Half-Life Platinum Collection
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (14 November, 2000)

US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Half-Life: Platinum Collection contains all the great action that earned Half-Life Game of the Year honors from over 50 publications and had Imagine Media's PC Gamer magazine calling it the "Best PC Game Ever" (November 1999). This package contains the core Half-Life game as well as both Half-Life expansion packs and the two most popular Half-Life mods: Team Fortress Classic and Counter-Strike.

In Half-Life, you play as Gordon Freeman, a research associate at the Black Mesa Federal Research Facility. An experiment blows up in your face, and suddenly aliens and a military death squad surround you. Half-Life: Opposing Force takes place during the events of Half-Life, but casts you as a lieutenant of one of the commando squads sent to kill Freeman. Half-Life: Blue Shift also takes place during the same time as Opposing Force and Half-Life, but this time you play through the Black Mesa disaster as a lowly security guard. Team Fortress Classic is an online action game featuring a wide array of WWII-themed character classes for a team warfare bonanza. Counter-Strike brings the action of Team Fortress Classic into the modern age: it's an online war of terrorists versus counterterrorists in modern team-based combat. All five award-winning programs are included in this one box. ... Read more

Features

Reviews (65)

GREATEST GAME OF ALL TIME
Couldnt get over the fact of the characters adaptation to the environment... its crazy. loved ever minute, second, hour and week i played... riveting. recomend to everyone

Dont buy this, it isn't a complete set
This compilation of 4 great Half-Life based games is a somewhat bastardized version of the superior title which was released under the same name a while later.If you buy this version, you are not getting the entire collection. The new version contains yet another expansion to Half-Life that is worth playing.

The original Platinum Collections contain:
1. Half-Life (The original, which started it all, a great game.)
2. Half-Life:Opposing force (1st official expansion to Half-Life)
3. Team Fortress Classic (A mediocre multiplayer mod from Sierra)
4. Counter-Strike (The ultimate multiplayer game. This alone is worth the entire price, although you can get it for free if you own Half-Life, which you will if you buy this collection.)

The new version contains an expansion to the original called Blue Shift.In this expansion you play as a security guard in the Black Mesa compound (the same area as the original). It is just as fun as the original, but shorter.

You can usually find the newer pack (it is grey, not platinum or silver, and says 5 games in one on the front) at any large chain retail stores such as Target, Wal-Mart,or K-Mart. Hope this review can be of some help.

If you still don't own Half-Life...
And you own a PC, shame on you!

Alright, here's what you need to do. Look up "Half-Life: Platinum Collection" and put it in your shopping basket. Check out. Here's what you get.

Half-Life: The original and although somewhat dated graphically, it is still a cracking good FPS. The game is just fun to play from soup to nuts and loaded with atmosphere. The levels are more innovative than anything before or since.

Half-Life: Opposing Force This game got a 93% courtesy of PC Gamer and that is absolutely remarkable considering this is basically just a Half-Life mod, although a bloody creative one! You'll love the boot-camp sequence and hey, R. Lee Ermey is in it! What more do you need?

And you also get...

Counter-Strike: Still the most popular online FPS.

and...

Team Fortress: Classic

WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED?

Dude, buy the package. ... Read more

Asin: B00004ZBO5
Subjects:  1. Havas    2. Halflife hl    3. Science fiction (scifi sci-fi)    4. First person    5. Computer Games    6. Action    7. Shooters (Shooter)    8. Collections (Collections)    9. Bundle (Bundles)   

Deus Ex
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (23 June, 2000)

US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Deus Ex combines so many of the elements found in otheraction-adventure titles that it's almost like getting several games for the price ofone. You slip into the trench coat of J.C. Denton, an operative with the topsecret UNATCO antiterrorist organization. Denton's body and mind have beenaugmented with nanotech implants that help him fight, think, and sneak his waythrough a completely interactive world filled with intrigue, conspiracies, andencounters withother characters. The plot is ripped straight outof a bad X-Files episode, but the decent cutscenes and complex mission environmentskept us coming back for more.

Deus Ex's real achievement is that players are free to complete missionsas they see fit. As the game progresses you can upgrade your character with avariety of bioenhancements that dramatically impact gameplay. Focus on yourcombat skills and you'll be the Terminator by the end of the game. Upgrade yourcomputer know-how and you'll be the equivalent of Data from Star Trek:TNG, busting into computer and security networks with ease. We wereexpecting a game that let us role-play a little, opting for a brute-forceapproach or one that required a little more stealth, but we had no idea thedesigners would do such a fine job of pulling it off. The experiences of bothmethods are unusual enough that we found ourselves revisiting level to trydifferent tactics.

The individual components of Deus Ex--like the targeting system,inventory controls, and enemy viewing radiuses--are a little clunky when viewedindividually, but they converge into an overall game that is much greater thanthe sum of its parts. It's easy to compare the game to titles that obviouslyinfluenced it (Thief, System Shock, and RainbowSix immediately come to mind), but Deus Ex really stands on its own asa unique title that should appeal equally to action games, adventure lovers, androle-playing fanatics. It's just too bad players without a Voodoo card will havea hard time gettingplayable frame rates, since the game uses theDirect3D-unfriendly Unreal engine. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• Several ways to complete each mission, and all are equally fun
• Game world is highly interactive, and exploration is rewarded
• Ability to tailor a character to match your gameplay style is a huge plus

Cons:

• Doesn't run well on non-Voodoo video cards since the game is optimized forGlide 3-D rendering
• Most of the voice acting is bad
• Enemies aren't very smart

... Read more

Reviews (184)

A Spellbinding Classic
There is nothing else quite like Deus Ex.

I have a long history with video games, but have never encountered such a detailed, immersive experience as this. The player is thrust into a palpable, decaying technological society of the near future. It's a dark world where secret conspiracies spin incredibly plausible schemes for world domination, where a plague is ravaging the populace, and where fear is cunningly manipulated to further terrifying power-grabs. Deus Ex is a classic for many reasons, but this latter point is as prophetic and well-executed as any warnings handed down to us from Orwell.

