Amazon.com Review

Most role-playing games are set in a fantasy world, and if they're notdirectly related to Dungeons & Dragons, they at least follow the blueprint ofthe D&D rules. Not so with Arcanum. Set in the world of steampunk--agenre of fiction that puts forth the idea that computers and other advancedtechnology existed back in the late 1800s--Arcanum's world is fantasticand instantly recognizable at the same time. The game begins with the crash ofthe L.F.S. Zephyr, which you were aboard. Things go from bad to worse asassassins try to kill you. Meanwhile, you struggle to understand why peoplethink you are the reincarnation of "The Living One."

Developed by Troika Games--which is staffed by many of the people who createdthe excellent Fallout games--Arcanum takes the conventions of the RPGgenre and turns them on their head. Instead of binding players to a specificcharacter class, such as Paladin or Barbarian, Arcanum lets you create acompletely unique character. Experience points can be distributed in any area,so you can create a character that's a thief, magic user, and gunslinger all inone. In addition, you can specialize in either magic or technology, which willimpact how the other characters in the game deal with you.

The world of Arcanum is simply massive, and the story is extremelydetailed. The main plot will provide you with 30 to 40 hours of gameplay, andthe side quests will add another 10 to 20 hours to that figure. The quests runthe gambit from fetching items to finding a cure for lycanthropy, and they'reall well designed.

Arcanum is viewed from a third-person isometric view--similar toDiablo II and Baldur's Gate II--and the graphics easily comparewith any other RPG on the market. The characters are modeled nicely, and thebackgrounds and structures are very detailed and really add substance to thegame. Unfortunately, even on a high-end system such as an Athlon 1.33 GHz, thegame suffers from long loading times, and will occasionally slow down duringcombat.

Those minor problems aside, Arcanum is a sensational game. The open-endednature of the character-creation system guarantees replayability, and thesetting and story will offer relief for anyone tired of Diablo II'sdungeon crawls. --Kilmic Robbins

• Great story
• Numerous quests
• Ability to completely customize character

• Long loading times
• Interface can be overwhelming at times

Features

• Character Creation: No More Character Classes. Arcanum uses a classless, point-based system where players use points to "buy" attributes. You're only limited by your own creativity in guiding your character's development.
• Complex Stat-Driven System: Take charge or your own growth in the game environment. A deep and complex statistical system underlies every event that takes place within Arcanum. These include:
• 8 basic stats (including Strength and Charisma), and more than a dozen derived stat (such as Poison Resistance and Character Speed)
• 16 primary skills (such as Gambling, Healing, and Lock-Picking)
• 80 spells within 16 colleges

Reviews (122)

Sail On Software - Dishonest Company
We ordered a DVD through Amazon via Sail On Software. They sent us a used DVD (no packaging), which did not work. After stringing us along, we returned the DVD and were promised a replacement or refund. Needless to say, they have avoided our e-mails since. I would recommend NOT dealing with Sail On Software.

Involved Gaming - complex ? ... worth the learning curve !
I don't want to rehash what everyone else said. I agree with their reviews. This is a wonderful game. Can be a bit overwhelming, but with patience, you will "enjoy the ride".
I wanted to inform those looking to purchase this fine game, you can find the game/new at eBay, fifty% cheaper(...I paid twelve bucks) than what the new marketplace sellers are requesting. If you need a manual, you can download a .pdf version some 100+ pages long. Do due dilligence and you won't regret it.

A nice refreshing break from hack and slash RPG's.
First things first, I LOVED ARCANUM. Man it was so nice to have a decent RPG come out that was not centered around hack and slash. Not to bash Diablo or anything but the repetive hacking can get old and with a background story that does not care what you do leaves me wanting just a little bit more. Thats where Aracnum comes in. It basically takes the best of Fallout and puts it into a richly detailed and unique fantasy world. The beginning of the game was very good and had some nice hooks to draw me in. And then after that it didn't let up and I had to keep playing to figure out more of the cool story, complete all the cool quests and see the new areas. I absolutely loved the alternate situations throughout the game. I believe that is one of the biggest things that made the Arcanum game stand out from all its predecessors. And another cool thing was that if you beat the game with one character you could replay it with another character and have a brand new experience. The only drawback I had with the game was the level limit. I reached level 50 way before the end of the game and found myself running from almost every random encounter because I could not reach a higher level and it was getting real boring beating up every monster that came after you. And another drawback I found was the ease with which the end guy could be beaten. I expected a very tough enemy, but it only took me two tries to beat him down. The first so I could see what he was all about and the second to counteract all his moves and put the smackdown on him. But those are very minor details and the overall game was a satisfying RPG experience. I hope to see more types of these RPG's in the future and less action oriented RPG's. Sorry action fans, RPG does stand for Role Playing Game which means playing a role not clicking a mouse button as fast as you can. Maybe they should come out with a new genre Hack and Slash and keep it seperated from RPG.

Sleeper masterpiece, but missing a few touches
Arcanum is a good example of a sleeper hit on the PC RPG genre.Although many have forgotten, or have not even heard of it, it DID win 2001 RPG Year of the Award and other accolades from various sources.And at $9.99 (without shipping/handling), it's quite the bargain as well.

Arcanum's strong points lie in its original concepts, well crafted storyline and well scripted events.Betrayal abounds, and it's hard to know who to trust.

Arcanum was the first major game to offer two different sides in the form of technology and magic.Wield a nice automatic gun, or maybe a tranquilizer rifle.Or become a stuffy mage, carry a flaming sword, and send bolts of lightning out of your fingertips.Teleport yourself to distant lands, or ride the train.

The game is also very imaginative in terms of character interaction.If your mage becomes too powerful, the railroad conductor may eventually not even let you on the train, for fear that the warping of reality around you will damage the machine.The world is quite realistic- there are tailors, ordinary folk who just live in houses, blacksmiths, guards, etc.Some things will only happen at night.And unlike many other senseless RPGs, if you break into someone's house in plain view, it IS a crime.You want something valuable in that house?Sneak in through the shadows!

Arcanum is just an amazing game.The number of characters you can develop is startling, and the dialogue options available for each character are equally so.They range from the normal, to the cautious, to the sarcastic, to the outright absurd (i.e. "You're too nice.You have to die now.")

The spellcraft in Arcanum has been impleneted very originally.Casting a spell causes fatigue instead of mana, and spells actually will cost a certain amount of fatigue to upkeep, which allows for many interesting balances between technology and magic.Gun runners will never be afraid of suddenly getting too tired, and just running out of spells.On the other hand, they will be quite afraid of running out of bullets.

Of course, a game as ambitious as Arcanum also comes with several weaknesses as a result.Like any other pioneer in its field, Arcanum has a few pitfalls that kept it off the wish lists of some players.Arcanum has a steep learning curve unless you played a similarly styled interface (e.g. Diablo II).

Second, technological characters will find their time more difficult than the spellcasters because in the early game, they have to search everywhere- even garbage bins- for enough components to build decent weaponry.This perpetual scavenge hunt can quickly tire some less advanced players.

Third, some spells are simply too good.Disintegrate for instance, simply destroys the enemy monster.There is no equivalent for this on the tech side, and even if there was, it'd still be quite "broken" and unfair.There is no challenge in simply walking up to a boss monster and simply playing one spell that knocks it away into oblivion.

Another major complaint is that combat in Arcanum is too biased towards melee.Oftentimes the person who survives is neither the mage nor the techie, but the ogre who's got some good armor and a really, really big sword.Ranged weapons, as a general rule, are quite weak.The ones that aren't (i.e. explosive grenades are sort of good) are usually rare, even the components for them.

