Amazon.com Review

Challenging gamers to create one of the greatest empires in history, the third installment of the Caesar city building series proves once again that sometimes it's more fun to build a better past than a better future.

You can open Caesar III's City Construction Kit and build a Roman city to your specification, or choose the Career Mode and face challenges assigned to you by Caesar himself. With success comes promotion and wealth, but failure will make you a feature on the lions' lunch menu. Increasing the game's lifespan is a particularly nice touch allowing you to choose either "peaceful" or "dangerous" assignments to match your mood or preferred play style.

As you build colonies on the roads that lead to Rome you must encourage immigration and keep citizens happy. More than just bread and circuses, you balance trade, industry, city planning and deity worship, all while keeping in Caesar's good graces and fending off barbarian hordes. A plethora of animated visual cues show your success, as plebians and patricians noisily bustle about in a rich and lively recreation of Roman times. The tutorial levels might be a little simple, but the solid manual and fantastic in-game help should keep aspiring megalomaniacs crying"vene, vidi, vici" for hours on end. --Jack Gardiner ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Caeser 3 is Awesome!
I think this game is the most fun game that I have ever played.
I suggest that you try playing this game, and if you enjoy it, buy it! I am going to buy this game immediatly. Thank you Amazon.com, this game is great!

This is my most favorite computer game ever!
This is a really fun game! I got it because I like Ancient civilizations and I thought that it would be fun to play a game based on Ancient Rome. I was not disappointed! I even learned about some gods I hadn't know of before, and the game was fun toboot. It starts out on something of a tutorial, were you are the governor of a city and to be promoted to a better city, you have to meet certain requirements, such as prosperity and peace ratings. Sometimes you are required to give Caesar an urgent shipment of olive oil or wine, and if you don't, he gets mad at you. The graphics for this game are fun and pretty good quality. The only problem with this game is that level 8 is almost impossible to pass, so I have never made it to the end of this game. But it is fun just to play anyway. All and all, I would recommend this game to anyone.

Do it entirely yourself.
The sim people here are as stupid as sim people everywhere and they'll complain no matter what you do.I find it best to set up a province myself and not play one of the pre-designed settings because they just don't seem to go as well. One of the coolest aspects of the game is the wolves -- I've done so well in cities before that I'll connect the mainland to other areas which has wolves and just watch the wolves attack.Its pretty funny and the little skeletons are cute.But human enemies attacking can be serious so be prepared!

the caesar 3 world
when playing caesar 3 you jump in to the life less gamewhich was areal eror in time. but when playing you forget about the world around youand lose track of what you are doing . i really wold give it * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * *

singned you fellow alian
hugamuga slauloseaterianmoogookoobookooloogoo
p.s do not disterb

All Roads Lead to Rome
This is a wonderful game. It is a ton of fun and you can set the level of difficulty. I only played the demo, so there must be even better stuff in the game. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Play nine word games against the computer or challenge up to four friends on the same machine or over the Internet. Games include: Anagrams, Crosswords, Double Cross, Enigma, Hangman, Speedy Racer, Word Searches, Word Yacht, and Wordox, plus three board games and three card games. Create your own character with Facemaker, and then challenge a cast of 10 characters, including a dinosaur, and an alien. Rules, hints, and tips are available; players can choose the music, background, and skill level. The CD-ROM contains definitions from Webster's New World College Dictionary. Hoyle rule book and strategy guide is included, along with Dell Crossword's crossword puzzles ... Read more

Reviews (6)

dealing with a fixed deck
I think the title is applicable to most of Hoyle's games (card games or not).I have noticed in some of the games that when there is more than one computer player, they gang up on you.In some of the other multiplayer games you immediately start behind. The game feels like it's rigged to keep you losing in an attempt to keep you playing.They are applying casino logic to a word game.With all this said, I still highly recommend the game for those of you (like me) who really enjoy these types of games.

disappointed
YOU ADVERTISE 10 CHARACTERS ON THE GAME DOUBLECROSS
BUT THERE ARE NOT. YOU ADVERTISE A DOG AND AN
DINOSAUR ON THE GAME. I HAVE AN IDEA WHY NOT
ACTUALLY MAKE THE DOUBLECROSS GAME WITH ALL THE
CHARACTERS YOU ADVERTISE. THE GAME IS A LOT OF FUN.
I LIKE THE FACT THAT THE CHARACTERS TALK. I WOULD
ENJOY IT MORE IF ALL THE CHARACTERS YOU ADVERTISE
WERE ON THE GAME.

Love it!
This game is loads of fun, especially the Word Yacht game.Almost everyone in my family rushes to the computer to play one another when we get together at my parents' house.It's totally addictive!

