PC Gamer Magazine Lookback Part 1: Issue No. 4 March 1995

Ah, 1995. Microsoft were in the process of unveiling a brand new games-friendly operating system, the Playstation was beginning to trounce all other gaming machines and PC magazines came in two flavours: CD-Rom and Floppy disc versions.

PC Gamer was always my favourite and at the time these discs were very important. Unbelievably, many computers were still not connected to the internet, so the plethora of playable demos that adorned each issue's CD were of huge interest.

But what of the mag itself? Written by a clutch of experienced late 20's to 30-somethings, many who had cut their teeth on 8-bit magazines from the previous decade, the content was cheerful yet professional, varied and colourful. And most importantly, there were no dry features on the copious technical aspects of owning a PC - like Crash magazine 10 years earlier, this was unashamedly all about the games.

This is the CD-rom edition from March 1995.

On the cover is flight sim Flight Unlimited, Looking Glass' excellent rival to Microsoft's Flight Simulator.
Interestingly, PC Gamer gave the game two scores: 81% if you play the game on a bog-standard 486 which "runs like a tortoise on caffeine" to 93% if you own one of those "plush pentiums".

Also touted on the cover is an 8-page report on an American PC gaming exhibition called the Consumer Electronics Show - or CES for short. Any excuse to get to Las Vegas...

As you can see, there's a wide variety on the cover disc with demos of classic Lucasarts adventure Full Throttle, Id's Heretic, Mortal Kombat II and Kick Off 3, as well as a range of shareware games and extra levels.

Tir Na Nog was a famous 8-bit game from Gargoyle. With the help of Liverpool's Psygnosis, a remake was heavily previewed in this issue with input from Gargoyle's Greg Follis. The few screenshots on display provide a view of what looked like an interesting game, with an odd design seemingly based on the original, but with more point and click elements. Sadly, it wasn't to be and the project was abandoned early into development.
On the next page was a preview of a game from another old developer, Digital Integration. Unlike Tir Na Nog, however, Apache did see release.

Into PC Gamer's coverage of CES now as "where are they now" candidates Tia Carrere (Wayne's World) and Christian Bocher (Melrose Place) star in Virgin's cd-rom sci-fi extravaganza The Daedelus Encounter. Spread over 3 discs, PC Gamer are guardedly optimistic on the game, despite already nurturing a healthy disregard for FMV-laden efforts.

On this page the PCG boys highlight their favourite games of the previous two months. There's a nice breath of genres here: the destructive NASCAR Racing rubs shoulders with Westwood's RPG The Legend of Kyrandia 3, survival horror Alone in the Dark 3 and a brace of Sci-fi adventures in Wing Commander III and X-Wing Collector's CD.

Into the reviews section now and here's PCG's withering account of CDRom game Cyberia, another much hyped FMV-style game with pre-rendered backgrounds that played like a dog.

As I mentioned earlier, the PCG crew were already tiring of these sort of games and sci-fi adventure Cyberia did nothing to change their opinion of the genre.

Quotes include: "A worthless extension of Dragon's Lair"; "The backgrounds are by and large bland"; "Is it real or is it a game asks the advertisement. I hadn't noticed it was either."

Industry verteran Gary Penn gave Cyberia a poor 34%.

On the next page we have the review of Gametek's Hell. Incidentally, I've always loved the way PC Gamer gave one word titles to their reviews - although it has led me to get confused as to the name of the reviewed game on occasion!

Here they use the word "Soulless" to perfectly sum up a rather boring and empty game that secured a then-rare 18 rating thanks to half a second of bare skin.

Gary Penn was the "lucky" reviewer once more. I'll leave you with his amusing parting paragraph: "Those with anything approaching a life and in search of an entertaining diversion in the form of a strong story or even - gasp - unusual interaction should try something more stimulating, like counting out a million grains of salt." Miaow!

On a related note, Penn's fellow veteran Phil South wrote the adventurers journal column for PC gamer back then, and he rails in a similar fashion against the common FMV and prerendered games of the time that limited interaction so much that the player almost became a spectator in some grainy DTV endurance test.

He praises the freedom of movement of the FPS genre (in particular Doom and also the third-person Ecstatica) as a means by which the adventure and RPG genres can possibly expand into, skipping games akin to those above.

Finally a good game!

