GAME REVIEWS
This section is full of games reviews for all you gamers who want to know exactly what a game is like, the links below are links to game reviews just click on the title and read the review.
E-MAIL THE GAMES ARENA YOUR GAME REVIEWS AND THEY WILL APPEAR HERE
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CLICK THE BELOW LINK FOR COMMERCIAL REVIEWS
Sega Mega CD
Review by Neil Cooper
Night Trap is the first of an announced line of interactive video composed of footage of real actors. Although
gameplay is very limited, Night Trap is a marvel to watch.
Some mysterious disappearances have been reported in and around the Martin estate. Your assignment is to
uncover the shroud of mystery blanketing the Martin household while protecting six girls who were invited to the
mansion. View the action via surveillance cameras set up within eight locations around the mansion. Traps are
cleverly installed in the house. Activate them whenever vampire-like creatures called oggs venture near a trap or
threatens a guest. Traps are activated by a colored access code which any of the Martins can change at any
time, so it's important to monitor their conversations. The game concludes when 1) a girl dies; 2) the number of
uncaptured oggs gets out of hand, or 3) most of the oggs and all of the Martins have been captured.
The game is a breakthrough into the next level of videogaming, but I see room for improvement. Simultaneous
action is occurring in several rooms at any given time, but all of the video is grainy or slightly blurred. There are
also various endings to the game and many different death scenes for the oggs. During the first few games,
listen to the characters to reveal the Martin's intentions. In order to complete your mission, you must know where
to be and when.
The audio is about as good as it can be, with clear voices and even a full soundtrack. The game's downfall is
the game itself. Just flip camera views around and click open traps. That's all there is to it. If you wan to see the
capabilities of the new Sega CD-ROM, check out Night Trap - consider, however, that your mission can be
completed in just a half hour. I'm sure more impressive full-motion games are just around the corner.
TIP: The clock counter commences right after the title screen. SKIP THE INTRODUCTION! or you will miss
10 oggs right from the start. The first oggs appear in hall 1, just 12 seconds into the game.
OVERALL: 7
Nes
Reviewed by Neil Cooper
Now that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has been released, a number of peopleare just experiencing the Zelda series for the first time. Well, I thought now would be a
good time to go back and take a look at where the whole Zelda phenomenon got started,
with The Legend of Zelda for the NES.
The Legend of Zelda is set in the mythical land of Hyrule. Here's the storyline behind the
game: an army led by Gannon (AKA Prince of Darkness, Pig Face, etc.) attacks Hyrule
and takes the Triforce of Power. Zelda splits up the Triforce of Wisdom and scatters it
throughout the land. She also sends out her servant Impa to find a courageous soul to beat
the living crap outta Gannon. Gannon hears about this and kidnaps Zelda. Gannon's troops
surround Impa, but then Link comes and heroically saves Impa. Impa tells him the story,
and then Link sets off to rebuild the Triforce of Wisdom and defeat Gannon.
The graphics in this game are adequate, but certainly not what the NES was capable of
handling at its peak. Of course, this game was released fairly early on, and they were great
for their time. What is there is sharp and of fairly decent quality, but there could've been a
bit more variety in the graphics. Up until Zelda 64, the series had never been known for
great graphics anyway. They aren't bad enough to get in the way of gameplay, and in
retro-gaming graphics really aren't that important. Especially when…
Gameplay is so excellent. The world unfolds in a big way, with lots of puzzles, hidden
secrets, caves, dungeons, and many other goodies. You go around collecting rupees,
bombing things, hacking and slashing with your sword, and doing many other tasks. For a
NES game, it's very deep. Link uses a wide variety of weapons and items, and collecting
them is necessary for advancing in the game (on a side note, I wouldn't mind seeing the raft
and ladder make a return in the new Zelda games). The controls are dead on, and rarely
do you feel like you've been cheated when you die.
The audio department in this game is superb. I'm sure all of you have heard the music in
the game (at least part of it), and it's very catchy. The dungeon music and overworld music
both fit in perfectly with the gameplay. The sound effects are also well done. You can hear
the clang of your sword, the boom of bombs, the clang of a shield as it deflects something,
and many other things. Zelda is perhaps the best example of audio on the NES, as sound
effects are clear, and the music goes a long way towards setting the mood wherever you
go.
Extras are abundant in this game. There are some items you can get on the side, that you
do not need in order to beat the game. Also, if you type in a certain word as your name at
the start of the game, it opens up a whole new quest with harder monsters and other
goodies (beating the game does it as well). Early NES gamers were quite surprised to find
a game that in essence had two games packed into it, and it definitely gives Zelda a lot of
replay value.