Fabulous fun!
This is a super CD for people addicted to word games.WORD YACHT is my favorite; it's a word version of Yahtzee, and is great fun. I love the way you can bump up the level of play from beginniner-to-expert.Although the games have a set up of four players, I remove two soo that my opponent is but one.Great software!

Even Better Than Its Predecessor
Hoyle Word Games 2001 has added a new game to its collection--Wordox.This is an exciting game similar to DoubleCross.There are four players in the game.The object of the game is to place your word on the board and outwit your opponent before the timer stops.What's especially fun about this game is that you can steal your opponent's entire word instead of a few measley letters.Or, you can place a letter on a pink tile and clear the board.Wordox is quite a challenge.

Hangman, Enigma, Anagrams, and Speedy Racer are the same.In DoubleCross, you play with three other characters.At first, I thought, "Ugh!Why did they have to change this?"Then I started playing and found myself totally addicted.I play this game more than the others.There are still the mystery squares, the bombs in the corners, and points galore.After an hour, I went back to the older version of Word Games and got bored.Word Yacht has the four-player mode as well. With Crosswords, you can either play by yourself or with an opponent.The same goes with Word Search.The difference between the single and double-player games is that with the double-player, you have to solve the clues or find the word in a certain amount of time.Once your time is up, it's the other player's turn. Hoyle still kept the Face Maker feature, which my whole family loves.Like one reviewer said, you can make a character that is either conservative, funny, or outright weird.This game is the perfect gift for any word or puzzle enthusiast. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Ripley's Believe It or Not! is a party trivia game that challenges up to four players using four question types, with content, pictures, music, and trivia from Mr. Ripley's archives. Hundreds of unique questions, along with the compelling voices of Jack Palance and others, all contribute to a distinctly Ripley gaming experience. The game features great content, including more than 400 pictures from the archive of the odd, unusual, and just plain weird. Hundreds of amazing questions challenge players on their knowledge of the unusual and bizarre. The questions and puzzle types keep the gameplay fresh and engaging. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Not YDKJ
Actually, for people like me who are obssessed with strange factoids, this product rates a weak 5, but this game will be less exciting to those merely looking for another You Don't Know Jack.

There are 4 types of questions: 1. Multiple choice trivia smilar to YDKJ, 2. short statements upon which each player can wager 250 points whether they are true or false, 3. photographs for which the first to buzz in must pick the correct caption (after which the other players can wager whether or not it was the correct choice), and 4. (the final speed round) matching the caption on the screen with the correct flashing picture.The trivia questions and true/false questions are largely based on rather arcane trivia, so much of the time it is actually complete guesswork (although applying your existing knowledge can help).The other two types of questions involving pictures are ridiculously easy and mainly test to see who can buzz in the fastest (for the former, the alternate choices are usually just humourous and won't throw anyone off). And other players can copy your answers for question types 2 and 3. Therefore, as a trivia game it is not the best and it isn't all that great as a solo game (unless you just want to enjoy the factoids, though a cd-rom of Ripley's original strips would make for a better solo experience). Also, don't expect YDKJ's wicked sense of humour.It does occassionally have witty responses to incorrect answers, but not for correct ones.All this is okay however since the factoids are inherently interesting without humourous comments and its value as a party game comes from the fun discussions you'll have over the strange facts and photographs (the atmosphere while playing this game is far less competitive and more like a shared experience).

Some pros: It has great looking design work and narration and tons of interesting facts and photos.

Some cons: 1. The game does not keep track of high scores.2. Saying that it "features" the voice of Jack Palance is grossly misleading.Palance has about two lines at the beginning of the game and narrates the options page...the rest is well done but by some guy with a British accent.(I suppose Palance's dramatic pauses would result in the audio files taking up too much space.) 3. Some explanation of some of the answers would be appreciated at times. For example, a true/false question was something like "A war was started because of a dispute over a cow".After learning the answer is true, the game just moved on to the next question when I would have appreciated learning, e.g., what war this was referring to.(Fortunately 99% of the factoids do not require explanation, but this 1% is frustrating.)4.During one of the games I've played it asked the same photo caption question twice.And, 5., it does not automatically adjust for the size and resolution of your monitor's graphics setting.I have to readjust my monitor to 400x600-16 Bit before it allows me to start the game. ... Read more

Features

• For 1-3 players
• Contains 4 complete games from the hit You Don't Know Jack series
• Beat your opponents to the buzzer in the viscious Jack Attack
• Get questions from celebrities with a Celebrity Collect Call
• Get trivia questions from ordinary people with the Fiber Optic Field Trip

Reviews (2)

So funny
This game is awesome. I never laughed so hard. Great concept! You are sure to love it.