I won't recount the vast, epic storyline of this remarkable game. Suffice to say these are the points that make it a must-have, must-play, and rightly deem it a classic video game.

1. The amount of exploring that can be done throughout the awesomely-rendered settings of New York, Hong Kong, Paris, and other locales is amazing. Each is highly atmospheric and immersive... from the rotting catacombs below Paris to a futuristic Hong Kong district to an abandoned fortress once belonging to the Knights Templar.

2. Actions have consequences. This is a highly intelligent game, demanding that characters do more than shoot at everything that moves. You can play through many times and each will be different, depending on things you choose to do or say.

3. This is storytelling at its best. An ingenius hybrid of conspiracy theories, technological innovations, philosophy, political theory, and sheer imagination makes for the most rewarding video game experience I've ever encountered.

4. The sweeping cast of characters is memorable, well-acted, and unique.

5. The attention to detail is unsurpassed. Everywhere you go there are books, newspapers, datacubes, emails, and messages that can be snooped into. Sure, they can be ignored easily enough, but it is fascinating to pay attention to them because they each spin ongoing, miniature story-arcs. Again, this has little to do with the story-at-large, but as you proceed with the main tale you can keep abreast of the unfolding events of this futuristic universe, read succeeding chapters of in-game novels, learn relationship dynamics between minor (and sometimes unseen) characters.

6. A combination of many game genres is to be found here: stealth, exploration, FPS, roleplaying, etc.

My first time playing Deus Ex still burns vividly in my mind years after playing it, and it possesses an addictive quality for all the reasons listed above and many other ones that can't be articulated. I still play through it once a year, like returning to a favorite book or film.

Naysayers may point out that the game's graphics are dark and grainy. Graphics do not make a game, and I found them appropriate enough in the context of the future this game creates.

This is the kind of game that should be saved, and relished, by generations now and to come.

Four years on...and STILL at the top of it's game!
Combining aspects of both FPS and RPG (First Person Shooter and Role Playing Games), Deus Ex promises a genuine gaming experience like no other, but let's face it; the game is now outdated in practically ever technological aspect. The graphics are showing their age, the sounds don't have the quality compared to newer titles, and the engine is almost redundant. Now you might say, "Yeah, without a doubt!" - But there is something in the game that to masses changed their perspective of gaming when it was released. Some spark, some hint of ecstasy that brought the game out into the open, and inspired a generation.

No doubt many of you have played the latest and greatest of gaming technology. Titles that made you drool over the astonishing graphics, map design, physics systems...but as you sat down and glued yourself to the monitor, you began to realise that it lacked the ability to immerse you into its environment, storyline and overall game play. Very soon it became `just another game' that promised everything, but delivered nothing but poor results, and frankly, was just another mediocre game packaged into impressive visuals.

However what Deus Ex now lacks in visual `eye-candy' it more than makes up in game play. It has the undeniable ability to draw the player into its chaotic world and immerse them deep within the corruption. The fact that your actions reflected the outcome of a situation or even the entire, game allowed us to think long and hard about what we really desired to achieve; and also questioned our very own morals - AND for four years it has continuously captivated me personally.
Few games have ever had the capacity to bring about such empathy and judgment in casual and hardcore gamers alike - and is becoming clear that it's something we are lacking in the gaming industry; INSPIRATION. What Ion Storm created was nothing other than a masterpiece, pure and simple. Regretfully the studio has now collapsed, and so their work has become but cherished memories of a company striving to become something more than just `average'. They yearned for remarkable results, and hence in my opinion they have triumphed!

Deus Ex will forever be the landmark of gaming brilliance, and I so I only hope that the reader of this review not blindly take my word for it, but download the demos - experience the game for yourself! There are copies of both the original and GOTY Edition (Game Of The Year) still lingering about; I should know - I only just purchased a NEW copy the other day. So do yourself a favour; if you haven't yet experienced the genius that is Deus Ex, or are looking to rekindle the old flame, DO IT! You won't regret the decision!

Best.Game.Ever.
It all happened about an hour ago...

Liberty Island, New York City. The near future, 2055. A fatal wasting disease called the Gray Death is decimating the world. About an hour ago, terrorists highjacked a shipment of the only known treatment for the ailment, a substance known as Ambrosia. The terrorists are part of a group known as the National Secessionist Force, or simply NSF, a group who have long been rebelling against the U.S. government, a government that has begun to stray from the core of the U.S. Constitution, eliminating personal freedoms and reshaping society in the name of safety and security. Faced with a swelling tide of worldwide terror, American President Phillip Mead supported a charter to create a worldwide police force to combat terrorism, a force that knows no geographical boundaries, that answers to no one but itself, a force called the United Nations Anti-Terrorist Coalition, or UNATCO. UNATCO's worldwide central headquarters is located on Liberty Island, on ground donated by the United States, fittingly situated in the shadow of a shattered monument to freedom: the headless, crumbling Statue of Liberty, victim of a previous terror strike. It is a time of widening arcs between classes, a time of ambiguity and of teetering on the brink of societal collapse, where the gap between the haves and the have-nots is becoming unbreachable. Even as technological advancements and scientific breakthroughs make the wonders of far-flung science fiction a reality for the chosen few, the common man sinks lower and lower into poverty and obscurity as the middle classes are systematically eliminated. Six million American citizens are on an undesirable list and due to be rounded up and put into "reeducation" camps. Many more Americans are already there. Nonconformists and those who question the motives and actions of the government are summarily arrested and sometimes just disappear. Citizens are encouraged to spy on their neighbors and report any behavior that could possibly be deemed questionable or sympathetic to the terror cause, such as visiting national monuments, spending time on the internet, debating politics or speaking with a foreign accent. Big business-spearheaded by the likes of renown entrepreneur Bob Page and his Page Industries-has a stranglehold on the world, even inching its fingers onto the control pads of world government. There exists the worldwide mining and profiling of all communications. And behind it all, like omniscient, invisible puppetmasters pulling strings from dark alcoves, are the whispers of grandiose conspiracies and shadow organizations and ancient secret societies that are finally making a grab for world domination: Majestic 12, the Illuminati, the Templars. And combating these forces, aware or not of how deeply the strands run, is the NSF and its allies around the world, such as the Silhouette faction in France; dismissed as common terrorists by UNATCO, they see themselves as freedom fighters fighting governments grown corrupt and diseased on an incomprehensible scale.

