.    Veterans will find little challenge in this very linear adventure. The save-game routine is clumsy.    Another stab at "interactive movies" falls short of the hype.    57    P    Merit Studios    13707 Gamma Road    Dallas, TX 75244            [phone]            November
Wargame    Pure Wargame    Good-looking; sweet-playing; drenched in authenticity.    So-so replay value (only seven battles); shoddy-looking documentation.    If you're at all interested in airborne operations, don't pass this one by.    82    P    Quantum Quality Productions    495 Highway 202    Flemington, NJ 08822            [phone]            July
Sports    Pursue the Pennant    Full rosters, realistic results and stats--and all in a flexible, easy-to-play game.    The company could have spruced up the display a bit. But nah, why bother?    You can't ask for anything more from a text-only baseball sim.    84    P    Pursue the Pennant    P.O. Box 19703    Greensboro, NC 27419                        August
Puzzle    Puzzle Collection, The    Some engaging and fun puzzles; wide range of puzzles may satisfy whole family.    Some real stinkers in the mix; wide range of difficulty may turn off whole family.    A decent package for puzzle fiends, but none of the puzzles comes close to Tetris.    52    P    Microsoft    1 Microsoft Way    Redmond    WA    98052-6399    [phone]            November '97, p. 308
Adventure    Qin    Nice graphics, and it's an original setting...    ...but the gameplay is still the same old tile-dragging drivel, and the lack of an inventory system is a pain.    It's Myst in a Chinese tomb. Take it or leave it.    70    Q    Time Warner Electronic Pub.    2210 West Olive Ave.    Burbank, CA 91506             [phone]            November
Action    Quake    Great graphics; animated 3D monsters; excellent multi-player options..    Nothing really new in terms of gameplay or technology; unfriendly save feature; no automap.    Quake isn╒t destined to revolutionize action games, but it╒s a very good first-person shooter from the guys who invented the genre.    90    Q    GT Interactive    16 East 40th St.    New York, NY 10016            [phone]            October
Review Index    Quaranatine    Super-fast action; lots of cool weapons and plenty of enemies to use them on; nice sound effects.    Some will think the action is repetitive; EMM386 compatibility problems can make it tough to run.    A high-octane addition to anyone's gaming library--it rocks!    92    Q    GameTek    2999 Northeast 191st Street    Suite 500    North Miami Beach, FL 33180                    December
Sports    Quarterback Attack    Decent video and a straightforward interface; learning to read defenses and time your passes provides a challenge.    It doesn't take long to start seeing the same clips over and over; playing for and against the same teams means things get old fast.    QBA provides a few kicks, but the video-based format kills any replay value.    60    Q    Digital Pictures    1825 South Grant St.    San Mateo, CA 94402            [phone]            March
Adventure    Queensryche's Promised Land    The rockumentary videos will be of interest to fans.    Confusing world exploration, uninteresting puzzles.    This is a bunch of New Age mumbo-jumbo wrapped in m usic videos and a crummy Myst clone.    45    Q    Virgin/EMI    1290 Avenue of the Americas    New York, NY 10104            [phone]            August
Puzzle    Qwirks    A good no-brainer; surprisingly addictive; cute little pieces will amuse youngsters.    Useless story line; gameplay challenging only to young players; there's nothing new here.    If you're looking for a good game for young kids, or a brainless time-killer for yourself, pick up a copy of Qwirks.    73    Q    Spectrum HoloByte    2490 Mariner Square Loop    Alameda, CA 94501             [phone]            November
Arcade    Rally Championship    Looks, sounds, and feels like a driving game ought to look, sound, and feel.    Once completed, you may be too exhausted to play it again. Some technical glitches.    An outstanding racer that should please arcade and simulation fans alike.    89    R    Virgin Interactive    18061 Fitch Ave.    Irvine    CA    92614    [phone]            September '97, p. 188
Adventure    Rama    A rich, faithful adaptation of the novels; lovely interface; gorgeous visuals.    The most complicated, convoluted puzzles youÆve ever wrestled with.    A monumental achievment; a landmark game that raises the bar several notches.    92    R    Sierra Online    3380 146th Place S.E., Suite 300    Bellevue    WA    98007    [phone]            February '97, p. 152
Arcade    Raptor    Satisfies the appetite for destruction and looks good doing it.    Like all shooters, it gets a bit repetitive after a while.    This one's about the best-looking PC shoot-'em up around.    82    R    Apogee Software    3960 Broadway    Suite 235    Garland, TX 75043                    September
Roleplaying    Ravenloft    Great graphics; plenty of options; nice cut-scenes; new horror-setting adds much.    Weapons, spells, attributes, etc., all getting very familiar now.    One of SSI's best AD&D-based games; packed with character; featuring just enough novelty; very nicely put together.    82    R    Strategic Simulations Inc.    675 Almanor Avenue    Suite 210    Sunnyvale, CA 94086                    June
Roleplaying    Ravenloft: Stone Prophet    Great graphics; plenty of options; nice cut-scenes; new horror-setting adds much.    Weapons, spells, attributes, etc., all getting very familiar now.    One of SSI's best AD&D-based games; packed with character; featuring just enough novelty; very nicely put together.    82    R    Strategic Simulations Inc.    675 Almanor Avenue    Suite 210    Sunnyvale, CA 94086                    July
Action    Rayman    Great animation; lots of variety; precise play control.    Could be too challenging at high levels; chances to save cann be few and far between.    Rayman is undoubtedly one of the best arcade-style games for the PC.    83    R    Ubi Soft Ltd.    Bridge House    11 Creek Rd.    Hampton Court, Surrey KT89BE                    June
Adventure    Realms of the Haunting    Large game world; devious puzzles; creepy atmosphere.    Clunky interface; sluggish beginning; occasionally vague plot.    If you've been looking for a good adventure yarn with genuine thrills, Realms awaits.    86    R    Interplay    16815 Von Karman Ave.,    Irvine    CA    92606    714-553-6678            April '97, p. 140
Action    Rebel Assault II    Great cutscenes, sound-track, effects; entertaining story.    Almost no interactive fun; ridiculously short gameplay.    If you want Star Wars, get X-Wing or TIE Fighter. If you want a challenging arcade game, look elsewhere.    65    R    LucasArts    P.O. Box 10307    San Rafael, CA 94912            [phone]            February
Roleplaying    Red Crystal    Your goals are clear, the interface is simple, and you'll be ready to play in no time.    The game won't blow you away with innovations.    It's fun, fast and addictive, but not particularly complex.    75    R    QQP    495 Highway 202    Flemington, NJ 08822            [phone]            June
Strategy    Red Ghost    Diverse gameplay; many  opttions; the chance to step in when things get tough.     Coarse terrain graphics. Limited to single-player action.    A competent, enjoyable game, especially if you liked Midwinter and its sequels.    71    R    Empire Interactive    13220 Wisteria Dr.    Bay N-2 Germantown, MD 20874            [phone]            June
Wargame    Red Sky at Morning    Realistic depiction of the tribulations of strategic naval command.    Poor documentation; minimalist graphics; can be off-putting.    Naval combat buffs might get their money's worth--but all others should steer clear of this anachronism.    62    R    Simulations Canada    P.O. Box 452    Bridgeware, Nova Scotia    Canada, B4V 2X6                    July
First-person shooter    Redneck Rampage    Wonderful audio/visual presentation; redneck humor.    Requires massive hard disk space. Offensive language may be rough for young ears.    If you bought a PC just so you could play this game, you might be a ... oh, never mind.    87    R    Interplay    16815 Von Karman Ave.    Irvine    CA    92696    [phone]            July '97, p. 162
Adventure    Relentless: Twinsen's Adventure    Great look; extremely easy to use interface; and nice sound effects.    Cartoonish storyline; poor voice acting; and a clumsy save-game feature.    Beyond the few flaws, Relentless: Twinsen's Adventure is a pretty unique--and enjoyable-- game.    82    R    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Boulevard    San Mateo, CA 94404-2064            [phone]            January
Space Combat    Renegade    Great-looking graphics and some interesting roleplaying elements.    Long waits for data to load are frustrating; much of the in-flight speech is meaningless.    It has some nice touches, but lots of little flaws weaken the overall package.    75    R    Strategic Simulations Inc.    675 Almanor Avenue    Suite 201    Sunnyvale, CA 94086                    May
Space Combat    Renegade II    Attractive SVGA graphics, mulit-player features.    Confusing interface, poor wingman control, and not enough mission variety.    A nice game if you're looking for some multi-player space combat action, but a forgettable single-player experience.    71    R    Strategic Simulations Inc.    675 Almanor Avenue    Suite 201    Sunnyvale, CA 94086                    June
Review Index    Renju    Simple to learn, but its tough AI makes it a challenge to master.    Minimal graphics and sound; nothing here will attract anyone other than hard-core strategy gamers.    Proves that simple and easy don't always go hand-in-hand.    71    R    Denver Software Development Company    1401 17th Street    Suite 1400    Denver, CO 80202                    December
Adventure    Resident Evil    Terrific graphics, great atmosphere, loads of blood and guts to satisfy splatter fans.    Some silly control, inventory and save-game flubs mar an otherwise excellent game.    If you can overlook the minor niggles, Resident Evil comes highly recommended.    87    R    Virgin Interactive    18061 Fitch Avenue    Irvine    CA    92614    [phone]            November '97, p. 215
Adventure    Resident Evil    Terrific graphics, great atmosphere, loads of blood and guts to satisfy splatter fans.    Some silly control, inventory and save-game flubs mar an otherwise excellent game.    If you can overlook the minor niggles, Resident Evil comes highly recommended.    87    R    Virgin Interactive    18061 Fitch Avenue    Irvine    CA    92614    [phone]            November '97, p. 215
First-person Shooter    Retribution    Good graphics; high degree of challenge and action.    Missions get very hard very fast; narrative pretext is vapid; interactive sense is ludicrous.    It's a good, solid, shooter--no frills, but lots and lots of intense bang-bang.    71    R    Gremlin Interactive    2551 N. Clark Street    Suite 496    Chicago, IL 60614                    April
Action    Return Fire    Enough strategic elements to keep it interesting.    Cartoony graphics; lacck of modem or network support.    The single-player game is good; the s;lit-screen tow-player game is a real throwback.    64    R    Time Warner Interactive    674 Sycamore Dr.    Milpitas, CA 95035-0782            [phone]            July
Arcade    Return of Arcade    Dead-on representations of classic arcade games.    Four classics just aren't enough; these games don't stand up to today's best titles.    If you just want a quick break in between printing spreadsheets, RTA is great.    69    R    Microsoft    1Microsoft Way    Redmond, WA 98052-6399            [phone]            May
Adventure    Return to Ringworld    An expansive game-world; challenging gameplay; true to Niven's works.    The Ringworld landscape is a bit overwhelming, and the graphics could be better.    True Niven fans--and anyone looking for an enormous new world to explore--will enjoy this one tremendously.    88    R    Tsunami Media, Inc.    48677 Victoria Lane    Suite 201    Oakhurst, CA 93644                    October
Review Index    Reunion    Reunion's exploration, colony building, and military strategy provide its depth.    Takes a loooong time to get to the good stuff. Too much time is spent with busy work.    An interesting, accessible game undetermined somewhat by a slow beginning and too much micro-management.    72    R    Merit Studios    13707 Gamma Road    Dallas, TX 75244            [phone]            November