Healthy mix of trivia viddles from the Jack family
The YOU DON'T KNOW JACK SNACK PACK is an excellent mix of the serie's older, sarcastic trivia games in a great package that will give newcomers a good taste of what JACK has to offer.Inside you get the first game or volume 1, two theme games and THE RIDE, which is an excellent twist on the series.

Volume 1 is a standerd in the Jack series, pick a question and recieve a dollar amount you play for, ring in when you think you know the answer.A right answer gives you game dollars and jokes.Wrong answers lead to loss of money and recieve only ridicule.Not many question variants compared to later games but it's still fun.Play this one first.

YDKJ MOVIES is one of the theme games, it is also the first one to feature my favorite host, Cookie. (Different games have different hosts)YDKJ MOVIES plays much like Volume 1 but with a movie motif.ALL of the questions relate to movies somehow.Don't be surprised if you find yourself a little bewilderd though, JACK MOVIES takes it's questions from almost any period of movie making.Movies like Call Northside 777 and Wait Until Dark, to Scarface and Fargo can be expected to be seen in the game, players who only have a mild knowledge of film will be in over their head.Big fans of movies will have a blast.

YDKJ TV is a lot like the MOVIE game except this time the questions fall into the catagory of TV.Much like MOVIES the game takes it's questions from all walks of TV life and history.Get Smart, Mork and Mindy, Cheers, Simpsons, almost all of them are here.Much like MOVIES, if your not a couch potato, the game won't be easy, but like MOVIES, it is fun.

THE RIDE, is the best game in the JACK family.It gets back to the general trivia format with a new look, attitude and style.Here instead of choosing the question, you choose the dollar amount, amounts can be $356 up to $12146!One question can turn the tide of the game and keep things interesting, (Admitidly, playing a full match of the other games it sometimes gets obvious towards the end who will win, thats different in this game).The RIDE also features all new question types not seen in any other game in the series, and numerous hidden soundbites or easter eggs to discover while you play.THE RIDE rules, and don't stop playing until you reach the fabled bottom.

If your're new to the JACK games, the SNACK PACK is a great way to experience what Jack has to offer. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Strategy games, a racing game, a card game, arcade games, a fishing game, and the wickedly funny trivia quiz-show game You Don't Know JACK--Mac Seven Pack has it all.

Try one multiple-choice question written in the You Don't Know JACK style--Mac Seven Pack is:

1. The "as-seen-on-late-night-TV" KTEL compilation of the Greatest Computer Game Music Hits of the '90s!

2. The official multiple personality test of the Macintosh Olympics.

3. A case-by-case antidote to the Seven Deadly Sins.

4. Your library's one-stop shopping source for seven classic Macintosh games.

Beep, time's up! Of course you guessed number four, so you win! And what a prize: a seven-piece software bundle, with something for everyone. Here's what the Mac Seven Pack has to offer:

3D Ultra Pinball

For these bright flashing moments, your computer grows bumpers and flippers and emits arcade-quality "ka-ching" noises. The good news--you don't have to feed it quarters. The not-as-good news--it's not so gripping that you'll be tempted to slap your monitor around instead of pressing the so-called "tilt" button. If you like pinball games, you'll be happy--if you don't like playing pinball, this isn't likely to change your mind.

Caesar II

Ambitious and superbly balanced sim-Roman strategy game. Build your ancient Roman city, balance the wants and needs of your people in order to build a strong foundation for empire, then conquer the rest of the provinces and govern your way up to the big leagues in Rome.

Lords of the Realm II

Another strategy game, medieval this time. Where Caesar II emphasizes urban planning and crisis management, Lords of the Realm II emphasizes military conquest.

Hoyle Solitaire

Playing card games by yourself is an American institution. Heck, it's worldwide. Computers reduce wear and tear on the cards and relieve you of the need to shuffle. Hoyle Solitaire, in particular, provides crisp graphics and record keeping. No more wondering where you stuck that last deck of cards--it's on the computer.

NASCAR Racing

The classic stock car racing game, meshing racing action and pit-stop logistics. It's gripping and playable without being easy. You'll have to work fairly hard to win many races, and that's how it should be on the NASCAR circuit.

Trophy Bass

If you love fishing--and want to choose your gear, practice your casts, plan your route, choose your spots, and (when you get it right) wrestle your catch into the boat after a tough fight--Trophy Bass is for you. If you've never fished in your life, Trophy Bass will give you a fair sense of what you've been missing--minus the cooler full of beer, the buzzing mosquitoes, and the long hours when nothing happens.