This is the game that defined (and essentially invented) the adventure/RPG genre. It's a
classic NES game that should not be missed. I encourage everyone who hasn't played this
game yet to experience what started the Zelda series. It's one of Miyamoto's crowning
achievements, and no serious gamer should die without having played it.
OVERALL: 9
Snes
Reviewed by Neil Cooper
Just as EA is known for their sports games and Sega is known for their awesome arcade games (though the Saturn will
probably fade into our distant memory sooner than later), SquareSoft is well known for their lineup of top notch
RPGs. Their
most famous series of all is Final Fantasy. Now that Final Fantasy VII mania seems to have died down somewhat, I'd like to
take you back to a time when Square was perhaps at the top of their game.
When I purchased this title in late '91, I wasn't sure what to expect. Up until that time, I'd only played NES RPGs (I didn't get
Genesis until a year later). Super NES was relatively new, and everyone was raving about how it would revolutionize the video
game world. It's titles like Final Fantasy II that helped establish this viewpoint. I figured I'd get this title because I generally liked
RPGs, and Final Fantasy was a great one, but I never expected to see everything brought together in such a magical way.
Graphically speaking, FF2 amazed me from the beginning. While it may not be able to compete with some other titles in the
Super NES lineup, I had never seen an RPG with such detail. Buildings weren't just flat like in the 8-Bit
RPGs, but rather were
presented in a more realistic fashion than previously seen. Use of Mode 7 was well done, especially in the ending sequences,
which just helped make this title seem more like a movie than a game. The use of spells in battle was never seen in such a
graphic fashion as this title. While it may not compare to the FFVII's of the world, you have to remember that it was released in
1991, when FMV and fully polygonal worlds were just a dream.
Still among one of my favorites, FF2's soundtrack is just incredible. The music presented in this title was always top quality
(definitely better than the days of the NES when all games did was make weird noises). Every tune fit the scene, whether it be a
sad song or a happy, bouncy beat. Square's efforts in making the soundtrack great did not go unnoticed, nor did the
concentration on making the ending themes great. I'd find myself stopping and listening to the music, or just beating the game
again and again to hear the ending music. As far as sound effects, there were plenty. Every item, spell, and attack had its own
sound effect. There was always some sort of sound taking place.
With the fancy graphics and an intense soundtrack, FF2's bright point has not been mentioned yet: the
gameplay. The new
battle system was amazing. No longer required to select four turns, press a button, and wait for the turns to end, players could
select one attack, item, spell, or whatever and watch it happen immediately (or almost depending on if they used magic or not).
Then, while they were waiting for that turn to take effect, they could move on to the next character. This was all based on and
decided by various features. Some characters that had higher stats might be able to get off attacks faster than others, while the
other characters waited their turn.
While Final Fantasy was a great game, it was evident to many that there was need for improvement. Final Fantasy II brought us
all the improvements we could've asked for and then some. Gone were the "ineffective" attacks that took place when you tried
attacking a character that had already been defeated, as this title makes the character attack a different character when the
selected one has been defeated. Also, spending all your time in stores due to the fact that you could only buy one item at a time
was eliminated becasue you could select the number of items you wished to purchase (from 1-99).
Magic was no longer purchased, but rather earned, and once you earned the spells, you could use them a lot more than just a few times. This helped
to make magic a more important part of the game. Magic eventually developed into a vital, rather than minor, part of the game.
Spells got more and more intense, and some enemies could not be defeated without the use of magic, which varied
impressively.
They say that variety is the spice of life. It certainly was in this title. Magic varied--not just black and white anymore, but also a
collection of other magic types such as Caller and Ninja. There were so many types of items, weapons, and armor that it'd be
easy to lose count of them. Villages and towns always had a different tune from one to the next, as well as people who were
different wherever you went in their appearance (species, race, height), clothing, and attitude. It seemed as though there was
something new around every turn. Monsters were also quite varied, as were the magic spells they possessed. Every person in
the party had a different personality and a special attack that only that person could perform.
Perhaps the most important part in any Role Playing Game is the storyline. FF2's story is top notch. You start out as a
commander of the Red Wings, Baron's main military force. After robbing a crystal from the magical town of Mysidia and killing
several mages, you head back to your home town and begin to question the moral compromises you've been forced to make
due to the orders given to you by the king. From there, you're forced away from Baron to deliver a package that burns down
the village that you deliver it to. As you go on in your quest, you learn that there is evil in your heart and must defeat it to
become a true hero. This leads you from one class to another. It also leads you to many interesting and unique characters
throughout the land. In time, you make your way to the underground and eventually to the moon.