This is PCG's review of the outstanding Descent. Another sci-fi themed game, this shooter gave absolute freedom of movement, causing many players to get disorientated as you piloted your vehicle through the complex areas.

As it's still the mid-nineties, the internet has still not assumed the gargantuan presence we take for granted today.

This is shown more than anything by the "Diagnostics" section of this issue. In other words, tips.

Today you just look on IGN or one of the other exhaustive gaming websites for clues on how to beat games. Back in those days, the tips pages were God!

This is an advert for the largely unknown Operation Body Count, from US Gold and Capstone. Despite boasting many interesting features (controllable allies, destructible environments), the game reviewed poorly, mainly thanks to using the Wolfenstein engine, a year after Doom had blasted into everyone's consciousness. As a result, journalists were less than kind to its dated visuals despite the new features and the game was largely considered one of the worst first person shooters around at the time.

In an age of FPS ubiquity, at least Capstone tried to do something a bit different!

Finally for this issue, the regular subscription offer which, as befits the time, is staged into cd-rom and floppy disc. There's some pretty decent games too with Warcraft, Alone in the Dark 2, Dawn Patrol and Cannon Fodder 2 all available for nowt should you decide to subscribe to PC Gamer...

That's it for this issue, I'll be back with the highlights from another issue of PC Gamer soon.

Realms of the Haunting Article Extra: Interview with Sascha Kimmel

Realms of the Haunting was a 1996 game from Gremlin Interactive.  A mix of survival horror, FPS and point and click, it was an innovative effort at widening the shooter genre and a highly influential title.

You play the hero, Adam Randall

I interviewed Gremlin producer Paul Green for the article in this month's Retro Gamer magazine; it appears as one quarter of a feature dedicated to four spooky games called Tales from the Retro Crypt. In the course of researching the game, I found this excellent tribute website run by a guy named Sascha Kimmel.  I interviewed him with the aim to getting his valued opinions on Realms of the Haunting into the article but sadly there wasn't room, so here's the interview in its entireity.  Check out Sascha's unofficial ROTH page by clicking here.

ROTH's title screen was very reminiscent of the film The Thing

Hi Sascha.  Can you start by telling me how you got into games and Realms of the Haunting.
I got my first computer - which was a C64-II - in 1988 with a datasette! It wasn't only a gaming machine for me so I started programming in BASIC and created some small programs which due to the lack of the internet were used by a huge amount of users - myself! I actually used the C64 until 1996 when I purchased my first PC which was a Gateway PC with a Pentium 166 processor and a 3.8 GB hard drive - and I was asked what I needed the 3.6 gigabytes for! The first two games I played on the PC were Tomb Raider and Realms Of The Haunting - two very different kinds of games although they also have some things in common as well.

Nothing spookier than spooky eyes!

What do you admire so much about ROTH that inspired you to create the website?
I have never seen a game like ROTH since it has been released way back in 1996. The dense atmosphere and the thrilling storyline in combination with the adventure and shooter elements are unmatched. Numerous similar games have been released since 1996, but I so far couldn't find any new game like it. Nowadays you either find shooters in this genre or point-and-click adventures (which I do like by the way), but a combination of both tied together with the epic story is nowhere to be found.
 
I created the website as an homage to the game and also as a way to help and support other fans of the game and keep it alive - and a very small hope of a sequel.




Why do you think the game has such enduring appeal?
Despite the graphics (which look even worse on today's large screens) I regard the atmosphere as the most important part of the game - something I have only experienced with the relatively new (from a retro point of view that is) point-and-click adventure game "Scratches". Although there are some splatter and gore elements in ROTH it doesn't focus on portraying gruesome scenes. Unless you have played the game very often you don't know what to expect next so you're in a constant mode of fear - a fear of the unknown. In contrast to other games of that time that have used FMVs the game itself isn't just a way of clicking somewhere to see the next video (like the Phantasmagoria franchise in my opinion) - the adventure and shooter parts are really interwoven which I find really fascinating.

And of course it's also a classic "haunted house" storyline.

What do you think marks out Realms of the Haunting from other games of its time?
At that time many adventure games started using FMVs to tell the story and were rather interactive movies than pure adventure games. ROTH combined both elements perfectly so the videos gave you more info you needed to achieve progress in the game. The shooter elements were also integrated into the game and didn't feel as if they were just added to attract that potential audience as well.