You are a newly appointed, nano-augmented UNATCO agent named J.C. Denton. You arrive on the Liberty Island docks via a New York City Police boat, tasked with the removal of the NSF forces who have taken refuge inside the Statue of Liberty. Nano-augmentation is a new science-you are only the second augmented agent-and its implementation consists of the placement of microscopic machines inside the body that can enhance certain elements of an individual's natural senses-vision, strength, lung capacity, healing abilities-or create altogether unique, distinctively unnatural abilities far beyond what a non-augmented person could imagine. Nano-augmented individuals have a slightly altered appearance from regular people, with a telltale glowing of the eyes and strains of raised bluish-silver lines crosshatching parts of their skin. Previous UNATCO experiments with enhancing field agents before nano-augmentation evolved bore a more archaic signature: removing natural body parts-such as arms, legs, or even parts of the skull-and replacing them with purely mechanical, robotic, metallic pieces that enhanced abilities, yet sometimes were uncomfortable and rendered the subject something of an outcast by appearance.

Via InfoLink-a communications device implanted inside your head-your liaison inside UNATCO HQ, Alex Jacobson, informs you to hook up with your brother, Paul Denton, who happens to be the first UNATCO agent to have been nano-augmented. Paul is nearby on the dock. With him, you're able to ascertain the background and tactical situation of the terrorists at Liberty Island and the missing shipments of Ambrosia. You briefly sidestep into some detailed personal reminiscing about your parents and upbringing centering around the shared fact of the augmentations, then bid Paul a transient farewell as you begin to formulate a plan of action. The charcoal night sky is teeming with ominous, cold, grayish-white clouds in steady, unrelenting motion. The moon, the remote vault of stars, the wind, the fluttering seagulls-all are indifferent observers to the folly of men. Live or die, succeed or fail, it's all the same to them; the world will still roll on regardless of the outcome. Harbor waves lap at the dock moorings, a surprisingly delicate sound. Across the water, on either side, the distant brilliance of the New York City night skyline twinkles on the periphery. There are people there in those buildings, you know there are, real people going about real tasks in their real lives-working, eating, sleeping, loving, dying from the Gray Death, hoping for a better tomorrow-and even as they are unknowing of you and your current dilemma, you must carry on just the same. As a UNATCO agent, it's your job. To protect them from the forces of terror and evil in the world, to protect them from threats they don't even realize exist.

And really, after maybe 15 hours of playing, this is just the beginning. Deus Ex launches from here into its prolongation of winding, protracted, expansive gameplay, a springboard into theretofore uncharted realms of the interactive medium; a living and breathing gaming universe that mirrors our own in so many ways, so compelling and immersing that the experience can become ingrained in your very psyche. You spend the rest of the game unraveling a complex and multifaceted storyline woven together with a deft conspirator's touch, globetrotting repeatedly to various world locations-New York, France, Hong Kong, the American southwest-in an effort to bring down the machines trying to twist and mold the world to their own purposes. At the top, in the end, sits billionaire Bob Page, yet he is representative of only one of three distinct factions vying for world control by the end of the game. And you must choose amongst them.

The game itself is a hybrid of genres: part first-person shooter, part role playing game, part adventure game. To that end, gameplay itself reflects a given player's personal choice of progression, anything from dawning the guise of a pitiless killing machine to morphing into an invisible shade on the wall who employs surreptitiousness and cunning and eradicates nobody-or anything in between. Level designs are ingenious and inspired, offering the player the illusion of nearly limitless strategic and tactical options to approach the completion of each objective. And they're calculated in such a way that they make you feel clever for discovering some new way of doing something; no betraying neon arrows are in place pointing you in any particular direction. Worlds turn within worlds in this game, large orbiting story arcs-as great as the world itself with Tracer Tong, Bob Page, Morgan Everett, Nicolette DuClare and Helios, the construct AI revealed late in the proceedings-supporting smaller and smaller story arcs turning within, as exemplified by the reoccurring minor characters of Harley Filban, Joe Greene, Sandra Renton, Maggie Chow, Max Chen, Juan Lebedev, Jock and Smuggler. Conversation trees appear during key NPC interactions, and in the choosing you're able to directly affect NPC loyalties and sometimes the chronological order of unfolding events. I've played the game to completion at least six times over five years on two different platforms, and I've never gotten tired of the experience. Indeed, even today, I'm still discovering new things here and there I'd somehow missed all the times before. The graphics, state of the art in 2000, are understandably beginning to show their age now, five years later. But they're still darkly striking and engrossing at 1280x1024x32 and offer some of the longest view distances and largest wide open levels ever seen in gaming. Deus Ex continues to astonish and boggle me at every turn. I don't just play this game; I'm captivated by it.

Skill points are acquired at measured intervals as rewards for achieving certain objectives or discovering new areas. These skill points are used to enhance regions of a player's profile: a particular type of weapon (heavy weapons, melee weapons, rifles, explosives and so on), lockpicking skill, computer hacking skill, swimming ability, and much more. Each area of expertise can be upgraded through four tiers of enrichment. But there are only a limited amount of points distributed throughout the game, so the choosing of which area of performance to upgrade becomes a fundamental part of the experience, effectively conferring upon the player the ability to create their own strengths and weaknesses. Working hand-in-hand with these skill point upgrades are your nano-augmentations, physiologically altering enhancements to various portions of the body: Arms: Combat Strength or Microfibral Muscle, Legs: Speed Enhancement or Run Silent, Subdermal (1): EMP Shield or Ballistic Protection, Subdermal (2): Cloak or Radar Transparency, Torso (1): Aqualung or Environmental Resistance, Torso (2): Regeneration or Energy Resistance, Torso (3): Synthetic Heart or Power, Recirculator, Cranium: Aggressive Defense System or Spy Drone, Optics: Targeting or Vision Enhancement. Only one upgrade in each category can be chosen, and once upgraded the process is irreversible. Used in combination with skill point upgrading, you have complete control as to the nature of your character and-by extension-which particular pathways through the intricate webs of each mission scenario are best suited to your abilities. The audio potion is itself a further star; the ambient music behind the scenes alternatively bounces with irresistible futuristic techno rhythms or lays low and refracts the atmospheric surroundings. Sometimes, as in the main Hong Kong market theme, the music itself is worth just stopping and listening to it. During conversation cut-scenes, the background music alters to appropriately intriguing themes that underscore the mood and implications of the dialogue.

