jTrippy

7 Days a Skeptic (Windows)

Big on atmosphere, short on gameplay

The Good
Continuing in the vein of its predecessor 5 Days a Stranger, Skeptic transposes the slasher flick vibe to a sequel -- IN SPAAAACCEEE. I'm not sure why it was necessary to pick up the same storyline 400 years in the future, but it makes for a really cool Alien-esque setting. Except instead of an Alien it's an aptly malicious and scary space-Jason.

Even (or especially) in the adventure gaming heyday of the early- to mid-90s, there were very few decent horror/suspense games, so it's cool that the designer made an effort to right these past oversights. The ship is a fun setting, and the sparse music combined with ambient sound effects, particularly the use of bipedal pitter-patter, adds immensely to the creep factor. Throw on top of that an inexplicable murder mystery wherein everyone, including the main character, is suspect.

The tension and suspense is really palpable, and the puzzle design is remarkably logical for an adventure game. Every problem has a sensible solution, a relieving change from most fanmade retro games which feature puzzles designed by level 5 sudoku masters who spent too much time playing King's Quest 6.

The Bad
Obviously a retro-style amateur game should be held to different standards than a pro-game. It's free, so that said, there's only so much to complain about but...

..for starters, it's short. Maybe too short. As a side effect of logical puzzles, you can work through the game in pretty short order. There are no alternate solutions, so you're following a very linear path. The limited scope of gameplay means you're essentially playing a movie, but it's in 16-bit and you could be watching Alien instead.

The explorable areas on the space ship are pretty limited and the prop-ish rec room could have done with some functionality for at least the illusion of more open-ended gameplay.

I understand the limited scoring was done for dramatic effect, but honestly a bit more music would have really added to certain segments.

The story itself is a little want for detail. Flashbacks, hallucinations and dreams all add to the atmosphere, but they don't really explain what's going on. The gruesome revelation toward the climax is more for shock value than exposition, and it still leaves tons of loose ends. The Twilight Zone hook at the end is kind of baffling and cheap.

The Bottom Line
It's free, it's fun and it's short. You can't go wrong if you're an adventure gaming fan and you're not expecting a masterpiece of the genre. If you like slasher flicks and suspense games, 7 Days is your man.

By jTrippy on January 24th, 2010

Driver (PlayStation)

Insanely difficult, there's other carfish in the sea

The Good
The concept is really cool. You are a getaway driver for the mob. Through objective-based gameplay, you take on a good variety of missions carting people around, performing insane car chases while taking care of business.

After all is said and done, you can go back and review your chases from different angles, which is a really nice touch. You can also select a variety of locations to just cruise around before embarking on the game's main mission.

The Bad
The controls are completely obnoxious to the point of unplayability. Almost every turn results in a burnout, which is particularly obnoxious seeing as the police will pursue you without fail for having done absolutely nothing wrong and will attempt to obliterate you into a pulp if you don't frantically scramble away, which, for this reviewer anyway, typically resulted in a spectacular crash.

While there's a good array of missions, nearly all of them involve driving person x from point a to point b, and take several attempts. Many of the missions are timed, which means you're not allowed to deliberate on how to avoid a spectacular end by strategizing a method around the abominable controls.

That's only if you can make it out of the gate -- Driver's training mission is mandatory to complete before you can begin the main mission, and requires you to pull off nearly every stunt in the game's repertoire to perfection; something that would normally take time, or that you would learn along the way in a balanced game. Driver is the opposite of balanced.

The Bottom Line
Driver is a cool in theory, but provides neither the sandbox wonder of Grand Theft Auto nor the maniacal entertainment of Carmageddon. If you're looking for a cool driving/crime sim, look elsewhere. If you're looking for a cool replay function to bide your time between Dukes of Hazzard reruns, look no further.

By jTrippy on January 5th, 2010

Star Wars: Dark Forces (DOS)

A rich and immersive Star Wars shooter, and a gaming classic

The Good
Inspired by fan-created Star Wars content for the Doom games, LucasArts embarked to create their first FPS to capitalize on the eternally-popular movie property. While video game/movie tie-ins were typically brain dead cash-ins, Dark Forces aspired to, and succeeded in being, a rich and immersive gaming experience in the Star Wars universe.

While the mechanics work very much like any of the so-called "Doom clones" that were ubiquitous in the day, Dark Forces added some exciting features that weren't commonplace: cinematic expositions, mission briefings, a sidekick, puzzles, non-player characters and timed sequences all enhanced what was already a gaming experience that surpassed the run-of-the-mill shooter.