You Don't Know JACK

An irreverent, well-executed, and challenging quiz-show game, playable by up to four people at a time. Not for adults whose humor glands can't process sarcasm, and not really for children, either. Children who will understand the game's sometimes racy humor are still unlikely to answer many questions correctly, so this game is best saved for the grownups. --Rob Heinsoo

Pros:

• At least two or three classic games for all tastes ...
• ... plus several other classics you may be surprised by

• As with most bundles, these games have been out for a while

Reviews (2)

A great game pack
This game pack includes something for everyone.There is a NASCAR game, which allows you to race as if you were in the drivers seat; a Solitair CD that includes more versionsof solitair than you know what to do with; A bass fishing game with multiple locations and hooks to fish with; Lords of the Realm II, a game that allows you to build up armies and fight; 3D Ultra Pinball with multiple exciting level with multiple players; You Don't Know Jack, a *very* fun and funny trivia game; Ceasar II, which allows you to make and rule entire cities or kingdoms.Like I said: this game pack has something, or many things, for every one.It's a great buy.

not quite 5 stars
The best game pack ever. They are all my favorate games together its great. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The bestselling and award-winning Diablo games are now available in one conveniently packaged set. The Diablo II Gift Set contains the classic Diablo, a 3-D world of dark gothic fantasy that players can explore as a warrior, rogue, or sorcerer. Diablo II features five all-new character classes with special attributes and abilities, plus all-new quests, weapons, spells, armor, monsters, and nonplayer characters. Over four times the length of the original game, Diablo II will keep demon slayers busy for weeks. Also included in this set are two official strategy guides, Prima Publishing's Official Diablo Strategy Guide and BradyGames' Official Diablo II Strategy Guide. ... Read more

Reviews (41)

A real unbiased review
I am a Blizzard fan, I have bought many of the previous games that the company released like Starcraft and Warcraft 2, both of which are not only some of the best games I have ever played, but in the case of Starcraft, the single best game I have ever played and a game which I probably have played more than any other game.So I had high expectations of Diablo 2.

Diablo 2 feature pretty impressive sound, good multiplayer, and is a mildly fun game.The only real problem though, ends up being the downfall of the whole game.Diablo 2 doesn't have a real good story and is almost totally linear, not involving many tasks that are not part of the storyline.Now a lot of times this is not a problem.However, in Diablo 2, it's linear nature is a huge problem because of the pedantic gameplay.The gamplay is fun for a couple hours, but by the time you reach act 3, you will be totally sick of just hacking through millions of monsters at every turn, and i'm not kidding, there are monsters everywhere in this game.Now the game being linear, there is nothing to take away from the boredom and frustration of fighting millions of monsters.

After I beat this game I decided to check out the game on the internet, as this is usually where blizzard games shine.Unfortunately, in Diablo 2, there is no real difference between the internet gameplay and the single player gameplay.On the internet, you and other players are stuck in games of about 8 people, where the mission is to journey through the 4 stages of the first person game.That was a major shock to me, as I thought that if blizzard had made the multiplayer game include new maps and more pvp combat with allies against allies and goals to accomplish it would make up for the bad single player experience.Unfortunately blizzard did not do this, and I gave up playing the game totally because after playing the levels on the internet with a new character i had to level up from the beggining, I realized that it was more of a chore than fun.

In the end I can say only a couple good things about this game: one the cinema scenes are spectacular, and two the multiplayer network is so solid from years of hosting diablo and starcraft that even though i did not like playing the game, i would play every once in awhile by getting sucked in through talking with people in the battlenet chat boards.

If this isn't your opinion, fine, but I have been fair in this review to the best of my abilities.

Diablo 2 is better then many reviewers think.
I'm sorry, but I can't stand seeing all these, "Corrupted Reviewers", make this game sound like it's not worth buying.

My friend thought Diablo 2 was stupid, then he played it. He was hooked.

"Why does this 9'2 550 pound guy pop like a water ballon filled with red paint?" Because he's a Super Unique monster, and he's not 9'2, 550 pounds. How many RPGs are there that are like real life? Is it bad for an RPG to not be like real life?

You "reviewers", as you like to call yourselves, don't know Pong from Quake 3. I am not saying I am the best reviewer, I'm saying I am putting up the truth:

If Diablo 2 is so bad, why have so many people bought it? After years of it being out, why do I go on the internet, and see like 500 games hosted, if this game is so bad? Why has Diablo 2 sold over a million copys, if it is so bad?

As I saw in the review most of this review is built off of, everything is corrupted, and thats a "bad" thing. Do you pay attention to the story? "Yeah yeah, the forces of evil are comming to the earth... Why is everything corrupted? There's only Diablo, the Lord of Terror, and his brothers walking the earth - why is everything corrupted???"

