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   

Blair Witch Episode 1: Rustin Parr 1941
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (04 October, 2000)
list price: $19.99
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Editorial Review

Fans of the horror game Nocturne may remember Doc Holliday, one of that game's supernatural investigators, not to be confused with the legendary (and real) 19th-century gunslinger. She stars here in Blair Witch Episode 1: Rustin Parr as lead investigator into the mysterious murder of seven Maryland children. Your goal is to collect evidence and try to resolve the one unshakable question: Why? You'll interview townsfolk, investigate local legend, and analyze clues from the crime scene. Your path will surely lead to dark, otherworldly ends, so keep your weapons handy and a torch close by! ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Rustin Parr reaches new heights of creepiest for the genre
At first glance, Rustin Parr looks like it should be passed off as a joke.The intro to the game is odd and far from what you would expect from a blair witch title. Get past the intro and the game picks up drastically.To be honest, the game suffers a lot from it's oblvious beginnings. In fact, it seems some of the game (namely the beginning) was developed before acquiring it's "Blair Witch" license.You start off in a secret underground government headquarters known as "Spookhouse" as FBI agent Doc Holiday.Doc Holiday is a an attractive young detective who is being guided and directed by a military leader and some-sort of kirate sensei.First impressions are not on the side of this one.Why is there a sensei when Doc Holiday does not in anyway use any form of martial arts in the game.This just adds to the out of place and irrevelance factors that infect the game's initial impression. The game pushes you into a room of confusion and frustration.This inevitability makes you want to instantly put the game down and walk away.Goofy controls, choppy animations, and meaningless chatter amongst characters puts you in a dreadful disposition.Horror takes a new meaning.The intro was designed to give you a feel for the controls of the game but seems far distant in it's relation to the rest of it.Choppy animation plagues the beginning and settles it's way all the way through.Buggy and just careless.Some tweaking with keyboard configuration and mouse sensitivity are necessary in order to master the controls.And some monitor adjustments with brightness and contrasts are also required in order to get the proper "fix".Get past the intro and you are on you way into a very satisfying title.Burkittsville, the town in which Rustin Parr resides, is where all the fun begins and really where the game should have started.Your assignment is to investigate the murders of 6 children who were all mutiliatted by a really small town hermit Rustin Parr in his basement (sound familiar?).The small town of Burkittsville, Maryland seems to be the perfect scene for this horror-inflicted blair witch project. Minor frustrations remain but the enticing creepiness and story leave you drawn to the game's gravitional pull.And you won't be able to put it down until it leaves you hanging for Volume II.
Gameplay lacks much in controls and action.Combat with the dead is more of an annoyance than actual fun.Combat is more of a chore routine to progress to the real awards: Revealing storyline and entriguing puzzles.And that's exactly what makes up for the clumsy controls and weak combat, the intense progression of storyline and the appropriate level of challenging puzzles.
Also, the environments will leave you sweating at the edge of your seat.It's the scariest, creepiest game I ever played resembling authentic north-eastern Fall landscape.The subtle crackle of the woods with dynamic lighting and shadows are enough to mess with your head.Add in the cries of children in the distance and you have one terrifying title that emulates it's theatrical counterpart.When you lose your way in these woods, you really feel lost and desperate to get back.Despite clumsy controls and combat, the daemons, zombies, ghosts, and creatures in this game all add to the intensity with their haunting animations, creepiness, growls, and sneakiness.The town itself is enough make your heart thump faster against your chest with it's small town eccentric attitude and feel.And characters of the town are very dynamic which adds to the overall story and dimensional texture.Getting caught up in the hauntings of Rustin Parr is what makes this game.So turn out the lights and enjoy this thrill ride.

Absolutely Brilliant and Chilling!
When I began playing Rustin Parr I didn't like the game because of the controls and the camera angles. But after playing it and getting use to the system, the game became fascinating. I'm a person who loves horror things, so it takes a lot to scare me. This came has accomplished that! It's hair-raising spooky! The storyline of the game is excellent also. I only gave it 4 stars because of the controls, camera view, and it takes a while to load the next level, but the rest makes up for it. It is a great game once you get the feel of how it works! Play it and you'll think twice about the dark!

BAD BAD BAD Camera view and CHOPPY Frames
Frankly I am SHOCKED that this game received so many great reviews!The game seems to have a good story line and the graphics seem decent, but your control on your character movement is pitiful!!!Everytime your character walks a few feet, the frame changes....your character may have had the camera view behind her (which I prefer), and then when you move to a new frame, the camera may be in front ofyou.So often you're looking at your character as a mirror image and your cursor to control your character is reversed...then next frame, you could find your charter side ways!It's insane!I suppose you could program the controls for all mouse-clicking instead of using curor keys to move your character, but I hate mouse-click movement games...my finger gets tired! :-)My frustration was so great, that I never completed the first mission.As far as "puzzle" games go, I've enjoyed "Dracula - The Last Sanctuary," and "The Longest Journey."Unfortunately, they have alot of frame changes and point and click as well, but at least the camera consistantly follows my character! ... Read more

Asin: B00004U8KR
Subjects:  1. Project one I    2. Supernatural (horror)    3. Third Person    4. Nocturne Nocturn    5. Computer Games    6. Adventure   

Blair Witch Episode 3: Elly Kedward 1786
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (25 November, 2000)

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Editorial Review

Elly Kedward is at the heart of the legend spun by the horror film The Blair Witch Project. Soon after she was accused of witchcraft and banished from the Blair Township, children started disappearing. The frightened townsfolk quickly left Blair to settle in Burkittsville. You'll play as Jonathan Pyre, the town's former pastor, who has become its chief witch hunter. And to fight a power this evil, you're going to need all the magic you can acquire. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good Game
The Blair Witch 3: The tale of Elly Kedward is a good game. The graphics are great and the story line has a twist to it. The only thing I don't like about the Blair Witch series is the camera angles during battle scences. Also, I've had the game for about 3 months now and I still can't beat the Beast at the end! But overall its a good game.