Last but not least, the controls in Arcanum are a bit clunky and the way the world map works is counter-intuitive.The game slows down periodically for little reason, even on fast systems, which suggests that the programmers may not have written entirely efficient code.Anyway, look at the advantages and disadvantages, and invent your own rating.

P.S. Arcanum does not support Windows XP officially.You have been warned.It may or may not work, depending on your specific PC.Also, some computers with older CPU's will have problems with their 3d acceleration.Try safe mode.Worked for me.

Load times aren't that bad
Ok let me start by saying this is a very good game, you have tons of quests and your charter is very customizable.

Ok ived read alot of reviews on this site and they all seem to say this game has long load time well it dosen't. It dose however have alot of stops in the game(while your battleing or try to cast alot of spells in a row) but if you have alot of ram you won't have that problem.(when i first got the game i had only 256 mb ram and had alot of stops while playing, but after i upgraded to a 1 gb of ram i didn't have the stoping problem anymore.)So if you computer is decent like mine you shouldn't have any major problems playing this game. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

A collection of seven games in the classic King's Quest PC game by Roberta Williams. Also includes several bonus games. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

you can get it cheaper
you canbuy kings quest 15th anniverary with games 1 through 6 much cheaper and then purchase kings quest 7 separately much cheaper

I need help playing my King's Quest on XP
I got the King's Quest Colection Series a while back, only paid 30 bucks for it so I see that I am lucky :-), anyways, I LOVE these games but I just got a new computer with XP and all that and now I can't play the games!! I read in a review below that it is possible to play them, I just have to turn my compatibilty back to Windows 95 but I looked and can not find that anywhere! Someone PLEASE help me with this because I absolutely LOVE these games and want to play them now... Please Email me at kel192004@yahoo.com with any information. Thanks everyone!

Getting Hard To Find
For those of you criticizing the prices here on Amazon for this amazing collection i find it kind of funny. Most of you (myself included) have no problem plopping down 50 bucks for a new game but when it comes to the greatest collection of games EVER released including the first 7 Kings quest games, and a remake of the first 1 - with better graphics only available in this collectionas well as a host of other classic adventure games and other bonuses to numerous to list 100 bucks or so starts to sound like a bargain - and believe me you probably wont save any money on ebay on this one - hard to find is a gross understatement. (Supply and demand)

I have my copy and i love it.

You can run games on XP
I won't bother repeating how wonderful ALL of the games are, because everyone has either said it or already knows it. I am writing this in response to the review that says you cannot run it on XP- you can. You must change the compatibility settings to windows 95. Right click, and go to properties. You will see the compatibility tab.Just change the settings to windows 95 and check all the boxes.

Great ride but not worth the price of admission
The Kings Quest collection is, in my opinion, the best adventure series ever but these prices that the people are selling them at are utterly and stupidly ridiculous! Now as far as the games are concerned, EVERY game in the series is great and awesome there really isn't a bad game in the whole series and the way each game connects from the last is done perfectly and brilliant. I think the best way to describe this series is like playing a awesome novel that always keeps ahold of your attention. Now as far as the price concerns obviously these greedy jackasses are asking for WAY too much. Mainly because these games are meant to be played on older systems, KQ 1-4 are DOS games and KQ 5-7 were designed for WIN 3.1. I have a Pentium II processor and run WIN98SE and I sometimes have problems running KQ 5-7 so I could imagine this collection wouldn't work too well if at all on more modern systems. Even if you do have an older computer and want to purchase this collection you could find it for alot cheaper on ebay (little hard to find but be patient there's usually someone selling it.) So to summarize, Awesome, kick ass, rocking games but overpriced by greedy jackasses so check Ebay. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

A fantasy game of the dungeons-and-combat variety, Quest for Glory 5: Dragon Fire allows players to customize a hero and send him to Silmaria, a country whose king has been murdered. In order to flush out the perpetrator, you must enter the race for the throne, completing seven Rites of Rulership. First, of course, you must earn the required entry fee, either by slaughtering monsters or competing in arena combat.

Sound all too drearily familiar? A few intriguing features do separate this game from all of its fantasy role-playing siblings. The greatest of these is a sense of continuity with the previous Quest for Glory games. Not only do characters from older stories re-emerge--sometimes newly married, or better established in their careers--but you can import your old characters into Dragon Fire. Instead of starting anew, you can continue a long seamless adventure with a familiar hero. Other nice touches include a rarely seen haggling system, whereby you negotiate the prices of food, weapons, and spells with their various venders. The occasional treachery of seemingly trustworthy characters and a great sense of humor also add nice dimensions to the Quest for Glory universe.

Being tied to earlier games, though, gives this one less flexibility. You cannot play a nonhuman character--you cannot even play a female hero--and players are restricted to a few very broad character classes. Character statistics and customization options are also on the simple end of the spectrum, making the game seem older than it is. On the plus side, Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire has sharp graphics, some very tough dungeons, and a streamlined, easy-to-use interface. Most of all, it tells a good story and allows long-term players of this series to retire their hero in style. --Alyx Dellamonica ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Time heals all wounds
To be honest, I was quite disappointed with this game when it came out.How could you end such a great series like this?Having played through the Quest for Glory series again just now several years later, I have come to a somewhat different perspective.The game had some inescapable strikes against it from the get go, and all things considered, is a fine ending to the QfG series.

When you get right down to it, the Quest for Glory series peaked with "Trial by Fire", the second installment, and it was all downhill from there.Besides being a ridiculously large, fun, complex game, you saved a nation (if not the world) from an insane wizard trying to release an evil god, and became a Prince as well as a Paladin or Wizard if you chose that path.After that, there really wasn't any place for the series to go.The third game was basically just a remake of "Trial by Fire", and the fourth while basically "restarting" the series by stripping you of your inventory and throwing you into a town where you had no friends (in a way a remake of QfG 1), ended up using more or less the same plot as QfG 2.

Another important part of the game that died with QfG 2 was the hated text parser.Apparently everybody but me hated typing commands in, but this was incredibly important to the series.All of the games are really like mystery novels in that you have to figure out who the bad guy is and how to beat him/her by the end of the game.To do so, you had to be a good detective and ask the right people the right questions.In QfG 3 and beyond however, this challenge is removed as in each conversation you are provided a list of topics to discuss.So it is possible to "brute force" every conversation by asking every single question available in order to solve the puzzles.

Finally, the fourth game took a different angle with the series by developing closer relationships between the main character and the NPCs, developing two potential love interests.It worked great for the 4th game, but it created a big problem for the 5th game:how do you write a story accomodating a choice between several different love interests (among other things)?The answer is, you don't.This is a problem of trade-offs that plagues ALL RPGs:because the game only has so much development time available, it can be made so that you can be/do whatever you want, but nothing really matters (Baldur's Gate, Arcanum), OR you can play a specific character the authors had in mind, which can involve an extremely detailed plot that you are not allowed to deviate from (Final Fantasy).Trying to do both is like making 5-6 games at once and selling it for the same price.By going with the "multiple ending choice" route, Quest for Glory 5 would naturally be much lighter on the details than the earlier games.

So it was a bit much to have expected QfG 5 to be some sort of masterful conclusion to the series.Especially since there seemed to be some major issues with development of the game itself.All in all, it turned out pretty decent.The combat/magic system I thought was pretty awesome overall, allowing for epic battles against large numbers of enemies.The graphics were very nicely done.There were plenty of new abilities/spells for the paladin and wizard.The plot was interesting enough and had all the old crew back.