"Why do a swarm of bugs have a certain name, and why do they drop items?" What are RPGs? Do you want to attack a swarm of (blank), and after killing it not get anything? "and how do you kill them with a sword?" You want un-killable corrupted bugs attacking you that you can't attack back? I think you would hate this game alot more if it was like that. What else would you do? Spray them with bug spray? I'm sorry, that's too much real life in games.

If you want the game to be so real, too bad. A Real Life game wouldn't be as great as you think. Do you want to do all the hard work you have to do every day in a game? Games have work to be done, but having to do what you do in real life is going too far. That is why The Sims you don't tell your Sims what to do while they are at work - who to take the papers to, what to write down - the game only get's so real - they are making The Sims 2, but they aren't improving it so much that it will be too real.

Diablo came to Mac
A kick ... game with the battle.net option and get better going for a walk around the park killing deamons and undead creatures. Happy hunting!

best computer game
OK, if your reading this your considering buying this game. Don't consider it, BUY IT! Here's a short list of the games characteristics:
- interesting quests
- completely costomizable characters
- great melee and spell combat
- incredible variation of skills
- great multiplayer capabilities (including party spells)
- good graphics and movement
- the best inventory and weopons' system I've ever seen
- very entrancing storyline
- awesome replay value

I BOUGHT THIS GAME A YEAR AGO AND I'M STILL PLAYING IT (not bored at all)

Great Stuff
This is a very very good game it has a realistic form of killing I know the demons and things like that are not real butttttt the whole idea that what if that could happen or is happening what would one have to go threw to stop the pain... This game is the common hero wins always buttttt it also has the hero can die part to it... I rememberin the few hours that it took for me to beat it that I was clenching my teeth from time to time hopeing that I will survive... Well after i beat it i figured what the hey lets have fun with the data it took to make the game... so i changed a few lines in the game to make it where i am invincible and i have any and all the weapons and unlimited space to place my items that is when it got really really fun... it wasn't the easiest game to make thatway buttttt i did it just to say i could... any ways the game is a must get don't play any other role playing game with out trying this one..... ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Friday Game Night is the answer for fun and games for everyone in the family. Grab the snacks and play programmed characters or that uncle who likes to cheat. He has to obey all the rules here and no one has to worry about keeping score--everything is automatic, easy, and pure fun. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Still a great game
This game is so much fun I still play it over and over, it's even better than the next in the city-building series Emperor. It funny and versatile and beautiful. Incredibly addictive, rememer to eat and sleep at some point during play.

Travel through time to play the greatest game of all time
From the neverending epoch rises another game which enchants you to entertainment so deep that even doom coundnt have impressed me so much when it was first unleashed in the gaming market.Zeus is a game which tells you about rise and fall of ancient Greece and in such a manner that even the greatest of historians coundnt have told better (with some exceptions 'ahem').You play as a sort of mayor of a city.You have to build ur city towards a glorious metropolis.Keep ur gods contended ur people well fed ur enemies at bay and ur allies happy with u and you'll earn the approval and admiration of both gods and mortals alike.Mis manage Your city misunderstand your citizens and bribe incoming enemies and watch ur city burn and break by the hands of gods and mortals alike.Supply ur wealthy citizens with armor and horses and get ready to conquer distant territories and prove ur worth to ur rivals.War gaming was never so rewarding as Zues.
Imagine some drop sea ships unload a really biig army of minotaurs on your shores wat would u do.. bribe them or strike back and send them back limping to their territories ??at this momentif u wanna play offensive then u'll muster each and every unit u have for the battle cause. Either it would be long ranged slingers or heavy metal hoplites or legendiary heroes or mighty gods, its up to u how u wanna defeat ur enemies. Or u can play defensive and try to bribe the incoming armies, at that time they would leave but next time the bribery rate would be higher and this is a big disandvantage of bribing ur enemies.
The graphics,the involving storylne,and great game play adds to the games worth.Build great and beautiful sanctuaries for ur gods to earn thier approval and to yield its benifits, build heroes halls to attract heroes to help you in difficult tasks,and watch as gods bless ur city or blow it to smithereens.Its like a great combination of simcity with empire earth!!The game is a must buy for all who would like to know about the greatness of ancient Greece and to loose thier sleep playing the greatest city manegment+battle game title of all times. Dont wait a second Zeus is a must buy.

As good as it gets
A good strategy game, everything you expect to have is there, though I would have like to coordinate the battles away from more closely, rather than send troops and wait for the result.
Worth the price.

Th Acropolis Pack, or just Zeus, is the best game ever!
Acropolis is the best game ever.You could just by Zeus first and then get Poseidon, but I reccomend the the Acropolis Pack because it includes the two games and it is a lot cheaper then buying the two seprately...Anyways let me get down to the review which will start in the next paragraph.
The game is addicting and makes you want to keep playing for hours on end... The graphics are pretty good and the sound is okay, but the gameplay is excedingly good.It is pretty much a Sim City combined withe Ages of Empires.I recommend this pack to anyone who loves Greek mythology; it is loaded with it.I won't tell you anything about the levels because you will have to find ou about that youreself, but I will tell you will probably being hereing more f me in the future.Thank you, good night!!!