Do you think it has any weakpoints?
The main problem I see is that the game doesn't have any cheats. There are some parts of the game that can drive you mad because they make the game hard to solve - these are mostly shooter elements. I believe that the reason that ROTH hasn't become as popular despite its high ratings at that time is in fact the combination of adventure game and shooter elements because I think that these are mostly two distinct audiences it tried to attract at that time - despite people like me who really enjoyed the combination of both.

Do you generally like this type of atmospheric game?
Yes, but I haven't found any other game that combines the adventure and shooter genres as ROTH has done so I mostly stick with point-and-click adventures nowadays.
 

One of the cool weapons, The Staff

If so, which others?
In general most of the games I play are point-and-click adventure games but also the TOMB RAIDER series. Sometimes I also enjoy some shooters but I generally prefer point-and-click adventures with a mysterious story like the Black Mirror series, Overclocked, Reprobates, Scratches, Moment Of Silence, the Secret Files series and similar games. I also enjoy games like Penumbra, Dark Fall, The Art Of Murder, Still Life and Delaware St. John. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the Delaware St. John series despite the outdated graphics and controls. As I said before the atmosphere is the most important part of the game for me because with a great atmosphere you're not playing a game - you're in the game.

How do you see Realms of the Haunting's position in gaming history?
I think it's been undervalued because it hasn't found as many buyers as it deserved although it got really high ratings. I regard ROTH as a game that's incomparable to any other game because of the mix of genres, the combination of adventure and shooter elements.

Thanks very much to Sascha for sparing the time.  Please check out his excellent Realms of the Haunting website.

From The Archives: Digital Integration Article Extras Part 2

This month's Retro Gamer features my From The Archives piece on legendary publisher and developer Digital Integration.  Dave Marshall had a box-full of material that I photographed when I interviewed him at his house, 90% of which didn't make it into the final article.  So here is the second batch.  I hope to find the time to also publish the full interviews of the DI employees I spoke to for the article.

Issue 108 of Retro Gamer is still available in shops or from the Imagine shop, click here

A press release for the Action 16 game Falcon.  Action 16 was a sub label DI used for 3rd party games, in this case a game from their great rivals, Spectrum Holobyte.

From Dave's scrapbook:  a chart from Computer Answers showing Fighter Pilot holding off such luminaries as "Atic Attack" and Manic Miner

And this one from The Daily Mirror with only the legendary Jet Set Willy keeping Fighter Pilot off the top spot

After their initial success, Dave and Rod contacted their local paper with pleasing results

A prestigious Designer of the Month piece which wrongly attributes Death Chase to Dave in addition to Fighter Pilot

Another Daily Mirror chart in league with Computer and Video Games.

Like many 80's software houses, competitions were the order of the day.  The prize in the Tomahawk competition was predictably a ride in a helicopter;  Noel Edmonds' helicopter to be precise.

DI's publicist insisted they publish their own newsletter.  This is the second, containing an interview with Suzuki biker Paul "Angry Ant" Lewis to tie in with TT Racer.

Distributor Micro Dealer's chart was closely monitored by the whole industry.  Fighter Pilot sits proudly at number one.

As this flier shows, the original title for TT Racer was the somewhat less snappier TT Grand Prix.

Tomahawk was astoundingly popular on Amstrad's business machine the PCW8256.  "It was two colours, green and dark green" joked Dave when he discovered this pic.  The success of the game led DI to realise that the PC could be a viable platform for their flight sims.

A brace of pics containing a Tornado and the team that made the game come alive.  From left to right:  Kevin Bezant, Dave Marshall, Matt Smith, Nick Mascall, Tony Hosier and Robin Heydon

Rod Swift at a very early ZX Microfair.  DI are showing off the ZX81 version of Night Gunner along with its expansion pack.  The artwork above Rod was designed by his brother, Tim.

 

Jdanddiet's Top 100 Games 2012 Part Eight: The Top Ten

The fantastic Laser Squad

So here's my top ten for 2012 - with a new entry at number 1!  But first...


10.Laser Squad (Spectrum) (down 2)
Julian Gollop's amazing strategy title is still an intense and challenging tactical combat game.  Think it's easy?  Well, maybe it is a piece of piss to assassinate ol' Sterner Regnix - but try taking on the Cyber Hordes and see how you get on trooper.