THE LEGEND BEGINS
This is the third of the blairwitch game and is actually where this blairwitch thing started.i dont want to reveal too much of the plot as it is the only interesting thing in this game.the game has great graphics but isnt scary enough with action.it has a spooky atmosphere to it but is more about the legend.i would still suggest u go buy this game cause if ure a big blairwitch fan then this game has a good clue about how the blairwitch came into existense.the game isnt in anyway great but yet better than many others on the block

Best Of The Blair Witch Trilogy.
Blair Witch Volume Three is an excellent game.First of all its graphs are so well.It has writen with Nocturne Motor like the previous ones , the clothes in the game gives the player that they are real clothes also the lighting and colors are wonderful.Then the sound fx are so realistic and based on enviromental sounds. Besides the atmosphere is very powerful it takes the gamer inside the game , you play like you are in the game.Also the characters are well designed , but the most impressive features are the 3D effects in the game , for example the pointer that shaped as pentegram , you can see movings inside the laser pointers while you way it to your screen.Besides the playing of the game is not too hard , it is based on spell and weapon based combat style.The story is well written it goes so fastly and understandable .Everything in this game is wonderful.I recommend The Blair Witch Volume Three for everyone. ... Read more

Asin: B00004U8KN
Subjects:  1. Project Three III    2. Supernatural (Horror)    3. Third Person    4. Nocturn Nocturne    5. Computer Games    6. Adventure   

Shadow Man
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM

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Editorial Review

Michael LeRoi is the zombie slave of Nettie, a powerful Voodoo priestess. Thanks to Nettie's spell casting, he is also the Shadow Man, a dark and mysterious--if unwilling--hero who protects the people of the mundane world against incursions from Deadside, the land where everyone goes upon death. Michael is not entirely unhappy with this fate. A lifetime of bad personal decisions has left him with a huge karma debt. Now, with the world in danger, he is going to get his chance to pay it off.

Shadow Man is a first-person shooter with a horror twist--instead of an ordinary weapon, you wield the Shadowgun. Your prey is a quintet of demon serial killers who plan to unleash monsters against the living world, called Liveside, ultimately bringing about the destruction of all life on earth. In the course of denying this goal, you fight monsters and collect ammunition and weapon upgrades, prowling Deadside in search of baddies.

As befits a horror game, Shadow Man is dark in tone and explicit in its visuals and language, definitely not an appropriate game for younger players. The program itself is rather unremarkable; from graphics to monsters, everything is engaging but in no way exceptional. One might have hoped that it would at least offer some scares along the way, but these are few and far between. Like most entries into the horror-game genre, this one relies on gore instead of trying to find ways to really make your skin crawl. Additionally, the subtext of Shadow Man reinforces unpleasant stereotypes of Caribbean-descended Americans, with neither Michael nor Mama Nettie representing any kind of admirable role model. --Alyx Dellamonica

Pros:

• Nonlinear play allows return to favorite levels again and again
• Lots to look at--if you like your graphics gory
• Great sound

Cons:

• Character movement is hard to control precisely
• Many battles are long and dull
• Interface is nonintuitive and clunky

... Read more

Reviews (13)

Creepy
This game creeped me out but it was fun and a bit different from your average game.It has a sort of "Clive Barker" look.Definitely not for kids.

From The Mouth Of A Grade 'B' Gamer
I come from the old country, arcades in the 80's, where Tempest, Joust, and Jungle Hunt reigned supreme.I purchased my N64 LOOOOONG after it was the system to have, it was cheap, I was looking for relaxing kicks.So I picked up a copy of Shadowman, discounted, vaguely remembering it when it was new on the market.Put it in, and (cliche Sound Effect) I was hooked.The game is murky as heckland.Opening cheekily with Moonlight Sonata playing underneath a 'narration' of Springheel Jack.Great cinematics, great sounds, great levels, some (the temples) are so bloody frustrating you want to whip the whole system out the door.But I kept with it, and I beat it.HA, first game since Double Dragon in the arcade, and I beat that with one bloody token.I recommend this game to non-gamers who are looking for something to dig into, with a different approach than the usual blast'em.(Gamers will say witty and snide things, scrutinizing and bla)So to hearken back to my metal roots, THIS GAME ROCKS!!! (so there)

yeah,PS 1 version is bad;but not THAT bad!!!!!!!
This is just a reply to all those who go on and on about how horrific the ps 1 version is.Yeah,I'll admit that it's bad,but not nearly as god awful as people are making it out to be.ESPECIALLY if you have not played shadowman on any other format before;like I had.If nothing else,playing it on ps1 gives you all the more reason to try the other versions and be even more suprised.Most of the people that down the ps1 version are biasd to nintendo or sega and therefore criticize anything of the ps.Let's not forget that the ps1 version still has the amazing voiceovers and while some content of the enviroments are edited out(as they are in the N64 version)they are still convincing.Let's put it this way,I'd rather play shadowman for PS1 rather than Final Fantasy 8,which had great graphics,but the gameplay and storyline sucked!And I'd much rather play shadowman ps1 version than another stupid mario game from nintendo(gamecube's Luigi's Mansion??????puh-leeze!!!!)As for the main person on amazon who reviewed this product;what's the deal with all this political correct talk about giving Carribian Americans
a bad stereotype??Hello-this game is about VOODOO LORE!Would it be better if shadowman was portrayed as some white guy named Bob?
And then the reviewer goes on to say that neither Shadowman or Nettie makes for a good role model?What?How much was that critic smoking before that review was written?The game is 17+ and I don't think that the people "who are supposed to be playing it" are looking for any role models.Esp. when the game deals with serial killers,demons and the apocolypse.But in my opinion anyone
who actually walks through the diffrent levels of hell and survives is an exceptional hero to look up to. ... Read more