Deus Ex was released by developer Ion Storm in the summer of 2000 for PC and later ported to the PlayStation 2 under the revised title of Deus Ex: The Conspiracy. The world prophesized by this game, evidenced before you, on the monitor right in front of you, didn't exist in 2000. Yet after 9/11/2001, it has begun to exist: the terror, the paranoia, the American government that chooses to lead its people with hollow slogans and the perpetuation of fear, that implores you to give up personal freedoms-the cornerstones the country was founded on-in the name of security in this, the bravest of new worlds. Throughout the game, you see it time and again; what were futuristic science fiction dream concepts in 2000 are hard realities in 2005, are indeed torn from the headlines of tomorrow's newspapers. And the game plays out in real-world locations, places that exist today, places with their own inherent sense of reality. It makes Deus Ex more than a game world, it makes it a real world, three dimensional, tangible, a place you can step into and become lost inside of. There has never been a game like it before, and there may never be one like it again. Without question, my favorite game experience ever, a place where I can go time and again, year after year, and become something more than I am, a real character created within the realms of real world, a place capable of supplanting other realities. ... Read more

Asin: B00003OPES
Subjects:  1. Science fiction (scifi sci fi)    2. Desuex    3. First Person    4. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs)   

Thief 2: The Metal Age
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (24 March, 2000)

US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Eidos and Looking Glass Technologies advance the shifty gaming style they introduced in Thief: The Dark Project as they continue the adventures of Garrett the master thief. In Thief II, Garrett faces tough times. Machines and their Mechanist creators have emerged as the new sinister force in the city, replacing the Hammerites of the original game. Initially unconcerned with these mechanical abominations, Garrett sets out to pilfer enough to make his next rent payment when he makes a startling discovery: someone is trying to kill him. With thoughts of financial troubles set aside, Garrett must find out who is trying to eliminate him--and why.

Through 15 grueling missions, you lead Garrett through the shadows as you attempt to accomplish a variety of intriguing objectives. In one scenario, you'll be trying to frame an innocent man by planting evidence, while in another you'll have to break into a heavily guarded bank. All the while, you will rely on moss arrows, water arrows, flash bombs, and invisibility potions to get you past the city watch as well as the Mechanists and their walking iron beasts.

The gameplay in Thief II is very much like that of its predecessor: Garrett is forced to rely on stealth and cunning rather than brute force. Each successive mission will put those stealth skills to an even tougher test than the last, as you try to slip past a seemingly endless array of guards, traps, robotic sentries, and innocent bystanders. You'll certainly get your money's worth, as each mission can easily take an hour or two to complete.

Essentially, Thief II is everything the original Thief was and more. Better graphics, superb mission design, and even better virtual thievery make Thief II a must-have for fans of the original and for any action enthusiast who is tired of the same old shoot-'em-up theme. --Michael E. Ryan

Pros:

• Excellent level and mission design
• Great graphics
• Cool array of tools to make any thief's life easier
• Challenging missions that will last 1 to 2 hours each

Cons:

• Some missions incredibly difficult
• No multiplayer

... Read more

Reviews (79)

The Best Game Ever!!!
I have worked in the Role Playing Game industry for about 12 years and Thief 2 is hands down the best game I have ever played.The story, the characters, game play, everything is increadible.A game like this is a rare treasure.

Sequel to Thief: The Better Half
I absolutely fell in love with this game even before I had played Thief: The Dark Project. I'm so glad I started out with the "better" part of this game with Garrett's mechanical eye, vine arrows and probably a lot more. These help big time in getting past the levels. I experienced its absence when I played Thief: The Dark Project which was pretty tedious, but it wasn't bad.

Thief 2: The Metal Age has got quite a story. You'll be amazed to find out (which I did after analyzing the game during Algebra) the pace in progress by starting out at some fancy mansion to help someone, to actually saving the city. On the way, a lot of things are encountered which lead to other things causing subplots but in the end they're all related to the big picture, and it doesn't get off track.

I was pretty addicted to this game, and still am. I long to slip into that sober and forbidding atmosphere which is brought out so well through the music and the lighting; and Garrett helps the situation through his sarcasm and cynicalness.

This is one kind of game which I know I won't grow out of. In a way, it's not repititive, as sometimes when you save the game at a point where a guard's going to walk in on you, he sometimes won't turn up when the game is loaded. Also, in levels that require locating some kind of loot or item which you carry on to the next level, (considering that you're starting fresh on the level) it can be hidden in 14 different places, and I haven't experienced all of it either!

I really recommend this game, especially if you're a First-Person-Shooter person, and for once there aren't the usual shotput guns or bazookas or alienated monsters and what-not. Thief 2: The Metal Age is definately a break-through.

All better now.
I reviewed this once (I even named the game wrong), but I have upgraded my computer and tried again. And what a wonderful game I have found.
There are many levels with many different objectives to complete. And they are very challenging. The AI is pretty solid and once you are found, they will chase you almost to the death. The graphics are still pretty solid and sound is still pretty good.
Though my first experience wasn't very good, I am glad that I kept this game and tried it again many years later. I was totally drawn into the game and the story and can't wait until Garrett comes back in Thief 3 (which I beleive is already out.)
Though the game is slowed paced and tedious at times, it was still very enjoyable and very challenging. I don't think I could take too many games like this (Thief and Commandos series are probably the only 2 I will get into), but I will definitely get every sequel they release for this series unless the really screw up and ruin this series with a lame game (it has already happened to 2 other series I really enjoyed: Lord of the Realms and Commandos).
This is a must for Thief 1 lovers and anyone getting into this genre will want to start with Thief 1 and 2 before getting Thief 3. A very good game. ... Read more

Asin: B00004NS0Z
Subjects:  1. Two (II)    2. Theif    3. Fantasy    4. First Person    5. Computer Games    6. Action   

Quake 2
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM

US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Reviews (29)

Great, but impossible to fix technical problem
The game is exellent! BUT After I upgraded to the worst operating system... Windows XP...
The game did not work very properly anymore. Activision's technical support is pure s-. I contacted the fourms at Planetquake and I still did not got a reply from them... If you have Windows XP... YOUR OUT OF LUCK. The error you will get if you have XP is... ERROR:GAMEERROR:Function pointers have moved.
That occurs when I try to load the game... So do yourself a favor and buy a old machine with Win 95, NT, or 2000 to run this game properly.