After witnessing betrayal, love, hatred, compassion, evil, good, and more, you're thrust into an ending that will reward you fully
for your efforts, with a twenty minute display of what becomes of the world after your quest ends. This ending is among the
best I've seen, as it combines great music, Mode 7 (it was new back then, which is probably why it impressed us all so much),
and a fitting finish to a game that plays more like a movie than a video game (even without the
FMV).
The concept of this title is good, but the way it's pulled off is amazing. FF2's concept peaks with a battle system that's
completely new and definitely improved over not only the original Final Fantasy but also all RPGs that came before. The idea of
the crystals is combined well with the original title's four fiends of the elements to provide a superior adventure.
I had a blast with FF2. This title is a great deal of fun due mainly to the battle system, storyline, and an awesome soundtrack.
Definitely a game that redefined every category in the RPG genre. This may be the game that converted a lot of non-RPG fans
into the Final Fantasy VII worshipers they are today.
Replay value? The term doesn't even begin to describe how long this game lasts. First of all, there are a ton of hidden secrets
and side quests that don't need to be found/completed in order to win the game. After finding all the weapons, items, and
armor, you've still got to get all the Caller magic in the calling monsters' homeland. Then, you can get the most powerful white
and black spells in the game, which will keep you busy for quite a while. After that, I just played it over and over trying to beat
my best time. Even while playing it to write this review, I never got bored and want to play it again. The ending is the icing on
the cake with a great soundtrack and a style that rounds out the whole feeling of a film. This is definitely the most replayable
game I've ever played, even moreso than Tetris.
Overall, Final Fantasy II is a great game. In fact, it's still my favorite game of all time. If you manage to find a copy of this title
around somewhere, my advice to you is to snatch it up because it is an excellent title that should be experienced by all gamers.
OVERALL: 10
Snes
Reviewed by Neil Cooper
Based several centuries in the future, this racing game was a unique take on the genre. This first generation product from
Miyamoto and company shocked us all with its awesome gameplay and use of Mode 7.
For the most part, the tracks' graphics were fairly simple. There were jumps and the like, but mainly there was grey track
surrounded by an interesting force field-like barrier on both sides. Cars were well detailed, and explosions were among the best
that we had seen up until that time.
Featuring tons of hip tunes, the soundtrack is still among my favorites, as the music is just another high point in this classic. Due
to the fact that you race hovercrafts, there are no realistic engine sounds, though there are all kinds of sound effects, including
turbo boost, crashes, and explosions.
As hot as everything else in the game is, the gameplay was the best feature. The selection of characters was quite varied--one
for each style of driver. All cars had their strengths and weaknesses. (Want to set a record? Go with the pink car once you're
used to the game.)
Tracks were varied with 15 available to the player including: icy, fire, standard, windy, night time, and more. Each track has its
variety of jumps and turns. I would have liked to see more than just the 7 available practice tracks, but what was there
definitely prepared you for competition. Also, a 2-player mode would have been good.
There were three classes and three skill levels (plus a hidden skill level) for each class and a ton of modes. As the skill level gets
higher, the computer gets faster. Challenge gets really intense on the highest class and skill level.
This game is really fun. Just about anyone can learn to play it, and it gets really addictive after a while. The number of options
really add to the quality of this game, the gameplay makes for a fun ride, the music really gets you into the game, and the game
has a ton of replay value. 15 tracks, three classes with four skill levels each, time tracking, and two endings will keep you
playing it for a long time.
Definitely a must for Super Nintendo owners, this classic shows off what the system is capable of. This is one of the best games
out there in terms of gameplay, music, and number of tracks.
OVERALL: 9
SONIC 3D BLAST - SEGA MEGADRIVE
Megadrive
Reviewed by Neil Cooper
SONIC RETURNS...Once More Sonic, the "blue dude with a 'tude," returned in 1996 for his last full offering on Sega Genesis.
The result, Sonic 3D Blast, a great 3D isometric offering for the Sega Genesis. This game is
great on Sega Genesis, but is it the best Sonic?
SPEED TO FLICKIE ISLAND!
In Sonic 3D Blast for Sega Genesis (and Sega Saturn and PC for that matter), there's a plot
behind Sonic's race through the 7 fun-filled zones, of course. Dr. Robotnik has captured the
Flickies--those well known birds in the Sonic games--and is holding them hostage under the
close watch of his robotic creatures. Sonic must spin into action. Like the previous games,
speed your way around, spin to destroy the robots to free the captives, then take the Flickies
to the hovering "dimension rings" that will send them back home.
Along the way, collect those gold rings and powerups to stay alive. Power ups include the
10-ring bonus, the speed boost, the blue shield, and the invincibility shield. There's also a new
power-up which debuted in this game. The gold power shield. This shield protects Sonic from
one-time damage, like the blue one, yet it also lets Sonic perform the Super Blast Attack,
which makes Sonic rapidly hone in on enemies once he jumps. Familiar to this game, with
every 50 rings he gather, he can be transported to the special bonus stages to get the chaos
emeralds. Bonus stages are accessible through Tails and Knuckles, which are not playable in
this game.