Asin: B00002NDED
Subjects:  1. Horror (Supernatural)    2. Third Person    3. shadowman    4. Computer Games    5. Adventure    6. Action    7. Shooters (Shooter)   

Vampire: The Masquerade Redemption
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (07 June, 2000)
list price: $19.99
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Editorial Review

Want to live forever? Get a taste for what it's like withVampire: The Masquerade Redemption, the first computer role-playing game based on the tremendously popular dice-and-paper and live-action RPG from White Wolf Game Studio.Die-hard fans will grumble abit at some of the translation concessions from book to hard drive. Thevampiric disciplines in particular are less flexible and occasionallymore hassle than they're worth--sure, you can turn into a wolf, but youcan't return to your natural form until the time limit expires.Still, these limitations don't interfere with the gameplay, which isfast moving, challenging, and genuinely creepy. Graphics and sounds arewell designed, and along with the plot they evoke the mood of gothichorror that has made Vampire so popular.

The single-player mode locks you into the story line of Christof, amedieval crusader who blunders into immortality at the fangs of anancient Brujah vampire. Christof's damnation and search for redemptionlead him from the Prague of the Dark Ages to modern New York City.Multiplayer options include local area network and Internet play aswell as the ability to create and run your own stories for otherplayers. The manual is beautiful and helpful, a rare combination.Clearly, the designers took their cue from White Wolf, as evidenced bythe clarity of text and carefully chosen illustrations.ThoughRedemption is well worth playing, gamers should be warned thatthe save-game feature is irritating and often beyond the player'scontrol and that the installation requires at least 720 MB (and up to1.3 GB!). Despite these flaws, the game is still wicked fun and meritsplenty of praise. --Rob Lightner

Pros:

• Fantastic graphics and sound
• Rich online storytelling options
• Perfectly captures the mood and settings of Vampire: TheMasquerade and Vampire: The Dark Ages

Cons:

• Enormous installation size
• Irritating save-game feature
• Not strictly faithful to original White Wolf rules

... Read more

Features

• Live as the Undead: As Christof, a vampire of the Brujah Clan, you must fight and feed on the blood of mortals, while hiding your vampiric powers and controlling the urges of the beast within you. Along the way, you are joined by other vampires who will fight by your side as you solve a series of quests surrounding a deep story.
• Powerful 3-D Engine: Your World of Darkness is created by the Nod Engine, developed by Nihilistic. Dramatic lighting, fog effects and gorgeous textures bring the medieval cities of Prague and Vienna to life, and twist the modern landscape of London and New York into a gothic nightmare.
• Innovative Multiplayer Design: Vampire: The Masquerade-Redemption will change the way computer RPGs are played online with its Storyteller mode, which allows one player to create and run an adventure of their own. Multiplayer features include co-op play, and the option to play as the hunter or the hu
• nted.

Reviews (96)

Overall great game
In this game we find a new storyline among the vampire world that is brought to life in this tale.However, the saving of the games in progress are horrible and sometimes it doesn't save and a whole section needs to be redone because of it.Although, that part is a CON for the game, the Pro for the game is that you get to see a character move through history and his way of trying to gain some sort of redemption for himself because of what he is.

a vampire's tale
this game is pretty good. it isn't exactly the best but then again no games are. as an RPG, this game is fairly standard. the first hour or so is really boring, but once you become a vampire, things pick up rather nicely. i LOVE how you have vampiric abilities and are able to feed off whomever you see fit. this is the ultimate game for anyone who wants to live out their dream as a vampire. the story is good. the thing that i hate are the other characters in your team, maybe it's me, but the were annoying and got in the way. they didn't have terrible path finding, but they had some awkward moments. another thing that bothered me is that if you don't have control of A character, they usually go off attacking some monsters you might not be ready to attack, due to the nature of their vampiric ways or the character's build. overall, this game is fairly exciting, with something nice for lovers of RPGs and lovers of vampires.

About Editing Vampire TMR
I will not talk about the game playing, many others had already gave their opinion in detail about that.
I prefer to talk about the Editing Tools of the game (NODSDK Tools: NOT editor, Embrace editor, Chronicle editor). This game was offered with the complete java code opened (except the graphic engine), you can manipulate, change and create many new things, like skins for your multiplayer characters (NOT editor and any graphical tool), new maps as playing scenaries (Embrace tool), new objects, creatures and items (NOT editor and programs like Milkshape), create new automatic or manual Quests that can be played in multiplayer (Chronicle editor) and, what is more interesting, they can be created new versions of the game (MODs) that make the game better than the original. Much of the problems commented by users in this review list have been completely revised and corrected time ago by the players with their efforts (Activision released a patch to correct some bugs, but after that, abandoned the game to the player community). One of the most interesting MOD is the WOD MOD (World of Darkness MOD) that recreates almost exactly the P&P game.
The game has more than 4 years old, but it continously grows with the contributions of many people that play it and love it. Nowadays you can find lots of new materials in the web (www.vampdepobloodlines.com is a good place to visit and test part of the inmense contributions accumulated). This fact makes this game one of the richest games in Role playing, as it has been sustained by a player community working in an open code. ... Read more

Asin: B00002SU5A
Subjects:  1. World of Darkness (WoD), White Wolf    2. Horror (Supernatural)    3. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs)   

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM
list price: $19.99
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Editorial Review

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver tells the story of Raziel, one of the undead lieutenants of the vampire lord Kain. Jealous of Raziel's newly evolved wings, Kain tears them apart and casts his former champion into the netherworld. But something--some kind of powerful entity that dwells in the netherworld--has restored Raziel to a semblance of life and has set him on a path of vengeance.