Shake or Quake
I am not to impressed with this game bacause 1 it gets boring after the 3rd time you've completed it. I have the PC version of Q2 and you get an extra 3 parts than the PS1. The first is a bones level where you get the super shotgun but it takes ages to get there. the 2nd is you end up in the an enemy warehouse. The 3rd is you go to an enemy mine. If you will have just started you have to use your blaster and find your shotgun a bit later on in the leavle. The secrets are a bit poor for you only get a health packs ammo power ups or a gun. I am not to keen on this game for it gets boring and you efortesly kill enimies with no heart in it at all.

Thats what I call a good FPS
Quake 2 was one of my first PC games and I loved it, even after all these years I still play it...A little..

The games plot is alright in some specks...I really didn't care for the story to be honest with you but The graphics on this game were great for the year it came out.

The game play was just OFF THE HOOK.The game plays like doom but BETTER.The enemy A.I was good too....Not the best but good.
The Best part of the game is of course...THE GUNS!!!!!!The Guns just plain Kick a$$...

Also the game is fairl long...I enjoyed it..The game is pretty old..Probably 5 years old now.I doubt you can find this game but if you can GET IT!This game is not the best game ever made but it will be a solid fun filled game with top notch violence...yea the games pretty violent.

I haven't seen many FPS like Doom Or Quake 2...There great games

IF YOU CAN FIND IT GO OUT AND BUY THIS AWESOME GAME!!

Gameplay 5/5
Graphics 4/5..for its time
Length 4/5..

Over all.....4.5 out of 5

Later ... Read more

Asin: B000028U28
Sales Rank: 307
Subjects:  1. Two (II)    2. First Person    3. Science Fiction    4. Computer Games    5. Action    6. Shooters (Shooter)   

Freespace 2: Sci-Fi Sim of the Year
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (13 March, 2000)

US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Are there any computer and video game players that haven't dreamed of piloting an intergalactic starfighter against an overwhelming enemy assault? Perhaps there are--but if you share that dream, you can live the vision, at least in computer game form, with Interplay's high-octane space combat simulation FreeSpace 2.

Placing you in the role of a nameless, but extremely able, Terran pilot, FreeSpace 2 continues the complex story first introduced in its predecessor, Descent FreeSpace: The Great War. Over 30 years have passed, but the nefarious, spiderlike Shivan race continues to threaten Earth and its peaceful ally, the Vasudan Empire.

Over the course of 30 new single-player missions, a dynamic tale of both civil war and armageddon unfolds; the improved storyline is just one of several sequel improvements. FreeSpace 2 implements the most impressive 3-D graphics of any space-combat simulation to date--prepare to feast on mammoth capital ships, missile trails, detailed ships, and eye-opening, screen-filling explosions. Many FreeSpace 2 missions occur within dense nebulae. The immersive, clouded environment offers intense dogfighting gameplay to match the dazzling visuals. When you're finished with the single-player campaign, hop online and compete against others, in both team and solo warfare, on Volition's online service. --Doug Radcliffe ... Read more

Reviews (32)

The all-time pinnacle of space sim games?
I remember getting an ad for the original Freespace just before it came out back in 1998 and mentally dropping my jaw at the "life-sized" starcruisers exhibited in the glossy fold-out I'd been sent. I bought the dramatically titled "Descent: Freespace - The Great War" and enjoyed it immensely. Not since the release of the first two Wing Commander games had a computer game blown me away in quite the same way.

A couple years later, I was in the minority in hearing about the release of this, the sequel. The same amazing graphics (updated to accomodate Moore's Law, of course) with added features like nebula effects and beam weapons -- something for which sci-fi sim fans have clamored for ages -- are instant buying incentives. But most importantly, these games have a plot worth paying attention to, which, keeping the short attention span of the game playing populace in mind, explains why Freespace 2 sold as poorly as it did. That Interplay (FS2's publisher) barely promoted it probably didn't help much, either (I never got a glossy fold-out about Freespace 2).

It's honestly bewildering to look back on how badly this series apparently fared; the original's main competition at the time was Wing Commander: Prophecy, a shameless and despicably cartoony co-opting of the franchise name that most closely resembled an ugly, speed-addicted old hooker wearing too much makeup. A "Moulin Rouge" to Freespace's "Return of the Jedi." For many, Freespace 2's failure marked the sad end of an era for the genre.

More recent contributions to the field of space sims include Starlancer and Freelancer, two games from the original creators of Wing Commander. Starlancer is the gaming equivalent of the Wing Commander movie (you know, that endlessly terrible suckfest starring Freddie Prinze, Jr. and Chris Roberts's ego), taking Chris Roberts's strange obsession with World War II in space to an illogical and tedious extreme.

Freelancer has breathtaking graphics going for it, but its plot and gameplay leave something to be desired. It's overreaching goal of creating a living, breathing universe fails since Digital Anvil's idea of a "living, breathing universe" is apparently synonymous with a big game of Madlibs in space, turning Freelancer into a mildly amusing diversion a couple notches above a screensaver. And as far as repetitive shoot-the-monster role-playing games go, Diablo II has it beat quite soundly in terms of both replayability and sheer fun factor.