From the very first mission, wherein you as protagonist Kyle Katarn must infiltrate an Imperial base and steal the plans for the Death Star for the Rebel Alliance, the game makes you a key player in the unfolding of the Star Wars saga. The plot convincingly weaves in and out of the main trilogy's story line and explains how the player is an essential part in the unfolding of well-known events.

This preceding your visit to the Imperial City, your showdown with iconic bounty hunter Boba Fett, and your imprisonment by Jabba the Hutt, Dark Forces almost more adequately serves as an engrossing follow-up to the original trilogy than George Lucas' own.

The Bad
Some sequences in the game prove to be immensely challenging to the point of frustrating. Jumping puzzles frequently result in instant death, and because the game's save system only provides one profile save slot, you may find that you've saved at the wrong opportunity. Some of the bosses prove insanely hard to defeat, as well.

Although immersive beyond many of its peers, Dark Forces could have benefited greatly from the use of more, and more interactive, NPCs. Most dialog is carried out one way, or via cinematic sequences. In one mission, Kyle Katarn must visit the Imperial City, which is apparently populated exclusively by himself and Boba Fett, where even some static or non-interactive NPCs would have added to the credibility. Character interaction and player-character choices are incredibly limited, usually resulting in death or mission failure if the wrong decision is made.

Lastly, although above-par for the time, some of the graphics are a bit choppy. The grimy feeling is well in-keeping with the visual feel of the Star Wars trilogy, but some of the aesthetic choices for sprites are downright hideous.

The Bottom Line
Inasmuch as "Doom-clones" go, you can't get much better than this.

Inasmuch as Star Wars franchise games go, you can't get much better than this.

Dark Forces still holds up as one of the best DOS games to play even in a day where it has been visually surpassed.

By jTrippy on January 5th, 2010

Doom (SNES)

A valiant effort, doesn't quite cut it

The Good
This is about as good as graphics get on Super Nintendo. Also, it's Doom. There's nothing I can tell you about this game that hasn't already been said. It's arguably the greatest PC game ever made ported onto your SNES, and there's nothing wrong with that in theory.

The Bad
The execution is a different story. Doom, as it is, surpasses the Super Nintendo's capabilities, which means sacrifices were made in porting to a 16-bit system. Textural detail is lackluster, and a lot of lighting effects were nixed in an effort to smooth out the gameplay.

Unfortunately, it didn't really work. Playing the SNES port is like dragging your feet through the mud. When onscreen combat gets a little hectic, the frame rate drops and controller response becomes alarmingly slow. To top it off, only 2/3rds of the screen is used, framed in a black box that is quite noticeable.

Because of limited sound functionality, ambiance and sound effects overlap and cut each other off. The simplified MIDI soundtrack stutters and somehow sounds offbeat the entire time.

The Bottom Line
Midway made an admirable attempt to port this PC gaming classic to the Super Nintendo, and largely succeeded. The sacrifices made highlight the inherent problem that this game was, and always will be, best on PC. Playing the SNES cart only made me crave the PC original that much more.

By jTrippy on October 6th, 2009

Gabriel Knight Mysteries: Limited Edition (Windows)

Two great games, but worth the price?

The Good
There's nothing to not like about these two classic adventure games. Both of them are milestone examples of the genre, and essential for any vintage gaming fan to own. The addition of the novelization of the first game adds a lot of value, and the CD soundtrack to Gabriel Knight 2 is gorgeous and well worth a listen.

The Bad
There really isn't enough of a package here to justify the (at the time) $50 price tag. Now that the package is out of print, the value has gone up. The games aren't supremely compatible on today's Windows machines without some third-party patching, so these are essentially the same versions of the games you can find for cheaper individually on Ebay.

The Bottom Line
The GK Mysteries package is recommended for the completist only. If it's just the two games you're looking for, you'd do better bargain hunting for them individually rather than swallowing the absurd price for what is essentially abandonware.

By jTrippy on April 15th, 2009

The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery (Windows)

A gripping story and a true achievement

The Good
Jane Jensen proves herself to be one of the interactive fiction authors to grace the business with the second entry in her supernatural suspense series. Reprising the role of reluctant paranormal investigator Gabriel Knight and eventually his assistant Grace, the player unveils a serial killing coverup involving escaped zoo wolves and historical lore.

Jensen does an amazing job of blending the supernatural in with thoroughly researched local flavor to make otherwise cheesy concepts (werewolves, in this case) terrifyingly believable.

GK2 ditches the original's hand-painted backdrops, rotoscope animation and cut-panel cinematics for the then-trendy "interactive movie" approach. Where almost every other game in the subgenre failed spectacularly, The Beast Within remains the definitive FMV game. The acting, while still sub-par for Hollywood, is tolerable at worst enthralling at best. While Dean Erickson leaves some to be desired as the titular hero, famous Polish actor Peter Lucas delivers an outstanding performance as the charismatic Baron von Glower.