After this tantalizing movie introduction, you take control of Raziel in the spectral realm, where your new existence is explained to you. From there you enter the physical plane, ready to begin your quest for power and revenge. Raziel's combat moves are extremely brutal, as you'd expect from a vampire who has returned from the dead. When he finds a spear, Raziel gleefully stabs and slashes before he impales his foe, lifts it off the ground, and feasts on its soul. Doing so enhances Raziel's power, and devouring the souls of the rest of Kain's lieutenants is the only way to get the special abilities--scaling walls, phasing through gates, etc.--needed to reach Kain himself. While fun for adults, parents should take note: this game is definitely not suitable for kids. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Crappy Playability
The playability on this PC version is terrible.The controls don't work like they should.Even with my P4 and enhanced sound, the soundtrack and voices lag and stammer.The puzzles are annoying and outdated.The layout of the route you follow is redundent. The game is tedious and slow.The plot and dialogue are corny.This is like a game from the 1990's that's been updated with 2000 graphics.I think you're better off with Quake 2 or Enclave.

VERY GOOD GAME!!
This is a very good game! Although the controls are [not good], you can set them how you like them. It is also very scary, for one, every time you turn around the corner you see a vampire. I give this game four stars because it is not my favorite game but it is very cool!

Beyond Your Wildest Dreams
I bought and played this game in 2001 when it was already several years old. I had watched a review about it on TV a year before that, and the price was quite reasonable at the time I purchased it.

With not so many expectations, I was awe-struck at the level of detail and creativity poured into the story, the characters, the dialogue, the music, as well as the graphics, level-design, and playability.

Just search the web for keywords such as Raziel, Kain, Soul Reaver, Blood Omen, and you will see for yourself how intense this storyline has proved to be. There are many fan sites out there thriving on the epic characters and universe that the Legacy of Kain series have created so gracefully.

A few of the key elements I found captivating about the gameplay is the fact that there were no 'loading screens' keeping you waiting. The game seemlesly loads the respective portions from the CD as you walk around.

Another feature that caught my attention is the ability to destroy your opponents in several different ways, which all of them, by the way, clearly display the power of hatred and vendetta gathered within your game character, Raziel.

I recommend this fantastic piece of game which delivers art in all forms you can imagine (audio, video, literature) to all of you. But know before you buy, that the graphics, although still beautiful, may not live up to the expectations of some of you out there, who have started gaming very recently, or can only be impressed by nothing more than a Quake-3-engine running on the latest 3D accelerator video card. ... Read more

Asin: B00001YVBN
Subjects:  1. Fantasy    2. Third Person    3. Computer Games    4. Action   

Silent Hill
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM

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Editorial Review

A downright creepy "survival horror" title, Silent Hillsucceeds where most Resident Evil-inspired titles suck: keepingyou hooked and instilling you with fear throughout the game. Playersare cast as Harry Mason in his desperate search for his daughter, whomysteriously disappeared after their car crashed into a gully outsideof a desolate resort town.

The 3-D environments in Silent Hill are bathed in fog ordarkness, making its dismal setting all the more eerie; this alsoallows for some spectacular lighting effects when using a flashlight inthe dark. Granted, there are some pretty coarse graphics being obscuredhere, but it's a fair trade-off, considering the game's short loadtimes.

Silent Hill is played from a third-person perspective, viewedfrom both fixed and moving camera angles. As with similar games, theviewpoint can be awkward at times, especially during combat, which hereis so clunky that you should try to avoid it whenever possible--somethingyou should do anyway, as this isn't Tomb Raider.

Rather than resort to cheap scare tactics, Silent Hill featuresa gameplay twist that works very well with its limited visibilityenvironments. Harry carries a radio with him that crackles with staticwhenever the game's nasties are near, and continues until they're nolonger in the vicinity or have been killed off. (Enemies may requirefurther whacking when they're down, as they like to play dead.)Additionally, the supported Dual-Shock controller pulsates in aheartbeatlike fashion whenever you're moderately or seriously injured.--Joe Hon

Pros:

• Suspenseful story with bone-chilling gameplay
• Short load times
• Excellent lighting and fog effects
• Five possible endings add replay value

Cons:

• Coarse graphics
• Clunky combat

... Read more

Reviews (181)

THE scariest video game ever created!!!!
Back in 2002, I had never really played any kind of survival horror game ever in my life.A friend of mine came over to my house and brought Silent Hill and the Playstation.I was just watching and I really liked how it had snow falling out in the town in the summer nonetheless, it looked like a really scary game.Then, months later, I borrowed this game from my friend and played from the beginning and didn't get really far because I really didn't know what to do.Finally, one night, when my friend was back over at my house, I was playing and he was sitting there watching and we were playing with surround sound, the lights off and no one else was in the house.From the very beginning alley, I was very scared!So I get to the school, Midwich Elementary School, and everything looks normal.My friend who was watching kept telling me that once I go through the Clock Tower, I will be back at Midwich Elementary and that it will be the same school but at the same time, it wouldn't be the same school and at that point, I was really starting to freak out.I had no idea what horrors were waiting for me!

I go through the Clock Tower and I hear these really creepy sirens, I'm to the point where I want to turn the game off but my friend was with me and kept telling me to move on.So I start to go into the school and once I'm in, I'm freaking out!All the floors were replaced by metal grates with nothing below them, the walls were like chained fences, everything covered in blood, pure horror and terror!!I was really scared by the visuals and the music.Something really creepy in the Alternate school is when you go into one of the bathroom's on the first floor, you end up on the second floor, creepy!!!Just everything that I saw and heard in every room and corridor scared me to death!!

