Marina Shoykhet @Mephster

Jagged Alliance 2 (Windows)

Sirtech magic touch blessed this one too....

The Good
Absolutely almost everything was perfect, but what made this game a winner - even if as people say within the certain circle, is that mercenaries you controlled during game, had different personalities, something we always miss when we do create own whole group at the start. Different voices, faces, habits and traits made this gaming experience so wonderful for me, I come back every year to install and play this one. With decent if simple story, detailed and plentiful equipment and realism (as far as game allows) it has captured me forever. Graphics and music.. I dont care much about - as far as I concerned, they will satisfy me until I turn 60... Animations were as good as year 1999 allowed, granting small size of mercenaries too. Its a tragedy that there will be no Jagged Alliance 3, and I sincerely hope that no other company thinks of releasing flop sequel on their own.

The Bad
Some particular voicing was irritating at times, small glitches, but otherwise perfection itself.

The Bottom Line
Find it, buy it and play it - but beware, if it captures you like it did me, there are at least few days without sleep ahead... Really hard to stop playing this one, except if you mess up quite a bit and forgot to save before....

By Marina Shoykhet on May 20, 2003

Freelancer (Windows)

Such a long wait for this game and all in waste....

The Good
Not much I liked about it - the storyline was pretty good if typical - government abducted by aliens and sinister plot, but I liked it anyhow. Music was up to date also, can not say same about graphics at all times, but they were at least decent....

The Bad
Horrible experience for me. I expected something like Privateer reborn, but instead got more or less shooter, and on top of it - one you dont even require joystick to play with, so it feels like one of the free windows all-mouse games. Missions are way WAY too repetitive, only 3 kind exist - kill someone, destroy ship and capture escape capsule or kill all alltogether. I am talking about the random missions of course, 13 plot missions are fine - but 13 is such short number. People in bars talk in same sentences (and voices) - there is abundance of weapons, but unlike in Privateer where you could just feel difference between shooting laser and tachyon cannons, they feel all same. Even ships are same, with only difference that larger ships are making mouse slightly more clumsy to turn around, creation illusion of bulky ships. Its an Earth and Beyond, stripped down and called Freelancer and just like Earth and Beyond it gets very boring after relatively short time.

The Bottom Line
If you are old Privateer fan like me, dont get this one, better to dig out two old Privateer games or Elite ones, or even X-tension (or what was its name) or at least decent space shooter that doesnt pretend to be Privateer reborn. No hard feelings, Microsoft, but trying appease everyone in crowd never really worked out fine.

By Marina Shoykhet on March 14, 2003

Dragon Lore: The Legend Begins (DOS)

Underrated and forgotten gem.

The Good
Dragon Lore creates precise feeling that characters you meet have life of its own, despite perhaps dated and poor AI that some would laugh at now. Graphics are simply brilliant and do not look bad even at this point.

The Bad
Some voices occasionly may sound cheesy, but then again a lot of modern games suffer from the same syndrome. Music is pretty good but gets repetitive with time. Puzzles somewhat simple, though it might make it appeal to the beginners of adventure genre.

The Bottom Line
One of the few adventure games I loved (outside of big titles), somewhat underrated and mislabeled by others who tried to put label on it. This game is hardly RPG and much more of adventure, since character management is not that difficult but adventures elements shine strong through the game. At few points it might actually become scary experience, though I would not want to spoil much. Highly recommended to any adventure die-hard fan.

By Marina Shoykhet on February 28, 2002

Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor (Windows)

You can call it a "playable disappointment"

The Good
I was actually thrilled by thinking that Pool of Radiance coming back to life, I enjoyed previous Pool of Radiance, so I thought it would be something as good plus the multiplayer...

The Bad
The combat system is horrible translation of old engine into year 2001, using items or spells is a real pain with that menu system, the quests somewhat plain, and overall game is a disappointment on many levels. I will not mention that it runs way too slow on my P4 with 512 ram and ultra graphic card - first time I actually could feel I need upgrade.. or maybe its just game. The manual (at least from the normal edition) is way too small and confusing.

The Bottom Line
Don't go for it, until it hits around 29.99 price barrier. There are really better rpgs now on the market - like Wizardry 8 for example. It just feels at times like Diablo, but with hindered combat system and just again, plainly slow. Its playable anyway, but if I were you, I'd wait either until it goes down in price or someone gives it to me as present.

By Marina Shoykhet on December 12, 2001