While the blend of green-screened actors and photo-backdrops can at times be cheesy, the gorgeous Bavarian countryside makes a melancholy and atmospheric backdrop for the story, which incorporates centuries old political intrigue, psychosis and legitimate historical mysteries into its modern gothic core.

The two-character dynamic adds a level of depth and variety to the game. While Gabriel intuitively stumbles through the modern, empirical aspect of the mystery in the big city, Grace handles the metaphysical research end in the countryside, visiting museums, libraries and castles while uncovering historical parallels. Each subplot adds to the character development and movie-pacing of the game which other adventures lack.

As with the first, or perhaps more than, the music is a beautiful standout. Robert Holmes' moody piano anthems and suspenseful incidental pieces compliment the visual style perfectly, climaxing in a thoroughly-convincing Wagnerian opera, complete with German libretto.

The Bad
While it remains a prime example of the FMV genre, it still retains some of the inevitable cheese that comes with hiring D-list actors. Dean Erickson is unrecognizable as the character introduced in the first game. Gone is the sexist machismo and rakish Southern charm, replaced with an all-purpose perpetually-confused expression and an abysmal (and high-pitched) attempt at drawl. As an original character, Erickson does an admirable job, but he clearly has no idea what the character of Gabriel Knight entails. Same goes from Joanne Takahashi as Grace. For the first half of the game, Grace is bitterly disagreeable, but Takahashi's pass at cattiness isn't even passable for a soap opera. The performance picks up stride later on, but the two leads are the most cringe-worthy performances throughout the game.

The game is entirely linear. Probably because of the budget and technological constraints inherent with trying to coincide two opposing art forms, there are virtually no alternative solutions to puzzles or superfluous subplots. The game plays pretty much exactly the same each time, which means it really only artfully masks the core problem with the interactive movie genre -- it's better suited as a movie.

The Bottom Line
Ok, so there are flaws, and some of them might typically be considered to be critical, but in this case, they get a pass. The Beast Within is the best-written adventure game of all time. The story, pacing, music and atmosphere make this a must-play, and and it's certainly worthy of its contention for greatest adventure game of all time.

By jTrippy on December 27th, 2008

Unreal II: The Awakening (Windows)

A pretty, entertaining shooter that requires little investment

The Good
It goes without saying that, just as with the original, the graphics are the most standout component of this game. Weapon effects, monster animations, lush landscapes and creepy flora and fauna all come to vivid life with the latest incarnation of the Unreal engine.

The gameplay is enjoyably straightforward with virtually no learning curve. You play as the captain of patrol ship in a Star Trek-esque universe, answering distress calls and fetching artifacts while uncovering an intriguing if trite sci-fi plot.

The supporting cast, including a feisty buxom first mate; a cigar-chomping, jaded weapons expert; and a lovably inept amorphous alien pilot make add immensely to the sense of story and consistency. The away-mission-based structure makes the game feel more open-ended than it actually is, which is good given how linear it actually is.

The arsenal, while outrageous, is eclectic and entertaining, and the bad guys range from humanoid to tremendously scary. Helpfully expendable NPCs littered throughout each level provide hints on how to solve the level in just the nick of time, as well as occasional radio transmissions with your crew.

Movable turrets, portable forcefields, and commandable troops add a level of strategy and a lot of fun to certain portions of the game. I only wish there were more of these moments.

The Bad
The game is very limited in depth and scope. While levels are fully explorable and beautiful to look at, there is little interactivity or ability to stray from the main path.

The difficulty balance is perplexing. Most enemies are appallingly easy, compensated for with sheer quantity. Not since Serious Sam have I been so annoyed by an unwarranted polygonal invasion of my screen. Even optimal systems can get bogged down by the game's massive environments and reptilian hordes.

Although the player encounters a pretty varied arsenal of weapons (each with an alternate fire mode), including an awesome fire-and-forget weapon that unleashes a black hole on your opponents, I found that I ended up using my basic assault rifle for a good 80% of the game.

The story itself is a pretty weak premise, and the characters outside of your crew are pretty forgettable. Even your crew's personalities and back stories are under-developed, despite a valiant attempt in the game's relatively short span.

While certain missions show promise, there is virtually no deviation in gameplay. Almost every level consists of starting outside of a complex; blasting your way through the complex; grabbing a secured item; and backtracking your way back to your ship. The all-too-brief strategic moments are few and far between, and usually end the same regardless of how you approach them.