I turned the game off after I was done in the school and couldn't sleep with the light off!!I did eventually play through the whole game and beat it but I have never been so scared playing a video game in my entire life!!!The really scary music and sound effects play a big part.But what's really scary isn't just the atmosphere, the music or visuals.It freaks me out thinking about why the town of Silent Hill is deserted and how Samael came along.If I think about this stuff before I go to sleep, a lot of times, I can't sleep.The Alternate Hospital, Alchemilla Hospital is another really scary place in the game that really scared me too but not as bad as the school.To be honest, when I first was going through the Alternate school, the way it looked, that's what I thought hell would look like, it was so scary.To this day, it scares me!Sometimes even with the light on, it's scary!!Even though the graphics aren't the best, this Silent Hill game scares me more than Silent Hill's 2, 3 or 4 and they have better graphics!!!I would not recommend this game to anyone who scares easily!

A very, VERY disturbing game...
I got "Silent Hill" as a gift, one of several that i enjoyed playing on the old playstation 1.I had played resident evil, parasite eve, etc; and enjoyed them all.But i really hadn't been all that frightened.

Then i started to play Silent Hill.

This game doesn't showcase the fact that it's SCARY or BLOODY.It presents itself as being purely eery- a cold, lonely sort of fear that pervades the game.The snow, the mist, the radio, and (interestingly enough) the somewhat characatured objects.Weapons, items, and environmental stuff all seem slightly out of proportion.

But the biggest shock, for me, was the "otherworld".Seeing what was just an EERY town turn into something like hell was overwhelming.And it's not an ostentatious hell (BLOOD!GUTS!TOOOOORRRRRRTTTTUUUUURRRRE!!!).It was extremely subtle, only small- but very dire, very effective- changes take place.And that's what makes the game so scary.There is no clear cut line between "Silent Hill" and the hellish otherworld, and that makes it so very frightening.To this day i wonder where the blackness beneath the chain-link ground leads...

And that's just the story.Gameplay is surprisingly fun, though rather simple.You will have a blast beating creatures with the manhole opener.You won't be all that stumped by the puzzles, although there is much to explore, and you have to pay great attention to detail to arrive at the best of the multiple endings.Gameplay remains the understatement, however, as this game manages an almost cinematic horror more than a party-worthy funfest.But this is ultimately much more rewarding in the end, especially when you can't fall asleep...

Wonderful atmosphere!
Harry Mason and his seven year old daughter Cheryl are on their way to the lakeside resort known as Silent Hill for a peaceful getaway when a mysterious teenage girl appears in the headlights.Harry swerves to avoid her and ends up crashing through a fence into Silent Hill.When he regains consciousness, he finds Cheryl is missing.The town seems to be completely abandoned, save for a few abominations scurrying about, covered in a thick blanket of fog, and it's snowing-in July.He spots Cheryl up ahead through the fog and calls out to her but she runs away from him.She escapes and he is now stranded in the town and is left to search for his missing daughter in a town that is periodically taken over by the otherworld, AKA hell.

If you think the town is creepy at first, just wait.It gets MUCH better.Skinned bodies are hung from steal fence walls.Faceless zombie children sneak up on you in the halls of the Midwich school, knives in hand.Everything is drenched in blood and guts.Screeches, banging on a piano, cockroaches the size of cats scuttling across the floor and nibbling on your toes, the body of a decapitated dog whose head has apparently served as a child's basketball lies on the ground, grunting gorilla/men tackle you and tear out your throat, nurses in the hospital pursue you with knives, the ghost of a little girl runs past, giggling, headless ragdolls are nailed to the walls, something in the room crashes but you turn....and noone's there.

Throughout the game, you'll eventually discover why the town keeps being invaded by the otherworld, who is holding Cheryl captive and why, who the mysterious teenage girl in the road was and why she keeps appearing, and you'll meet a few interesting characters including the eccentric, creepy old woman Dahlia Gillespie, a girl named Alessa who's past is truly horrific, a female police officer named Cybil, a gruff hospital worker named Michael Kauffman, and the sweet, frightened nurse Lisa Garland.

The game terrifies many, but it honestly didn't frighten me in the least, although I LOVED the eery atmosphere, the plot, and the characters.Speaking of which, the plot is one of the deepest, most involved video game plots you'll ever see.After playing the game, you'll probably need to read a plot guide off of gamefaqs.com in order to grasp everything, and even then, it's a bear to take in everything.The writers are geniuses and Dean Koontz and Stephen King would be proud to call the plot their own brainchild.

So how about the other three Silent Hill games?Well, I Silent Hill 2 was a fantastic game that I highly recommend (it doesn't tie in to the first installment's plot).I've played through 98% of Silent Hill 3 (which is a sequel to Silent Hill 1, so try to play 1 before 3) and it's good, but dissapointing compared to the first two.Silent Hill 4, I've only played a tiny amount of as a rental, but the opening movie was quite frightening. ... Read more

Asin: B00001XDUB
Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Action and Adventure    3. Horror    4. Sony Playstation (Play station)    5. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    6. Action Horror    7. Adventure   

ONLY ONLINEHALF LIFE:GAME OF T YR
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM
list price: $19.99 -- our price: $19.99
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Your gun had better be loaded if you're playing Half-Life: Game of the Year Edition, the smartest, shootingest, bloodiest game ever to hit the PC. Take control of a scientist charged with destroying the alien invasion force that arrived, courtesy of government experiments gone wrong. Of course, in the post-X-Files world, there's additional bad guys in the form of federal "cleaners" who want you just as dead as the monsters.

