Monster Media 1996 #14/Monster Media No. 14 (April 1996) (Monster Media, Inc.).ISO/magazine/cgw1.zip/ART5.DAT

Text File | 1996-01-11 | 14KB | 255 lines

NOTE: This is an unedited version of the GAMES_95.TXT text file, written by the
      editor of CGW.

╔═══════════════════════════════════╗
║ T H E   G A M E S   O F   1 9 9 5 ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════╝

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ THE ANNUAL HOLIDAY BUYING GUIDE - PREMIERE EDITION │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

     There's a glut of great computer games out on the market this Christmas.
Having a spot of trouble sifting through the crap looking for the goods?  Here's
your guiding light...
     (NOTE: I make no claims as to this list being complete and definitive!)


┌─────────────────┐
│ O V E R V I E W │
└─────────────────┘

20. Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure
19. Wing Commander III
18. Magic Carpet 2
17. Empire II
16. Flight Unlimited
15. Shannara
14. FIFA Soccer '96
13. Front Page Sports: Football Pro '96
12. Phantasmagoria
11. Command and Conquer
10. Pax Imperia II
9. NBA Live '96 and NHL Hockey '96
8. Allied General
7. MechWarrior 2: The Clans
6. The Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall
5. Stonekeep
4. Crusader: No Remorse
3. Steel Panthers
2. Quake
1. Wing Commander IV

┌───────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ D E T A I L E D   D E S C R I P T I O N S │
└───────────────────────────────────────────┘

-=≡< 20 >≡=-
PITFALL: THE MAYAN ADVENTURE   (Category: Action)                   Activision
   Activision's remake of the classic Pitfall, originally for the Atari 2600, is
a typical running-jumping-shooting game. As such, it is incredibly mindless, yet
is simply way too much fun.  This version of _Pitfall_ features tons of levels
and secrets (including the complete original game hidden inside!), ensuring
hours and hours of fun for kids and adults looking for a break.  This game is
the first "serious" Windows 95 game, and as such deserves its place on this
list.

-=≡< 19 >≡=-
WING COMMANDER 3   (Category: Action)                           Origin Systems
   Yes, this is an older game, but until the fourth installment comes out, it is
still a top pick.  Featuring a hot space combat engine, and, more importantly
for some, a great storyline with action, treason, romance, and full motion vid-
eo, the Wing Commander series marches on as the greatest space combat simulation
of all time.  Available on four CD-ROMs at a sure-to-be-lowered price (due to
the imminent arrival of _WC4_), _Wing Commander 3_ is a definite "must buy" for
any sci-fi action fan.

-=≡< 18 >≡=-
MAGIC CARPET 2   (Category: Action)                                   Bullfrog
   The sequel to the classic _Magic Carpet_, this game takes the original rev-
olutionary first-person engine, tweaks it a bit, and puts it into a whole new
game.  The basic concept is the same, but there are more features, including
specific mission objectives.  There are 25 missions and 75 spells (including
whirlwinds, gravity wells, earthquakes, etc.!), enough to tempt any jaded action
gamer.  Coming soon...

-=≡< 17 >≡=-
EMPIRE II   (Category: Wargame)                            New World Computing
   This isn't really a wargame, rather a wargame construction set.  Eschewing
the grand strategic scale of previous _Empire_ games, _Empire II_ seeks to re-
create individual battles, from prehistory to the future.  The game masterfully
injects a sense of history into each battle, making a Civil War-era game feel
different than a Revolutionary War game - something extremely difficult to do.
There are 30-odd battles included, along with a massively powerful scenario
builder, which experienced gamers will delight in.  Simple enough for a begin-
ner, with enough meat for a hard-core gamer, _Empire II_ is a worthy sequel to
the classic and still-popular _Empire_.

-=≡< 16 >≡=-
FLIGHT UNLIMITED   (Category: Simulation)           Looking Glass Technologies
   The ultimate in scenery is what puts _Flight Unlimited_ apart from the pack
of sims out there.  Superior even to _Microsoft Flight Simulator 5.1_, this game
has nothing to shoot but plenty to look at.  Graphics superior to the revolu-
tionary _Comanche Maximum Overkill_, along with a top-notch flight model, put
_Flight Unlimited_ in the winner's circle.