Arcade    Revolution X    The soundtrack is done by Aeorsmith, the head villainess is named Headmistress Helga, who can resist a name like that?    Just about everything else.    If you buy it, don╒t blame us.    25    R    Acclaim Entertainment    1 Acclaim Plaza    Glen Cove, NY 11542-2777            [phone]            October
Review Index    Richard Scarry    The programs are true to Richard Scarry's style and are very nicely animated.    The graphics are so-so with the kind of jaggies we used to see years ago; little depth.    Both neighborhoods will engage children through words and pictures, but parents will wish each disc had more activities.    73    R    Activision    11601 Wilshire Boulevard    Suite 1000    Los Angeles, CA 90025                    September
Adventure    Riddle of Master Lu    Great graphics, great puzzles, and a fantastic story that most gamers will love to spend time with.     No real deviation from standard graphic adventure format.    If you love graphic adventure, you╒ll find your heart╒s desire here.    91    R    Sanctuary Woods    1825 S. Grant Street    San Mateo, CA 94402            [phone]            December
Adventure    Ripper    Great graphics, a challenging variety of puzzles, and a simple interface.    Puzzles can be too tough; there's a lot of over-acting, even from the professionals; it takes forever to get from one place to another.    If you've got tones of patience and love tough puzzles, you'll probably fun with this one. Otherwise, make sure you pick up a hint book when you buy the game.    72    R    Take 2 Interactive    1004 Ligonier St.    Latrobe, PA 15650            [phone]            May
Strategy    Rise and Rule of Ancient Empires    Easy to use sliding buttons; luscious animated cutscenes; network play.    No map editor, less than informative unit status bar.    A decent, playable simulation of ancient empires.    70    R    CyberDreams    23586 Calabasas Rd.    Ste. 102    Calabasas, CA 91302                    July
First-person Shooter    Rise of the Triad    Huge, complex levels; rich multi-player features; the option to tone down the violence for the kiddies.    Mediocre graphics and a distinct 2D feel. There's nothing new here.    It's not a knockout, but it'll more than satisfy your most violent urges until something better comes along.    81    R    Apogee Software, Ltd.    3960 Broadway    Suite 235    Garland, TX 75043                    June
Arcade    Road Rash    Nice graphics; great action; multi-player support.    It gets dull, since it╒s basically the same old Road Rash that appeared on the 3DO.    It╒s repetitive and campy, but it╒s a chance to relive those irreverent days of youth.    79    R    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Blvd.    San Mateo, CA 94404            [phone]            December
Action    Road Warrior    Superior graphics and sound plus a great story line set this one apart from the crowd.    Vehicle control can be awkward; too many  missions end to early; inaccurate manual.    Mile-a-minute action with a snot-nosed attitude - I like it!    89    R    GameTek    2999 Northeast 191st St.    Suite 500    Aventura, FL 33180                    March
Simulation    Robert E. Lee Civl War General    Easy to learn; excellent you-are-there video reenactments.    Simplified command structure forces player to control each unit; may be too easy for veteran wargamers.    A serious wargame, wrapped in a friendly multimedia package.    84    R    Sierra Online    3380 146th Place S.E. Suite 300    Bellevue, Washington 98007            Order Hotline: [phone]            December
Roleplaying    Robinson's Requiem    A well-thought-out world that might have been interesting in another game.    Pixel lovers will find a lot to cherish here. These are big juicy pixels you can really sink your teeth into. It's pixelicious!    The meaningless wandering puts this one high on the frustration index.    49    R    ReadySoft    30 Wertheim Court    Suite 2    Richmond Hill, Ontario, L4B 189        Canada            October
Action    RoboQuest    Since it doesn't include an unistall program, you'll get some practice in deleting files.    Construction kit is linear and pointless; the sub-par Doom-clone doesn't make up for it.    Two poorly designed segments can't hope to make a good game.    12    R    Philips Media    10960 Wilshire Blvd.,    Los Angeles    CA    90024    800-340-7888            April '97, p. 145
Adventure    Robot City    Straight-forward and intensely atmospheric; wall-to-wall sound.    Sometimes slow; no way to skip conversations or animations you've already seen.    An original and entertaining adventure, but not for puzzle fanatics.    82    R    Byron Preiss Multimedia Co.    24 West 25th St.    New York, NY 10010             [phone]            November
Action    Rocket Jockey    Addictive action, intuitive controls, loads of variety.    Demanding requirements, annoying time limits, no sign of the touted multi-player features.    Rocket Jockey is a raucous action game that pulls off a truly inventive theme with loads of style, humor, and addictive gameplay.    85    R    SegaSoft    150 Shoreline Dr.    Redwood City    CA    94065    [phone]            February '97, p. 130
Review Index    Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire    The best graphics yet in the series; sieges are beautifully rendered.    Confusing interface; sad air of ennui hangs over the whole thing.    Koei should have stopped while they were ahead; this new version adds no luster to a classic series.    60    R    Koei Corp.    1350 Old Bayshore Hwy    Suite 540    Burlingame, CA 94010                    May
Puzzle    Russian Six-Pak    Six games in one; Windows environment makes for easy access.    Only two of the six are worth playing.    It may be from Russia, but Tetris it ain't. This collection will appeal to only especially dedicated puzzle gamers.    54    R    Interplay    17922 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            July
Review Index    Sabre Team    Easy to get into; novices may enjoy it for a brief period of time.    Serious flaws and impossibly jerky game-play; why should it cost 3 Action Points to turn my head?    This simulation simply does not measure up to the competition.    49    S    MicroLeague Interactive Software    Bellevue Building    Suite 201    262 Chapman Road        Newark, DE 19702            November
Simulation    Sail Simulator    Accurately depicts all aspects of sailing.    Except for most of the fun.    An excellent instructional aid, but there's not much of a game here.    63    S    Amtex Software Corp.    P.O. Box 572    Belleville, Ontario, Canada K8N 5B2            [phone]            October
Simulation    Savage    Video sequences are informative; levels get progressively harder.    Unrealistic; choppy graphics; boring and repetitive gameplay.    If you want a realistic and fun animal sim, go buy Lion or Wolf and leave Savage on the Serengeti.    40    S    Discovery Channel Multimedia    7700 Wisconsin Ave.    Bethesda, MD 20814            [phone]            November
Fighting Games    Savage Warriors    High-quality soundtrack; good variety of fighters; colorful backgrounds.    Blocky graphics and unconvincing animation; no way to reconfigure keyboard commands.    It just doesn't stand up to the current crop of fighting games.    65    S    Mindscape    88 Roland Way    Novato CA 94945                        October
Action    SCARAB    Internet play is good fun; an okay title for fans of Powerslave and MechWarrior 2.    Poor graphics; you have to admit that Powerslave and Mech2 did it much better.    Unless youÆre extremely desperate for a different style of Deathmatch, skip it.    58    S    Electronic Arts    P.O. Box 7578    San Mateo    CA    94403-7578    415-571-7171            June '97, p. 116
Action    Scorched Planet    Splendid graphics; good gameplay, and a slick morphing vehicle to control.    Music isn't great; full-motion video is only so-so.    This has the fun, creative spark that too many other games aim for and miss.    85    S    Virgin Interactive    18061 Fitch Ave.    Irvine    CA    92614    714-883-8710            April '97, p. 146
Strategy    Scrabble    Handy help features; multi-player options; plenty of challenge.    Takes some effort to find a suitable difficulty level; some of the baordgame's charm is lost.     Scrabble is best played on a board and not on a PC, but this comes really close.    75    S    Hasbro Interactive    50 Dunham Road    Beverly    MA    01915    [phone]            October '97, p. 230
Arcade Racing    Screamer    Fast-paced action that never gets bogged down; rocketing these cares around the gorgeous VGA tracks is a blast.    There's little realism, few custom options, and no modem play; some veteran PC drivers may find it too easy.    If you just want to drive fast and not worry about the details, this is for you.    83    S    Virgin    18061 Fitch Ave.    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            April
Arcade    Screamer 2    Astonishing graphics; great arcade driving ôfeelö puts Ridge Racer to shame.    Needs more tracks and more cars.    Pull this out when your Playstation-owning friends come over for tea, and be sure to wipe up the drool afterwards.    88    S    Virgin Interactive    18601 Fitch Avenue    Irvine    CA    92714    [phone]            January '97, p. 256
Strategy    Sea Legends    Good naval combat and dueling scenes; story has some charm.    Cartoony graphics; absurd save function; obnoxious interface.    A deriviative game with a cubersome interface, but with enough going for it to make it marginally competitive.    61    S    Ocean of America, Inc.    1855 O'Toole Avenue    Suite D-102    San Jose, CA 95131                    October
Simulation    Seaworhty    These games should run fine on just about any machine. Deep in historical data and play options.    Graphics are just too dated and the games weren't top-of-the-line even when new.    Unless you just can't afford better, don't waste your money on these.    55    S    Alliance Interactive Software    1859 N. Pine Island Road 103    Plantation, FL 33322                        August
Arcade    Sega Rally PC    Great graphics; smooth control; excellent Internet play.    May leave you craving more tracks and cars; some pretty high system requirements.    This great conversion is a must-have for arcade racing fans.    88    S    Sega    150 Shoreline Drive    Redwood City    CA    94065    415-802-4400            May '97, p. 140
Review Index    Sensible Soccer    Good control and fast action combine for fun gameplay.    Sub-par graphics and a lack of options may have you shelving this one before long.    A semi-realistic soccer simulation that's relatively easy to learn, but lacks replay value.    62    S    Everyware    1119 Colorado Avenue    Santa Monica, CA 90401                        October
Adventure/RPG    Sentient    A genuinely large gaming world; lots of characters to interact with.    Spotty Direct3D support; interface from Hell; dialog that reads like a third generation translation.    Those who are able to cope with its cumbersome shortcomings may like Sentient.    56    S    Psygnosis    919 E. Hillsdale Blvd.    Foster City    CA    94404    [phone]            August '97, p. 118
Strategy    Serf City    Good landscapes and engaging gameplay.    So-so character graphics; cluttered interface; only moderate depth.    Fun if you're unfamiliar with kingdom-building, but it needs more variety.    75    S    Strategic Simulations Inc.    675 Almanor Avenue    Suite 210    Sunnyvale, CA 94086                    August
Strategy    Settlers II    Charming graphics; some clever variations on a classic theme.    One-dimensional micro-management invites fatigue, frustration.    If you╒ve got a passion for resource-management, you could do worse; you could also do a lot better.    65    S    Blue Byte Software    870 E. Higgins Rd., Suite 143    Shaumburg     IL     60173    [phone]            September
Adventure    Shadow of the Comet    It can be a lot of fun to play, especially if you're a Lovecraft fan.    Primitive interface; the game never really delivers on its horror promise.    Steadfastly average gaming; it's not bad, though, and you might enjoy it There are a lot better games out there.    59    S    I-Motion    1333 Ocean Avenue    Suite J    Santa Monica, CA 90401                    August