I've really taken a shine to this game!
I've just finished playing the full game. The adventures are really cool. All the adventures in the game are very easy to play. The so called hard adventures only manage to make the game even more lengthy. There's nothing hard about this game.
The game involves four main areas - providing goods for your people either through city production or trade, providing entertainment for your people, building monuments to the gods to honour them and declaring war on your opponents. There is not much importance given to city building. The next best thing in the game after the gods are the adventures. And u have nothing to lose once u r done with the adventures as u can create your own adventures thanx to the adventure editor.
The only problem with the game is that it is time consuming as the adventures are very lengthy. So if u have time to waste pick this one up. And yes i've yet to figure out the problem i had with Theseus's hall. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Half-Life: Initial Encounter contains Half-Life: Day One and a fully playable version of Team Fortress Classic, the incredibly popular add-on for Half-Life. Awarded Game of the Year by more than 45 publications, Half-Life is an intense game experience. Half-Life: Day One is a gripping introduction to Half-Life's award-winning single-player action. Team Fortress Classic (TFC) features a wide variety of character classes--from Medic to Spy to Demolition Man--enlisted in a unique style of online team warfare. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

This Kicks!!!
I am 12. I have Half-Life.It's the best game I ever played.I justbought this game, and it's just as good as the original.Half-Life is thebest game ever made.

No Reason Not To Buy If You Meet These Requirements
Do you like 1st person shooter games? (I didn't really, butLOVED this.) Do you like great graphics? Do you not want to pay for the full version? Do you want a little more than the demo can offer? Do you realize there's a REASON this was named Game of the Year, among many other awards? Do you like realism, suspense, great sound, music and FUN in a game? Do you not own the game, but are wondering what all the hype is about?

If you answered YES to the above questions, then there's absolutely NO reason not to buy this game. Also, FYI, some cool stuff about it is: Can turn blood on or off, it matters where you shoot someone/something (unlike Quake), and it's FUN!What are you waiting for!

If nothing else, please, PLEASE download the free demo. It's really worth it, and it's really THAT fun, even now--2 years after it was made! An instant classic no gamer's library (and I'm a mild gamer--maybe 4-5 titles a year) should be without. Very, VERY worth it.

Do not buy this for Team Fortress Classic
Half-Life rocks and the other reviews are right on that this is agreat way to get into into it if you're not sure about dropping $for the full version.But the Team Fortress Classic inclusion will NOT be playable online.I got this disc b/c I thought that I could jump online and frag my friends for a mere 10 bucks.It would never let me log on tho'!So I called Sierra tech support and they said the version included on the initial Encounter Disc would not be playable online.Period.

If you want TFC buy the full version.On the plus side though I'm much more inclined to pay the $ for the full version just because this demo is SO cool.

Best way to enter the world of Half-Life
For some reason, people still haven't bought Half-Life, voted recently the best game of all time. If you're still not sure about buying it, this pack will put your doubts to rest very quickly. It contains Uplink, the officialHalf-Life demo, which contains material that you won't find in the retailgame! The setting is the Black Mesa Research Facility 24 hours aftersomething called the "Incident". You quickly realize somethingterrible happened here, but if you want the full story you will need thebuy the game. Also included is the Team Fortress Classic game, a team-basedmulitplayer game which was released for the game free, and has quicklybecome one of the most played multiplayer games ever. The games vary fromCapture the Flag variations to The Hunted, where one team must protect adefenseless teammate from the dreaded Assassin team. All in all, the gameis well-worth the cheap $10.00 price tag. My advice to you is to buy thedemo, then if you like it you can buy the Adrenelin Pack, which containsthe full game, TFC, and the official add-on Opposing Force, which was namedthe greatest add-on pack of all time. All of this is guaranteed to stay onyour hard drive for a good long time, especially with all the greatuser-made levels you can get off the net.

Demo of Half Life!
This has the demo of half life and Team Fortess Classic with it.The demo is a little bigger than the uplink demo(like from first level to fourth or fifth level).This is a must see if you are new to half life or you can getthe full game! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

This compilation offers four family game titles for one price: 3-D Ultra Minigolf, 3-D Ultra Pinball, After Dark Games, and Hoyle Classic Games. It includes 18 minigolf holes, eight card games, four arcade games, three pinball tables, three puzzle games, two board games, two word games, and one trivia game.