Power up your environmental suit and plunge through level after level of increasingly difficult and creepy challenges, rescuing your fellow scientists and ultimately clearing out the whole complex--if you're lucky. Game play is smooth and simple, after the obligatory false starts and botched maneuvers common to learning every new game. Persistence pays off, though: Half-Life rewards tenacity with increasing power and understanding of the virtual world.

Play on a network and cooperate or compete with folks across the world or in the next cubicle. For those who've mastered the intricacies of Half-Life , the Game of the Year Edition includes Worldcraft 2.0, which the designers used to build every detail of the base. Make your own levels and snicker at other players' pathetic attempts to evade your deathtraps. It's easy to see why Half-Life won Game of the Year from dozens of publications; try it and see for yourself--if you're not too squeamish. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Features

• Enemy AI: Half-Life's monsters are also remarkably--even terrifyingly--intelligent. Our proprietary AI has them running in packs, assessing threats and showing a marked distaste for suicide runs. You'd better think as fast as they do.
• Rendering Technologies: So you don't want to have to buy a special hardware accelerator just to get 16-bit color, colored lighting, blurring, translucency or other cool visual effects? Then don't. Half-Life has developed all these features in software so now they're an integral part of the gameplay, not just eye-candy. Of course, if you do have Open-GL, Direct 3D or MMX hardware, things will look mind-bogglingly cool.
• Skeletal Animation System: Our new animation system lets us create monsters that are more spectacularly menacing than ever before. Half-Life's monsters have the highest polygon count, and the most fluid and complex motion ever seen in an action game.
• Multiplayer: Joining a multiplayer game is now fast and easy, thanks
• to Half-Life's powerful interface. Find your friends, choose the type of game you prefer and let our master server do the rest. Choose from a variety of multiplayer gameplay scenarios, and use our decal technology to mark your territory with a personal or clan logo. Other Features:

Reviews (246)

Sierra Games
This game is really great. I own the following Sierra games:

Half-life (game of the year edition)
Blue Shift
Opposing Force
Half-life 2

All I can say is that in September of 2003, Half-life 2 was suppost to be released, but they delayed it many times. So finally it was released sometime around the middle-end of 2004, and in November 2004, I picked up the game. I wasn't too dissapointed, although it's not as hard/fun as the original Half-life game. I like Opposing Force and Blue Shift, except the only problem with Blue Shift is that it dissapointed me with it being way too short. There is not even a final monster like Opposing Force and Half-life. Still, Blue Shift is fun.

The Best Game Ever
When Half-Life first came out in 1999 I was about 11 years old, and I really wasn't into video games. But come late 2004, Half-Life 2 came out, and when I read the PC Gamer review(98%) and saw some screenshots, I went to GameStop to get it. The guy at the counter asked me if I had played Half-Life. I told him no. He then said, since I was under 17 he had no obligation to sell me the M rated game Half-Life 2, until I had bought, played and beaten Half-Life. So I bought Half-Life, went home, loaded it, and started playing. Imediatly I was suprised at how good the graphics were, especially for a game from 1999. The graphics in Half-Life could easily compete with many of the games in the 2000's. Also, the sound extremely good, hearing the slightest of noises. The story is pretty basic, but good enough to keep you interested in that area. You are Gordon Freeman, researcher at Black Mesa Labs. Your expirement has gone very wrong, releasing a bunch of aliens into the labs. The government has sent soldiers in to "clean things up" and you are faced with fighting for your life against aliens and human soldiers. The gameplay is awesome, and the weapons are very good. Online play is fabulous, especially if you have Counter-Strike. So, despite Call of Duty, Doom 3, the Battlefield series, WarCraft 3, Neverwinter Nights, or any other game that is mind-blowing, Half-Life is the best game I have ever played, and in my opinion, the best game ever.

Half-Life kicks ass
Half-Life is one of those games that you have to play and not read a stratedgy guide. I was reading some of the other reviews and people kept on reporting that their weren't good stratedgy guides and such. Well, here's a tip. Play the game!! You have to buy a stratedgy guide seperately and it's like that for most video games/etc.. The game has good graphics, good music, and excellent characters. The game is really realistic, one of the most realistic games out their that i've seen. On my computer it takes a while to load up but once it loads up it works pretty good. And of course you get the interloads afterwards. My advice before you get this game is check the requirements. I think the only reason some people rated this game at a low level is because 1) they didn't play it because it didn't come with a stratedgy guide, 2)they didn't look at the requirements needed before they baught the game. Their's a reason why video games require different settings for your computer. But that's beside the point. Half-Life has one of the best plots i've seen, and has a lot of action. So for those who like first person shooters, killing aliens and people, and love great graphics, this is the game for you. For those who don't like realism and don't like to play video games like these stick to your spongebob squarepants video games. Oh and for those of you who hate video games coming without a stratedgy guide here's another tip in half-life. Half-Life explains the game as you play along. Their's Hazard Courses you play to learn more about the game. You make your own controlls and etc. This is a must have for any video gamer who loves games like half-life. ... Read more

Asin: B00001KUII
Subjects:  1. Computer Games    2. Action    3. Shooters (Shooter)    4. Havas   

Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (17 November, 1999)

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Editorial Review

Jane Jensen's spooky private eye is back for another round of supernatural mystery in Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned. This installment offers greater challenge and interactivity, with a fantastic 3-D engine designed specifically for the game. Each scene offers multiple vantage points and may or may not bring you another step closer to solving the game's ultimate mystery.

Play as Gabriel or his assistant, Grace, as they race against time to locate the young kidnapped son of a dethroned prince in the small French town of Rennes-le-Chateau. The backdrop is used to heighten the tension and add detail to the story, for just over 100 years ago bizarre real-world happenings enriched the parish church and may have led to the local priest's untimely demise.