And, although it's a relatively minor gripe, I found it pretty disappointing that Unreal 2 had pretty much nothing to do with the original other than the title and an overlapping bad guy (the iconic Skaarj).

The Bottom Line
Just like it's forebear, Unreal 2 is a visual treat, worth a playthrough for the eye candy alone. Just don't expect too much depth and you'll be pleasantly surprised. The game had some great ideas, but if you're looking for a game that accomplishes its design goals more thoroughly, check out Elite Force or Red Faction.

By jTrippy on December 27th, 2008

King's Quest II: Romancing the Stones (Windows)

A valiant attempt to resurrect an unplayable classic

The Good
Tierra (now AGD Interactive) enlisted some talented artists, musicians, designers and scripters for this pleasant remake of an almost 25 year-old classic. Combining elements from the original with new subplots and characters, Tierra helps breath new life into the ailing franchise, which, despite its landmark status as one of the most revered series of all time, hasn't seen a new entry in a decade. The visual style is an at-times charming re-creation of the 1990s SCIV style from King's Quests 5 and 6, providing added sentimental value. It's also a delight to hear original King Graham voice actor Josh Mandel reprising his role once more.

The Bad
The new King's Quest 2 was hyped as an answer to King's Quest 6, widely considered to be the best entry in the series. Despite plot additions, graphical revisions, and an elaborate 3D intro sequence, KQ2 fails to live up to KQ6's dialog and story depth. Interactivity is sparse, and the source material is still a bit too weak to even base a contemporary game on.

While the new entry is certainly a graphical improvement over the decades-old original, the graphics are perplexingly stuck in the early 90s. The game runs optimally in 320x240, a resolution that's not even supported on some video card/monitor setups. Yes, I understand the limitations of the engine, but I also understand that they weren't pushed.

Given that King's Quest is one of my favorite series, that I can practically play through each one in my head, and that I played this entry again only a couple months ago, I can say with certainty now that the puzzles and subplots are quite unmemorable.

The Bottom Line
King's Quest enthusiasts have been clamoring for a new entry in the series, and this will undoubtedly hit the spot for 99% of those who are still nostalgic all these years later. Those still hoping for something to push the series into the new generation won't find anything particularly exciting here. That said, this is a painstaking work of nostalgic art that any classic adventure enthusiast would thoroughly enjoy.

By jTrippy on December 27th, 2008

Doom II (DOS)

When is it ok to rehash a classic? When the classic is Doom!

The Good
Fine-tuning the atmosphere and level design of its bone-crushing predecessor, Doom 2 provides a new set of levels that expand beyond the claustrophobic labyrinthine and into the sprawl of urban entropy. All the monsters from the original are back, plus a handful of new ones. What really makes this stand out over the first entry in the series is the sheer mass and complexity of each level. Each challenge is subtlety and painstakingly crafted, and the suspense no longer relies solely on the monster-hidden-in-a-crevass ploy. Imagery plays a heavy role this time around -- clockwork symmetry, buildings made of decaying corpses, walls made of stretched faces, and satanic grafitti pervade each level. The climax is one of the biggest, baddest bosses of all time -- a monster-hurling, sky-scraper sized baphomet that just... won't... die! Unlike more "sophisticated" peers (System Shock, Ultima Underworld, Hexen), Hell on Earth never strives to be more than a run-and-gun good time, with a focus on gameplay rather than gimmick.

Doom 2 also brought custom level design into the mainstream. It was, and still is, one of the most popular games to edit in your own content, thereby making it infinitely replayable. And with today's sourceports like Doomsday and Doom Legacy, there's no reason to ever stop playing this classic!

The Bad
It's by-and-large more of the same. Who could blame id for cashing in on the phenomenon at its peak? That said, there really wasn't enough back in the day to justify the game's $40 price tag if you had the original, especially given the Doom engine's customizability.

The Bottom Line
Doom is the greatest game of all time. Doom 2 is its worthy sequel. Anyone looking for classic and masterful level design would do well to give this another run through. Hell on Earth shows you that true immersion relies on bone-crushing atmosphere, not cheap gimmicks.

By jTrippy on December 27th, 2008

Baldur's Gate (Windows)

A dense, masterful fantasy world, but not for everybody

The Good
Quite simply, Baldur's Gate is one of the greatest electronic role-playing games ever crafted. Set in the Tolkien-esque high fantasy world of the Forgotten Realms, BG provides an open world with open-ended possibilities.

The game allows you to create an alter-ego and fine-hone every detail down to the hair color, armor, and even the voice of the on-screen avatar. You lead your character and up to five other NPCs up and down a beautiful isometric interpretation of the Sword Coast as you investigate a story filled with political intrigue and divine prophecy. The non-linear structure of the game allows you to take the story at your own pace, and the developers rarely nudge you one way or the other.