3-D Ultra Pinball features three tables, multiball play, and sci-fi-style animations. After Dark Games features 11 addictive games, including Roof Rats, Mooshu Tiles, and Toaster Run. 3-D Ultra Minigolf has 18 holes of wacky fun and is very easy to learn, but holds many surprises and secrets that will have you coming back for more. Hoyle Classic Games has 10 great games, including gin rummy, backgammon, checkers, hearts, draw poker, and more. You can challenge the whole family or practice your skills with single-player games. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

All the Games are worthwhile
I recommend this item very much, it is great to have just to play and because of the variety of different games in the package it can amuse audiences of all ages, very recommended.

Lots of fun
This game is a lot of fun, for the money. It is fun for all ages. Both parents and children can and do enjoy playing the games.

Family Fun Games Collection
My kids (4 year old twins) are completely enthralled with the mini-golf game.The animation is teriffic, and while it's challenging enough to amuse an older audience, it is also user-friendly enough for young children to thoroughly enjoy.This game alone makes the purchase price of the collection worth it! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

This fishing game offers tips and techniques from real pros and simulated competition. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Too many fish, so little time
I was excited when I found Trophy Rivers, as I am an avid fly-fisherman.The addition of Trophy Bass was an added bonus.I could hardly wait until it arrived, and for the most part was duly impressed when I installed and played it for days.

The game itself offers decent realistic features such as actual bodies of water and fish species (salmon and many trouts), boat control, water flow, and fish holding spots.

There are some weaknesses.The fishing equipment is ok as they offer several common fly patterns, rods, etc. They could offer a few more choices in patterns and colors, many in updates!? The game lacks in angler handling.Casting is a rather weak idea of one click casting to a target.The drifts are hard to control causing your line to drag.There is a line-mending feature but you cannot pull out excess line to get longer drifts, something that is purely common in real life.Yet, don't get discouraged, if your line does drag, the fish rarely leave and you still catch your fair share.Once you do hook them, they are extremely easy to land, which can be a bonus or a drawback.

Trophy Bass is easy to figure out and master.I have put several dozen hours into the game and I win every tournament by 20+ pounds.Depending on the settings, easy, medium, or hard, the fish are easy to find by sight or fish finder, and once found fairly easy to hook.I found the crank bait works the best in easy, short movements.There are tons of options in this game when it comes to casting techniques, lures, rods, and reals, which offer an angler an excellent chance to hit the water and not get wet.

Both games offer stale graphics, which is somewhat expected, but offer a fairly realistic and exciting challenge with many actual bodies of water and real life species to fish.There are several different game play options that add to the fun.There are tournaments, careers, and single trips.

Overall, I would recommend this package as a buy for the PC Angler. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

3-D Ultra Pinball Power provides the best in 3-D pinball action. Explore vast stellar reaches in the original 3-D Ultra Pinball, ghoulish haunts in Pinball 2: Creep Night, or prehistoric jungles in Pinball 3: Lost Continent. It's the bestselling pinball series of all time from some of the most creative pinball designers around. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Windows 98 incompatible
Could not get the system loaded and although the add says 95/98, we called the distributor and we were told it is not compatiable with windows '98.

I love Pinball
I love Pinball and since the real pinball machines are hard to find these days Sierra pin ball series fills that void. The computer version of the game has different zone to go into based on a general theme and different tests you have to get through to get to the next level. Its thoroughly addictive.

Awesome Pinball!!!!!
If you like to play pinball, and love a challenge, then this game is a MUST!Sierra makes some of the greatest games for families.Graphics are super, and the fun never ends!!

Incredibly Less Than What I Expected
I have Windows ME and have no problems with the software. It runs best in 256 color mode. There are four games in this "pack." "The Incredible Machine" is a total children's game. It is dealing with Science and experiments. "The Lost Continent" is okay. It has about 7 different tables, but only the first one is even remotely extensive. The "Creep Night" is fairly extensive. It contains 3 tables, each of which consists of 3 areas of play. It is chaotic and cartoonish. The "3D Ultra Pinball" itself, which is on the first disk, is great!! It consists of 3 tables, each having 3 areas of play, but it isn't chaotic. It is well organized and clear.

With all three actual pinball games, there is a final goal to achieve. "The Lost Continent" is something that my kids enjoy. I feel that the age range this was aiming for must have been 7-13 years old. The "Creep Night" seems to be geared toward 10-20 years old. The "3D Ultra Pinball" is seemingly geared toward 12-adult. I am basing these estimates on appearance, difficulty, and appeal.