9.Academy (Spectrum) (up 2)
Pete Cooke's fantastic space shooter saw a bit of action last year thanks to my article on CRL;  I've carried on playing it into 2012 and still spend ages just tinkering with the skimmer's interface.  Shame Pete has not surfaced - if you're reading this Mr. Cooke, thanks for one of the greatest Speccy games ever!

8.Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday (Megadrive) (up 4)
Admittedly my experience of Megadrive RPGs is far from extensive (a dash of Phantasy Star, a dot of D&D), yet BR:CTD has always captivated me thanks to its smart graphics, compulsive battles and oddly ethereal music.

The Plasma Cutter, the best Dead Space weapon by miles!

7.Dead Space (Xbox 360) (up 13)
Isaac's original encounter on the Ishimura rises 13 this year and remains the highest placed 360 game.  Less frenetic than the sequel, the sense of encroaching doom is palpable, the gameplay is as smooth and nicely balanced as its taciturn protagonist makes his way through the cursed ship.



6.Half-Life 2 (PC) (down 4)
The Half Life games have lost their lustre somewhat for me;  maybe it's the mass of FPS on the 360 that has diluted the classics of the genre.  Or maybe they're just beginning to play a bit clunkily.  In any case, HL2 does enough to comfortably remain in the top ten, although its position is far from secure.  Better hold on to that crowbar, Gordon.

5.Command & Conquer:  Red Alert (PC) (no move)
Standing by, Commander.


4.Resident Evil REmake (Gamecube) (up 2)
I'm still amazed by this game; the graphics are lovely, but the real treat is the effort that has gone into adding extra rooms and gameplay elements.  A real treat for any Resi fan.

Gulp!  Taking on a Dragon in Baldur's Gate 2

3.Baldur's Gate 2 (PC) (up 1)
Bioware's excellent game is still a wonderful example of a story-driven RPG.  As much as I loved the original, the sequel's loosening up of D&D rules and thrilling plot always trumps it for me.  Plus, when I played the original it came on 5 cds!  Disc-swapping hijinks!

2.Streets of Rage 2 (Megadrive) (up 1)
SOR2 replaces Half Life 2 at number 2....not the biggest beneficiary of my recent Megadrive gaming run, but it doesn't have as far to go as the others!  SOR2 remains a scrolling brawler of high pedigree thanks its damn near violent perfection.

And the number one for 2012 is...

1.Resident Evil 4 (Wii) (new entry - sort of)

OK, I've cheated a bit, it's not really a new number 1.  The Wii version of the-already-brilliant Resident Evil 4 is essentially the same game - with new controls.  But as any game player will tell you, controls can make or ruin a game and fortunately the Wii makes good use of both its remote and nunchuck, turning Resi 4 into an even more exciting and spooky adventure.

So that's it for 2012.  Thanks for visiting my little corner of the internet.  The fun begins now for Jdanddiet's top 100 games 2013.

Until then, stay safe and keep gaming...

Jdanddiet's Top 100 Games 2012 Part Seven: 30-11

Classy shooter Ranger X

30.Ranger X (Megadrive) (up 26)
I think I underrated this game in my list last year, hence a hefty rise in 2012.  I've had another go recently and it really is a polished little shooter.

29.Crysis 2 (Xbox 360) (New Entry)
Many decried its bland stereotypical war-torn city;  personally I found the game tough to get into (for a FPS) but once I got hang of all the upgrades and stealth options, had a blast. The way you could choose different methods to approach each scene really appealed to me.


28.Flashback (Megadrive) (down 18)
Flashback is a great platformer in the mould of Prince of Persia, but the cranky gameplay is starting to creak a bit.  Maybe it's because of that annoying section on the alien planet...

27.Desert Strike (Megadrive) (up 8)
Mike Posehn's classic shooter remains one of my favourite games on the Megadrive and one I'm still happy to play through.  The controversial (for the time) helicopter movement suits it perfectly and kudos should go to Mike for insisting on it.


26.Metal Gear Solid (Playstation) (down 9)
Snake slips a few positions.  He ain't looking as good as he used to.


25.Jet Pac (Spectrum) (New Entry)
Oh how did I miss this one last year!  The XBLA remake reignited my love of Jetpac, and as good as it was, it misses out whilst the original (also included when you bought the XBLA game) shoots into the chart at number 25.