BG's endless character arrangements and vast array of equipment and spells add unparalleled depth to the real-time strategic combat system, which transitions seamlessly from normal gameplay.

One playthrough of the game can't possibly provide the full experience. The game virtually endlessly replayable. Ethical choices are made in conversation ranging from goody-goody to horrifically evil and everything in between, and these choices have drastic impacts on the gameplay. It's possible to play through with a vast combination of interacting party-members, each with their own dynamic and relationship with one another.

The interface and graphics were gorgeous for the time, and are still wildly appreciable today. The epic soundtrack is reminiscent of a Hans Zimmer score in its scope and beauty.

The Bad
The open-endedness comes with a huge price. The game has an overly-steep learning curve, especially if you wish to get the full experience. While the basics of gameplay are inherently simple, it can take literally years to fully grasp the intricacies of successful approaches to battles, certain dialogs, and party mechanics.

Although events can by-and-large be experienced in any order, the game is optimized and designed to be played one particular way. Straying outside of the very specific sequence of scripting triggers, including talking to people in the wrong order or picking up quest items before being given a quest, can lead to incredibly confusing snafus with story chronology. Novice players can expect to be very confused at certain points in the game.

Combat can be insanely hard, even on the least difficult setting (which actually just rebalances the monster difficulty/experience reward ratio). Players can expect to be frustrated at many key points, and those who don't save very often may find themselves too frustrated to continue.

Creating your own character means that the story never truly centers on your alter-ego. Rather than experiencing the story first-hand, things more-or-less happen around the main character while others interact with one another. Because your party is so customizable, interpersonal banter is more of a gimmick. Each character's background is never really expounded upon apart from a blurb on their rap sheet, which remains a springboard for a sidequest at best and superfluous at worst.

The Bottom Line
An epic and gorgeous role-playing adventure, Baldur's Gate is one of the most rewarding experiences for the seasoned gaming veteran. With unparalleled depth and abundant customizability and choice, this strategic RPG provides not just hours, but potentially years of gameplay, and remains a perennial favorite for classic gaming enthusiasts. It's biggest flaws are inherent side-effects of its greatest attribute -- it's open-endedness. One of the greatest computer games ever made, if you make the easy choice to submit your full attention to it.

By jTrippy on December 27th, 2008

Phantasmagoria: A Puzzle of Flesh (Windows)

Worth a playthrough, if your expectations aren't too high

The Good
A Puzzle of Flesh surpassed my expectations. Sierra delivers an enticing sci-fi/horror concept with intense and gritty scenes, some fun moments, and at times Hollywood-esque slasher suspense.

Stepping in for Roberta Williams, writer Lorelei Shannon approaches the Phantasmagoria concept with unprecedented (and arguably unsurpassed) maturity. The game's subplots and secondary subject matter are nary seen in today's grittiest movies. Unlike the first game, Shannon doesn't approach the "Mature" rating like a novelty or a crude standard to be pushed for pushing's sake, but rather uses it as license to create dynamic characters who face real problems.

The characters are portrayed in a remarkably lifelike fashion for the FMV subgenre, a style typically plagued by painful F-list performances and zero interactivity. The characters themselves are people you know in real life, not video game caricatures. The interface and puzzles are, by and large, simple and logical, and the game focuses more on main character Curtis Craig's internal problems rather than on exploration and puzzle solving.

The Bad
That said, the puzzles are either brain-numbingly simple or absurdly illogical. The TRUE puzzles, as opposed to other random clicking that results in a cinematic, are few and far between, and about half of them are guessing computer passwords.

For a movie-based game, the locales are visually uninteresting and markedly unatmospheric. While the game's environment is a huge step up from the cheesy computer generated backdrops of the first entry, it doesn't make up for the fact that most of the scenery is recognizable as the hallways and storage closets of a cheap motel. Moreover, there are only about a half dozen locations in the game. This means virtually no exploration and lots of backtracking.

While the characters are pretty intricate, the plot doesn't really unfold; rather, it's revealed through lots of reading of password-protected emails, which really takes the bite out of cinematic reveal.

Just as well, the plot itself is pretty weak. You assume the role of an Average Joe with a troubled past working for a omnitechnoconglomerate that's, surprise surprise, covering up secret and illegal experimentation. A couple people get murdered, and just when a legitimate twist pops up involving the character's self-doubt about his own involvement, he unveils a half-baked paranormal plotline that's not worthy of the 2:00 PM Sci Fi Channel timeslot. Sufficed to say, without spoiling anything, it gets incredibly ludicrous toward the end (or ends, in this case -- you get a choice between two equally unsatisfying story conclusions).