-=≡< 15 >≡=-
SHANNARA   (Category: Adventure)                          Legend Entertainment
   Terry Brooks' best-selling Shannara series is coming to a computer near you
in Legend's latest offering.  The SVGA graphics are breathtaking, and Brooks
himself is proud of the game and believes that it is faithful to the books.
The designers, Corey and Lori Cole, are the same people who designed the award
winning hybrid adventure/RPG _Quest for Glory_ series for Sierra.  This one is
definitely a game to look forward to!

-=≡< 14 >≡=-
FIFA SOCCER '96   (Category: Sports)                           Electronic Arts
   The first great game simulating soccer on the PC, _FIFA Soccer '96_ takes
EA's highly-touted NBA Live / NHL Hockey engine and tweaks it to the sport of
soccer. The numerous controls (three pages of 'em) are a bit awkward at first,
but soon become surprisingly intuitive. Featuring 237 (count 'em) international
teams, 3800 (count 'em) real players, crystal clear SVGA graphics, and 18000
(count 'em) phrases by the commentator, the just-released _FIFA_ is a sure hit
- particularly with that special soccer fan.

-=≡< 13 >≡=-
FRONT PAGE SPORTS: FOOTBALL PRO '96   (Category: Sports)        Sierra On-Line
   The Front Page Sports: Football series consists of three games, which have
won three Computer Gaming World Game of the Year awards, three years in a row.
If that isn't enough, here comes the latest edition, boasting SVGA graphics,
FPSF's trademark animations, and all the real players and teams.  FPSF's sea-
son and career play modes are still unrivaled, and its play-calling functions
are just as untouchable.  The on-field action is nearly impossible to beat, as
lifelike players straight-arm, spin realistically, get flipped like pizzas, and
get smashed like pancakes.  For that pigskin fan you know, there's no better
computer-related gift.

-=≡< 12 >≡=-
PHANTASMAGORIA   (Category: Adventure)                          Sierra On-Line
   This highly-hyped, seven-CD game received mixed reviews.  But it cannot be
denied that its atmosphere can evoke a true sense of horror from many gamers.
And that says it all.  Though the voice acting could use some work, and the 7
CDs are deceptive, _Phantasmagoria_ is still a winner.  (Due to its mature
themes of horror, this game is not for children.)

-=≡< 11 >≡=-
COMMAND AND CONQUER   (Category: Strategy)                    Westwood Studios
   This game is hailed as the best real-time strategy game available.  Command
your forces and build your bases as you seek out and destroy the enemy, all in
full-screen, real-time action.  And action it is!  The going gets tough, and the
activity frenetic, as you engage the enemy in an all-or-nothing firefight to the
death.  Play as the good-guy GDI side, or the evil Brotherhood of Nod. Each side
gets its own CD-ROM, with some 35 missions on each one.  The excitement is un-
paralleled in any turn-based strategy game!

-=≡< 10 >≡=-
PAX IMPERIA II   (Category: Strategy)                   Blizzard Entertainment
   This is sure to be _the_ space conquest strategy game.  With ridiculous a-
mounts of detail, _Pax Imperia II_ simulates an interplanetary empire.  Take
over other empires through either stealth, guile, and diplomacy, or with guns,
bombs, and superior technology.  Hundreds of items to research, fully custom-
izable ships, and an infinite number of galaxies put this one at the top in
terms of replay value.  In terms of entertainment, it's almost surely going to
be a winner.  Coming soon.

-=≡< 9 >≡=-
NBA LIVE '96 and NHL HOCKEY '96   (Category: Sports)           Electronic Arts
   These two sequels are sure winners, featuring real players and teams, the
same red-hot gameplay, and copious statistical data.  EA has established itself
as the king of computer sports, and these two titles defend its crown effective-
ly.  Even owners of the '95 versions will definitely want these new versions of
the greatest basketball and hockey sims on the market.

-=≡< 8 >≡=-
ALLIED GENERAL   (Category: Wargame)                     Strategic Simulations
   _Panzer General_, this game's predecessor, won gobs of awards for its simple
and elegant interface, nonstop action, massive database, and good looks.  Now,
here comes the same game, from the other side's point of view!  Featuring many
of the same battles, and many additional ones, _Allied General_ is the perfect
gift for a beginning wargamer, and just as ideal for the jaded one!  The AI is
the best of any wargame, yet the interface is so simple a child could work it
out.