I would say QfG 5 is BYOD -- Bring Your Own Dialogue.You're the main character, you know the characters well from the previous games.Imagine the dialogue and story playing out as you like as you play the game.Don't expect the writers to have to basically write 5-6 games to accomodate the possible choices you take.Above all, enjoy the game for what it is, a fine chance to complete your character's quests, say goodbye to your friends and close out the series.

Glory
Quest For Glory 5: Dragon Fire is not merely the end of a great series, but the end of an era for the entertainment compant Yosemite Entertainment. As a great fan of the series, "Hero" has journeyed from the town of Spielburg to the fog-ridden lands of Mordavia, Raseir, Fricana (not in this order) - and finally the village of Silmaria.

In a game of this ilk, graphics plays second fiddle to storyline and gameplay, and it is in these two areas that Qfg5 excels. Transported to the island of Marete and its capital, Silmaria(modeled after ancient Greece), "Hero's" last adventure is fraught with peril and mystery. The music is professional orchestral, with sweeping tones unlike any other game I have encountered.

Now to the plot. Decades ago, the peaceful island of Marete was plagued by a dragon. Seven pillars were constructed with ancient spells, forcing the dragon into its lair. Lately, however, following the brutal assasination of the King of Silmaria, invaders from distant lands rampage across the country, pillaging mercilessly. Compounding the trouble is the prophecy that the blood of a murdered being will destroy the pillars, freeing the dragon from its enchantment...

An enthralling plot, filled with characteristic offbeat Lorey and Corey Cole humor, fantastic music and solid gameplay cement Qfg5's position as a good final instalment to the series and possibly the greatest of the Quest for Glory epics, sure to please fans of the series and provide a closure in "hero's" final adventure.

THE BEST RPG EVER!
This truly is it.There is no other game that effectivley combines the previous games and truly comes up with a greater and more exciting conclusion.There are so many subquests and mysteries while on your quest to beomce the King of Silmaria.There's action, adventure, romance, and gorgeous 3-D graphics!You can choose you own destiny while being any one of four characters.I am a total rpg fan and I loved it!This is a game that you will truly want to play over and over again.

My favorite RPG of all time
I have owned this game for a few years now, and still I've found nothing I enjoy more. I have noticed some reviewers saying that QFG5 is nothing but a big inside joke with a hard to follow plot. I disagree. In fact, I have never even played any of the previous releases in the QFG series, and this one still ranks as my favorite. Even though I am not familiar with the characters from the previous installments, their appearance in this one doesn't seem out of place. You become familiar with the hero's past and just enough backstory is added so that new players can enjoy it just as much as the old. As for criticisms that the plot is confusing, I also disagree. I never had any problems following the plot except that there was one puzzle I couldn't solve without eventually seeking help. I knew what I had to do, but a mental block kept me just out of reach from the solution. My sister played this and figured out the solution immediately, so I think it's a flaw in the gamer, not the developers, so to speak. Ah, but where was I? Oh yes. Wonderful, magical, atmospheric game that is second to none!

A great game in a great tradition
The editorial review above is a little misleading. In no way is Quest for Glory - whether it's game 1 or game 5 or anything in between - intended to be Dungeons & Dragons-like. Rather, it is a unique blend of RPG and adventure. This is a game which requires THINKING, and there are often a number of different ways in which to tackle the quests in the game.
To begin with, the player has four options re character: fighter, mage, thief, or paladin (imported). Naturally there will be different skills involved.
The hero finds himself yanked to Silmaria (based loosely on ancient Greek culture) to answer a call for help. Someone's assassinated King Justinian, and to find the assassin is the hero's major job. However, he must also compete in a Leadership challenge, consisting of seven rites to prove his fitness. He has the option of also competing for the position of Chief Thief if he is so inclined, and using his fighting techniques in the arena. Some interesting side-quests can also be filled - for full points, the side-quests ought to be followed.
The graphics are beautiful, the atmospere of the game both exciting and with an almost fairy-tale quality - and it's filled with cute little one-liners and funny responses in the great tradition of Sierra adventure games.
It's infinitely more rewarding to play this game without reading a walkthrough - but if you get stuck, there are some excellent sites online to give you either hints or "spoilers" (detailed instructions for a particular step). The only quibble I had was that I felt Sierra had rushed the ending of this game somewhat. Yet in terms of enjoyment, it's a gorgeous game that focuses more on great storyline than kill'em slash'em games made today. For a charming and challenging game in the style that alas is not often produced today (let's hope things change), I highly recommend QfG5: Dragon Fire. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Larry Laffer is one wild and crazy guy, especially around the ladies. For more than a decade, Sierra has published Leisure Suit Larry titles, selling upwards of 3 million copies of the lowbrow adventure games. Now all the gorgeous gals and hilarious hijinks are available in one CD-ROM with Leisure Suit Larry's Ultimate Pleasure Pack. It includes both the CGA and VGA versions of the title that got the party started: Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards and Leisure Suit Larry Goes Looking for Love (in Several Wrong Places). Leisure Suit Larry 3: Passionate Patti in Pursuit of the Pulsating Pectorals lets the player experience life as both Larry and Patti, making it the first computer adventure that offers a sex change. Al Lowe, Larry's creator, promised after volume three that there wouldn't be a volume four, which takes us to Leisure Suit Larry 5: Passionate Patti Does a Little Undercover Work, with the innovative Grope-'n'-Click interface and the now famous Bodily Function Keys. Leisure Suit Larry 6: Shape Up or Slip Out! contains all the pathetic pickup lines, scathing comebacks, and '70s mood music Leisure Suit Larry connoisseurs have come to expect. Lastly, there is Leisure Suit Larry 7: Love for Sail!, which includes scratch-'n'-sniff smells and a feature that allows you to include your voice and face in the game (don't ask). As an added bonus, play five Vegas-style games while chatting over the Internet in Leisure Suit Larry's Casino.

Warning: the Leisure Suit Larry games are for mature audiences; they contain adult humor, sexual innuendo, risqué implications, and mature situations. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

These games are great
I grew up playing these games, and personally, I think that Leisure Suit Larry 1 the remake, 6, and 7 are the best, I just wish they wouldn't have scrapped the project on Larry 8.Al Lowe is great when it comes to these games!

Years of fun
I have owned these games for a long time and it is probably the only series that I replay again and again every few years (OK I do the same with the King's Quest series).Lots of laughs.

Entertaining
I recommend this collection of Larry games. They are very addicting and really fun to play.I only wish that they continued making these games.Anyways, this is a sure hit.

larry laffer the swinger of all swingers
ok if you liked the first leisure suit larry in the land of the lounge lizards then youll love this i meen its all of them xcept #4 since al lowe couldnt come up with an idea for the game after #3 cuz he pretty much tied a bow around it after larry and patti live happily ever after and what not but anywayz now that i bought this i have doubles of a couple of them but thats ok cuz leisure suit larry was the first game and best game i ever played on a pc and for only 39.99 come on now you cant beat it its a great deal for really good games.

A Great Classic
Well if you have ever played any of the Leisure Suit Larry games you know what to expect. Includes all the games except the 4th because for some reason they had to take it off the shelfs. Includes the original game which is just text, no pics, and the remake of the first one. A great game for larry fans and anyone that likes a more mature stratage game. Hours of fun. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Despite the Red Baron, the Sopwith Camel, zeppelins, and otherfamous reminders of the oft romanticized aerial battles of World War I,the conflict has been grossly underrepresented in the gaming world.That's a shame, because when a game as fun as Red Baron 3-Dcomes along it only leaves us wanting more. This upgraded version ofRed Baron 2 is vastly better than the game that preceded it,from the improved 3-D graphics (if you have a 3-D accelerator thatsupports the Glide API) to the new flight models.