The Bottom Line
A Puzzle of Flesh is a great concept delivered with above-par acting for the genre and gritty maturity. If the main plot were more intricate, the puzzles more involved, and the scenery more visually interesting, Phantasmagoria 2 could have had a place in gaming history as the one that broke the mold and pushed the envelope for content maturity. As it is, it remains a playable made-for-TV movie. Hopefully someone will try to do this again with greater success, but for now A Puzzle of Flesh is a decent adventure game worth a playthrough for fans of the genre. Just don't expect too much.

By jTrippy on November 18th, 2008

Roberta Williams' King's Quest VII: The Princeless Bride (Windows)

A light-hearted journey in a classic series

The Good
King's Quest 7 takes the series to even more accessible and charming levels, eliminating the most frustrating aspects of other adventure games and focusing instead on a Disney-esque style elements that truly live up to the lofty comparison. The character animation and background detail are gorgeous for what they are, and the voice-acting is top notch. The two-character dynamic, a first for the series, is pulled off very creatively, and there's always a sense of urgency as Valanice and her daughter Rosella criss-cross paths attempting to find one another and protect the quirky and diverse realm from annihilation at the hands of an evil sorceress. This game is all about fun for everybody, from the novice to series veterans.

The Bad
As an entry in the King's Quest series, the Princeless Bride provides little more than a vague connection, forsaking series veterans for genre novices, and crushing the momentum the franchise had built up with the fifth and sixth entries. What it provides in Disney charm it lacks in challenge -- anyone with a moderate knowledge of the genre will find it a breeze to complete. The KQ series references were left out of the game in large, developers claim, to make the game accessible to all; an argument that falls crucially flat on its back when a character from an early entry materializes out of no where as a vital plot element.

The Bottom Line
Serious gamers and fans of the franchise may have to suppress a chuckle at the Princeless Bride's opening musical number, but if you can forgo your pride and overcome the pervading atmosphere of Disney cheese (or even learn to appreciate its outright charm), you may find that this is one of the most fun entries in the series, and great game in its own right.

By jTrippy on November 15th, 2008

Strife (DOS)

Doom with depth

The Good
Strife was the first game in memory to effectively combine the first person shooter and role-playing genres. It also included elements that were portentous of the "sneak" genre, as made popular by games like Thief and Metal Gear Solid. What set Strife apart from other games of the time, including the more technically-sophisticated Quake, was that it wasn't all about brazen blasting. There are of course times where the necessary course of action is to kill everything in your path, but there are other times where that mentality spells your imminent demise.

The weapon selection is quirky and unique. We're not talking pistols and shotguns anymore -- we've got unique energy weapons, a poisonous crossbow (which will prove to be your best friend in the first half of the game), and arson grenades.

Subtler elements include NPC interaction, in which you must choose your words wisely, multiple story paths, a helpful companion (albeit via walkie-talkie), the ability and necessity to be stealthy, a reasonably deep plot, and an open-level structure that would later appear in similar form in Half-Life.

The Bad
Strife was developed by small-potatoes studio Velocity, and as such wasn't afforded the budget it deserved. They licensed the archaic Doom engine in the Quake-era, which meant that the graphics even for the time didn't cut it. Even Doom and subsequent spin-offs Heretic and Hexen utilized the engine more stylistically than Strife -- the textures are overly-bright and amateurish, and the level design is at times very blocky. All the NPCs mostly look exactly the same, save color variation. The consequences of even the smallest slip-ups can sometimes have unfairly harsh consequences (the troops swarm in if you accidentally trip an alarm)

The Bottom Line
The primitive graphics are easy to overcome when you consider the sheer fun and depth of the gameplay. This is a precursor to what would become staple to the genre (story, character interaction, objective-based gameplay, stealth, etc.), but Strife did it first, and it did it right. If you can get your hands on a copy of this and a decent source-port, you'll find hours of classic entertainment. A truly underrated classic that never got the spotlight it deserved.

By jTrippy on December 20th, 2007

Rise of the Triad: Dark War (DOS)

A campy, underrated classic shooter

The Good
Originally conceived as the sequel to Wolfenstein 3D, the production shifted into a unique project some way through. Although it uses an exponentially-enhanced Wolf3D engine, you'd never be able to tell -- the graphics were some of the best of their time, beating Doom in a lot of regards.