-=≡< 7 >≡=-
MECHWARRIOR 2: THE CLANS   (Category: Action)                       Activision
   It's half a year old, and it's still one of the best games out there, in
_any_ category.  Pilot your 'Mech (a huge humanoid human-piloted robot) into
fierce firefights, tense recon missions, and surgical fast-attack strikes.  The
action is stunning in VGA, drop-dead gorgeous in SVGA, and it all runs smooth as
glass on a Pentium or even a high-end 486.  There are supplements which include
more missions, multi-player options over a network, and an upcoming Windows 95,
Pentium-enhanced, 32-bit version.

-=≡< 6 >≡=-
THE ELDER SCROLLS: DAGGERFALL   (Category: Roleplaying)     Bethesda Softworks
   As a sequel to a Computer Gaming World Game of the Year, _TES: Daggerfall_
must be an ambitious project.  And it is!  A free-flowing, non-linear game with
a DOOM-type view (and an equally large viewscreen), _Daggerfall_ may top even
the ultra-hyped _Stonekeep_.  The 3-D environs are so flexible that you can sit
at a riverbank and watch the water flow by, or look up and watch the fractally-
generated clouds drift away.  Of course, the interface and character generation
are top-notch, and the gameplay and combat are stunning.  _Daggerfall_ definit-
ely tops even its distinguished predecessor!

┌───────────────────────────┐
│ T H E   T O P   P I C K S │
└───────────────────────────┘

-=≡< 5 >≡=-
STONEKEEP   (Category: Roleplaying)                                  Interplay
   _Stonekeep_ has been hyped for what?  Two years?  And yes, it is finally out.
Official reviews aren't in yet, but it looks pretty good.  It features an all-
new RPG interface, hot graphics, and even a book by noted pen-and-paper RPG game
publisher Steve Jackson and less-known game writer David Pulver.  The characters
are rotoscoped, the story is epic, and monsters are 3D Studio rendered, the ac-
tion is fast and furious from the real-time first-person view, and an intricate
yet elegant interface make _Stonekeep_ a contender for #1 RPG of the year.

-=≡< 4 >≡=-
CRUSADER: NO REMORSE   (Category: Action)                       Origin Systems
   This huge game is my pick for the best action game of the year.  Featuring a
skewed 3/4 perspective, _Crusader's_ action is fiercer and more fun than any
first person game's, DOOM included.  You get to play with horrendous firepower
to torch entire rooms, turn enemies into flaming masses, burn the flesh off of
guards, and vaporize various inanimate objects, all rendered in stunning SVGA
graphics.  The action even requires some thought, to evade (or destroy) security
cameras before they raise an alarm and sends waves of guards against you.  The
engine is great - you can jump, roll, crouch, sidestep, etc., all the time with
guns blazing.  This game kicks way too much @$$.  Get it or die.

-=≡< 3 >≡=-
STEEL PANTHERS   (Category: Wargame)                     Strategic Simulations
   As a Gary Grigsby game, _Steel Panthers_ will scare away all but the most
dedicated of wargamers.  With a painstakingly researched database, and so much
rules detail that an "assault" differs greatly from an "attack," _Steel Panth-
ers_ is a great game for any WWII aficionado.  The graphics and sound are eas-
ily the best of any wargame.  Though its complexity may intimidate many, this
game is actually one of the most playable hard-core wargames ever.

-=≡< 2 >≡=-
QUAKE   (Category: Action)                                         id Software
   Quake, in case you haven't heard, is id Software's sequel to DOOM and DOOM 2.
Some improvements include 24-bit true-color graphics, a true 3-D environment,
ceiling architecture, better lighting effects, and probably a lot more.  From
the screen shots I've seen, this game is going to be a kicker.  It was original-
ly scheduled for a Christmas release, but it's been pushed back a bit.  Look
around for it.

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ A N D   T H E   W I N N E R   I S . . . │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

--==≡≡<<  1  >>≡≡==--
WING COMMANDER 4   (Category: Action)                           Origin Systems
   Yes, Origin has three games in this list, and rightfully so.  _Wing Commander
4_ features great SVGA graphics, a hot new engine, real sets shot live on 35mm
film, and a whopping $12 million budget.  It's scheduled for late December re-
lease.  If the hype is to be believed, camp out at your local software dealer to
get first dibs on _Wing Commander 4_.


                                           - this list compiled by Nightstryke
                                             December, 1995

-=≡<CGW1>≡=-