Flight simulator fans used to screaming around the sky at mach 2 willbe in for a bit of a shock. Few of the planes exceed 150 mph, and mostof your time will be spent at double-digit speeds. However, the slowspeeds do not make for a boring game. Thanks to a handy timecompression feature, climbing to a reasonable altitude doesn't take toolong, and the inherent instability of these crates means activehandling is required at all times.

Many of the 22 flyable planes in the game are extremely fragile. Youcan actually hear the wing spars creak and groan as you pull tightturns, often followed by a sickening "snap!" when novices are at thecontrols. Players can fly a variety of single scenarios or participatein complete campaigns, but the real fun of Red Baron 3-D is theonline play. No matter how good you are at the single-player game, anexperienced human player will pull off moves that make your head spin.Fortunately this is one of those games where practicing is actuallyfun, and the game's low price (and free multiplayer component) onlyadds to the appeal. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• Much improved flight model
• Graphics look great (if you have a Glide-compatible 3-D videoaccelerator)
• Online multiplayer battles are a blast

• Players without a Glide-compatible video card will have to make dowith older graphics
• Fragility of aircraft and lack of radar and advanced weapons makethe game difficult for beginners

Reviews (26)

Best All Around WW1 Combat Flight Sim
Yes it is true! Dispite being released way back in, what was it, 1998? Red Baron 3D remains among the top of tier of combat flight sims.

If you are looking for this classic sim the bad news is that all origional published copies are sold out. The good news is that used copies are not hard to find. Shop around and try to get the actual Red Baron 3D game and not the upgradable Red Baron 2. Also, try and find a copy that includes the Red Baron 3D manual. This manual is chock full of everything you need to know about every aspect of the sim. There is a large section devoted to the pilots and aircraft of the period covered in the sim and lots of period photos. It resembles a paperback novel more than manuals found with PC games these days.

Other good news is that although the game/sim is old it has been lovingly modded and kept up to date by a large community of artists and programers. The game in its current state of modification hardly resembles the game as it was origionally shipped.

The Campaign in RB3D remains to this day the standard to which all others are held. Really, there is nothing else in the world of 3D flight sims that can compare to it. It is the key reason why so many have been flying and modding this sim over the years. Very little about the campaign is scripted. Once you take off from your aerodome how events unfold from then on depends largely on the decisions you make while in the air. While flying a mission there is a real sense of a war going on all around you. Looking off into the distance dogfights and ground fire that have nothing to do with your mission can be seen unfolding. I have seen planes little more than spects in the distance spinning out of control towards theearth shot down out of the sky, trailing smoke.

The game was programed to run on the now extinct 3dfx Voodoocards and Glide graphics. The game can be run in Direct Draw with modern video cards but it looks [...]. In order to run the game in Glide with a Nvidia or ATI card a Glide wrapper or simulator is used. The latest is called dgVoodoo and works great!

Anyway, I wanted to write up this review because the sim is still in use and message boards with enthuiastic modders and simmers from all over the world are currently active and they are a great place to getstarted and ask Qs about anything having to do withRed Baron 3D or any of its many mods and patches.

Here is a good place to start if you are ready to take the plunge!http://forums.delphiforums.com/swwisa/start

Huge five stars for this awsome game!
A huge five stars: Still my favorite game after five years and three upgrades, Red Baron 3D continues to be addictive in 2004. Unfortunately, the company that made the game is defunct, but there is a huge online community keeping the game alive with lots of awesome upgrades and options.I hope some rich guy, or perhaps a savvy game company resurrects this awesome game someday. I'm a huge fan of combat flight simulators, so I routinely buy all the new games. Nothing comes close to Red Baron for the sheer joy of dog fighting, the thrill of the hunt, and the fear of flaming death. The campaigns are virtually unlimited in their variety. The missions vary from routine to absolutely terrifying, requiring you to `bug out' or die plummeting in a flaming wreck. Even at the height of your skill, the lifespan of your pilots can be very short, or perhaps you will survive the war captured in a POW camp, maimed in a hospital, or victorious with a chest full of medals. A player has to be cunning and skilled to play this game and survive, but with some training, a bit of practice and some luck, you can become a canvas falcon and rule the skies as the Ace of Aces!

Red Baron 3D, More Than Just a Flight Simulator
Red Baron 3D is not your ordinary flight simulator program.Red Baron 3D is a highly interactive WWI flight simulation where you can immerse yourself in honorable combat in the skies above France.Red Baron 3D can be played in a wide variety of ways.You can choose your aircraft and fly against any one of many enemy aircraft flown by an AI pilot in whats called the "Fly Now" mode.You can create a pilot and fly from the beginning of WWI, flying realistic computer generated missions in the "Campain Mode".As your pilot gains experience and as the War progresses, your pilot will advance in rank and responsibility. In "Single Mission" mode, you can fly your choice of a number of missions that will test your skills as a WWI fighter ace.You can even generate your own missions to fly, such asbomber escort or intercept, offensive patrols, even balloon busting.You can also play via the internet and pit your skills against other players in real time from all over the world.To play via the internet, you will need to download and install an official Sierra patch called RB3D1078.EXE.This patch will allow you to see and play in the many game servers devoted to Red Baron 3D since WON.NET no longer supports internet play.There are numerous Web Sites devoted to Red Baron 3D where you can get information on how to play the game.

Regards;
JGS4SparksJ79bCO
Commanding Officer JGS4 Jasta79b, Red Baron 3D On-line squadron

Red Baron 3-D
I purchased this game via Amazon.com after playing Red Baron-2. Installed it and had nothing but problems. My system met the requirements to run it but the Campaign portion of the game refused to work. I contacted Sold Out for tech assistance but they were unable to solve the problem. They requested I return the game so they could check it for flaws. I plan to return the game to them(at my cost)and see what they come up with.
I was able to play Red Baron-2,by Sierra, and really liked it. This version is less than I expected and unless the flaws can be addressed, I wont purchase another game via Sold Out.

3-D not much improvement to an already great game.
Red Baron is easily the most challenging game i've ever played. It continues to confound me after years of play. I've never been able to get the online version to work, but that's OK because the "campaign" level is great. You must master the controls and be able to look off into one direction, while flying in another. You will build your pilot up while fighting in the Great War. If you see a red Fokker triplane come after you and you're flying for the French or British, get outta there! ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

For Lords of the Realm II fans, Sierra announces more excitement, new combat, plus head-to-head combat on the Internet with other Lords of the Realm II fans. The Lords of the Realm: Royal Collection offers you everything you need. Get the original Lords of the Realm together with Lords of the Realm II and the Internet-ready Lords of the Realm II Siege Pack in the Royal Collection. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Bad.Bad,Bad.
the new lords of the realm 3 is Bad it is not as good as the original.please save your money go and buy yourself the original game you will be a much happier perso!Bad Bad!all they had to do was alow the original to be able to be played on EAther xp or windows 2000 etc ,just up date the game and everyone would be happy IT WAS A GREAT GAME ,this new game is BAD

bad
the new lords of the realm 3 is bad it is not as good as the original.please save your money go and buy yourself the original game you will be a much happier person!bad bad !

A classic
Lords of the Realm 2 was the first strategy game I played.A friend brought it over in 7th grade, and in the past 7 years it's been the one game I've gone back to repeatedly.I have yet to grow tired of this game.

First, I love the game's soundtrack.I've actually put all the music WAV files in a playlist...and while I'm on the subject of the audio, if you haven't listened to setup2.wav, DO IT!