The game offers a great balance of puzzles and investigative problem solving, often shifting from one to the other between scenes. Only rarely are hints offered, so if you get stuck, you may have to do some real-life investigation to track down other players who have published online help, but you shouldn't have to be an enlightened master to make it through the game. For the most part, persistence pays off, and the lush visuals and outstanding voice talent should help ease the sting of frustration enough to keep you going through the rough spots. Gabriel Knight 3 appeals to the eye, ear, and mind as well as the sense of the macabre--pick it up before the conspiracy hears about it!--Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (99)

Wonderful story and characters
I was sorry to end the game -- you get very attached to the characters, and the historical background is fascinating.I liked the video in GK2 and would have to say that the villain there doesn't have an emotional equivalent here, but Grace gets to play an even more important role.Music is great, and there are lots of Easter eggs and humor as well.

If you are a religious Christian, you may not want to buy the game; the ending has the potential to offend.

I am truly sorry that GK4 appears to be unlikely, I would by it in a heartbeat.

Bloody Good Game
Gabriel Knight has been a highlight of the Sierra titles since the first game came out years ago.BotS, BotD continues that tradition in a fully rendered 3-D environment that lets the player become immersed in the scenes of the crimes that truly adds to the fun of being an investigator of the paranormal, like a mix between CSI and The X-Files.Though the puzzles can be weird at times (getting cat hair with scotch tape to make a fake moustache), and the locals French accents get annoying, you'll love the story, adore the characters, and start to hope that Gabriel Knight 4 comes out very soon.

A fantastic game
While the third installment of the Gabriel Knigh series takes third place in the series(in my opinion, mainly due to the ending where I think Jane Jensen overstep a few boundries she shouldn't have), it is still a fantastic gaming experience that is EXTREMELY rare today and when the game was release. Part of what makes this game great is that it is a TRUE Adventure. Since the game industry which had once spurred with creativity had changed direction for the worst when greedy capitalists took absolute control and decided their new customers won't want to bother trying something new or understanding games and genres the selection of games and quality have declined to a unprecedented low. This genre, Adventure, as it is presented in this game and the entire series embodies what games used and are SUPPOSED to be like! Normally I never write review but one review I spotted for this game was so very ignorant and misleading that somebody needs to point out the numerous errors. It seems that Mr. Jason Moore does not want to put effort into learning anything about the series that he purchased a game from. First of all, NO game from the Gabriel Knight series is based on ANY book! Jane Jensen wrote the Gabriel Knight series as GAMES and afterwards wrote the books which are based on the games. You cannot get a very good understanding of the characters from the books as much as you can from the games. The main character is of higher quality to a person who played the earlier games from the series but still well crafted and has an interesting personality(And yeah, Jason Moore, he IS southern! He's from New Orleans!). The graphics engine displays very good graphics which would be pleasing to anyone but it is very heavy on the CPU and would seem buggy on a slow machine. Calling graphics outdate is a clear sign of ignorance of games. Graphics can NEVER be outdated, just poor. And GK3's graphics are neither. Graphics must fit the presentation of the game.Calling graphics outdated would be like calling using paragraphs in a book outdated. As far as Jason Moore's comment on story: This is an adventure game! It's all about the story! The story is the single most important part of an adventure game! The story in every Gabriel Knight are incredibly well written and intriguing. Jane Jensen is a fantastic writer who is few can come even dare to match both in game design and in books. You never have to read the books to play the game. In fact it is impossible to read the book to understand the game because the books are written after the games and the GK3 book has never even been written as far as I know. Gamers like the one previously mentioned are exactly the kind who caused the game industry to rot. Most game players do not even know what an adventure game is any more(RPGs and Adventure games are very different genres, contrary to miscategorization on many sites, including Amazon.com). ... Read more

Asin: B00001LAE2
Subjects:  1. Three (III)    2. Horror (Supernatural)    3. Mystery    4. Vampire    5. Computer Games    6. Adventure    7. Havas   

Planescape: Torment
Average Customer Review:
CD-ROM (14 December, 1999)
list price: $49.95
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Editorial Review

In Planescape: Torment, you play a nameless, scarred, immortal on a quest to discover his past, his identity, and his role in the conflict over the nature of reality. The brilliant role-playing and adventure game focuses on the "Planescape" campaign setting of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game, and combines the best elements of Interplay's phenomenally successful Baldur's Gate with an enthralling story line, well-written dialogue, and beautiful artwork and graphics.

In an inspired choice, Black Isle Studios, the developer of Planescape: Torment, has chosen to provide the player, at least initially, with as little details about the story as possible. After viewing a mysterious introductory movie, players guide The Nameless One on a journey through the bleak city of Sigil and its underground catacombs. The story leads from there to the bizarre realities of alternate planes of existence, where belief and thought determine the laws of physics. Through dialogue with hundreds of nonplayer characters, puzzle solving, and point-and-click combat, The Nameless One discovers clues about his identity and the circumstances surrounding his condition.