As a political footnote, Volition (FS2's developer) was forced out of their contract with Interplay a while back. In lieu of being able to make a Freespace 3, the source code to Freespace 2 was made available to the public. Since then, an outpouring of freelance talent has created such interesting projects as "FS2_Open" (largely a graphical updating of Freespace 2 to take advantage of advances in video card technology and processor speed) and the "Wing Commander Saga," a Freespace 2/Wing Commander mod. If the included FRED (FReespace EDitor) wasn't enough to keep one occupied playing user-created missions, the near-unsettling drive of the FS2 mod community is sure to create literally endless replayability for this series.

As far as space sims go, the duology of Wing Commander and Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi will forever sit as kings of the hill in my view, but Freespace 2 takes an entirely respectable second place. It's well worth the lofty prices one is forced to shell out these days in order to get a full, working copy, especially considering the thriving mod community surrounding the game.

Freespace 2 artfully balances style and substance. Volition made a visually-stunning masterpiece with a pulse that, while not as intimately cinematic as the Wing Commander series, skillfully sets the "suspension of disbelief" button in the gamer's mind to "On." This is the real deal. You can't go wrong with Freespace 2, no matter how you slice it.

Man this brings back Memories
I just got this game from a friend who just happened to not want it anymore and let me tell you,,,I am having fun. Pretty good story and acting is not bad, graphics are still on par. I remember the wing comander games and by far this blows those away. If you can't afford the 95.0 dollars, like who can?
Get it if you can this is a great game.

The best space combat game ever created by human hands!
This game will check the meaning of the word "game" for you.

1.) Deep, well-writen sci-fi plot.

2.) Incedibly dog-fighting action

3.) Capital ships have huge beam cannons that can punch right through hostile ships (awe-inspiring). Bottom line here, the graphics rock!

4.)Dozens of user-made campaigns online. Done with the main campaign? Go download some more.

5.) Amazing battles and dogfights composing of seemingly endless swarms of allied and hostile fighters.

6.) Rise through the ranks, earn medals, and even acquire your own squadren to command.

7.) Great multiplayer modes!

8.) An excellent mission editor which allows you to easily, and quickly, create missions of pro developer quality...without any programming!

9.) Some missions are very non-linear. So sometimes what you do in one mission, effects the next mission (fail to destroy a cruiser? It may just show up in the next battle).

10.) Amazing cutscenes, better than any other game i've ever played.

11.) High replay value.

12.) Heck, everything about this game rocks.

Bottom Line:

This game blows away any other space combat game! BUY THIS GAME NOW! ... Read more

Asin: B00004KHB0
Subjects:  1. Two (II)    2. Freespace2 Free space    3. Computer Games    4. Space Simulators (Simulation)    5. Science Fiction (Sci-Fi, scifi)   

Fallout 1 / Fallout 2 Bundle (Jewel Case)
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (29 December, 2000)
list price: $49.95
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Editorial Review

The science-fiction role-playing games Fallout and Fallout 2 have been bundled together for the complete post-nuclear-war game experience. In Fallout you are dwelling in a self-sufficient fallout shelter called Vault-13, three generations removed from the apocalyptic war. When your shelter's water filter breaks down, you are sent out into the unknown wasteland to find a replacement filter or a new source of fresh water. The Fallout adventure unfolds as a gritty tale of discovery, paranoia, and survival. Mature gamers are in for a classic role-playing game that has earned a cult following just as loyal as the fans of the Mad Max movies that inspired it.

Fallout 2 takes place 80 years after the events in the original game. You are the Chosen One, a tribal ancestor of Fallout's vault dweller. Your tribe has built a modest settlement in an isolated corner of the futuristic Californian wasteland, but you must find a Garden of Eden Creation Kit to sustain the village. During your adventure, you'll encounter misfits and monsters ranging from gangsters to supermutants. Twice as many weapons are at your disposal, including the M72 Gauss Rifle, M3A1 "Grease Gun" SMG, Louisville Slugger, H&K CAWS, and the Solar Scorcher. In addition, you can give your character combat postures such as berserk, aggressive, defensive, or cowardly.

Parents should be aware that the games contain violence and some sexual situations. Though you can adjust the tone down a bit through the main control panel, developments that occur on the adult setting are integral to the story. ... Read more

Features

Reviews (92)

A classic that still manages to entertain
I picked up the bundled jewel case as a cheap diversion for a weekend away from home visiting relatives. Rather than be taken hostage on a shopping trip that never ends, I snuck off to the store, found this little gem of a game, hid away with my laptop an opened a wickedly funny universe.

Both of these games are a blast. Many might find the graphics a bit dated, but the open-endedness is unfathomable. You really can do all those stupid things you always want to do in other CRPGs - steal cars, be bad, be good, be both. The campy humor kept me going into the wee hours of the night. I haven't played a game that kept me laughing this long in nearly a decade. The content is a tad on the mature side, particularly in Fallout 2, parents you were warned. It is a small wonder that this game developed a cult following, it is a place all its own. It will stick with you long after you abandon it.

Best PC classic EVER
If you are a fan of classic games, then you MUST have heard of fallout 2. A game where the word "limited" is not in your vocabulary. Do WHATEVER you want. steel, kill, help, save, marry, marry again, become addicted to drugs, become a sex star, this mature rated game has it all. Oh, and it has a great story too. One of the best RPGs period, and its sooooo cheap!

Dryman
both these games are great and very replayable. you can be either a good guy or bad' theres always more than one way to do things and there just both the most fun games ive ever played.Thay are funny and you can do just about anything you can think of to do like get marryed and devorced, smoke jet and get loaded,become a boxer and bite the other guys ear off,become a porn star,become a made man. Its endless how much they put into this game you can play it five times and not do everything possable. ... Read more

Asin: B00004ZBSX
Subjects:  1. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs)   

Serious Sam
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (21 March, 2001)

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Editorial Review

Serious Sam places gamers in the role of special-forces veteran Sam "Serious" Stone. Sam Stone travels back in time to an ancient Egyptian world with the mission of assassinating a great evil: Notorious Mental. Mental has set forth to wipe out Earth and all humans for sheer fun, just as it did with all of the other civilizations throughout galactic history.