As for gameplay, it isn't exactly the most complicated of strategy games, but I think that's part of what makes it fun.If you're going to create an army, wait for one of the merchants to come through so you can buy ale.It's much easier to feed people on grain than cows, and it doesn't hurt happiness.The Knight is a spoiled brat.It is music to my ears to hear "The county is yours, my lord..."After countless hours playing this game, things like these are what you will discover.Oh, and defending your first siege without losing a guy (and no auto-calc either)...now there's a feeling of intense pride.

If you can manage to get the (now flaky) multiplayer system to work anymore (it sure as heck wasn't designed for XP!), you're in for quite a treat.The Siege Pack adds in a new gameplay form, the Skirmish.This is the real-time battles of the game played separate from the game itself.These are great for when you don't have time to sit through the typical hours for an RTS, but have a taste for medieval battle.

Simple mathematics give you a winner
Although i have this game already for over 5 years, i still enjoy playing it. Sound, graphics and gameplay are great, considering the age of the game. The only sad thing perhaps is that you can perfectly calculate what to do in order to win the game: 1 cow feeds 10 people, next season i will have exactly produced 124 bows etc... The only random factors, which you can't influence at all, are events like the plague. If calculated well, you can defend one county against an invasion of all other counties together. So don't set the difficulty too easy. For the rest it is a recommender although its age.

lords2
it not working on lords play....and the cd is broken? ... Read more

Amazon.com 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).

How can you give this less then 4 stars?
Truly a great adventure game. Now I was an "old-school" fan of adventure games back when developers cared about that genre. now adventure gaming is a dying breed, with only about one or two new adventure games coming out a year and most of those slipping through the cracks where only devoted fans hear about them. True fans are forced to the classics. Now this game in my mind is one of the true great adventure games along with the monkey island series, space quest series, and heros quest series. The game itself may confuse some non-adventure gamers, who don't understand the point of adventure games, but it will leave a great taste in your mouth when you finish it. Regardless if you played the past two Gabriel Knight games you can pick up the plot pretty easily and it draws you in and never lets go. Sneaking around churches and cellars hearing screams and seeing claw marks help set the mood of terror and suspense throught the whole game. This game is similar to one of the movies where the movie dosen't become great until the end when it all wraps up. A must buy for adventure fans, and for those gamers sick of shooting the same space aliens!

The Best Tale In Years
A scary intense story with deep felt characters and a world of mystery. It is truly a game that will make you care and wonder about the exciting conclusion of the adventure game that ends the story Beautifuly. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Homeworld took real-time strategy into the third dimension, andthe latest installment takes the series to exciting new levels. Set 15 yearsafter the events in the original, Homeworld: Cataclysm comes with newships (some of which are upgradeable), enhanced gameplay, and a load of newtactical challenges. Once again, it's your job to lead a fleet of spacecraftthrough a campaign that involves past threats, a civil war, and eventually afrighteningly powerful menace that eclipses everything that came before it.

The basics are still the same, but now players can't see anything outside of therange of their ships' sensors. This makes defense tougher, because it's hard topredict where attacks will materialize; also, it requires the effective use of asmall screening force to avoid nasty ambushes. Your new mothership is a lowlymining scow, so it isn't possible to build anything but the most basic shipuntil a captured vessel is towed in and researched. There's also a new limit onthe number of ships that you can have in your fleet at any time, which meansthat it's important to build the right ship and make it count. There are a lotof new things to learn in Cataclysm, and all of them add to the game'sfun.

One of the best things about Cataclysm is that you don't need a copy ofHomeworld to run it, and the story line is completely self-contained. Anexcellent tutorial is included that will help players come to grips with movingtheir ships in a fully 3-D environment. The graphics haven't been upgraded much(but they didn't need to be), and the game runs smoothly on even low-end PCs, aslong as you have a capable video card. This is a must-buy for fans of theoriginal, although newcomers might want to start with the original (or wait forthe inevitable Homeworld/Cataclysm combo pack), so that they canfeel the full effect of this polished series. Then again, no real-time strategyfan will want to miss the multiplayer mode. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• More challenging and deep than the original game
• Doesn't require Homeworld
• Absolutely beautiful, especially at high resolutions

• Missions are large, but you only get 17
• The cutscenes can be somewhat lame, but this doesn't affect gameplay

Reviews (146)

Very good game
This was one of if not the most fun strategy game i have played. It has an amazing story, unbelievable graphics, and an interface that once you learn it is relatively easy to use.
Tbe only reason i didnt give it a 5 is because it is so hard as to exclude this game from some of the less hardcore stategy gamers. The game does take a hit as well from not being able to order your ships into formations (an important part of any space strategy game) but it is more than compensated by just generally being alot of fun. Now i am a fan of space stategy games and i thought that the toughness of the game was an asset because insted of just building a huge fleet and crushing your enemys (satisfing but doesnt take much brain power) you could manipulate the battlefield leaving your enemy crippled and unable to fight back (buy controlling recource spots ect.) I do have to admit i went through a few mouses because i broke a few in sheer frustration. So in conclusion i highly recomend this game to you if u enjoy a tough but satisfing game and your not one of the "gamers" who like to boot up warcraft and put in all the instant build cheet codes. This game is well worth $20 and it was worth it to me when i pre ordered it in 03 for $60. BUY IT PEOPLE!!!

Fun?
I just have one thing to say: this game is as fun as you can throw it underwater with your wrists chained to some wall.Also, the interface and mere gameplay feels like an act of congress (looking up how to do things in the manual!)To be frank, don't by this game even if they would give you money in return!

Loss of The Real Concept!
Look, I've been a Homeworld fan ever since I bought it when it FIRST came out, it was beautiful, the graphics were just delightful, and the stradegy was complex to a portion where I can sit in a room, for 20 hours of non-stop harvesting and planning of an attack with a lil' math and algebra on the side.

When I started to play Homeworld 2, I was hyped, and ready to complete the saga in my world of stradegy gaming other than StarCraft, WarCraft, Age of Empires, and all those other fun stuff.

I began by downloading the Demo from Sierra, and I was full blown by the new graphics it had, though my video card was really acting kinda messy since it was the summer time. (Yeah seasonal changes make items work slower or faster.) Anyways, when I started to play the demo, I used the mechanism of the keyboard and controls of what Homeworld 1 had, lemmie tell you this, TOTALLY DIFFERENT! I can't believe my eyes of what I felt and seen! Everything; the whole concept has changed, the keys and etc. Then I saw that the stradegies have changed, and there were only 3 formation patterns I could only choose for my fithers, I'm like, WHAT IN THE WORLD WERE THEY THINKING!? I really wanted to bust a few chops with my strategic mind... so then I thought to myself, eh, not bad, lemmie get the whole game and see what it's really worth...

Bought it, it's totally the same concept, doesn't relate to Homeworld 1, doesn't relate to ANYTHING LIKE HOMEWORLD AT ALL! I thought that they would stick to their story, but the whole thing changed... I was really mad about it.

The game-play suddenly became boring, just traveling with no real dog-fight, "Some destiny this is..." ok, maybe a few dog-fights, but the game just gets harder and harder *like any other game* But I'm looking at it, I swear to you, I would've beaten all these fools if I had all those formation patterns. This game has less stradegy in mind, and the shipmaking, is just build in bulk, something that a gamer would NEVER LIKE. Listen, usually, it's always great to build ONE AT A TIME... WHY!? BECAUSE HAVING THAT FEELING TO SIT ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT WAITING FOR THAT SPECIAL OBJECT TO BE BUILT REALLY SHOWS THAT IT'S A GREAT GAME. This however, was truly dissappointing... No wonder it was 20 bux. Not many people like it! For God's sake even Diablo 2 is 20 times better than this and the graphics can be as horrible as they want, but their game play is just completely mind blowing as well as the story line.