The Great Escape

24.The Great Escape (Spectrum) (down 5)
The Spectrum's limiting colour pallette suited it perfectly;  it's open world structure was rarely seen in those days and the atmosphere was superb.

23.Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360) (New Entry)
As much as I loved the original, it's breadth of options and upgrades left you feeling exceedingly overwhelmed.  ME2 simplified all that and concentrated on an intriguing plot and quite stunning opening scene.  A modern day classic.


22.Jedi Knight: Outcast (PC) (up 6)
Still my favourite of all Star Wars games...except for one.

21.PGA European Tour Golf (Megadrive) (up 38)
A massive rise for this immensely playable Megadrive sports game.  I bought it from a Crack Converters recently and discovered all over again how wonderful it is.

20.Bombjack (Spectrum) (down 6)
Like Flying Shark, it's a bit much to suggest it could be better than the arcade original, but it's still pretty damn perfect.  The terrible C64 version is another reason to have Bombjack flying the flag for the Spectrum in the top 20.

19.Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth (Xbox) (up 38)
I completed this amazing game last year and have since played it a couple of more times.  Boasting an extremely tense and odd atmosphere, some compelling (and difficult) gameplay, the stealth elements and lack of, well, action, deterred many.  Me, I think it's a classic.


18.Unreal Tournament (PC) (up 40)

Unfriendly locals in Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth

The original and still the best imo.  The thrill of m-m-m-m-m-monster kills never dies.

17.Match Day 2 (Spectrum) (down 8)
Jon Ritman and Bernie Drummond's Speccy football masterpiece slips a few this year as it begins to tarnish slightly in the face of superior competition.  I still give it a whirl every now and then.

 16.Duke Nukem 3D (PC) (up 11)
I bought this 3D Realms FPS on XBLA recently so have been enjoying it all over again!  Inventive, funny and action-packed, I've always preferred it (certainly in single player) to Quake.

15.Chaos (Spectrum) (up 8)
Another Spectrum game that just never seems to lose its patina.  Neverending variations of spells and an excellent multiplayer game.

The Joker was masterfully voice-acted by Mark Hamill

14.Batman: Arkham Ayslum (Xbox 360) (New Entry)
I completed Batman: AA about a month ago.  At last, fans of the Dark Knight, the coolest comic book hero ever, had a video game to really do him justice.  It took me some time to get used to all the various controls (like most modern games) but it's testament to the thought that has gone into Arkham Asylum that it soon becomes second nature.  A modern classic of gaming and storytelling.

13.Star Wars Battlefront (PC) (up 3)
Battlefront hangs on in there and even manages a slight rise.  It's still huge fun and the abundance of fan maps means you're likely to be entertained for a long time.  With the threat of more 360 games looming, however, it's position could begin to look shaky next year...

12.Tenchu: Stealth Assassins (Playstation) (down 4)
Tenchu is a hard game to like;  awkward controls, dodgy camera float, terrible dialogue.  Yet it still manages to create an eerie, deadly atmosphere that captures me every time I play it.
 
11.Jungle Strike (Megadrive) (up 7)
Less nostalgic than its predecessor, but superior in every other way.  Multiple vehicles, more varied missions, hugely different objectives and locations.  A shooter marvel.

Jdanddiet's Top 100 Games 2012 Part Six: 50-31

50.Warcraft (PC-DOS) (up 4)
Yes?  Yes?  My Lord?  The humans are approaching! Oh jeez, I love Warcraft.  It's so...corny, yet fun.  Whether directing little human soldiers to their doom or working orc peons to the bone cutting down trees and mining gold, it's a game I can't resist spending a few hours with every time I play it.  A recent interview with one of its creators has rekindled my love of Warcraft once more and seen the game gently rise up the chart.

Taking on Medusa in Myth: History in the Making

49.Myth: History in the Making (Spectrum) (up 37)
Bar a forthcoming new entry, Myth is the highest Speccy riser in this year's chart, pipping Cobra by 8.  I've recently completed not only the Spectrum but also the C64 version for another article and actually thoroughly enjoyed both, despite their differences.  I couldn't however, bring myself to put a Commodore 64 game on this list.  Sorry!