Gamers overwhelmed by detailed role-playing games will find Planescape: Torment easier to grasp; players can freely switch between three different character classes (Fighter, Mage, Thief) for The Nameless One as the game progresses, and learning the combat and magic system--with a simple point-and-click interface--takes only a few minutes. Literally hundreds of weapons, items, spells, and "tattoos" can be collected and affixed to The Nameless One or any of the several party members acquired during the course of the game. If you're a fan of role-playing or adventure games, Planescape: Torment's engrossing world creates a must-have gaming experience. --Doug Radcliffe

Pros:

• Fascinating, unique setting
• Engrossing story
• Rich graphics and spell effects
• Intriguing dialogue

Cons:

• Zoomed-in perspective tends to limit combat to close range
• Long load times

... Read more

Features

Reviews (159)

Great story, good game
This is a good game, but a few warnings:

1) The story is great but I built it up in my head a little too much after reading the reviews.It is well-written, and written with the end in mind.Unlike most games which are kind of written as they go, things will make MORE sense as the game goes on until everything does at the end.Minor complaint:There were a few things that were either continuity issues, or just explained poorly IMO.Mainly to do with what order things were done by past incarnations and when they lived.Major complaint:Without giving away too much, suffice to say that there are a few characters you meet in the first half of the game who have much more information about you than they let on initially, and EVEN after you become aware of this you will NOT get dialog choices to follow this line of questioning much further.People who would know what you did, where you went, why you did it, and you can't ask.That's just dumb and really took me out of the game, I set it aside for a few days and almost didn't finish it.I would have much preferred it if meeting such people was a difficult side-quest with a big payoff in terms of story, instead of just being there but you can't use them.

2) The game is LINEAR, it's really more of an interactive novel than anything.Your main form of interaction with the game is choosing dialogue.While the dialogue choices are generally diverse and this is a fun part of the game, it didn't make seem to make much impact on the game.Your choices affect your alignment, but as far as I could tell your alignment makes a superficial effect on the game at best, and NO difference in the ending.So it's not that big a deal.Also I suspect most people will end up being "neutral good" (and I think the game encourages that alignment), so what's the big deal.Compare this to a game like Fallout, where decisions you make are constantly affecting the ending in subtle ways and how people respond to you later in the game.

The other thing to consider is that your main quest in the game is figure out how to die.It can be hard to get into character when your goal is so weird.Personally I was far more interested in figure out WHO I was in my first life and WHY I was immortal and made the choices I did.You can't really pursue this goal by itself however.Without giving away spoilers, suffice to say by the end of the game, this is all covered at a high level, but not near what I was looking for.For me the whole payoff of the game was the story, so I was hoping for a little more meat than that and some concrete examples would have made the ending easier to accept.

3) Other than the story, the game is pretty bland.I HATED Baldur's Gate and the D&D combat system, which is basically just 1) attack 2) use healing potion/spell 3) use your best spells 4) repeat.1000 battles later, it's not fun anymore, just a nuisance.Torment uses the same battle system but more like maybe 300-400 battles, so not as bad, but still not fun.Spell effects are cool but freeze the game and take FOREVER which can be frustrating if you're playing as a mage and are playing the same battle over after dying a few times.

Overall I really enjoyed the game, but more for the story it told than the game itself.Playing the game will get you into the character and make the story more meaningful, but will also be frustrating since your actions are so limited.Overall my complaints were over implementation, this was a darn good game that could have been one of the best ever.

FUI
Thought people might like to know that this game was made for Windows 95/98 BUT plays even better on XP!It requires DirectX 6 but recognized I had DirectX 9.1 already installed.I have a 2.5 mgh processor, Pen IV, Radeon 9700 Pro video card.

Get this RPG if you love having an involving, dramatic story told to you while you play.

I miss Black Isle Studios...*sigh*

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4
Planescape: Torment is a rarity among computer and video games.Rather than focusing on combat, the game is largely centered on roleplaying.I suspect that many people reading this review have played the Baldur's Gate and/or Knights of the Old Republic games.I did too, several times, before playing Torment.As such, I'll gear my review to this audience.

If you're looking for white-knuckled battles and powerful magic items, don't bother.That's not the point of Torment.The RPGs you've already played will sate your cravings.On the other hand, if you want an interactive graphic novel, you'll love this game.

The story is the centerpiece, and it's all to do with The Nameless One--your character.The game is a journey of discovery as Nameless slowly learns what he is.I never found an excitingly powerful weapon or suit of armor; I only found three fights in the entire game to be somewhat memorable--and even then, only because of who they were against, not because they required any great strategy.Yet I was consumed by the story.Without giving too much away, I can say that Nameless is caught between life and death, never truly experiencing either.Each dialog presents you with a variety of moral choices, making this a great game for pure roleplaying.On the downside, character creation is pretty inflexible.You set Nameless' stats, but everything else about him is predetermined.The story kind of requires it.

Fortunately, the story is a very well-written one, and the dialogue is sharp and clever.The graphics are 2D sprite-based, not 3D, so some players may feel as if they've been thrown back into the age of Super Nintendo--but not to worry.The environments are lush and deeply detailed, the characters are well-illustrated, and animations (such as spell effects) are interesting to watch even now.The user interface is rather clumsy and irritating, but the game is so dialogue-heavy that the UI isn't your primary concern.The sound and music are adequate--no more, no less.Given the copious amount of dialogue, it's a shame Black Isle didn't see fit to record more voice acting.Fans of Fallout, Baldur's Gate, and Knights of the Old Republic will recognize a few voices--and, I suspect, wish for more audio to properly convey these characters' emotions.

It is a small cast.In all, seven characters can join Nameless in his trek (as opposed to the 25 of Baldur's Gate).However, each character has his or her own unique set of sprites and animations, special items and talents, and backstory.KotOR fans are already familiar with a cast who have all been affected by the player character in some way--in that respect, this game is much the same.

To be completely honest, I think the concept of Planescape: Torment is better suited to a novel than a game.There is a novel, in fact, but the reviews are unimpressive.So play the game!

(Oh, and one more thing--crank Nameless' Intelligence way the hell up.Trust me.) ... Read more

Asin: B00002EPZ2
Subjects:  1. Fantasy (FRPG)    2. Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (AD&D)    3. Computer Role Playing Games (Game, rpgs, rpg, crpg, crpgs)