For all kids that love graphics, I suggest this game as a STARTER, but for gaming stradegy and story lines, I suggest that you should TURN BACK, THERE'S NOTHING TO SEE BUT A GAME THAT TAKES 20 HOURS OF YOUR LIFE JUST SITTING AND WAITING FOR NOTHING, BUT RUNNING AWAY FROM YOUR ENEMIES.

Even Homeworld Cataclysm is better than this. I wouldn't call this game trash though, but would've worth a lot of money if they knew how to bring back the story line as what they were before, but spiced up, with more allies and enemies, and probably if Sierra was lucky, deception.

Wonderful Game
Before I start, I would suggest anyone who gets this game be sure to download the patch that has been made available.This balances out units a little better (not too much, but a little) and also decreases the difficulty of several of the missions (they are possible to beat without the patch, but they are hard).

This game builds wonderfully over the orrignal Homeworld.It has made several improvements in how things are handled and also polishes up things in general.In addition, unlike the orrignal Homeworld the different sides have very different strengths and weaknesses that are readily apparent when playing them.

Some nice additions:

You no longer build single fighters, but rather build fighters in wings.So long as a single fighter in the wing survives you can send the fighter group back to a carrier or mothership or shipyard and have the unit returned to full strength.This makes fighter units much more useful and practical then the frail things they were in Homeworld.

Resource collection at the end of missions has been automized.You will no longer have to sit around for hours after missions sending harvisters out to collect resources for you.Once all enemy units have been defeated all resources in the map are automatically collected and added to your resource pool.

Subsystems.You can now build subsystems that give your ships interesting capabilities as well as target enemy subsystems.Large ships (such as battle crusers, carriers, motherships) come with some standard subsystems that cannot be completely destroyed but can be dammaged to the point that they no longer function.This makes hit and run type attacks much more useful then they were previously since you can use them to dammage enemy capabilities or cripple enemy ships, while allowing access to some nice abilities should you chose to build some of the more unique subsystems.

The ability to capture any ship in the game has also been added.That is right, capture ANY ship in the game.Including motherships.In addition, the units which capture enemies are much less flimsy so while they do still need an escourt they can be counted on to not die immediately.

Fleet formations have also been added.While there are really only 3 choises for fleet formations, they really do make it easy to use ships of different classes together.When used properly these formations are extreamly powerful, however you need to learn when to use a formation and when to break it up.

There are a few things I am less than satisfied with however.It is for these reasons that I am only giving it a rating of 4 out of 5.

The first major thing I was disapointed with was the reduction on the number of formations.I remember that with the orrignal Homeworld there was a large number of fomrations to chose from.I kept wishing I had access to some of those, particularly the claw and the sphere.While it may be argued that the addition of fleet formations makes up for this change, I couldn't help but wish that I had access to many of the old formations.

The interface is something I am not 100% satisfied with as well.While I will agree that it is definately a step up from what was used with Homeworld, it does feel somehow cumbersome.I guess it is a function of too many menues when it comes to building units and researching.Even in this respect it isn't too bad though.

Also, the 3D nature of space has largely been ignored.This problem still existed in Homeworld, though it was a little less noticable there since they did fairly often launch surprise attacks from above or below.Homeworld 2 largely just uses the horozontal plane when it comes to combat.Units controled by the AI simply will not try coming from strange directions, but rather take a head on approach.Thankfully I was able to find a group of people to play with online who were not burdened with this problem.

My final real problem with Homeworld comes with the addition of a new unit: the shipyard.The reason for this has to do with multiplayer where its importaince overshadows even that of the mothership once it has been built.It has more subsystem slots than the mothership.It is the only unit which can build battlecruisers.It has all the capabilities that the mothership has and more.From a stand point of game ballance I can see why this may have happened (the game designers didn't want players skipping ahead in the research tree right to battlecruisers), however I cannot help but feel that if anything the shipyard should be more of a smaller mothership with more limited capabilities.Somewhere between a carrier and the mothership.

All that said, the game is still a wonderful game.It contains almost all of the orrignal Homeworld's good points, and gets rid of many of its bad ones with the introduction of few flaws.If you like the idea of controling an intergalatic battle fleet then I would definately suggest that you pick up this game.The campaign alone would be worth it, but multiplayer is where this game really shines since that is where you will see interesting tatics that can be used once the pesky notion of 2D is forgotten.

Visually stunning but shocking game play
In light of completing Homeworld 2 twice, the review is a brutal truth of what the game is---a game so challenging, so hard, it just simply isn't worth your bother. Ordinary gamers will derive no enjoyment from this. In a manner of words: this is a game with spectacular graphics, breathtaking naval fleet warfare, all hampered by arduous game play.

Fifteen missions long, the average player will find themselves struggling by just the fourth, if you finished the third by the skin of your teeth. Rapidly changing mid-mission objectives, wave after wave of enemy forces, you'd better be up to the challenge of preventing your shipyard from hostile takeover to graduate to the real fun.

Then mission 4 hits you, hard and heavy.

Players are simply not prepared so early in the game, after such breezy missions, for one of such difficulty. Continual enemy attacks never leave you alone, never giving you a breather, to collect resources, to replenish your ragtag fleet. Don't grin that smile yet, that massive frigate assault will wash it away. There's no time to get a feel for ship classes, what works best against which enemy unit, to experiment on new technologies. Took a stunning number of weeks to beat that mission alone. Just concentrate on bombers and pulsar corvettes and she'll be right mate. Homeworld 2, it seems, is one heavy mission after another, broken up by occasional missions so quiet you could sleep through them. Those restful missions would be ideal to build your fleet to full strength and maximum unit numbers.

A detrimental mistake!

An unbelievable attribute of the game---the stronger you are, the heavier the next mission's enemy forces will be. The astounding stupidity of this is simply shocking. Try full unit limits from the tenth mission onwards, when enemy forces are already considerable, you'll see. This isn't so bad, really, but it makes hill into mountain.

Homeworld 2 is a RTS game of its own, nothing like Starcraft-type games. Even the hardest Starcraft mission gave you time to rebuild a weakened army, fix your base up. You could explore the darkened map, tease the enemy from different sides. H2 won't let you do that. This game demands strict obedience to the mission objectives. You play to fulfil them, not your own agenda.

Even more absurd, whatever forces you have left you begin with next mission. Scrape a mission too finely, and what are your chances of survival, really, when come the enemy hordes, and come in numbers they will.

What H2 steals from you is enjoyment. This is for the determined player. Who doesn't want a challenge in a game? But it's not fun. Move! You can't sit idle at any time; you can't split your fleet up, to feint at an enemy base from different angles. You want to live, keep all eggs in one fleet.

The menu controls are shocking. Mouse scrolling doesn't work in H2. It takes valuable time to position and drag the tab down the page. You can't even press ENTER or ESCAPE keys, only mouse commands. Such is the Idiotic Intelligence of the developers, that you can't authorise commands with an ENTER tap. The screen panels where you click to load or save games are so slim you really have to position your mouse precisely over them.

The method of saving is a joke. Strict alphanumerical order, the starting letter or number determines its placement in the list. It's better to save games chronologically, like Starcraft and Jedi Outcast. In-game auto-saving works against you; replay a mission, and you might re-save over it.

Where in the game booklet does it say docked strike craft automatically repair? A tiny offhand mention in the Vaygr Battlecruiser. How would you think to dock your fighters when you need them active at all times?