Players can defend the world in either single player or multiplayer modes. Multiplayer modes support two to four players in split-screen action on a single computer. In cooperative mode, gamers can join forces against the hordes of enemies.

In Serious Sam, players will travel through beautiful and realistic terrain, both indoors and outdoors. Serious Sam's powerful 3-D technology, based on the company's proprietary Serious Engine, offers directional lighting and realistic-looking daytime scenes. In addition, the game's technology also allows for multidirectional gravity, dynamic volumetric fog and haze, and destructible objects. Players wishing to create their own levels can use the free Serious Editor and Serious Modeler, which are powerful real-time editing tools that include tutorials. ... Read more

Features

Reviews (83)

Fun Fun Fun!
If you're looking for a complicated, rich storyline, this game is not it.
If you're looking for a first person shooter where monsters come in countless waves and all you gotta do is hold the trigger down, this game is for you.
Serious Sam has been rated by many as a mindless shooter and that's exactly what it is. Great fun.
Multiplayer cooperative matches are simply a blast.

One heck of a blast...
Serious Sam, the only man who can save the Earth, makes his first appearance. Serious Sam is a nice change from all the flashy difficult shooters, because there is very little puzzle work involved. Simply pick up your guns and start shooting anything that moves. It's quite simply a new-born DOOM.

Some of the remarks Sam makes are very funny and the enemies come in all different sizes, from small zombies to giant insects!

However, sometimes the game gets difficult and it has you tearing your hear out. So many enemies coming at you and no cover at all means you have to be quick on your toes and quick on the trigger. Plus it gets repetitive as well. Simply going in, killing everything and going out gets boring after a while.

Plus, the enemies all have the same attacks. And they just run blindly at you with no regard for anything else... which doesn't make a challenge.

However, if you can turn a blind eye to these flaws then Serious Sam is a classic shooting game which has everything a trigger happy guy would like.

GOOD BITS
Fast action
Lots of bad guys
Lots of guns
Plenty of funny bits
A nice change

BAD BITS
Repetitive
Sometimes difficult
Poor A.I

The Verdict: 4 out of 5

ALTERNITIVE'S: If you like this then try Duke Nukem.
Enjoy

One of the best FPS ever
Buy this game now. All I have to say. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Asin: B00004ZB7P
Subjects:  1. Shooters (Shooter)    2. serioussam    3. Action    4. Computer Games    5. First person   

Nocturne
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM

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Editorial Review

You are The Stranger, a mysterious detective who wears sunglasses, a trench coat, and a fedora like a uniform. As a member of The Spookhouse, an agency formed by Theodore Roosevelt to investigate the world's supernatural underground, The Stranger travels across the globe to battle gargoyles, vampires, werewolves, zombies, and other horrific beasts.

Nocturne consists of four separate stories, which can be played in any order, each blending adventure and action gaming. At one moment, you may interrogate frightened citizens or use inventory objects to solve puzzles; other times you may need to carefully traverse broken bridges or draw your pistol, Tommy gun, or other weapon to gun down ferocious monsters. You view Nocturne's world from a third-person perspective, leaving you at the mercy of the game's awkward camera system--which is a deadly problem during the hectic combat sequences.

Ample use of gray and brown textures, combined with excellent shadows and ambient sound effects, creates a moody--and quite dark--atmosphere. Nocturne's diverse locations look amazingly realistic, and its character and monster models move with detailed fluidity--but the realism requires a hefty gaming machine. Startling music cues and plentiful dark areas provide genuine scares; Nocturne keeps you up well into the night and looking over your shoulder at every turn. --Doug Radcliffe

Pros:

• Four distinct adventures
• Moody graphics enhance the horror atmosphere
• Generates genuine scares, especially when played at night
• Solid blend of adventure and action

Cons:

• Steep system requirements
• Poor camera system hinders combat sequences

... Read more

Reviews (32)

Frustrating camera angles ruined this one
I looked forward to this game as I have alot of respect for other games Gathering of Developers has put out and many reviews here gave it high scores however after 2 days I stopped playing it. Here's why.

Very, and I mean VERY bad camera angles. As other reviewers have said your point of view changes unexpectedly with sometimes very bad results especially during combat. This means you must quickly compensate for the different directions the controls would now move the character along with reevaluating where your character is in the "new" scene.

I know this game was made along time ago but with this bad a problem I don't think it should have been released like this. Adjusting to a new point of view every few seconds took the fun out of it. For me anyway.

This game came out in 1996 I think and even for today the scenes and graphics are pretty good. Animation is clunky though. The characters turn in 45 degree angles if you know what I mean. Sometimes to save time I would just run for short distances, bump into something, turn 45 or whatever degrees and run again. You can get used to it though.

There are two main characters: The Stranger (that's you) and his girl partner Svetlana. Sort of a skinny Elvira: Mistress of the Dark who's half vampire. She frequently gets in The Stranger's path and then you have to do the 45 or 90 degree turn and step around her to continue.

I may return and finish this game someday but for now there are better, far less frustrating games to play and limited time in which to play them. I'm sorry to say it but I don't recommend this game.

An unknown little gem
This game is a little known gem, and I mean that in a relative way. Compared to say some of the other 'survival' games it is indeed a lesser known game. This is one of those cases though where its a pleasant treasure waiting to be discovered. When I bought it in 2000 I just wanted a game for my new PC. I paid out the rear for it b/c it looked cool, and I was not let down. My understanding of what this game truly is/was at the time didn't come until recently.

I played this game for a bit when I first got it 4 years ago, but put it down for other titles within a few months. I then forgot about it although I revisited it now and then. It wasn't until a few months ago though(new year of 2004) that I truly saw the beauty of this game. Even 4 years later the graphics, mood, and lighting all come together for a very impressive atmosphere. Thats just an added bonus though, let me get to the best parts of this game:

-First, its blended well. Like another reviewer stated the puzzles make sense, and aren't ludicrous. Series like say oh, RESIDENT EVIL suffer from a rediculousness factor when it comes to puzzles. Show me one actual police station like one in RE2, its stupid. In Nocturne the puzzles and tasks are not overdone, and make sense in a supernatural sort of way. They are FUN tasks, not laborous back tracking BORING ones like in a certain game I have mentioned a few lines back.