Action    Shadows of Cairn    The graphics are nice.    What little there is to do in this game is extremely frustrating.    This one fails on just about every level--there's no story to speak of, and the action is slow and repetitive.    40    S    Masque Publishing, Inc.    P.O. Box 5223    Englewood, CO 80155            [phone]            June
Roleplaying    Shadows Over Riva    Engrossing story line; lots of NPCs, items, subquests, and stats for hard-core gamers.    Dated graphics; clumsy interface at times; annoying combat views.    It's worthy sequel to Star Trail, and the old engine is still fun to play with.    88    S    Sir-tech Software    P.O. Box 245    Ogdensburg    NY    13669    315-393-6633            August '97, p. 130
Puzzle    Shangai: Great Moments    A faithful Windows adaptation of an old favorite means a whole new audience can enjoy this classic.    We would like to have seen a few more tile sets included.    The perfect nerve tonic for burned-out arcade freaks.    79    S    Activision    P.O. Box 67713    Los Angeles, CA 90067            [phone]            July
Review Index    Shanghai II: Dragon's eye    A faithful Windows adaptation of an old favorite means a whole new audience can enjoy this classic.    We would like to have seen a few more tile sets included.    The perfect nerve tonic for burned-out arcade freaks.    79    S    Activision    P.O. Box 67713    Los Angeles, CA 90067            [phone]            December
Adventure    Shannara    Sharp, hi-res graphics; a few challenging puzzles; solid interface and inventory system.    Frustrating combat interface, far too many easy puzzles.    Fans of the books won't like the simplified story, and gamers will find it too easy.    72    S    Legend Entertainment    P.O. box 10810    14200 Park Meadow Dr.    Chantilly, VA 22021                    April
Action    Shattered Steel    Nice, fast graphics; great network play; more big-robot action than you can shake a joystick at.    A bit lacking on the strategy side.    For no-fault mech combat, Shattered Steel is a blast.    87    S    Interplay    16815 Von Karman Ave.    Irvine    CA    92606    [phone]            January '97, p. 239
Arcade    Shellshock    Plenty of stuff to destroy; network support gives it good replay value.    Poor joystick support; limited weaponry; too few savegame slots; and annoying in-game chatter.    Not the slickest game, but it has enought strategy and action to make it worth a look.    74    S    U.S. Gold    303 Sacramento Street    San Francisco, CA 94111            [phone]            June
Adventure    Shivers    Stunning graphics; good sound; well-conceived plot; a good variety of puzzles.     Doesn't deliver any real horror; lots of backtracking; not much character interaction.    Puzzle fans who enjoyed Myst have a new one to add to their collection.    84    S    Sierra On-Line    3380 146th Place S.E.    Suite 300    Bellevue, WA 98007                    March
Puzzle    Shivers II: Harvest of Souls    Intricate plot that will use all your detective and puzzle-solving skills.    The plot's vague early on, and loses momentum at the end.    A pretty good game with a little bit of everything that makes graphic adventures worthwhile.    79    S    Sierra    P.O. Box 85006    Bellevue    WA    98007    [phone]            July '97, p. 170
Simulation    Silent Hunter    Slick graphics, great gameplay, realist control.    You can╒t play from the other side. Not enought diversity in the missions.    Simply a blast for anyone, from the dabbler to the true submariine buff.    91    S    Strategic Simulations Inc.    675 Almanor Avenue    Suite 201    Sunnyvale, CA 94086                    June
Strategy    Silent Steel    Excellent video (with MPEG hardware), acting, and writing make drama work well.    Wafer-thin game elements and very little replayability.    A surprisingly entertaining game, despite its lack of substance.    75    S    Sigma Realmagic Interactive    46501 Landing Parkway    Fremont, CA 94538            [phone]            December
Simulation    Silent Thunder    Gorgeous terrain graphics; lots of action.    Grossly inaccurate flight model; sluggish controls; and no printed manual. Ground-based targets can be very diffcult to locate in some terrain.    As an action game, Silent Thunder╒s all right, as a simulation, it╒s a bust.    70    S    Sierra    3380 146th Place S.E.    Suite 300    Bellevue, WA 98007                    June
Review Index    Sim Tower    Good-looking SVGA graphics, and an interesting concept. Oh yeah, and little people to lord over.    Not enough to do, and not enough real challenge.    At first, you'll play it a lot. But then you'll figure out the strategy and find yourself just watching the thing.    74    S    Maxis    2 Theater Square    Orinda, CA 94563            [phone]            August
Simulation    SimCity 2000    Great new graphics and a ton of extra features add depth to a classic game.    It can take an awfully long time to get to a stage where you can enjoy some of the game's new options.    One of those rare games that presents a different challenge each time you play.    95    S    Maxis    2 Theatre Square    Orinda, CA 94563            [phone]            June
Simulation    SimCopter    Swooping around skyscrapers is a blast.    Control is too simplistic; and not all of the bugs have been cleaned up.    Think of it as a modern day Choplifter, and you'll be fine, think of it as a sim, and you're doomed.    76    S    Maxis    2121 North California Blvd., Suite 600    Walnut Creek     CA    94596    (800) 33-MAXIS            March '97, p. 150
Sports    SimGolf    Robert Trent Jones, Jr., does the video tips. The profile view is well done.    Poor controls, ancient graphics, bad interface.    There are much better golf games out there.    52    S    Maxis    2121 N. California Blvd., Suite 600    Walnut Creek    CA    94596    [phone]            April '97, p. 107
Strategy    SimIsle    Challenging mix of economic and environmental concerns.    Graphics and animations are dated; not enough action to keep the game engaging.    If you╒re a fan of Maxis sims, this is worth adding to your collection.    82    S    Maxis    2 Theatre Square    Orinda, CA 94563-335            [phone]            January
Review Index    SimTown    There's a lot to explore and plenty of variety.    It can get boring if you don't take advantage of all the extra touches the program has to offer.    You learn valuable management lessons and have fun at the same time.    76    S    Maxis    2 Theater Square    Orinda, CA 94563            [phone]            September
Sports    Skins Game at Bighorn    Simple interface; decent sound effects.    Limited perspectives; incredibly easy to shoot low scores.    Unless you demand unrealistic scores from your golf games, don╒t bother with The Skins Game.    45    S    Interplay     17922 Fitch Ave.    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            December
Roleplaying    Sky Realms of Journe: Alien Logic    Beautiful graphics and intriguing plotline.    Real-time combat and a so-so side view will turn off cerebral RPG veterans.    If you're tired of "more of the same" in RPGs, then you'll agree--Alien Logic is a breath of fresh air in a stale genre.    83    S    Strategic Simulations Inc.    675 Almanor Avenue    Suite 201    Sunnyvale, CA 94086                    March
Action    SkyNET    Clean SVGA graphics; slick interface; expansive mission areas; new multi-player options.    Extremely difficult at times; poor control layout for Hunter/Killer.    If you're into multi-player games or looking for something different, this is hard to beat.    88    S    Bethesda Softworks    1370 Piccard Drive    Rockville    MD    20850    [phone]            February '97, p. 108
Arcade    Slam City    The full-motion video is high quality stuff.    Little interaction; lame acting; stereotypes straight out of "Sanford and Son."    It's just plain bad; even if you've got the hardware for the Pentium version, you'll want to stay out of Slam City.    46    S    Digital Pictures    1825 South Grant Street    Suite 900    San Mateo, CA 94402                    May
Action    Slamscape    Uh, well, God Lives Underwater did do the soundtrack.    Overall lousy game play, no networking, audio design still sucks.    This sucks, Beavis -- even a dill-hole can figure that much out!    53    S    Viacom NewMedia    1515 Broadway    New York    NY    10036    [phone]            February '97, p. 146
Action    Slipstream 5000    Fast-paced action and absolutely beautiful graphics.    Pretty steep hardware requirements; unfriendly game-saving feature.    Gremlin isn't known for knockout games, but they've got a real winner in this one.    89    S    Gremlin Interactive    2551 N. Clark Street    Suite 496    Chicago, IL 60614                    July
Puzzle    Smart Games Challenge 1    Pleny of variety; good puzzles.    Not every-one╒s cup of tea; limited replay value; no multi-player options; some puzzles are real stinkers.    Only brainiacs with time on their hands need apply.    68    S    Grolier Electronic Publishing    90 Sherman Turnpike    Danbury, CT 06816            [phone]            September
Arcade    Soccer Kid    Sharp graphic detail; smooth animation; pleasant soundtrack.    Somewhat repetitive gameplay; may be a little difficult for beginners.    A good platform title if you're looking for some pretty mindless gaming.    75    S    MicroLeague    1001 Millersville Road    Lancaster, PA 17604            [phone]            October
Arcade    Soldier Boyz    Uh, um, let me think..., you can kill people and not get arrested.    Sloppy video; nonexistent control; most definitely not a polically correct game by any stretch of the imagination.    Soldier Boyz is bad newz.    21    S    DreamCatcher Interactive    265 Rimrock Rd.    Toronto    Ontario, Canada    M3J3C6    888-611-9999            September '97, p. 156
Sports    Solid Ice    Flexible player editor; you can design uniforms.    Gameplay is slow, and the artificial intelligence is merely average.    There are better hockey games out there, and until this undergoes some serious revisions, customizability is its only saving grace.    30    S    Empire Interactive    13220 Wisteria Dr.    Germantown    MD    20874    [phone]            February '97, p. 124
Card Games/Chess    Solitaire Deluxe    It╒s an easy-to-use adaption of the classic card game.    If you╒ve never cared for solitaire, there╒s nothing here that╒ll change your mind.    If you want to play a whole slew of variations on solitaire, this is for you.    75    S    Interplay    17922 Fitch Ave.    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            December
Arcade    Sonic CD    A great conversion, every bit as fast and colorful as the Sega Genesis originals.    Formless gameplay; limited re-play value.    Tried and tested fun for kids, but just an MTV-style high-speed headache for the rest of us.    65    S    Sega Entertainment    P.O. Box 8097    Redwood City, CA 94063            [phone]            December
Action/Puzzle    Soultrap    Funky graphics and a unique play system.    Frustratingly narrow levels cause you to die more often than not; a stinker of an ending.    3D platformer fans may dig it, but the rest of us may find it too frustrating.    69    S    Microforum    1 Woodborough Avenue    Toronto, Ontario    Canada        800-685-3863            May '97, p. 113
Adventure    Space Bar, The    Hilarious dialog; engaging story. Good puzzles. Excellent interface.    Frequent CD swapping. Some of the voice acting is poor. Some difficult puzzles.    A return to the older style of adventure gaming, reminiscent of Infocom at its best.    90    S    SegaSoft    150 Shoreline Dr.    Redwood City    CA    94065    [phone]            October '97, p. 254
Strategy    Space Bucks    Good concept; clean, high-res graphics.    Economics model too basic for serious fans; puzzling interface takes getting used to.    Sim fans who demand detail, customizable options, and realistic economics, will be greatly disappointed.    59    S    Sierra    3380 146th Place S.E.    Suite 300    Bellevue, WA 98007                    May
Strategy    Space Dude    The box has one of those funny moving pictures that changes as you tilt it.    Installation, graphics, gameplay, music...    I hate to knock a family effort, but it must be done: This game stinks.    19    S    FormGen    15649 Greenway-Hayden Loop    Scottsdale, AZ 85260-1750            [phone]            October