Absurd to target warship subsystems (engines, weapons, etc) when destroying the ship takes just as long. Absurd to capture an enemy ship, not only from your strict unit numbers, but the ship will always target your marine frigate. Played game twice, still can't get cloaking technology.

Like viewing a sphere of blinking red and green dots all game long? You'll spend considerable time looking at your radar screen; it's the only way to see enemy units and positions, and easier to select targets.

Graphics are awesome, ship details commendable. Mouse-wheel scrolling permits easy panning and rotation of the camera angle. Fun to follow a bomber group on their attack runs, or zoom right in at besieged warships about to be missile volleyed. High comp system will avert the occasional slowdown when camera-close to a ship going nova; exploding capital ships are cool.

Mid- and inter-mission cutscenes are simple but satisfactory. Fleet Command voices sounds too similar; Makaan is chilling as the Vaygr warlord, smooth and polite.

Game music will become repetitive. Only two tracks stand out: the oriental Hindu-like music of the Keeper missions, and that brief heavy battle track in missions 9 and 12. Hammered by endless Vaygr fleets, your heart pounding as you brawl for survival, why the damn hell did they finish after two minutes? Superb and haunting, they rapidly faded back to that mundane battle music.

There is nothing special about mysterious Sajuuk, the one hope of your homeworld. Can't spoil you here, but the game designers are criminal fools to make the guy just that. And if that doesn't inspire your outrage, behold the short, simplistic final cutscene of the game.

This is Homeworld 2. Visually stunning, rigid game play design. You'd do well to think long and hard before sampling this farce of fun. All fine and fancy to spout rave reviews and the shine the five-star flag, but honest and informative feedback goes a long way to whisper the truth. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The Nile calls once again as the Queen of Kings takes center stage in Pharaoh Official Expansion: Cleopatra, with four new campaigns for Pharaoh. Offering a completely new story line, starting with the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, this expansion pack includes the mysterious and exotic time of Cleopatra VII. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Addicting, very addicting...
I can spend five hours playing this game and not get bored. That's how I feel about most of these city-building games like Zeus: Master of Olympus and Caesar 3. The only thing I didn't like about this game was that you always had to put the industrial buildings very close to the homes or else there'd be no workers. Unfortunately that brings down the neighborhood appeal, and then your houses devolve. Also the gods can be somewhat hard to please. Of course, since the mission editor comes with this game, you could always edit a custom mission and limit the gods to 3 or so. Overall, this is a great add-on to an already fantastic game.

CleopatraOfficial Expansion
I enjoyed this game.Of all the sim games I prefere the ones like Pharoah, Cleopatra, Zues and Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom.

Shameless Cleopatra plug
I play many city building games but I always come back to this one.

Its pretty good
First of all you need egyptian background. you love the game for the first 2 months but after that youll have no intrest. It is a great game though its so real you trade with other cities and built monuments and basically build an egyptian city. 1 word of advice always keep seth happy

Great Game!
Addictive, fun, great lesson in foreign AND domestic economics, ancient Egyptian history.I absolutely love this game, and never get sick of it!Lots of different choices, and ability levels. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

The best ever!
I have quite a few modern games (Empire Earth, Age of Mithology, Rise of Nations, you name it!) but the aging Caesar3 is still my favorite, it is relaxing, fun, enjoyable. It is true you won't find zoom capabilities or fancy graphics or complicate interface, it is just the best! By the way, Sierra, where is Caesar4?

good city sims
cleopatra and pharo are some of my favorite city sims.I found ceaser 3 chunky and hard to play.But getting 3 games in one is a great value.Get ready to lose some major time here!!A good value.

Time-travel the easy way.....
I've played both Caesar III, and Pharoah, and enjoyed them very much. The graphics and sound are quite satisfactory, and the gameplay is very absorbing. The key to playing successfully is managing your resources efficiently.
If you fail to do so, you will have difficulty meeting your objectives. In one early mission, I made the emperor so angry that he sent legions to arrest me and destroy my town. I was given a different assignment.....pulling an oar in the hold of a galley : ( Challenges with the potential for glorious success or miserable failure is what makes the game interesting. If the game were too easy to win, then it wouldn't be interesting. The degree of difficulty is easily adjusted on a menu in the 'Options' if you wish to reduce the challenge.
So, build what you need in order to meet your goals, i.e. usually producing goods either to export profitably, or meet your own needs, and thus allow construction of facilities which raise the quality of life in your city. Just don't build too fast before you have a solid financial base.
I find that I tend to become very involved with the welfare of 'my' citizens. I love being able to do things which make my cities prosper, enhancing the quality of their housing, and providing a higher standard of living, etc, and likewise feeling badly for them when I forget to provide something, and they suffer as a result. The audio contributes greatly to this, when the population is happy, you hear them laughing and cheering, but when a plague strikes the city, they cough and moan piteously. Also, the sounds vary depending on what you are looking at, if your view is centered on a gladiator school, you will hear swords clanging against armor and lions roaring. If you are looking at a fountain, you may hear water trickling, etc.
Generally, detail on the buildings, and the animations for the various activities taking place are good. There are many different characters, each with distinctive costume, from the little kid happily skipping around the neighborhood of the school, to the long-bearded priest associated with the various temples.
Each mission in each game takes place in a different city. In Pharoah they also take place in a slightly different time, beginning around 3000 B.C.E, and moving forward through time.
When I play, I become very immersed in the games, feeling transported back to these eras, which to me indicates that Sierra did a great job in the overall design and implementation of the games. These are very worthy games by themselves, and expect to be spending a lot of time with them. I also look forward to playing Sierra's other games, Zeus and Poseidon.

Ron

Very good
The great Empires Collection is over-all a good buy.I would have rated this game four & 1/2 stars, but this was not an option.

The Games are a good mix, but all three games are basically the same.

Caesar III is difficult to an extent, and may get boring.The combat system is good, but it is hard to keep your houses from de-moting.

It takes a week or so, but Caesar III is easily to pick up.

Pharaoh is the same with the exemption of flood plains, roadblocks, and archers, chariots, and inpenterey instead of leagens, spearman, and mounted spearman; also you could build things like pyramids.

Cleopatra is the same as Pharaoh, but there are zoos, some new industries and pyramids building speed-up.

S.S.M.

These are the best challenging scenario games - They rock!!
I bought the Empire Collection just about a week ago now, and so far I have only played CaesarIII, but let me tell you, this game is exactly what one wants in a game: Great graphics, challenging scenarios, smooth running with your computer. CaesarIII is very addictive, as I realised one day when I woke up and spent from 9:30am till 4:00pm playing it. I was not even conscience of the time but even after all that time I still hadn't got bored. Personally, one thing I like is that it doesn't cause your computer to "stick up" even after playing it for hours on end. The graphics and sounds are like real life and it is really amazing how a game with such good graphics and sounds doesn't cause your computer to freeze after extended play. The only "con" I see in this game is that it is very time consuming and in many scenarios Caesar's demands seem impossible to met. You either have runned out of space or don't have enough money.
However, if you think you're a pro when it comes to strategy games, then I highly recommend you to buy "The Empires Collection". ... Read more

Reviews (10)

The Best
This is the best game i ever played in my life

Where in Europe can I order this?
I'm a big fan of all the Police Quests series, and I'd love to have it. On this site, it can only be shipped within the US. Since I live in the Netherlands (Europe), I'm most unfortunate (what this is concerned) Has anybody got tips for me, where I can buy it in Europe??