48.Flying Shark (Spectrum) (down 5)
OK, it's not as good as the arcade version, but Speccy Flying Shark is still a pretty damned good shooter.

Jim Bagley's colourful Midnight Resistance

47.Midnight Resistance (Spectrum) (down 18)
A brilliant late-era run and gunner for the Spectrum;  yet its lovely graphics and some thrilling gameplay can't stop it slipping 18 places. 

46.Tracksuit Manager (Spectrum) (down 8)
Time has not been kind to this classic football management game;  even the earlier iterations of Championship Manager blow it out of the water.  I'm surprised it hasn't dropped more than 8 places.  (What are you talking about?  You wrote the damn list! - ED)

45.Micro Machines (Megadrive) (no move)
Codies super little racer manages to cling on to 45th place.

Use the Force!

44.Star Wars (Arcade) (down 20)
I fear this game is destined to slip down the chart;  let's be honest, I'm not likely any time soon to replicate that wonderful feeling you got sitting in that cab in an arcade...

43.Fifa 95 (Megadrive) (down 2)
Still one of my favourite footie games thanks to its simplicity.

 42.Revenge of Shinobi (Megadrive) (up 6)
This year's Megadrive resurgence continues with the fantastic Revenge of Shinobi.  Tough as old nails, yet always fair, it's a top game, although I don't think I should be letting my son play it.  (No mate, you stab that guy with your sword.  Well done, that's my boy!)

41.Die Hard Trilogy (Playstation) (up 8)
I was never a huge investor of the Playstation and only a small selection of games ever saw action in the Jdanddiet household.  A lot of that was probably due to the fact I played an awful lot of this, which boasted not one, not two, but three great games for your money.  Ho-ho-ho indeed.
 

Tron Deadly Discs: Oh no! It's the Recognizer!

40.Tron:Deadly Discs (Intellivision) (down 15)
My favourite Intellivision game slips this year as I've not had time to play it for quite a while.
 
39.Rebelstar (Spectrum) (down 7)
This Julian Gollop classic strategy game really came into its own with the two player option which was guaranteed to invoke a fascinating cat and mouse chase through the deviously-designed Moonbase.
 
38.Deathchase (Spectrum) (down 1)
Down 1?!  The bestest, quickest, wonderfulest Speccy game ever?  Alright, I'm still a bit sore Mervyn wouldn't let me interview him - but if he ever changes his mind, watch this one shoot up!

37.Rebelstar 2 (Spectrum) (down 15)
Rebelstar's sequel expands on the original by introducing a time limit and some nasty aliens, as well as a more convoluted task to perform (steal alien eggs and escape, rather than just destroy the computer).  It can be a bit frustrating however, so this and new entries see it drop 15 places this year.

36.Resident Evil: Director's Cut (Playstation) (down 15)
...As does this Playstation survival horror.  Essentially my "killer-app" for the PS, I happened upon the Director's Cut edition back in 1997 so here it is.  Boy, a lot of PS games look really nasty on an LCD TV!

35.Strider (Megadrive) (up 7)
Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-haaaaaaaa! (Son, give me the controller, your Mum's home)
 
34.Chuckie Egg (Spectrum) (down 21)
Nigel Alderton's superbly playable platformer is one Spectrum game that never seems to age.  I think I've been a bit harsh knocking down 21 places, but hey-ho...


33.Bubble Bobble (Arcade) (down 18)
Now this is one game that I never thought I'd like as cutesy platformers really aren't my thing.  Ever since endlessly playing a five level Spectrum demo (I think it came with the first issue of ACE magazine) it's been a fave, although as good as the Spectrum version is, the Arcade machine is the best.
 

Negotiating killer rabbits in Braid

32.Braid (XBLA) (New Entry)
Huzzah!  A new entry!  The only XBLA game on this list (I still get hot flushes at the thought of downloading games), it was one of my first purchases upon getting a 360 and I still tinker with the levels today, despite having completed it almost a year ago.  A lovely, quaint game that is also maddeningly devious in places.

31.Cybernoid (Spectrum) (up 22)
A recent article on Cybernoid in Retro Gamer magazine rekindled my love of Raf Cecco's classic.  An arcade game on your Speccy?  Erm, no, but it was pretty damn close!