Action    Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angles    Sharp graphics, menacing atmosphere, and challenging squad-level excitement.    Damanding system requirements; occasionally tricky planning interface.    If you╒re a Doom fan looking for something with a lot more depth, look no further than Space Hulk.    87    S    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Boulevard    San Mateo, CA 94404-2064            [phone]            September
Adventure    Space Quest 6    Plenty of the puzzles and sci-fi jabs you've come to expect from the SQ series.    Annoying narration; the animation feels too cute for the subject matter.    It's not the best of the series, but it's something fans of the previous Space Quest games will want to check out.    82    S    Sierra On-Line    3380 146th Place SE    Suite 300    Bellevue, WA 98007                    September
Review Index    Spaceship Warlock    It doesn't take up any hard drive space; graphics are OK.    Boring, slow, and bereft of imagination; the lack of an install program costs this one 15 points right off the bat.    It's a drag, man, a real drag.    40    S    Reactor    442 West Erie    Chicago, IL 60610                        September
Strategy    Spaceward Ho! IV    Easy to learn, but with hidden depth; tenacious AI opponents; multi-player options.    A few gamers who insist on micro-managing all the fiddly bits won't go for it.    A great little strategy game with a street price that should be less than $30, it's a bargain.    89    S    New World Computing    P.O. Box 4302    Hollywood    CA    90078    [phone]            February '97, p. 118
Arcade    Spectre VR    Can be mucho fun when a lot of players compete on a network.    Weak graphics, and the one- and two-player games get tiresome pretty quick.    It this is Virtual Reality, I'm in no hurry to "jack in."    68    S    Velocity    P.O. Box 2749    San Francisco, CA 94126                        June
Adventure    Spycraft: The Great Game    Innovative puzzles and top-notch video put Spycraft ahead of the pack.    A few of the puzzles fall falt: Internet-based content could be better.    An engrossing, unique adventure with top-flight production values.    89    S    Activision    11601 Wilshire Blvd.    Suite 1000    Los Angeles, CA 90025                    June
Wargame    SSN-21 Sea Wolf    Sweet graphics and sound; modem play gives it life beyond its 32 scenarios.    Stupid interface decisions; spotty AI; bad campaign mode; and some unrealistic elements.    An entertaining game, but one that could have been so much better.    75    S    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Boulevard    San Mateo, CA 94404            [phone]            August
Wargame    Stalingrad    The beautiful "World at War" engine has been refined even further.    Play balance is a problem in some scenarios; German forces placed in no-win situations.    It's got every feature seasoned wargamers want; also lets beginners jump right in.    95    S    Avalon Hill    4517 Hartford Road    Baltimore, MD 21214            [phone]            May
Strategy    Star Command: Revolution    Many units; some new gameplay concepts; long, non-linear campaign.    Low-key action; ho-hum graphics; token space environment.    There are some new twists here, but nothing really compelling.    75    S    GT Interactive    16 East 40th Street    New York    NY    10016    800-434-2637            June '97, p. 94
Adventure    Star Control 3    Epic story line; wide variety of aliens; professional voice acting; tons of things to do.    Alien animatronics aren╒t as impressive as expected; l ots of traveling time between star systems; strategic colony element gets boring.    Even with its few faults, Star Control 3 is a worthy successor, and a blast to play.    90    S    Accolade    5300 Stevens Creek Blvd.    Suite 500    San Jose, CA 95129                    December
Review Index    Star Crusader    A seductive, involving storyline;  Unequaled degree of campaign control.    The space combat--the very core of the game--could be more satisfying.    This promising first title from Take 2 is a terrific and innovative addition to your sci-fi collection.    86    S    Take 2 Interactive    575 Broadway    New York, NY 10013            [phone]            November
Strategy    Star General    Good, jump-right-in gameplay with time-tested Panzer General play style.    Mediocre and often confusing graphics. Some scenario goals are far-fetched. Long waiting times when late in the game during multi-play.    A good beer-n-pretzels space wargame for those who like their combat without a lot of micro-management.    86    S    SSI    675 Almanor Ave., Suite 210    Sunnyvale    CA    94086-2901    [phone]            March '97, p. 116
Space Combat    Star Rangers    An exciting mix of strategy and combat keeps things cooking.    The linear nature of the campaign game robs the game of realism, as does the lack of character development.    If you're into space-combat games, check this one out.    85    S    Interactive Magic    PO Box 13491    Research Triangle Park, NC 27709             [phone]            January
Review Index    Star Reach    Fairly challenging and varied computer opponents; nice two-player mode.    Graphics and sound effects are mediocre, and there are very few things to build.    A simple space-strategy game, but without the depth to keep you interested in the long run.    70    S    Interplay    17922 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            November
Roleplaying    Star Trail    Incredibly detailed roleplaying; tons of options and a crisp interface.    Complex play will most likely turn off newcomers to the genre; graphics can get a bit repetitive.    A great title for those who're tired of adventure games masquerading as RPGs--but not for the uninitiated.    88    S    Sir-Tech    Ogdensburg Business Center    P.O. Box 24    Ogdensburg, NY 13669                    February
Adventure    Star Trek DS9 - Harbinger    Good story line, sharp graphics; full-speech from TV cast.    There╒s not much gaming going on; annoying arcade sequences and uninventive puzzles add nothing to experience.    A good license only counts for so much; if a game isn╒t fun to play, what╒s the point?    66    S    Viacom New Media    1515 Broadway    New York, NY 10036            [phone]            June
Action/Adventure    Star Trek: Generations    Some Trek fans will enjoy playing as crew; good use of film footage.    Virtually worthless save-game feature; awkward controls; all the problems of the movie.    Pass this one up, unless you're an absolutely rabid Trek fan.    64    S    MicroProse    2490 Mariner Square Loop    Alameda    CA    94501    [phone]            August '97, p. 96
Adventure    Star Trek: Judgement Rites    Smooth play; excellent characters; clever storylines; a real Star Trek feel.    The space-combat scenes could be more realistic, and installing the game can be pretty time consuming.    Whether you're a true Trekker or a casual fan, you're going to enjoy this game.    90    S    Interplay    17922 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            June
Adventure    Star Trek: Klingon    Surprisingly good production quality, and a curiously amusing storyline...    ...for an hour or so, until you╒ve reached the end or are just plain bored of it all.    Even die-hard Trekkers will find their faith tested by this sorry cash-in.    35    S    Simon & Schuster Interactive    1230 Avenue of the Americas    New York, NY 10020            [phone]            July
Action    Star Trek: Starfleet Academy    Lots for Trek fans to like; decent multi-player mode adds longevity.    Unsuitable overall approach; uninpsired FMV; simplistic combat.    A promising idea that's inadequately executed -- budding Starfleet captains won't find the challenge they crave here.    67    S    Interplay    16815 Von Karman Ave.    Irvine    CA    92606    [phone]            November '97, p. 255
Action    Star Trek: Starfleet Academy    Lots for Trek fans to like; decent multi-player mode adds longevity.    Unsuitable overall approach; uninpsired FMV; simplistic combat.    A promising idea that's inadequately executed -- budding Starfleet captains won't find the challenge they crave here.    67    S    Interplay    16815 Von Karman Ave.    Irvine    CA    92606    [phone]            November '97, p. 255
Arcade    Starball    Whimsical and action-packed.    One, low-res table, and three balls per game.    Moderately entertaining, but it╒s not the best or most complete PC pinball game you can get.    58    S    GameTek    2999 Northeast 191st St.    Suite 500    Aventura, FL 33180                    July
Arcade    Starfighter    Smooth graphics; plenty of missions; the explosions are really cool.    Control is on the jumpy side; cruddy mission map; loads of scenery pop-up.    It's a clone of Terminal Velocity, but at least it's remotely enjoyable.    70    S    3DO    600 Galveston Drive    Redwood City    CA    94063    [phone]            March '97, p. 166
Arcade    Stargunner    A good, pure, arcade-shooter; clean, crisp graphics.    The game may be too hard, even on the easy settings.    If youÆre in the mood for an arcade-shooter, this is one of the best -- it may be as good as ApogeeÆs own Raptor.    80    S    Apogee    P.O. Box 496419    Garland    TX    75049    800-APOGEE1            June '97, p. 91
Strategy    Stars!    Rich in depth and flexibilty, intuitive interface, excellent manual, unmatched turorial.    The number of command windows can be confusing. May not interest casual gamers.    Proves there can be more to games than cute characters and big explosions.    88    S    Empire Interactive    13220 Wisteria Drive    Germantown    MD    20874    [phone]            April '97, p. 106
Wargame    Steel Panthers    Beautiful to behold, easy to learn, and full of drama.    Inadequate manual (you╒ll definitely want to print out the READ.ME file!); artillery support system can be a little tricky to master.    One of the best tactical-level wargames ever designed for the PC.    90    S    SSI    675 Almanor Ave.    Suite 201    Sunnyvale, Ca 94086-2901                    December
Wargame    Steel Panthers II    Great graphics, silky-smooth interface, tremendous variety of scenarios.    Lots of niggling little flaws that indicate a premature release.    When and if the bugs are fixed with a patch, thisÆll be a helluva wargame.    80    S    SSI    675 Almanor Ave., Suite 201     Sunnyvale     CA    94086-2901    [phone]            February '97, p. 158
Adventure    STNG: A Final Unity    The familiar faces, familiar voices--even familiar sound effects--ought to please any Trek fans.    The adventure game elements are a little too familiar, and at times this game is slow going.    If you loved the Next Generation, you want A Final Unity--just don't expect anything extraordinary.    74    S    Spectrum HoloByte    2490 Mariner Square Loop    Alameda, CA 94501            [phone]            September
Roleplaying    Stonekeep    Fantastic sound effects, nice graphics, intuitive and simple interface.    It╒s just not fun in the long term, and the graphics and sound can╒t carry it.    It╒s certainly not the best RPG out there, but if you╒re a roleplaying fanatic, it might be worth your while.    77    S    Interplay    17922 Fitch Ave.    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            February
First-person Shooter    Strife    Mission-based structure requires thought; good story line; nice modifiactions to the Doom engine.    Graphically inferior to other current first-person shooters; RPG elements are scarce.    Strife offers a lot in the way of a thinking-gamer╒s shooter.    82    S    Velocity Inc.    P.O. Box 2749    San Francisco, CA 94126            [phone]            August
Sports    Striker 96    Straight-forward, unmuddled, and pleasant to look at.    Annoying sound effects, frustrating control, and bad AI.    Another failed attempt at an authentic and playable PC soccer sim. It╒s just not very much fun to play.    40    S    Acclaim Entertainment    1 Acclaim Plaza    Glen Cove, NY 11542-2777            [phone]            December
Simulation    SU-27 Flanker    Dynamic  flight model, excellent missions and mission builder, challenging opponents, deep play.    Bugs, confusing interface, zero chrome.    If SSI does the proper patches for it, SU-27 might just be the next classic air combat sim.    78    S    SSI    675 Almanor Ave.    Suite 201    Sunnyvale, CA 94086-2901                    February
Arcade    Super Karts    Lots of tracks with clever hazards; good modem and network options.    On tough settings, you'll have a hard time keeping your cart on track; single-player mode gets repetitive.    If you're frustrated by the demands of NASCAR, SuperKarts is a sure-fire way to driving excitement.    83    S    Williams Entertainment    16 East 40th Street    New York, NY 10016            [phone]            August