THE GENESIS LIMIT IS REACHED
Sonic 3D Blast pushes the Sega Genesis to the graphical limit, like Vectorman 2 and Virtua
Fighter 2, also released the same year as this game was released on Genesis. Sonic games
always had excellent scenery, and this game is no exception. The colors are vibrant and
beautiful. There's also some excellent music on Sonic 3D Blast (not as good as Saturn's
music, of course.). The musical score on this game is a treat to the ears. The sound is the
same as the previous Sonics, and they sound good as usual.
Control is good as well. It's responsive to the Genesis control pad and is also tighter than the
Sega Saturn version of Sonic 3D Blast. The 3D view works fine, but unlike the previous
Sonics where you race to the end, this game requires exploration in order to finish. Also,
there's only the right amount of enemies (5) to look for to find the 5 flickies. If there were
more enemies without birds inside them, it would've added a little more variety to the game.
SONIC LAST GENESIS GEM
Sonic 3D Blast was a great end to the 16-bit Sonic adventure, and it is one of the best
Genesis titles. You can tell that this game was meant for the Sega Genesis ONLY because the
Sega Saturn version, although as fun as this one, was the same with only a few new features
(better graphics, sound, and different, reminiscent bonus levels like Sonic 2), and didn't make
a big beginning as the first Sonic offering on Sega Saturn. It should've offered more. The PC
version of this game was the same as Saturn's. Either way, though, Sonic 3D Blast is a great
adventure that will keep you playing for hours.
OVERALL: 9
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2 - SEGA MEGADRIVE
Megadrive
Reviewed by Neil Cooper
SONIC RETURNS FOR A SECOND RUN
The year is 1992, a year after Sonic The Hedgehog on Sega Genesis was released. It set new standards on Sega Genesis, and
on video games period. The sequel to Sonic, appropriately titled "Sonic The Hedgehog 2", was anticipated. Since its release, it
became an even bigger seller than the original Sonic, and according to Sega, it's the most successful video game ever. Whether
that's true or not, one thing is for certain. Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is one of the greatest video games to hit the market. Period.
FAST FRIENDS, BETTER ADVENTURES
In Sonic 2, our blurry blue hero returns in a new adventure. Dr. Robotnik has prepared a Death Egg to destroy Sonic. Sonic
speeds back into action once again, to save his forest friends from the robot counterparts they're trapped in, created by
Robotnik. This time, though, Sonic has a new friend. His name is Miles Prower (hidden joke in the name--find it out), but the
fox prefers to be called "Tails". Tails was an admirer of Sonic since he was a baby fox. Since then, he followed Sonic
everywhere, trying to become part of the adventures that Sonic took part in. In the game, play as Sonic and/or Tails, and
collect those rings and power ups, speed through those familiar loop-de-loops and the new corkscrews found in this sequel.
And of course, destroy the evil eggman through 10 large zones with two acts each (except zone 8 which contains three acts,
and zones 9 and 10, which are only one). Also, collect those chaos emeralds to really destroy Dr.
Robotnik. Do all this, and
face Robotnik in the ultimate showdown in the Death Egg Zone.
Graphics in Sonic 2 are just as good as the original Sonic, if not better. Zones feature incredible scenery. Animation is better as
well. Sonic has a bigger attitude in this game. After Sonic does the familiar impatient toe-tapping, he lies on the ground and
waits for you. Tails yawns in boredom. The 3D "tube" special stages looks incredible as well. Stereo sound and music in Sonic
2 even sound better than Sonic. The Genesis sound chip is utilized well in this Sonic game, just like the previous game.
Once again, in Sonic 2, the gameplay is easy to get into for hours of fun. In one-player mode, you can play as Sonic, Tails, or
Sonic & Tails for double the fun. There's even a great two-player competition mode which is quite fun. The only problem with
this mode is that the screens are mushed and suffer from flicker or slowdown. It's not really bad, though. All of Sonic's moves
are here as well. Along with the spinning and jumping found in the prequel, there's also a Super Spin Dash move found here
(which "Tails" created, according to the Sonic 2 instruction manual).
THE MOST SUCCESSFUL GAME EVER
This is one of the best games I've ever played. Everything that's found in this game is awesome. No wonder why this game
became such a mega-hit. It's a favorite among Sonic fans (probably the favorite among some), and one of Sega Genesis' best.
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is one game on Genesis that is truly worth playing. SPIN INTO ACTION!!!
OVERALL: 9
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ESCAPE FROM MONSTER MANSION - 3DO