Star Wars Videogames Special Part 2

The Phantom Menace was a rubbish title, and the film wasn't much better. Once this bandwagon got running, however, the Star Wars games came thick and fast and the Lucasarts assault on the gaming market hasn't really lessened much since. I went from a Star Wars IP starvation diet to the threat of death by gluttony. It was clear one had to be picky from now.

I still had an original Playstation but in addition to Dark Forces, the only other Star Wars game I played on it was Jedi Power Battles which was one of the many games released to tie in with the first prequel. It was quite a fun little caper, with some cool lightsabre moves, but a mere taster compared to the sumptuous meal of Jedi Knight which had gone before it.

However by 1998 the Playstation was starting to look increasingly dated and in any case I had a brand spanking new pentium PC which I soon modified with more RAM and a 3D graphics card that I won from PC Gamer magazine for writing a particularly witty letter. An early game I sampled was Tie Fighter, which by now had a budget all-inclusive re-release. It was pretty cool, and better than X-Wing from what I heard, but for one reason or another I never got round to playing any of the follow up space battle games.

So next up was the brilliant Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast. Still playing as Katarn, Lucasarts took notice of the lightsabre criticsm of the first game and hugely ramped up the sabre battles with all sorts of smart moves. Force powers were much improved as well making Outcast a pure delight from start to finish. If you don't like this game, you don't really like Star Wars.

Skipping over the Age of Empires-inspired Galactic Battlegrounds which never appealed to me thanks to its tinsy-winsy looking AT-AT's and the flawed Force Commander, I kept on the PC FPS trail with Jedi Academy. This game got mediocre scores in the PC gaming press (70% from PC Gamer if I recall correctly, a far cry from the glowing reviews for Outcast), but I still hugely enjoyed it and found it quite refreshing to be playing a new character rather than miserable old Katarn again. If you like Jedi Knight, you'll get something out of it for sure.

Also on my PC I played the multiplayer games Battlefront and Battlefront 2. These gave you the opportunity to go online (or on your own if you prefer, with and against bots) and slug it out within some of the most famous locations in the Star Wars universe. Like Academy, it also got luke-warm reviews, but it appealed so much to me that I bought them anyway. What's not to like about jumping into snowspeeder and plunging headlong towards advancing AT-AT's on the snowbound planet of Hoth? OK, it was a tad limited, and despite the prescence of "historical" and "galactic conquest" modes, there's no storyline to speak of, but with a huge variety in weapons, soldiers and vehicles, Battlefront is great. I downloaded loads of maps as well from the internet, giving it even further hours of play. Battlefront 2 expanded on the original with Jedi Heroes (and Sith Villains) plus a few more locations, chiefly lifted from the final film, Revenge of the Sith. It was more of the same, but if ain't broke...

So what came next? Well not a lot actually. I briefly dallied with Bounty Hunter when I finally acquired a Gamecube a couple of years ago, and its enjoyable enough, if a little flawed. The Rogue Squadron games appear wonderful to start off with, but achingly poor level design and those dreadful on-foot levels ruined them for me, especially as the Battlefront games had already done it bigger and better (in my personal timeline).
Knights of the Old Republic I tried, really tried, to get into, but just couldn't, finding the game too slow and clunky after the pure shooting simplicity of Battlefront. I bought its sequel, Sith Lords edition, recently for the XBOX so will give it another go I guess. Over on the PS2, the Lego Star Wars games are good fun, and I played a fair way through the Original Trilogy version, but found the stud-collecting a bit of a chore. Also for the PS2 I have Force Unleashed to play which received mixed reviews so I will approach that with no little trepadation. I think I've got an Episode III game somewhere as well as Republic Commando for the XBOX which I really should play as admittedly it does look good. With no home PC to command, the well-liked Empire at War RTS game is unlikely to get a play any time soon.

So retro-speaking, what have I missed out on? There were games such as Jedi Arena and Empire Strikes Back as long ago as the early 80's on the Atari 2600. They hold little appeal these days however, and neither do the various Spectrum incarnations. The Nintendo "Super" Star Wars games are essentially super-tough platformers - again this does not appeal and I presume Rogue Squadron on the N64 is merely a cruder version of the Gamecube iterations.

I hope I'm wrong - but I fear the golden period for myself and Star Wars games - the late 90's / early noughties has passed.

NB: I've recently tried Force Unleashed. Not particularly impressed so far!