Fighting Games    Super Street Fighter II Turbo    Great graphics; solid control; white-knuckle fighting action.    All of this still isn't enough to bring a very old, 2D fighting game up to today's standards.    A great translation of the arcade game, if you're still interested in trying it.    78    S    GameTek Inc.    2999 NE 191st Street    Suite 500    Aventura, FL 33180                    August
Roleplaying    Superhero League of Hoboken    Good, solid gameplay with a high level of difficulty and plenty of humor.    Mediocre graphics and sound; movement can become irritating during exploration.    An exciting mix of adventure and roleplaying; perfect for the gamer who's more concerned with gameplay than graphics.    84    S    Legend Entertainment    P.O. Box 10810    14200 Park Meadow Drive    Chantilly, VA 22021                    October
Action    Surface Tension    Mission maps are large, and there are plenty of missions to fly...    Still, you have to put up with a crummy flight model, shabby acting, and sub-par graphics.    ItÆs basically a sci-fi rehash of Commanche, but it may interest die-hards.    62    S    Gametek Inc.    3 Harbor Drive, Suite 110     Sausalito    CA    94965    (800) GAMETEK            February '97, p. 156
Action    Syndicate Wars    Demanding real-time action; wonderfully dark and moody feel.    Dark graphics occasionally make details hard to spot; missions could use more variety.    If you liked the destruction and carnage of the original Syndicate, prepare to create a new world order all over again.    88    S    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Boulevard    San Mateo    CA    94404    [phone]            January '97, p. 221
Roleplaying    System Shock    The most astonishing movement control in any game anywhere ever.    Some of the puzzles aren't very inspired; steep system requirements.    One of the finest, best-executed, and most enjoyable first-person RPG shooters ever; a landmark achievement.    96    S    Origin    12940 Research Boulevard    Austin, TX 78750            [phone]            January
Arcade    T-MEK    Two modes of play, good frame rate.    Poor graphics even in High Detail mode, limited gameplay.    The promise of a decent æmech fighter is lost in the reality of this lackluster shooter.    36    T    WizardWorks Software    2300 Berkshire Lane, No.,    Plymouth    MN    55441    612-559-5301            June '97, p. 90
Wargame    TacOps    Good enough to be played by professional warriors.    Homely graphics may be a turn-off, and some gamers may find it overwhelming at first.    All the detail and authenticity you could ask for, plus tremendous replayability.    90    T    Arsenal Publishing, Inc.    449091 Falcon Place    Ste. 108    Sterling, VA 20166-9531                    July
Action    Tank Commander    Some good features (way points, helicopter views), and multi-player action.    Inconsistent graphics and sound quality; thick headed crews; awkward controls.    A fair action game, but certainly not a sim or strategy title.    69    T    Eidos Interactive    303 Sacramento Street    San Francisco, CA 94111            Tip Line: (900) 288-GAME            August
Review Index    Tanks! War Game Construction Set II    Incredibly friendly interface; virtually infinite replay value.    If you're not naturally fond of board wargames, this computerized adaptation isn't likely to convert you.    An old honorable style of wargame and loads of fun.    84    T    Strategic Simulations Inc.    675 Almanor Avenue    Suite 210    Sunnyvale, CA 94086                    July
First-person Shooter    TekWar    Sharp, living game world with moving vehicles and innocent civilians.    Unsophisticated combat, inaccurate manual, tedious searches, and flat special effects.    It╒s a fun game to play on a high-end machine - at least for a little while - but it╒s no Doom-killer.    74    T    Capstone    501 Brickell Key Drive    6th Floor, Miami, FL 33131            [phone]            February
Arcade    Tempest 2000    It's still Tempest -- a classic.    The graphics are dated, and it's no fun to control.    If you're looking for a PC version of Tempest, this is it -- but if you're looking for something to take Tempest to the next level, keep waiting.    59    T    Atari Interactive                                April
Sports Simulation    Ten Pin Alley    Good use of humor to mock the very sport it's based on.    Limited control over the action of the game; too much time is spent watching the action.    A great party game, and a nice relaxing time-killer even if you don't like bowling.    82    T    ASC Games    9 Old Kings Highway South, Suite 301    Darien    CT    06820    [phone]            July '97, p. 163
Arcade    Terminal Velocity    Highly playable, fast, and addictive with almost no learning curve.    Not much depth, but that's hardly a negative in this kind of game.    This is a great shoot-'em-up with lots of new worlds to destroy.    86    T    Apogee Software, Ltd.    3960 Broadway    Suite 235    Garland, TX 75043                    October
First-person Shooter    Terminator: Future Shock    Lots of action and a large environment to explore; killer sound effects.    Occasionally clumsy controls when driving. Poor automapping. No multi-player mode.    A solid action game with sharp graphics and an exciting and familiar world that gamers will love.    84    T    Bethesda Softworks    1370 Piccard Dr.    Rockville, MD 20850            [phone]            April
Action Adventure    Terra Nova    Multi-faceted gameplay, slick interface, and built-in mission builder.    Occasionally chunky graphics; some missions are extremely tough.    If you've got a thirst for first-person combat in a different vein, Terra Nova really delilvers.    90    T    Looking Glass Technologies    100 Cambridge Park Dr.    Cambridge, MA 02140            [phone]            May
Review Index    Terrace    The rules are simple, and the play is lively.    Finding an equal opponent might be a challenge in itself.    Even with the Star Trek tie-in, it may not beat the Chess Checkers Backgammon barrier.    75    T    Siler/Siler Ventures    P.O. Box 2405    Lake Oswego, OR 97035            [phone]            November
Adventure    Terror T.R.A.X.    There╒s some genuinely creepy material here...    ...but it╒s far too brief, with little interaction and even less replay value.    Wait for the TV movie and spare your A and B keys.    38    T    Grolier Electronic Publishing    90 Sherman Turnpike    Danbury, CT 06816            [phone]            September
Simulation    Terry Bradshaw Fantasy Football    Simple and flexible menu interface; plenty of options.    Few bells and whistles; Bradshaw only adds his name and expertise in the reference manual.    If you're in to fantasy football, this is a top-notch league manager.    88    T    Fantasy Sports Properties, Inc.    P.O. Box 2698    Reston, VA 22091            [phone]            November
Racing    Test Drive Off Road    Network play is okay; groovy thrash soundtrack.    Scenery pop-in from hell; bizarre physics; chunck-a-licious graphics.    It would be better to find an Apple IIe emulator and get your hands on the original Test Drive.    64    T    Accolade    5300 Stevens Creek Blvd., Suite 500    San Jose    CA    95129    800-245-7744            June '97, p. 112
Simulation    Theme Hospital    Very original, deeply absorbing, and lots of fun to watch.    Intense micro-management can become daunting.    Oodles of gameplay and lots of laughs, for those who have plenty of patience and concentration.    86    T    Bullfrog Productions/Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Blvd.    San Mateo    CA    94404    415-571-7171            June '97, p. 104
Strategy    Theme Park    Terrific premise; great sound and graphics; more resource management than most strategy fans could hope for.    Annoying movement interface; control of the park is unreliable; little long-term play value.    A first-rate strategy game with some let-downs. Fans of SimCity will like it.    79    T    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Boulevard    San Mateo, CA 94404            [phone]            September
Arcade    Thexder    Good weapons variety; network and multi-player options.    Slow graphics, lackluster gameplay, confusing multiple windows.    If you're a side-scrolling fan, stick to Earthworm Jim or Pitfall.    55    T    Sierra    3380 146th Place SE    Suite 300    Bellevue, Washington  98007                    April
Wargame    Third Reich PC    ItÆs a solid, faithful adaptation of the boardgame.    But thatÆs all it is -- thereÆs no multi-play, no what-if scenarios -- just a conversion of the board game.    If it had come out five or six years ago, it coulda been a contender.    72    T    Avalon Hill    4517 Hartford Rd.    Baltimore    MD    21214    [phone]            February '97, p. 168
Strategy    This Means War!    Some of the explosion graphics are kinda neat╔    Manual omits necessary information; interface is a muddle, graphics are primitive.    Go buy yourself a copy of Command & Conquer instead. You'll thank us.    49    T    MicroProse Software, Inc.    180 Lakefront Dr.    Hunt Valley, MD 21030-22454            [phone]            April
Roleplaying    Thunderscape    A new, innovative design with engaging gameplay.    Sound and graphics could have used a little more polish.    A fresh approach and a good start to SSI's new line. Considering the shortage of good RPGs, fans won't want to pass this one up.    84    T    SSI    675 Almanor Ave.    Suite 201    Sunnyvale, CA 94086                     November
Strategy    TIE Fighter    This is one of the most absorbing and satisfying PC games ever designed.    There are no add-on disks available--yet.    If I were stuck on a desert island (with electricity and a PC) and could only have one game to play, I'd choose TIE Fighter.    96    T    LucasArts    P.O. Box 10307    San Rafael, CA 94912            [phone]            October
Action    Time Commando    Wonderfully cinematic gameplay, sleek controls, and detailed animations.    Restrictive game environment, horrendous ending, and brief gameplay.    This is a brief but enjoyable action game that delivers plenty of multimedia oohs and aahs with loads of interaction    78    T    Activision    11601 Wilshire Blvd.    Suite 1000    Los Angeles, CA 90025                     November
Sports    Time Out Sports Baseball    Great graphics; games are quick, clever, and easy to learn.    Lacks depth, but that's to be expected from a product like this; the ump-baiting game is pretty silly.    A nice time-out from work.    75    T    MicroLeague    1001 Millersville Road    Lancaster, PA 17604            [phone]             August
Arcade    Time Warriors    It's funny to hear the announcer say "Dong Wins."     Crap control; bad animation; playing on different difficulty levels doesn't change gameplay that much.    Buy this if you want to learn how not to do a 3D fighter.    34    T    Malofilm Interactive    3575 St-Laurent St., Ste 650    Montreal    Canada    H2X 2T7    [phone]            November '97, p. 238
Arcade    Time Warriors    It's funny to hear the announcer say "Dong Wins."     Crap control; bad animation; playing on different difficulty levels doesn't change gameplay that much.    Buy this if you want to learn how not to do a 3D fighter.    34    T    Malofilm Interactive    3575 St-Laurent St., Ste 650    Montreal    Canada    H2X 2T7    [phone]            November '97, p. 238
Puzzle    Timelapse    Beautiful graphics; intriguing story line; some interesting puzzles.    Too many meaningless puzzles; restricted movement; linear gameplay; standard point-and-click affair.    The graphics and story line aren't enough to save Timelapse.    60    T    GTE Entertainment    1035 Corte Del Nogal, #100    Carlsbad    CA    92009    800-GTE-TODAY            April '97, p. 110
Sports    Title Fight Pro Boxing    Lots of boxers; historically accurate; runs on just about any PC.    Canned commentary seems random and often inappropriate.    Title Fight is a realistic and comprehensive simulation for boxing fans who can live without flashy graphics.    79    T    Comp-U-Sports    317 Stewart St.    Saltsburg, PA 15681            [phone]            February