-Switch it onto 'mature' mode and watch the blood fly everywhere. Case in point: Take the shovel at the beginning of the Zombie Town just outside the church and proceed to bash the next 120 zombies upside the head. Heads will roll and hilarity will ensue, especially when you beat the Zombie Cows with that shovel....or the fire axe. Flies gather around corpses, burning bodies smolder, and monsters do a good job in screaming in agony when you dispatch them.

-There is a certain element of dark humor which is nice, which brings me to my next point. The voice acting is some of the best I have EVER witnessed, and I have played some games with great voice acting(IE; The Thing, Metal Gear Solid, Medal of Honor, ect).

-There is something for everyone. Everything from Vampires to imps to reanimated gangsters belonging to Al Capone are in this game. Chances are you will fall in love with one of the acts over the others.

-It runs on a crappy system. I have a moderate system and I can run this game with everything maxed out and in 3d mode with no issues(I have a P3 550, an old one).

About the only bad thing I can say about it, is that sometimes if you get your fingers tied up while you are in a serious fight, Stranger can go bonkers and seem to n00b out on ya. Not so much after you master the controls, but at first. Overall though if you configure the keys to your liking it will be minimal. I have played games with MUCH worse control issues though.

I give this game 10/10 for sure, if not an 11. Get it if you like Horror based games. Don't expect Resident Evil though, instead expect a game that rips Resident evil to shreds. :)

This game is way under rated!
I bought this game a few years ago when it first came out. I was and still am amazed at how cool this game is. The graphics are amazing even by todays standards. The game play and story lines are ultra cool. I must agree with most of the other reviewers below that this game is so under rated. I have no idea why it has gotten such a horrible reputation. It rocks! So if anybody who was involved in the development of this game happens to see my review, I just want you to know this game is one of the best. ... Read more

Asin: B00002CF8V
Subjects:  1. Horror (Supernatural)    2. Third Person    3. Nocturn    4. Computer Games    5. Action   

Asin: B00004U8H1
Subjects:  1. Humor (humorous humour humourous)    2. EMI 4 (four IV)    3. Computer Games    4. Adventure   

Rainbow Six Collector's Edition
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (25 November, 2000)

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Editorial Review

Rainbow Six Collector's Edition packs all the action from Tom Clancy's hit counterterrorism franchise into one package. It contains Rainbow Six Mission Pack: Eagle Watch, Rogue Spear Mission Pack: Urban Ops, Covert Operations Essentials, three Prima strategy guides, and an exclusive CD-ROM with Covert Operations information and video. For veterans of the franchise, it is great to have all the games in one place and obtain the exclusive Covert Operations CD-ROM. For those new to the games, this is an ideal place to get started, especially with the Prima strategy guides included. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

The good deal
I have bought the R6 collector edition, and I tell you, it's hot. It contains all the R6 games except the new Black Thorn.
Saves money and fills free time (sometimes even the not free one)

The stars say it all.
Simply the best, most engrossing FPS out there. When Red Storm releases "Ghost Recon", the game series will have travelled full circle. If Ghost Recon stays true to form, it will now model more Army stuff, and therefore, REPLACE ALL of the modern warfare FPS games. This pack makes a superb introduction to the world of FPS games. They all work, and this pack has ALL installments and a huge Sear's Catalog type strategy guide. For what you get and the price you pay, you will not find a better deal.

Pure Adrenaline in a BOX!
This game pack is pure adrenaline. It gives you all the action at a reasonable price. The Rainbow Six games pioneers a more advanced level of play creating the most realistic atomesphere of action. Before going into a mission you must carefully plan where each team (blue, green, red, and gold) will go to get all the objectives done. You also pick from many different weapons, BDUs, and the team members. Putting good time into the mission plan is crucial because oncea member on your team dies, they're dead. Unless you retry the mission again. Once you execute a plan you are put straight into the mission incharge of all the teams, and you have the ability to switch teams. The A.I. of your teammates and terrorists is great. As a plus, it supports a great multiplayer feature where you can compete against of all skill levels and even assemble a team with all of your friends. And finally, it has a shooting range where you can develop a good sense of every weapons strong points. The bottom line is that this game gives you the closest expeirence of realistic combat which will leave with sleep deprevation from playing too much. ... Read more

Asin: B00004ZBQI
Subjects:  1. Tom Clancy's    2. Rainbowsix (rainbow6 6)    3. Computer Games    4. Action    5. Military (Tactics)   

Command & Conquer Gold Edition
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM

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Reviews (9)

IT IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!
it is the best game ever u have to play it so exitingand fun with realy cool movies even tho it is old it is still and will always be my favourite. Buy the game, play the mission, then go on the internet and play me at it cuz its the best game eva!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cool game. Cool units and battles!
The very first Command and Conquer is extremely fun to play. The missions are exciting and can be challenging at times. You can get glued on this for hours, for fun, or you may be stuck on a complex mission for some time. GDI and NOD are both very cool sides, and both have exotic units and structures. Some of the mission play can be strategic or tank rush like. On the GDI mission in Hungary, you get to build a base and destroy NOD presence in the area. This includes: Their vehicles, infantry, structures, everything. I used many Medium Tanks + Humm Vees, barged into their base, and took out their construction yard and Tiberium Refinery. They were weakened after that, and a built several more Humm Vees and killed the Turrets and Hand of Nod. I built an APC, and filled it with engineers to capture the rest of that base. This was a somewhat strategic mission unlike some of the very first ones. For those of you who just began C&C, the missions will be challenging, and it will take you a while. In my opinion, this is the best NOD and GDI conflict game. If you finsh this game, try Tiberian Sun, but keep this winner.

Awsome
C&C tiberian dawn is the original and best strategy game ever. Originally released in 1995: the game still rocks! ... Read more

Asin: B00001NFTS
Sales Rank: 3426
Subjects:  1. Westwood    2. Computer Games    3. Strategy (Strategic)    4. Historical (historic) Recreation (Recreations)    5. Military (Wargames    6. Command and Conquer (C&C)