Category Archives: Reviews

Diablo II is devilishly good!

Is it too early in my GiN career to give a game a perfect score? Yes, but I’ll do it anyway for Diablo II. Just be careful when you play this game, it has a powerful nicotine-like addiction. It’s the crack cocaine of computer games. You just can’t stop playing it. It’s easy to get into, but darn hard to walk away from. Case in point: a friend of mine played straight for about 20 hours. But it gets worse"at four in the morning during his binge, he returned from the bathroom and realized that he had locked himself out … Continue reading Diablo II is devilishly good!

World Series 2K1 loses big

Sega’s World Series baseball lineup, until now, always appeared a sure thing to me. It all started when I played the original World Series for the Genesis, which was developed by Blue Sky. This company was also responsible for great Genesis classics such as the Vectorman series. When the Saturn was released in 95, a new Japanese-based development house released their smash hit Greatest Nine to the states, naming it again World Series Baseball. It was one of the earlier launches capable of stealing some thunder from the EA Sports titles released for the PlayStation. As each year passed, the … Continue reading World Series 2K1 loses big

Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram is a stupendous sequel

Sega’s Virtual On will always have a place in my heart as one of my all-time favorite Saturn titles. It also is a title responsible for me spending a lot of money at the local Dave & Buster’s a few years ago. It is such a simple game to get into, yet a challenge to master. True one-on-one mech combat against another human opponent is now possible, and as a result, long lines were common. It was just as much fun to watch a battle as it was to play. Pictures of Virtual On Oratorio Tangram (henceforth known as Virtual … Continue reading Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram is a stupendous sequel

Super Scattergories is scatter-brained fun

From the time you hear the beginning swinging tidings of the Super Scattergories’ theme song, you know that you are in for quite a fun and intense ride. Hasbro Interactive has brought the word category board game Scattergories to the CD-ROM platform. Super Scattergories can be played in a variety of ways. Gaming options include playing solo, Network mode, head to head with another player, or in teams of players. A hints option is given if players would like some help along the way with the game. Don’t worry if you aren’t an expert typist with this game. It only … Continue reading Super Scattergories is scatter-brained fun

Colin McRae Rally: How The Rest Of The World Races Cars

Have you ever imagined yourself in a VW Golf sliding at 90 miles per hour down a muddy slope in New Zealand"sideways!? Well, that is exactly what you will experience in Colin McRae Rally. This game shows you how rough racing really can get. We’re talking off-road racing in cars that you can find cruising around downtown! The idea behind Colin McRae Rally is that it will accurately recreate for you the excitement and feeling of actual rally racing. Rally racing is different from NASCAR racing or Formula One racing. It is much more off-road than a typical race track. … Continue reading Colin McRae Rally: How The Rest Of The World Races Cars

Airplay Wireless Controller is unstoppable

The problems with infrared wireless controllers has always been the reliability of working correctly more than a few feet away from the main console. Another problem often occurs when an object (like your dog, cat, or significant other ) moves in front of the console and disrupts the signal. The interesting thing is that the Airplay wireless controller has eliminated both of these gaming obstacles, and a lot of headaches along with them. Eleven Engineering Inc., the makers of the Airplay, claim the controller will operate as far away as 25 feet, even without a clear line of sight. The … Continue reading Airplay Wireless Controller is unstoppable

Vagrant Story is perfection in motion

Well, it finally happened. After over a year of reviewing games for GiN, I found a game worthy of a perfect score – 5 GiN Gems. Playing like a medieval Metal Gear Solid, Vagrant Story delivers a perfect combination of adventure, RPG gameplay and one hell of an awesome story (get it, story — oh, never mind). With graphics rivaling anything seen on a Playstation and a plot nearly equaling Xenogears, Vagrant Story sucks you in from moment numero uno and never lets go. Everything about this game is top-notch and Square couldn’t have picked a better leadoff hitter for … Continue reading Vagrant Story is perfection in motion

Explore Mars with Lego

When Pathfinder touched down on Mars and began exploring the red planet, it was a milestone in human history. But assembling a Pathfinder robot in your living room will be a milestone in family history. The Lego Exploration Mars builder kit is basically an expansion pack for the Robotics Invention System, version 1.5. That means you have the huge box of parts and motors that come with the main robotics kit and a smaller box that enables you to construct interesting vehicles whose big brothers have explored Mars, such as Pathfinder and Carl Sagan station. Looking at all the pieces … Continue reading Explore Mars with Lego

Dream Master Controller improves on Sega standard

Normally I don’t write reviews about controllers. In fact, the last review I did for a controller was for the Gravis Xterminator back in 1998. However, when I was at E3, I had a meeting with a Los Angeles based company called Nyko. During the session, I was introduced to a little Dreamcast controller entitled the Dream Master. At first, it looked to me like your ordinary Dreamcast controller, and I didn’t really think that it would amount to much. Imagine my shock when I returned to my hotel room that same night, attached the Dream Master to my Sega … Continue reading Dream Master Controller improves on Sega standard

Gromada: A Child’s First Strategy Game

Many of us have played strategy war games where we take command of an entire army and do as we please with them in order to complete certain objectives — whether they may be to totally demolish the enemy or to perform specific strategic activities. Well, picture a game just like that, but instead of directing an army, you alone are on the battlefield against the enemy. You don’t have any army backing you up or buddies to clear the way for you. It’s just you and your vehicle plowing down the enemy. That is Gromada. Sounds pretty cool huh? … Continue reading Gromada: A Child’s First Strategy Game