Simulation    Tom Clancy SSN    Great atmosphere, terrific sound, and plenty of gameplay to get your teeth into.    Missions can become repetitive; no facility to save the game within a mission.    Too flashy for the real experts, but one of the most fun and playable sub games around.    84    T    Simon & Schuster    1230 Avenue of the Americas    New York    NY    10020    [phone]            March '97, p. 130
Action Adventure    Tomb Raider    Terrific puzzle design, nail-biting action, sumptuous environments.    Very rare and minor though they are, some clipping or polygon-cracking bugs crop up from time to time.    Tomb Raider is one of the most addictive, original, and atmospheric games the PC has ever seen.    95    T    Eidos Interactive    303 Sacramento Street    San Francisco, CA 94111    CA    94111    [phone]            February '97, p. 104
Sports    Tony La Russa Baseball 3    Outstanding graphics; solid stats; and dynamite career and league play.    CD-ROM access can be slow during menu transitions; the flow of action not as fluid as it could be.    All negatives aside, this is a crowning achievement in sports sims.    95    T    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Boulevard    San Mateo, CA 94404,            [phone]            July
Sports    Tony LaRussa Baseball 4    Pitcher/batter animations are slick; management and sim options are still solid.    Worse stadium graphics than in the previous game; sluggish; few improvements.    Not a very impressive outing from one of the giants of the sport.    62    T    Maxis    212 N. California Blvd., Suite 600     Walnut Creek    CA    94596    800-336-2947            September '97, p. 196
Adventure    Toonstruck    Great presentation wrapped around a solid, playable adventure.    Tiresome interaction, predictable humor, and neverending cliches grind down the playerÆs will to live.    Cartoon freaks will have some fun, but for everyone else, Toonstruck simply tries way too hard to amuse.    70    T    Virgin Interactive Entertainment    18061 Fitch Avenue    Irvine    CA    92714    [phone]            January '97, p. 254
Simulation    Top Gun    Nice full-motion videos; slick tutorial missions; novice-friendly manual.    Hardware requirements are pretty steep; full-on graphic detail requires a premium computer; pixelicious terrain graphics.    A gentile introduction to flight sims that can still provide some punch for veteran flight jocks.    87    T    Spectrum HoloByte    2490 Mariner Square Loop    Alameda, CA 94501            [phone]            May
Adventure    Torin's Passage    Wonderful graphics; simple control; hint button for tough puzzles.    Only a few tough puzzles. Seasoned players will finish it quickly.    It's great if you're looking for a game to share with your kid, but experienced gamers should find something more challenging.    79    T    Sierra    3380 146th Place SE    Suite 300    Bellevue, Washington  98007                    April
Sports    Total Control Football    This team management sim is comprehensive and unique.    On-field action doesn╒t measure up to currently available gridiron games.    If a suit and tie is your idea of a football uniform, this is your game.    82    T    Philips Media    10960 Wilshire Blvd.    Los Angeles, CA 90024            [phone]            December
Adventure    Total Distortion    Nice graphics, outstanding sound, and an offbeat sense of humor.    Some long loading time; bizarre premise and humor won't appeal to everyone.    Total Distortion is an entertaining and unusual rock-and-roll adventure.    80    T    Pop Rocket    1320 7th Ave.    San Francisco, CA 94122            [phone]            March
Review Index    Total Knockout Championship Female Boxing    Genuine arcade-style action at a bargain price.    The presentation is just a little outdated, and the juvenile theme wasn╒t really necessary.    While it╒s far from a true boxing sim, there╒s really nothing else like it for the PC.    62    T    Digital Lobster Co.    810 W. Amy Trail Road    Suite 280    Carol Stream, IL 60188                    August
Action    Total Mayhem    Nice graphics; good music; multi-player options (with Windows ╘95).    Extremely frustrating control problems; early and middle levels are too easy.    More than anything, the vexation factor drags Mayhem into the mediocrity zone.    58    T    Eidos    303 Sacramento Street    San Francisco, CA 94111            Tip Line: (900) 288-GAME            August
Adventure    Touche    Nice graphics, good voice-acting, and a humorous story line.    Long-winded dialog, a few obscure puzzles, and a finicky interface.    Touche is a satisfying adventure game that doesn't take itself too seriously.    77    T    U.S. Gold    303 Sacramento St.    San Francisco, CA 9411            [phone]            April
Action    Toy Story    Those cute Toy Story characters.    Sluggish control; children will find it overly difficult and frustrating.    This is just a lackluster side-scroller game; Toy Story doesn't come close to recapturing the magic of the film.    27    T    Disney Interactive    500 S. Buena Vista St.    Burbank    CA    91521    800-426-3306            April '97, p. 149
Puzzle    Tracer    Decent graphics; good music; net multi-player add-on could add excitement.    Stark, bland playing field; tedious gameplay; nothing new.     After it╒s all said and done, it╒s just not addicting enough to hold your attention.    55    T    7th Level Inc.    P.O. Box 832190    Richardson, TX 75083-2190            [phone]            October
Simulation    Transport Tycoon    You name it--beautiful graphics, a near-perfect interface, and a chance to play god (or at least Andrew Carnegie).    The inadequate documentation is the game╒s only big drawback.    Buy it. Classic games like this don't come around often.    91    T    MicroProse    180 Lakefront Drive    Hunt Valley, MD 21030            [phone]            March
Sports    Triple Play 97    Fantastic graphics; generous multi-player options; great fun.    Video plays quickly become repetitive.    If you're looking for action that captures the fun of baseball,, you can't do better than Triple Play '97.     92    T    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Blvd.    San Mateo, CA 94404            [phone]             November
Sports    Triple Play 98    Awesome atmosphere; fast, instinctive  play; oodles of options.    Requires a monster machine and a monster install for peak performance of the game.    Baseball on the PC doesn't get any more fun than this. Unreservedly recommended.    92    T    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Blvd.     San Mateo    CA    94404    [phone]            August '97, p. 106
Puzzle    TriTryst    Good variety and challenging puzzle gameplay.    Replay value depends on what you want; puzzle games just don't have a lot of depth.    TriTryst is a fun little puzzle game that's every bit as addictive as Tetris.    83    T    Virgin    18061 Fitch Ave.    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            April
Review Index    Trivial Pursuit    It has potential for being a party game.    Not very interactive; too many missing pieces.    A flawed attempt to bring Trivial Pursuit into the 1990s.    65    T    Virgin Interactive Entertainment    18061 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            May
Adventure    Trophy Bass    Great graphics, plenty of options, and good fish AI.    The odd, ╥omnipotent fisherman╙ perspective isn╒t very realistic.    A great simulation, and a hell of a lot of fun.    90    T    Sierra    3380 146th S.E.    Suite 300    Bellevue, WA 98007                    February
First-person Shooter    Tubular Worlds    A good-looking, good-sounding shooter.    If you don't like shooters, there's not much here for you.    A lot of fun, but it seems pretty pricey for what you actually get.    75    T    Dongelware Publishing    35 Howard Street    Cambridge, MA 02139            [phone]            October
Review Index    TuneLand    The sound and graphics are very well crafted.    There's not a whole lot to do in the program, and some of the voices are pretty hard to understand.    In spite of the admirably creative presentation, TuneLand could be more engaging than it is.    80    T    7th Level    5225 San Fernando Road West    Los Angeles, CA 90039                        July
Puzzle    TV Guide  Multimedia Crossword    170 crosswords; handy hint features.    Confusing clues; lack of difficulty levels; poor use of multimedia; little challenge.    If you want to do a good crossword puzzle, why not pick up a newspaper?    53    T    InterMedia    3624 Market St.    Suite 302    Philadelphia, PA 19104                    April
Adventure    Twinsen's Odyssey    Bizarre environments, characters; massive game world; tasty graphics.    Frustrating controls; crummy voice-acting; some difficult puzzles.    Fans of the original should line up and snag a copy, but newcomers should be aware of the game's flaws.     80    T    Activision    11601 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1000    Los Angeles     CA    90025    [phone]            October '97, p. 220
Action    Tyrian    Great graphics; non-stop action.    It's an excellent shooter, but there's no great depth hiding under the surface.    Gamers looking for a break from complex RPGs and simulations will welcome this fast-paced challenge.    87    T    Epic Megagames, Inc.    10406 Hollbrook Drive    Potomac, MD 20854            [phone]            October
Air Combat Simulation    U.S. Navy Fighters    Great attention to the details of naval flight operations.    A couple of minor techno-gaffes, plus a dire need for the latest CPU in existence.    If you've got the horses, this sim will really show you what being a naval aviator is really all about.    82    U    Electronic Arts    1450 Fashion Island Boulevard    San Mateo, CA 94404-2064            [phone]            February
Wargame    U.S.S. Ticonderoga    Super graphics provide a "you are there" feel as no other naval game has.    Game play is flawed, buggy, and confusing.    Harpoon 2 it ain't, but users looking for a warm, fuzzy naval warfare game might enjoy it.    64    U    Mindscape    88 Roland Way    Novato CA 94945                        June
Roleplaying    Ultima VIII: Pagan    Great graphics, sound, storyline, and special effects.    The arcade emphasis is likely to turn off roleplaying fans, and the roleplaying elements will turn off arcade fans.    A really strange mix of gameplay that doesn't quite pay off.    78    U    Origin    5918 W. Couryard Dr.    Austin TX. 78730            BBS: [phone]            June
Strategy    Ultimate Backgammon    The easy-to-use interface allows for a quick game without a lot of setting up.    No way for two players to compete at the same computer.    No hoopla here, just a solid game. Capstone took a simple concept and kept it that way.    77    U    Capstone    501 Brickell Key Drive    6th Floor    Miami, FL 33131                    May
Strategy    Ultimate Domain    It has some of everything--great graphics, strategy, and AI that will give you a run for your money.    The game tends to get unbalanced toward the end, and a few more sound effects would have been nice.    An all-round excellent title.    91    U    Mindscape    88 Roland Way    Novato CA 94945                        July
Review Index    Ultimate Football    Great-looking graphics, modem play; super playbook editor.    Choppy animation on all but the fastest machines; questionable statistical results.    A solid effort, but this isn't quite the ultimate football simulation.    83    U    MicroProse    180 Lakefront Drive    Hunt Valley, MD 21030            [phone]            December
Sports    Ultimate Football 95    Modem play; fairly low hardware requirements.    Dated-looking menus; it's too easy to beat the computer coach.    Perhaps the most complete package among football sims. You won't be disappointed.    84    U    MicroProse Software    180 Lakefront Dr.    Hunt Valley, MD 21010             [phone]            November
Review Index    Ultra Pinball 3-D for Windows    Great graphics; innovative table design gives more bang for the buck.    3-D Ultra Pinball╒s physics model may be too forgiving for pinball purists.    A fun alternative to traditional pinball simulations, and a great way to spend an afternoon.    86    U    Sierra     P.O. Box 3404    Salinas, CA 93912            [phone]            December
Pinball    Ultra Pinball 3D: Creep Night    Great graphics effects, sounds, and gameplay.    Only three tables; limited appeal with the ôcreepyö theme.    Whether you love pinball or not, this game will grab your attention... and keep it.    85    U    Sierra Online    3380 146th Place S.E., Suite 300    Bellevue    WA    98007    [phone]            February '97, p. 141