The gameplay featured several playable characters, each part of a super-elite A-Team type of task force assigned with eliminating a cult of Nazi-like crazies. The AI was world-class for its time -- enemies duck, roll, play dead, and steal your weapons. The sheer array of destructive weapons is enough to keep anyone entertained -- heat-seeking missiles, firewalls, fire-and-forget energy balls, and several others make this one of the best shooter arsenals ever created. Campy humor permeates the games: fantastic gore and exclamations of "Ludicrous gibs!" reward the player for well-aimed missile attacks; the characters dress in costumes for different holidays; psychedelic mushrooms are featured as a power-up, causing the player to become disoriented and see colors.

Where other games of the time took themselves seriously, Rise of the Triad made the FPS seriously fun.

The Bad
The overall campy tone of the game meant that it lacked suspense in some areas where it would have benefited. A lot of the levels start to get repetitive, and considering the sheer number of them, it gets a little boring. Although there are five playable characters, there is no discernible difference in playing one over the other. The textures can be bland at times, and some of the sprites are altogether too cheesy (see end boss El Oscuro's grimace of pain).

The Bottom Line
One of the many legitimate games that fell victim to the "Doom-clone" curse; it's been done before, but never this fun and this destructive.

By jTrippy on December 20th, 2007

Daryl F. Gates Police Quest: Open Season (Windows 3.x)

Realistic mystery, sometimes gritty to a fault

The Good
To lend an air of authenticity to their already-established Police Quest series, Sierra brought infamous LAPD Chief Daryl Gates to oversee production of this gritty detective mystery. The result is a richly-detailed and fully interactive episode of In The Heat of the Night. You use your gut instincts combined with supposedly-real police tactics to find out who's behind a string of murders in South Central.

The photo-realistic environments and real actors, while somewhat dated looking, are so compelling that it really takes you back to urban life in the 1990s -- the good and the bad. Adventure, mystery, and police fiction fans will enjoy wrapping their head around this whodunnit.

The Bad
The game captures the stress and depression of being a police detective so well that you'll find at times it's actually a drag to play. Bodies of innocent children turn up, best friends die, widows grieve and your boss is breathing down you neck. All in all, there's not much actual fun to be had..

The voice-acting is, unfortunately, very cheesy. It ruins the movie-like quality of the game, to the point where you may find greater enjoyment in turning it off and just reading the dialog.

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect is the resolution to the mystery -- after spending the greater part of the game meticulously interviewing, note-taking, evidence-collecting, and putting the pieces together, you accidentally stumble upon the killer's trail. This is a huge disappointment for potential armchair sleuths who looked forward to solving the whodunnit aspect themselves.

The Bottom Line
A gory, realistic depiction of Los Angeles police life, and worthwhile mystery that sometimes takes itself a little too seriously. Anyone who's a fan of modern crime fiction would have a field day... or an Open Season.

By jTrippy on December 20th, 2007

King's Quest Collection (Windows)

Vivendi cashes on a classic series.

The Good
This is the King's Quest series -- the forebear of the graphic adventure genre and one of the most beloved computer game series of all time. This package includes the first through seventh games, and features Windows XP compatibility, which makes it a great package for the nostalgic enthusiast. Not only is each game great from a unique standpoint, but the collection as a whole allows you to see the state of the art progress over time. And with a $20 price tag, it's certainly worthwhile.

The Bad
There's nothing bad to be said about the games themselves. The package itself is the only downside -- it's about as low budget and minimal as they come. The two discs come in paper sleeves. No paper manual is included, a huge inconvenience considering Vivendi didn't bother to remove the archaic anti-piracy features which require the original games' documentation.

What's more is that this package has already been done, and more thoroughly, before (once in '94 and again in '97, as well as the Roberta Williams Anthology). The only thing the Compilation brings to the table is Windows XP compatibility (during the transition to Vista!), which is shoddy at that: it uses DOSBox, an amateur 3rd party emulator.

Completists will be disappointed as well: this set doesn't include the original King's Quest, but rather the 1990 remake; nor does it include the last installment in the series, Mask of Eternity. Neither one of these are essential to the casual fan.

The Bottom Line
If you missed out on these magical and charming classics, or just haven't played these games for ages, this is a great place to start. If you're a longtime fan trying to complete your collection, take a pass. You can get DOSBox for free and enthusiasts would do better with the King's Quest Collection from '94 or '97, or the Roberta Williams Anthology.

By jTrippy on December 20th, 2007

King's Quest (DOS)

A proto-type, not a classic

The Good
This is the game that started the ball rolling for the graphic adventure genre. It was the first game to include a controllable third person avatar AND text parser for interacting with the game environment. Bright and colorful, the game chronicles the efforts of Sir Graham to reclaim the three treasures of Daventry and take his place as heir to the throne.

