Iceman256
Reviews
Final Fantasy VII (Windows)
The best Final Fantasy Game by far.
The Good
I can simplify the good aspects of the game into one word, everything. Final Fantasy introduces you to a world with a desperate future. A corporate superpower known as Shinra has a monopoly on Mako, the best source of energy on the planet. Shinra's generators suck Mako out of the planet at an incredible rate, despite the fact that Mako is the life energy of the planet and without it, everything will die. A small group of terrorist known as "AVALANCHE" hires an ex-soldier (shinra) mercenary to help them in their first foray against the evil corporation. After the successful bombing of a shinra reactor, things get much more dangerous, and the mercenary, Cloud Strife realizes that he has been draw into a conflict that will determine the future of the planet. Even more mysterious is a shadow of the past that may have been working in the present all the while.
Final Fantasy VII's story is its strongest point, is weaves an amazing tale throughout the entire game and will keep you interested until you finish it. The music of FF7, although in midi format, does a great job of representing the moods of the characters and sets the tone of the game. The graphics are well done and the battle scenes are much better on the pc than a play station.
The Bad
Some of the dialog was shaky and seemed poorly written (or prehaps poorly translated) during a few scenes.
The Bottom Line
If you have any intrest in the Final Fantasy series of Japanese RPGs, buy it.
By Iceman256 on August 14, 2000
Deus Ex (Windows)
The line between good and evil is blurred as light and dark mix into a shade of gray.
The Good
Deus Ex is perhaps the most interactive game since System Shock 2. The game uses the unreal engine for some stunning visuals and really enhances the gaming experience.You play as J.C. Denton (at least that’s his code name), a nano-augmented agent who is a member of UNATCO (United Nation Anti-Terrorist Coalition). After a few missions battling the National Secessionist Forces, NSF for short, you realize that UNATCO may not be all that it seems, the line between good and evil is blurred as the light and the dark blend into a shade of gray. The story takes place in a variety of places including Battery Park (NYC), Hong Kong, Liberty Island, Paris, Vandenburg Air force base, and even Area 51. The story to DeusEx is simply amazing, and will keep you interested to the end. The game contains 13 missions but expect to spend at least 1 to 2 hours on each mission. Best of all, you can play however you want. The missions allow you to play any way you want and there are always at least 3 solutions to any problem. Don't want to fight with the guards, hack a computer and release poison gas into the enemy barracks or turn the security system against itself. Feeling confrontation, you could bust open the door and shoot everyone. You can complete the whole game without killing a single person or you could kill as many people as you want. The story keeps up with your actions, and decisions you make have visible consequences.
The Bad
The entire game takes place at night, so colors may seem drab in certain areas. Another weak point in the game is the voice acting. Your character's voice shows no emotion whatsoever, in fact he kind of sounds like Joe Friday from Dragnet (the show, not the movie). There are also a few bugs and AI glitches but nothing serious.
The Bottom Line
Deus Ex is a first person role playing game that beats System Shock 2 hands down. The revolutionary game play system allows you to play the game any way you want. The plot includeds twists and turns to keep anybody interseted. Buy it.
By Iceman256 on August 14, 2000