Adventure    Under A Killing Moon    Truly interactive video with great characters, script, and puzzles.    Low frame rates for slower computers and all-but-forgotten art of disk swapping.    It's a game that challenges and entertains; it leaves you wanting more of this believable virtual world.    92    U    Access    4910 W. Amelia Earhart Drive    Salt Lake City, UT 84116            [phone]            January
Puzzle    Under Pressure    Intriguing puzzles, super graphics.    Slow and unwieldy, unless you have some considerable horsepower in your computer.    Only high-end Windows ╘95 users who love puzzles need apply.    68    U    Starhil Productions     139 Townsend Street    San Francisco, CA 94107            [phone]            December
Sports    Unnecessary Roughness    Excellent arcade action and play design; good sound effects and graphics.    Steep hardware requirements.    Definitely a Super Bowl contender, and a nice alternative for action-oriented gamers who want to do more than coach.    84    U    Accolade    5300 Stevens Creek Blvd.    San Jose, CA 95129            [phone]            March
Sports    Unnecessary Roughness    Great graphics; an NFLPA license; and easy-to-use tools for creating custom leagues.    The football action is so unrealistic that it all but cripples the game.    Unless you don't care about realism, pass this one up. Although it looks great, it just ain't football.    64    U    Accolade    5300 Stevens Creek Boulevard    San Jose, CA 95129            [phone]            June
Card Games/Chess    Virtua Chess    A powerful chess engine; sharp graphics and plenty of extras.    Players eager to gain insight into advanced techniques will be disappointed by the lack of a tutorial.    If you like a challenge, Virtua Chess is a surprisingly strong entry into the computer chess arena.    86    V    Titus Software Corp.    20432 Corisco Street    Chatsworth, CA 91311            [phone]            September
Fighting Games    Virtua Fighter PC    Remarkable graphics; sound, music; super-tight control, lots of special moves.    Very high system requirements.    The best fighting game on the PC, bar none-- as long as you've got the hardware to get it running.    90    V    Sega Entertainment    150 Shoreline Dr.    Redwood City, CA 94065            [phone]            November
Arcade    Virtua Squad    Spectacular to look at, and intense fun to play in the early stages.    Only three levels, which are over all too quickly.    An entertaining diversion and competent ôtwitchö game, but one that will likely be gathering dust a few weeks after purchase.    70    V    Sega Entertainment    150 Shoreline Dr.    Redwood City    CA     94065    [phone]            January '97, p. 226
Simulation    Virtual Karts    Menus are straightforward, network play can be fun.    Dodgy controls, high system requirements, oddball physics.    Even if you're a fan of go-cart racing, you'll probably be disappointed with Virutal Karts.    59    V    MicroProse    180 Lakefront Dr.    Hunt Valley, MD 21030-2245            [phone]            March
Simulation    Virtual Pool    One of the most realistic and addictive sims ever.    Some of the multimedia stuff is bad and feels tacked on.    The pool engine is so impressive that everything else you get is just gravy. It will make you a better pool player.    93    V    Interplay Productions    17922 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            (800) 969-GAME            July
Sports    Virtual Snooker    A great simulation of a fantastic pool challenge.    Getting down the basics takes a while; minimalist sounds and music.    A ball-breaking good time for pool fans everywhere.    82    V    Interplay    17922 Fitch Ave.    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            June
Review Index    Vortex: Quantum Gate II    Good concept, impressive acting; some strong visual ideas.    An embarrassingly gooey script; total "playing" time is two or three hours max, which ain't much.    If I want a sermon, thank you, I'll go to church.    59    V    Hyperbole Studios    2225 4th Avenue    2nd Floor    Seattle, WA 98121                    April
Review Index    Voyeur II    Little interaction; repetiitive game play is frustrating; cheesy acting and story line.    Lots of niggling little flaws that indicate a premature release.    TV offers plenty of trash, you don╒t need to waste your time on Voyeur II.    40    V    Philips Media    10960 Wilshire Blvd.    Seventh Floor    Los Angeles, CA 90024                    October
Sports    VR Soccer    It looks great, sounds good and has gallons of options.    Annoying control, inconsistent AI, and unhelplful camera views combine to frustrate rather than compel.    Under the glossy presentation, there╒s not enough to engage the would-be soccer fan.    58    V    Virgin Interactiv    18601 Fitch Ave.    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            August
Strategy    Wages of War: The Business of Battle    The trimmings aren't much, but the basic game is a solid and rewarding effort.    Graphics are a little bland and dated; thin manual could've been better.    A few quirks don't keep this from being a good squad-level combat game.    78    W    New World Computing    P.O. Box 4302    Hollywood    CA    90078    [phone]            March '97, p. 106
Wargame    War College    Hyper-accurate and fascinating battle sims; detailed online reference library.    Only for serious military history students.    A deep, richly-textured program that makes a unique, provocation break from genre traditions.    82    W    GameTek, Inc.    2999 Northeast 191 St.    Suite 500    Aventura, FL 33180                    July
Strategy    War Wind    A detailed approach to real-time strategy gaming, with complex units and a rich background.    Some goals are not clearly defined.    A strong, fulfilling strategy title; a good bet for people who want to move on to more complex gaming than WarCraft II.    90    W    SSI    675 Almanor Ave., Suite 201    Sunnyvale     CA    94086    [phone]            January '97, p. 230
Online Flight    WarBirds    Top 'net technology; human opponents; realistic flight-modeling; 100 plus player arenas.    Poor graphics; lack of official documentation; high cost; tough online competitors.    Highly recommended to serious flight sim fans with time and money to spare.    78    W    iMagic Online    1701 NW Hwy.    Grapevine    TX    76051    [phone]            October '97, p. 234
Strategy    WarCraft II    Diverse and challenging play; excellent mission editor; technically superb head-to-head play.    There's the usual occasional holes in AI, but nothing serious.    Engrossing strategy fun for the whole family.    96    W    Blizzard    19840 Pioneer Ave.    Torrance, CA 90503            [phone]            March
Review Index    WarCraft: Orcs and Humans    Good graphics, two-player options, and unbeatable play value.    It's so addictive, it belongs on the FDA's controlled-substance list with Civilization and SimCity 2000.    If you like action, strategy or fantasy games, check out Warcraft. It doesn't get much better than this, folks.    92    W    Blizzard Entertainment    P.O. Box 18077    Irvine, CA 92713            [phone]            March
Review Index    Warhammer    A solid wargame with a good fantasy background.    Fuzzy interface, no difficulty options, and sluggish gameplay on anything less than a Pentium.    Some of the best fantasy wargaming out today, but only if you have the system and the patience to make the most of it.    86    W    Mindscape    88 Rowland Way    Novato, CA 94945            [phone]            May
Review Index    Warhammer: Dark Crusaders    Quality full-motion video; attractive SVGA graphics, intriguing squad-based combat.    Weak companion AI; sluggish controls; crude sound effects; no multi-player support.    Warhammer is a modest value, but it lacks the punch to set itself apart.    65    W    Mindscape    88 Rowland Way    Novato, CA 94945            [phone]            July
Strategy    Warlords III    Stable program; lovely art; solid AI and scenarios; new TCP/IP and IPX support.    Little customizability; middling maps; no economics or tactical combat; lack of charisma.    Demanding and interesting, Warlords III offers a no-frills, focused challenge.    85    W    Broderbund/Red Orb    PO Box 6121    Novato    CA    94948    [phone]            October '97, p. 248
Air Combat Simulation    Werewolf vs. Comanche    Network and modem game-play, challenging if unrealistic missions.    Flight model and missions are simplistic, games a little too similar.    An excellent value for people looking to play a helicopter game head-to-head.    78    W    NovaLogic    26010 Mureau    Suite 200    Calabasas, CA 91302                    December
Action    Wetlands    Gritty animation and graphic novel-style story-telling.    Touchy controls and action sequences that could╒ve used some work.    If you really want arcade action with a story line, wait for Rebel Assault II.    73    W    New World Computing    P.O. Box 4302    Hollywood, CA 90078                        January
Arcade    Whiplash    Varied, challenging, fun tracks; beautiful high-res graphics; network play.    Too slow in high-res; control is sometimes jumpy.    If you╒re a fan of arcade racing. you definitely want to pick up Whiplash.    81    W    Interplay    17922 Fitch Ave.    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            June
Review Index    Who Killed Brett Penance?    Armchair detectives may be entertained for an hour or two.    No replay value; it's disappointing that suspect and witness stories remain consistent for all three cases.    Good multimedia elements, but there's not enough meat in this mystery title for experienced crime-solvers.    68    W    Creative Multimedia    513 NW 13th Avenue    Suite 400    Portland, OR 97209                    November
Review Index    Who Shot Johnny Rock?    You couldn't ask for a simpler interface, and there's lot of bang-bang.    Games like this need good graphics--and Johnny Rock doesn't have 'em. Video-card compatible problems don't help either.    If you want a CD-ROM shooter, with live action video, pass this one up.    59    W    American Laser Games    4801 Lincoln Road NE    Albuquerque, NM 87109            [phone]            September
Review Index    Wing Commander III    A stunning visual and aural feast; good acting.    Requires the ultimate PC to work properly, and, on a dream machine, it features a long wait during mission loading.    A fantastic interactive experience blending drama and action so skillfully that it will redefine multimedia standards.    96    W    Origin Systems    12940 Research Boulevard    Austin, TX 78750            [phone]            March
Space Combat    Wing Commander IV    Incredible video sequences with Hollywood production values; greater variety in combat sequences.    Not much new in terms of gameplay; very demanding hardware requirements.    WCIV is a great science fiction movie that also happens to be fun to play.    90    W    Origin Systems    5918 W. Courtyard Dr.    Austin, TX 78730            [phone]            May
Arcade    Wingnuts    Wonderfully goofy Easter eggs; a decent shooter with some interesting features.    Needs meat in gameplay; fuzzy controls.    If you╒re looking for the ultimate shooter, pass on Wingnuts, but if you enjoy fun surprises, pick it up.    71    W    Rocket Science Games    139 Townsend St.,     San Francisco, CA 94107            [phone]            December
Review Index    Wings of Glory    Wonderful graphics; superb sound; believable flight models; a corny-but-lovable narrative.    The primitive aircraft may be too ornery for some players.    The best WWI simulation ever; this one flies with the eagles.    92    W    Origin Systems    12940 Research Boulevard    Austin, TX 78750            [phone]            May
Arcade    Wipeout    Nice graphics and a pumping techno soundtrack.    Steep system requirements; no multi-player capabilities.    Not bad for h over-racing junkies with high-end systems, but serious gamers should look elsewhere..    55    W    Psygnosis    919 E. Hillsdale Blvd.    Foster City, CA 94404            [phone]            July
Arcade    Wipeout XL    Graphically stunning; excellent control.    No Internet or multiplayer play (although it's promised in a future patch); requires a 3D card; limited replay value.    An adrenaline-soaked showcase of PC polygon-pushing prowess.    84    W    Psygnosis    919 E. Hillsdale Blvd.    Foster City    CA    94404    415-655-5683            September '97, p. 161
