Follies in Geekland: Computer Game Reviews
Here's where I keep track of all the computer game I have been playing lately. I rate the games on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being "highly recommended" and 1 being "forget this game and go read a book or something."
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
Company: Oddworld Inhabitants
Year: 1997
Rating: 5/5
Most of the platform-type games made for the PC are utter crap (remember Duke Nukem 1or Biohazzard, yuck!). Abe's Oddysee is an exception. The graphics and animations, although a bit chunky by today's standards, are stunningly detailed, and the game makes great use of light and shadow, and the cut-scene animations are smoothly coordinated with actual game play scenes. The story and characters are imaginative and original. Although the basic story is your typical "Business is Evil" fare, it plays out is such a way that you actually care about what happens to Abe. There are always new twists on how you solve the games many puzzles: some visual, some skill-based, and others audio based.
Nox
Company: Westwood Studios
Year: 2000
Rating: 5/5
Nox is an action packed role playing game for the PC. Many would compare this to Diablo. Both feature hack and slash combat and are rendered in a top-down isometric view. Nox is a much closer cousin to console style RPGs like Phantasy Star or Zelda. The thing that sets Nox apart for me is its goofy sense of humor and the ability to make your character run around in a pair of briefs! Visually, the game is top notch, especially the use of shadows to obstruct areas not in the player's line of sight. The action is very fast paced and fun, and the controls are easy to master. Über Geeks may be turned off by the simple non-D&D style of character development, but you have to realize that this is a different type of game. I have gone back and played through the game twice now and I'm still not bored of it.
Deus Ex
Company: Ionstorm
Year: 2000
Rating: 4/5
Essentially a first-person shooter game mixed with lots of role-playing elements. For the most part the game is pretty fun. The graphics are great (but slow at times) and the game play is pretty good. One of the better things about the game is that it isn't always to your advantage to just shoot everything in site. Stealth plays a big part in solving many of the game's puzzles. Some strikes against the game are it's convoluted story and the awful voice acting of the main character. It is a massive game (with massive save files) that can drag on here and there, but overall it's a fun experience.
FIFA 1999
Company: EA Sports
Year: 1999 (duh)
Rating: 4/5
Ever since my brother was suckered into buying a 3D0 console system, I have heard good things about the FIFA soccer games that have been released. I have never been much of a fan of sports games. The only exceptions I can think of are Intellivision Baseball, Larry Bird and Dr. J Go One on One for the Apple ][ (also by Electronic Arts) and Konami's Double Dribble for the NES. FIFA is most similar to Double Dribble. The action is team-based and quick (well, quick for soccer). One button shoots, one passes, and one steals. In addition to these basic controls there are more advanced combinations that allow you to pull some fancy foot work. The graphics are great and the announcers make it a fun game to listen to as well. I have come to the conclusion that sports games are the closest thing to a traditional Pac-Man era video game being produced these days. Simple twitch-based game play without attempting to interject story. The player is concerned more with points and improving skill over beating the final monster, etc.
Ultima 7: The Back Gate & Serpent Isle
Company: Origin
Year: 1995
Rating: 4/5
Considered by many to be the best games of the Ultima series, Ultima 7 is one of the most detailed and time-consuming RPGs I have ever attempted to tackle. You can pick up and interact with just about every object in the game and there are tons of dialog trees to navigate through. The story is intriguing and branches all over the place, with some od the main plot lines spanning both games. My biggest complaints with the game is the awful MIDI based sound effects, major Windows compatibility issues, and the fighting system lacks any strategy. The game makes up for these flaws in its depth. The game is less about building a character as it is about unraveling the mystery of a strange religion known as the Fellowship.