The Bad
You really can't say anything bad about this game and get away with it. The game is so old, it can't be held to today's standards by any means. That's just the problem with it, though. Some of this game's contemporaries (Zork for one) are still revered and played today. King's Quest is practically unbearable to play anymore -- the characters move excruciatingly slow, the graphics are comical, and the plot/puzzles are not, in all honesty that deep or interesting. The game consists of a conglomeration of fairy tale characters who present puzzles that are mostly easily solved by common sense and folk-lore knowledge.

The Bottom Line
The best thing that can be said for this game is that it paved the way for a classic series and a revered genre. Appreciate it for what its worth, but leave it on the shelf. If you want to re-capture the magic of 25 years ago, download the amazing fan-made remake at agdinteractive.com

By jTrippy on December 20th, 2007

King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow (Windows 3.x)

Classic adventure with a pretty facelift

The Good
King's Quest 6 plays as a classic fairy tale might. The plot is unusually complex and rich for the series, thanks to contributions by Gabriel Knight writer/designer Jane Jensen, who's design methods complemented Roberta Williams' perfectly in this installment.

The plot itself has been done before, even in the series (Prince Alexander sets out to rescue his love after seeing her trapped in a tower through an enchanted mirror), but the flair and atmosphere with which the game executed is phenomenal. Charmingly quirky at times and dark and mysterious at others, the game provides brain-teasing puzzles set against a vibrant environment that ranges in influence from Arabian Knights to Alice in Wonderland.

Beauty and the Beast's Robbie Benson does a solid job as the protagonist, and its ironically funny to hear him interact with the game's own equivalent of Beast. This was also the first entry in the series to offer multiple solutions to solve the game, one of which permitted you to skip a good 1/3rd of the game (this component was half-heartedly featured in the series' next installment as well).

The Windows version features newly-detailed character portraits that are a nice, if unnecessary, addition.

The Bad
Despite the multiple paths, the game's replayability factor is somewhat limited. Some of the puzzles are unnecessarily frustrating (this is during a time when Sierra cruelly worked anti-piracy techniques into the game's structure, frustrating those who owned legitimate copies), requiring you to save often and reattempt all-too-often. It's also very easy to miss something or make a mistake that will have fantastically bad and unforeseen consequences for the future. One such puzzle involves descending to the underworld to save the love interest's parents, only to discover that if when you get back, you forgot to pick up water from the River Styx, you are stuck without recourse and must load from a previous save. There are several instances like this where even people who have played the game multiple times before (myself included) can easily get stuck.

The Bottom Line
If you're an adventure gamer, you've already played this, and I don't have to say anything. If you're just getting into the series or the genre, this is an essential. A true classic.

By jTrippy on December 20th, 2007

Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned (Windows)

A flawed classic

The Good
A game can't go wrong with Jane Jensen at the helm. This third, and likely final, installment of the classic adventure series is once again endowed with a rich plot, fascinating characters, and mind-boggling puzzles. The new interface and free-form approach to the mystery (puzzles have multiple solutions, and you can miss a good 30% percent of the game if you're not on top of it) provide an added level of depth. Fingerprint kits and a functioning laptop computer bring Gabriel's archaic and intuitive techniques a modern flare. This time, Gabriel fully shares the bill with Grace as co-protagonists.

The Bad
While the previous two games were practically honed to perfection, this one retains some significant, if excusable, flaws. Infighting meant the development was rushed, and you can feel this at the end, when the game abruptly shifts into climax mode without provocation, leaving a significant puzzle introduced only a short time before unaddressed (Lady Howard's fang picture). The polygonal models are awkwardly shaped, and Curry's voice acting, while familiar, sometimes falls ridiculously flat. The atmosphere is distinctly lacking in this game -- the environments are almost cheerfully colorful and bright, and the free-roaming camera ability eliminates suspense in key elements of the game. Unlike the previous two entries, Robert Holmes' powerful and pervasive score is missing, a key element of the series success, replaced with David Henry's sometimes-obnoxious lounge jazz ambiance. The final puzzle of the game is a bit Tomb Raider-ish, but that's not necessarily a negative.

The Bottom Line
All in all, this is a fantastic game, and a good note for the series, and indeed the genre as a whole, to go out on. While not as timeless as its predecessors, it's replayability factor gives it added value. The plot is deep and interesting enough to be a novel (and was indeed portentous of Dan Brown's DaVinci Code), and its an essential play for any fan of the series or the genre. Unfortunately, it spelled the death of intellectual gameplay. Play it once through for the experience, and again with a walkthrough to cover the things you inevitably missed.

By jTrippy on December 20th, 2007