First-person Shooter    Witchaven    A good engine at work here; multi-player options greatly extend gameplay.    Limited character animations; close-quarters combat gets old pretty quickly.    Not a bad entry into the shooter arena, but it could've been better.    82    W    Capstone    501 Brickell Key Dr.    6th Floor    Miami, FL 33131                     November
First-person Shooter    Witchaven II    A good engine at work here; multi-player options greatly extend gameplay.    Limited character animations; close-quarters combat gets old pretty quickly.    Not a bad entry into the shooter arena, but it could've been better.    82    W    Capstone    501 Brickell Key Dr.    6th Floor    Miami, FL 33131                     November
Review Index    Wolf    Hours pass like minutes in this fascinating RPG for nature lovers.    In simulation mode, the game can get a little slow.    An unusual, entertaining game that gives genuine insight into one of nature's most magnificent and misunderstood creatures.    88    W    Sanctuary Woods    Suite 260    1875 S. Grant Street    San Mateo, CA 94402                    November
Wargame    Wooden Ships and Iron Men    Snappy graphics; marvelously intuitive interface; a good scenario generator.    The Campaign element is a bit thin, and those log entries grow tiresome rather quickly.    This game is easy to like if you have any interest in the subject matter.    80    W    Avalon Hill    4517 Hartford Road    Baltimore    MD    21214    [phone]            January '97, p. 262
Review Index    Woodruff & Schnibble    Looks great; fun and detailed storyline; solid, logical challenges.    Some characters are tough to understand; inability to skip through dialogs and animations gets tiresome.    A great graphic adventure, and further reason to praise Coktel Vision.    90    W    Sierra On-Line    3380 146th Place SE    Suite 300    Bellevue, WA 98007                    August
Review Index    Word Puzzles, Vol. 1    Good range of puzzles for a little bit of cash.    Once you've done each of the puzzles, there's really no replay value.    Lots o' puzzles; lots o' fun--at least for a limited period.    79    W    Vila Crespo    1725 McGovern Street    Highland Park, IL 60035                        July
Review Index    World Cup Golf    It's pretty, and match-play options add variety.    There are so many little flaws, idiosyncrasies, and odd design choices that playing seems like a chore.    Not the best golf sim out there. Not even close.    61    W    U.S. Gold    303 Sacrament Street    San Francisco, CA 94111            [phone]            April
Arcade    World Hockey 95    Training mode and penalty shots are welcome additions.    Retina-burning graphics; sluggish controls; and very weak AI.    Unless you're a die-hard fan of international hockey, steer clear of this one.    53    W    Merit Studios    13707 Gamma Road    Dallas, TX 75244            [phone]            September
Review Index    World Series of Poker    The strongest poker AI to date, plus you get to sit in on the World Series.    No tutorial option included; poor segue graphics.    One of the best poker sims on the market, and a true Las Vegas experience.    86    W    Masque Publishing    P.O. Box 5223    Englewood, CO 80155            [phone]            July
Arcade    Worms    Clever design, cute graphics, and loads of fun with more than one player.    Turn-based action is a bit slow against computer opponents.    Worms is a humorous and enjoyable take on strategy games, and fun for the whole family.    82    W    Ocean of America    1870 Little Orchard St.    San Jose, CA 95125            [phone]            March
Review Index    Wrath of the Gods    It has a load of puzzles, and the acting is good to excellent throughout.    Very choppy animation; moving between locales can take an eternity.    A good choice for novice or average games, but there's so much gameplay here that veterans can appreciate it too.    79    W    Luminaria    3288 21st Street    Suite 64    San Francisco, CA 94110                    July
Review Index    WuKung    It's a promising idea. There's some nice cartoon animation, and the interface is easy to use.    Long loading times; terrible voice acting; lack of subtitles; etc.; etc.    Man, this game sure is bad...    37    W    Abudoe Software Inc.    320 108th Avenue NE    Suite 500    Bellevue, WA 98004                    September
Arcade    WWF In Your House    Manages to be totally stupid and totally enjoyable; excellent network play.    This game deserved better graphics than it got.    Takes the dumbest phenomenon on cable television and makes it fun.    79    W    Acclaim    One Acclaim Plaza    Glen Cove    NY    11542-2777    516-759-7800            April '97, p. 111
Sports    WWF Wrestlemania    Big characters, lots of moves, and nice control.    Two-dimensional feel, and no new characters to face in tournament mode.    Plenty of mat-slamming fun for the whole family.    80    W    Acclaim    1 Acclaim Plaza    Glen Cove, NY 11542-2777            [phone]            February
Review Index    X-COM    The gameplay is great. Custom characters, great storyline, and simple combat make it absorbing.    Graphics and sound are simple fare. It's not for those who want to be wowed by imagery.    Well worth buying--what it lacks in flash, it makes up for in playability.    88    X    MicroProse    180 Lakefront Drive    Hunt Valley, MD 21030            [phone]            August
Strategy    X-COM: Apocalypse    A highly enjoyable strategy game. All the "first encounters" are as intriguing as ever.    Amount of micromanagement borders on the absurd; takes practice to get controls down.    X-COM fans will enjoy having another go at those menacing aliens.    86    X    MicroProse    180 Lakefront Drive    Hunt Valley    MD    21030-2245    (800) 659-GAME            October '97, p. 202
Review Index    X-COM: Terror from the Deep    It's almost a dead-ringer for last year's best strategy game.    That's just about all there is--there's very little new here.    If you're just dying for more X-COM, this is your game; but don't look for any major differences.    82    X    MicroProse Software Inc.    180 Lakefront Drive    Hunt Valley, MD 21030            [phone]            July
Fighting    X-Men: Children of the Atom    Great-lookinng animation, ultra-enjoyable button-mashing madness.    Runs in a bizarre resolution; a few joystick compatibility problems.    Though it has its flaws, X-Men is a perfectly enjoyable adrenaline rush.    78    X    Acclaim    One Acclaim Plaza    Glen Cove    NY    11542-2777    516-759-7800            September '97, p. 152
Space Combat    X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter    Superior graphics, great multi-player action, well-designed cooperative missions.    No 3D support, limited single player gaming, lack of dramatic story, unreliable Internet play.    Primarily a multiplayer game, X v. TIE is ahead of its time.    87    X    LucasArts    PO Box 10307    San Rafael    CA    94912    800-782-7927            July '97, p. 146
Simulation    XCar: Experimental Racing    Customizable; smooth frame rate; inventive concept.    Controls don't feel right; boring default cars; relentless AI.    XCar is great for tinkerers and pit crew wannabes, but casual gearheads will find it all too much to handle.    68    X    Bethesda Softworks    1370 Piccard Drive    Rockville    MD    20850    [phone]            November '97, p. 210
Simulation    XCar: Experimental Racing    Customizable; smooth frame rate; inventive concept.    Controls don't feel right; boring default cars; relentless AI.    XCar is great for tinkerers and pit crew wannabes, but casual gearheads will find it all too much to handle.    68    X    Bethesda Softworks    1370 Piccard Drive    Rockville    MD    20850    [phone]            November '97, p. 210
Adventure    Yoda Stories    Simple and solid gameplay, 15 deceptively large levels; bonus multimedia movie.    The big head characters may be too cute for some. Graphics aren't great.    Yoda Stories is a fun, addictive little game in the fine tradition of Star Wars titles.    80    Y    LucasArts    PO Box 10307    San Rafael    CA    94912    [phone]            July '97, p. 161
Review Index    You Don't Know Jack    Clever trivia questions; clean, thoughtful design; hilarious categories.    There's not much replay value.    Triva buffs will really dig it, and will find themselves coming back to it again and again.    84    Y    Berkeley Systems    2095 Rose St.    Berkeley, CA 94709            [phone]            March
Trivia    You Don't Know Jack Movies    Great presentation, lots of humor and just darn tremendous fun to play.    800 questions will eventually run out, relegating it to the back of the shelf.    If you can round up one or two other movie buffs, this is a must-buy.    90    Y    Berkeley Systems    2095 Rose Street    Berkeley    CA    94709    [phone]            July '97, p. 200
Review Index    Z    Looks great, and has plenty of originality to breathe some life into the genre.    Movement is sometimes annoyingly slow; ultimately limiting campaign structure.    A welcome addition to the genre which offers plenty to intrigue real-time wargamers and action freaks alike.    90    Z    Virgin Interactive    1806 Fitch Avenue    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            October
Review Index    Zapitalism    Highly original and creative game world; E-Mail Internet play.    Too many random factors and a lack of detail derail the economic gameplay.    Although amusing, it lacks the depth and sophistication of other business sims.    60    Z    LavaMind                                September
Review Index    Zeddas: Servants of Sheol    Some genuinely weird and unusual visual elements.    A tired Myst rip-off with a dash of lame bloodshed to goose the action.    Some intriguing elements are undermined by familiarity and lame grameplay.    58    Z    Synergy Interactive    444 DeHaro St.    Ste. 123    San Francisco, CA 94107                    July
Review Index    Zephyr    Zephyr's sound effects and music are good.    Cluttered graphics, poor documentation, and a slight case of vaporware.    If Zephyr is any indication, New World should stay away from action games and stick to publishing good strategy and RPGs.    48    Z    New World Computing    P.O. Box 4302    Hollywood, CA 90078            [phone]            March
Review Index    Zeppelin    Good concept; nice graphics; smooth gameplay.    Once you've played through WWI, you've seen and done all there is to see and do.    This coulda been a contender, if the idea was developed to the fullest; a paradigm of failed design.    57    Z    MicroProse    180 Lakefront Dr.    Hunt Valley, MD 21030            [phone]            April
Review Index    Zig Zag    A classy brain-teaser that will challenge even the most experienced word-game maven.    The quest variants didn't turn me on, although others will surely respond differently.    A crossword puzzle with attitude--if you play one game and like it, you'll be hooked.    85    Z    Quantum Quality Productions    495 Highway 202    Flemington, NJ 08822            [phone]            August
Review Index    Zone Raiders    Excellent concept with fast and nimble vehicle physics.    Occasional graphics glitches. No modem play.    Fun, fun, fun 'til your daddy takes the T-Bird away.    89    Z    Virgin    18061 Fitch Ave.    Irvine, CA 92714            [phone]            April
Review Index    Zork Nemesis    Beautiful graphics, Z-vision 360-degree rotation, and puzzles that actually make sense in the context of the story.    There╒s little replay value, once you╒re finished, that╒s it. Some clues are hard to find.    It╒s pretty, it╒s spooky, and it╒s immensely entertaining.    89    Z    Activision Inc.    11601 Wilshire Blvd.    Suite 1000    Los Angeles, CA 90025                    July
Review Index    Zorro    The full-motion video clips are pretty well done.    Poor control; boring graphics; and an ample supply of cheesy music.    You don't need this kind of frustration in a simple platform puzzler.    57    Z    Intracorp    501 Brickell Key Dr.    6th Floor    Miami, FL 33131                    June
Review Index    Zulu Wars    The campaign games are fascinating and challenging.    The smaller scenarios would work much better as tactical simulations    If you loved the movies Zulu! and Zulu Dawn, you must have this game.    83    Z    HPS Simulations    PO Box 3245    Santa Clara, CA             [phone]            November