Category Archives: Reviews

N2O: Nitrous Oxide will give gamers a real high!

I’ll admit, I’ve always been a big fan of classic arcade shooters. I don’t know why, maybe it was because of the sheer adrenaline rush that was obtained when trying to survive an endless onslaught of aliens. Two classic shooters that come to mind as the most engrossing, the most intense, and the most challenging are Tempest and Gyruss. They both had the same structure: rotating around in a 360 degree plane (well, almost, Tempest had a couple open-ended courses). Updates to these such classics, including Nanotek Warrior and (the only great Jaguar game) Tempest 2000, carried on the tradition … Continue reading N2O: Nitrous Oxide will give gamers a real high!

Gravis makes awesome controller to support any game!

I’ve always had a soft spot for Gravis’ controllers. Who knows why it is? Maybe it’s because the first control I bought for my PC was the original Gravis Game Pad. Maybe it was the similarity of their gamepads with the gamepads of video game consoles. Then again, maybe it is because their controllers are of such a high quality that I cannot see going with anyone else. And from that original game pad to their most recent controller, the Xterminator, it is apparent that Gravis cares about their gamers and knows what they want in a controller. Xterminator has … Continue reading Gravis makes awesome controller to support any game!

Dominion is too little too late

It was bound to happen sooner or later. With the influx of money and the media attention on certain high-profile personalities, the gaming industry is suffering from some of the same ills as the movie industry. Unfortunately, Ion Storm’s Dominion: Storm over Gift 3, published by Eidos, is a casualty of these ills. In development for over three years, Dominion suffers from a dated approach, poor implementation, and a kind of me-too attitude. Like an over-budget action flick, the game never seems to gel with any particular focus. If Dominion came out two years ago, it would have been the … Continue reading Dominion is too little too late

Get Medieval will woo Gauntlet fans, crush competition

Imagine a game where up to four players are navigating a top-down maze. They are constantly threatened by monsters, traps, thieves, curses and continually declining health. Their only means of survival is to find an exit on each level while collecting helpful items like scrolls, health, keys and various enhancement. Sound familiar? It should and it shouldn’t. I’m talking about Get Medieval by Monolith a great game out for the PC. But if you said "that sounds a lot like Gauntlet," give yourself half credit. Let me make something clear. Part of the appeal of Get Medieval is due to … Continue reading Get Medieval will woo Gauntlet fans, crush competition

Arthur mixes entertainment and education

Fans of Marc Brown’s Arthur series will be happy to know that Broderbund (now The Learning Company) has produced Arthur’s Computer Adventure. Arthur, D.W., Buster, and Arthur’s parents are all featured in this game package. This package revolves around the story of Arthur’s computer adventure. This part of the program offers a narrator reading the story with the printed words highlighted as the narrator reads them. Arthur is obsessed with a sea adventure computer game on his mother’s computer. His mother warns that he is not to touch the computer while she is at work (our hero’s downfall seems inevitable … Continue reading Arthur mixes entertainment and education

Virtual Pool 2 takes all the breaks…

Virtual Pool 2, an "enhanced" DVD-ROM game from VR Sports, tries to take the billiard amusements to higher levels with this 3D simulator. But the only existence of the DVD is for tips and tricks from some of today’s professional pool sharks. Quite honestly, I tried to watch the movie training sessions. But if I’d watch one, the movie would end and the viewer and game would simply lock up. Installation of the game was disappointing. Although it could detect my 4M AGP X2 graphics accelerator with 3D support, Virtual Pool 2 reverted to the least common denominator–low resolution without … Continue reading Virtual Pool 2 takes all the breaks…

It’s kickoff for this year’s football wars

This month was the start of the 79th year of the National Football League, and as any other red-blooded sports lover, I am ready for it. But these days, not only do I watch the televised games, but I also simulate them on my PC or my Sony PlayStation. And just in time for the start of the real NFL season, it’s also time for the start of the PlayStation NFL war, with two main competitors going at it. On one side we have the 1999 update of the long-running Madden Series by EA Sports, and on the other end … Continue reading It’s kickoff for this year’s football wars

MechCommander will fry competition

Having grown up playing the various mech combat games, I was excited to see that FASA Interactive and MicroProse had gotten together to add a new twist to the old genre of piloting giant robotic warriors, or mechs, into battle. What they have created is an excellent addition to any mech fan’s collection, though it does stray rather far from the original pen and paper game. The first thing players will notice is the incredible introduction. Through the use of live actors interspersed with computer drawn sequences, the mood is quickly set and the premise of the game explained. The … Continue reading MechCommander will fry competition

X-Files Fans: stop drooling and buy it!

I am a major X-Files fan, so when I found out that Fox Interactive was putting out an X-Files Game, I knew I had to have it. After a heated bidding war with the other GiN reviewers, I managed to convince the editor in chief that I was the best man for the job. Now I just have to wash his car once a week for the rest of the month. Fortunately for me, this game is worth it. Once I finally laid my hands on the box, I was a little horrified to find seven CD’s inside. I had … Continue reading X-Files Fans: stop drooling and buy it!

Pajama Sam 2 won’t exactly take the industry by storm

Humongous Entertainment’s Pajama Sam 2 Thunder and Lightning Aren’t so Frightening is the follow-up adventure to this company’s award winning release of Pajama Sam: No Need to Hide When It’s Dark Outside. Pajama Sam 2 was designed with the purpose of easing children’s fears of thunder and lightning in a creative and imaginative manner. This game begins with Sam sitting in his living room watching his favorite cartoon called Pajama Man. A thunder storm erupts outside and Sam finds himself frightened. He then realizes that he must try to put a stop to the scary weather. He finds his cape … Continue reading Pajama Sam 2 won’t exactly take the industry by storm