Windows Me
It says on this page that the game works on Windows Me, but when I got the software in the mail it said it was for Windows 95 and 3.1.It would not work on my Windows Me.We do have a computer in the house with Windows 95 on it and it works just fine on that computer. So if you have Windows Me, I would not recommend this game. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Includes both amazing best-sellers; Police Quest: SWAT and Police Quest: SWAT 2. In the orginal SWAT, you can experience the relentless adrenaline-pumping action firsthand of becoming a SWAT officer, then being called in to action in multiple scenarios and career-advancing missions. In SWAT 2, the ability to play SWAT officers or the terrorists, lets you decide to keep the peace or wreak havoc on the streets. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

One star is way too much for these games!!
MAKE YOURSELF A FAVOR: FORGET ABOUT THIS ONE.

Don't throw away your money like I did when I bought them separately! This is a terrible deal!

This game pack featuring the first two games of the SWAT series is not worth it.

Why? Well the original SWAT is a slow-paced game constantly interupted by bad quality videos, and simply not worth your money or time.

SWAT 2 is even worse! This is the most mediocre game I've ever seen. How about officers that try to walk thru a wall instead of around it?

Terrorist and hostages that run to the edge of the screen and dissapear no matter how many SWAT officers you have surrounding them?

There are too many hot keys that you have to memorize in order to supposedly play easier and better, but they don't do the job and is hard to remember them.

Beware! these are just a few of the many problems you will face when you try to play this game. Save those bucks, because this a terrorist threat...to your money.

I cant believe Sierra had the courage of assembling this pack without including SWAT 3. SWAT 3 is where the real SWAT series begin and the only of the 3 you should buy.

Review for Police Quest Game
This is the best game in the worl and if you disagree with me, well, who cares. It is really fun and stuff cuz you pretend you are a real officer and drive your patrol car around. YEAH!

Good graphics and intence missions.
This game is perfect for those into extreme stealth and strategy. Doesnt contain the action you thought it would but is still very fun. Plenty of missions to go over and rot your lil mind out with. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Exercise your verbal skills in between work assignments with this comprehensive crossword program from Sierra. Five hundred puzzles, spanning a wide range of skill levels, will keep you busy for a good long time, and the lush interface is easy on the ears and eyes--a welcome relief from the newsprint-stained paper shaking in your hands on the subway.

Installation is easy, and you can start playing right away, though you might get sidetracked for a bit by the engaging FaceMaker utility that personalizes your player interface. Once you've got your face and name set up, you can solve puzzles alone, compete with a nearby friend, or challenge a total stranger over the Internet. The competitive option is structured much like traditional tournament: time and accuracy are both important. The many MIDI music choices are unobtrusive, the three backgrounds are gorgeous but not distracting, and the solving interface is clever and simple to master.

The puzzles themselves are challenging in a straightforward way--no tricky New York Times stuff here! If a clue baffles you, it's easy (some would say too easy) to get a hint or even to have the whole word filled in for you. Then, if a word is still unfamiliar, you can open up the online Webster's New World College Dictionary provided and improve your vocabulary for next time. Though it may seem strange at first for crossword puzzles to migrate to your computer monitor, you'll soon find yourself thinking of "paper" as just a five-letter word for "obsolete." --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fun For Young And Old
Whether you are young or old; beginner or hardcore crosswords enthusiast,you're going to be entertained by this game. I play a game a couple times aweek. My mother, 83, will actually touch the computer in order to play. Andwhen my grandchildren were here for a week, one or the other was playingcrosswords the whole time.It helps excercise the thinking processes, it'seducational and, above all, it's fun. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

He-could-go-all-the-way
Realistic graphics, nice game, nice features. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Forget your dad's old electric train set, Lionel TrainTown is here. You'll have all the fun of workin' on the railroad without taking up the whole living room floor.

Going to work in TrainTown means learning to fuel and drive locomotives, switch tracks, couple freight cars, and even clear a line of wandering reindeer with the click of the mouse. To start, players learn to operate the trains quickly and efficiently via a set of narrated tutorials. Apprentice engineers then can click on specific job assignments, like taking a load of hamburgers to hungry factory workers or sorting cars in the freight yard. As you become more adept at manipulating the trains, the jobs get wilder. You may end up delivering materials to build a replica of the Eiffel Tower in the midst of the Arctic. Each job is timed, so you can repeat the task to improve your record or challenge others to beat it.

TrainTown's striking 3-D graphics and realistic sound effects make this CD-ROM a pleasure to play, although the maps that are needed to complete many jobs are a bit hard to read. Children under 8 may not have the patience to complete even the easiest job assignments but will still enjoy the fun of creating their own track layouts and racing the trains through tunnels and over bridges.

With over 70 jobs at varying levels of difficulty, TrainTown presents challenges for all ages and is one product that will last any train-loving family a long, long time. (Ages 6 and older) --Sharon Griggins ... Read more