All the cop action you can handle
From where it all began until Swat came out, this is the ultimate collection.Police Quest 1 (vga and svga) I liked the old version since the day i played it, it was much more fun, but both are great. Plice Quest 2 (vga) lots of fun, this was the first time i played it. Police Quest 3,4 (svga) both were great, 3 was better then 4, and 4 was... to put it nicely weird Swat. simply put fun for everyone who ever wanted to be part of the team. if you have or haven't played any of these games, get this you will enjoy it for hours on end.

Help Please Read!
In the pack that has PQ1,234&5 is the remade version of PQ1 in it? E-mail me at DBZ31689@aol.com, THANKYOU IF YOU HELP!

need help
I am in need for the hints manual for the first version of Police Quest. Please help me. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

"A whole new universe of 3-D combat sim," Starsiege is sure to become a classic. Its fine attention to detail, ease of use, and stunning graphics pull the player into the game. The year is 2829, and Cybrid drones have scrutinized human behavior and are ready to descend on earth. Choose your character as either a human warrior or a Cybrid death machine. Hunt your prey across vast landscapes, through fortified bases, and war-ravaged cities in 3-D worlds. Record single and multiplayer games for later playback. A printed 184-page manual and a 152-page full-color Compendium of the Starsiege Universe are included. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Can't wait for the next one.
This is a very fun game with a good group of people playing it. I only wish that I had more time to play it.

Best game ever.
Starsiege is hands-down the best game to come out on the market. I myself am a vetern of this action-packed fast-paced game. I lead my own squad, the Starsiege Mafia, and I've seen all there is to see. A person's first impression is to look at the graphics, yet why dare comparing graphics against gameplay? The controls are a bit harsh to the "newbie" but he becomes familiar with time. The sad truth is, people don't want to play because it takes over a week, and maybe even a year, just to adjust yourself properly to the game. And others are just so lazy, they don't want to endure the hardships of teamwork, which, sadly, I have witnessed personally within the game. And also, take Izzy's advice, he's the ultimate modder. What makes this game so great is the fact that it does take teamwork, effort, time, and sometimes, for us mappers, imagination. A lot do not like the idea of, how did gamespot put it.."Man-made maps", but that's the fun of it!! The ideas in your brain come out in these maps! Overall, get this game, and, amazon, start charging more for it. It deserves much more credit than what you give.

Just friggin awesome
seriously, probably the most enveloped i have ever been in a game.This Game owns all MW's even MW4

If you really loved this game...
I've already written a review for this, but if you've loved this game then support the total conversion mod for Tribes: Vengeance at www.starsiege2845.comIt's amazing what these guys are doing!

Starsiege: The Greatest Online Game
This game is awesome, i remember when i got this game. I got it from my friend. That Summer and the next i spent all my time on this game. My parents had to steal the cd from me so i would play it. It's that good. If you get board with the same maps and stuff this game lets you change them so your never bored. The online gaming is awesome, the best ever. I'D SAY YOU MUST BUY THIS GAME IF YOU LIKE ONLINE GAMING!

~ThE OnE~ ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

If building and managing cities is your passion, then Pharaoh is the game for you. It puts you in charge of building the ancient Egyptian civilization, complete with work camps, temples to Bast, and, of course, pyramids.

Unlike some games of this type, where you build one city indefinitely and watch the population climb, Pharaoh is divided into missions. Players are given a goal--a desired population, food storage targets, and cultural achievements. Play continues until the target is met, unless the city succumbs to plagues, debt, or outside invaders first.

Pharaoh is loads of fun. The mission goals are tough but attainable, and city building for a finite time span will appeal to players who find unending development a bore. The usual juggling of civic needs for water, food, entertainment, and jobs is well balanced. The range of industries, religious practices, and municipal services is engaging, and the graphics are clear enough that it is easy to tell what's going on in the city. The mission-by-mission format allows the game to present a few challenges at a time, providing novelties for new levels of play.

Take charge of the Nile Valley and become a legend! --Alyx Dellamonica ... Read more

Reviews (96)

This is the jewel of the sierra studios games!
"Build a kingdome.Rule the Nile.Live Forever." It said on the cover, but what was in the disk was so much more. You have to build a city and keep it from going into ruin. It was kinda hard at first-*spoiler/tip warning*- but as long as you put up medical buildings, architect's posts,fire houses, and the like, you'll be fine! This game does take a long time, but just be patient, it's worth it.

bu du du dut da i'm lovin' it!
i don't think they had McDonalds in egypt but this game STILL RULES!!!!!!!! YEAH!

Too exhausting to be enjoyable
Pharaoh is every positive thing mentioned by the other reviewers. I wouldn't argue with any of them. It is a great game: "great" in terms of magnitude and scope. But it fails to be "fun." It's one of those bizarre instances where a game is addictive and enthralling but also infuriatingly difficult. I've just spent eight hours on a particular mission only to have a glitch in the behavior of the bazaar traders wreck everything. A few more courses to go on the pyramid...oops, so sorry, start over. Unfortunately problems like these have been commonplace since I started my campaign. Even when things go smoothly, most missions require four to eight hours. I'm sorry, I can't spend my life building cyberspace pyramids. Pharaoh is definitely a case of "more is less."

Pharaoh
This game is great fun for anyone interested in Geography. As well as being great fun its also educational. I used this game to help me pass my Geography exams, it taught me what people need to live and what facilities help to create a better place to live, for example good healthcare and religious facilities, as well as shops and recreational places such as bars and festivals. You can also create parks and gardens.
The down side to this game is the time it takes to build monuments. It takes forever to build things such as pyramid complexes and temples. On the whole this game is a good investment, it provides hours of in-depth fun and education

Better than sim city
This game is a bit like sim city, where you build and controll a city as the mayor, or god, because you can cause fires and tornados and stuff, but its better because you have an objective. Its cool because it's based on real facts about Eqypt, and I like it especially so because I've been to eqypt and seen the real pyramids at Giza, and gone a cruise down the Nile. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

At last, the prayers of NASCAR Racing 3 fans have beenanswered. Its sequel, NASCAR Racing 4, comes with theoutstanding physics model hard-core NASCAR fans have been clamoringfor, along with all 21 tracks from the 2000 Winston Cup season and carsfrom all four NASCAR manufacturers. It's the most complete NASCARsimulation to date, and the realistic physics add a new dimension tothe gameplay. Proper weight transfer is now imperative, and adjustmentsmade to spoilers, shocks, and other components of the car becomeimmediately evident on the track as the car reacts accordingly.

With the right processor and video card, NASCAR Racing 4 cangenerate visuals that are difficult to distinguish from TV broadcasts.Smoke from burnouts and collisions can hang in the air for minutes, andthe new physics model means cars hunker down on their shocks whilebraking and turning. The tracks are all cracked and pitted, with tiremarks and oil trails slowly building up on the standard racing lines.The cars feature immaculate paint jobs that are fully customizableusing the included painting tools.

Those shiny cars can quickly lose their luster thanks to the new damagemodel. Minor bumps and scrapes can take the paint off, while majoraltercations can leave you with bent wheels, a crumpled hood thatobscures your vision, or any of a million other problems. The car'shandling changes based on the damage it has suffered, sometimes pullingso violently to the right or left that racing becomes impossible. Anadded effect of the new physics model is that cars can finally getairborne, making wrecks more realistic than any seen in a NASCARsimulation.

The single-player mode offers computer-controlled opponents that driverealistically, although they can be too aggressive if you're on a linethey want. It's much more fun to build some skill in the single-playergame and then migrate to online play, where drivers from around theworld perpetually challenge one another. NASCAR Racing 4 isn'tperfect at this point, but a few patches should correct what minorflaws it has, and it still stands as the best NASCAR simulation evercreated. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• Completely revamped physics model
• Excellent graphics
• Wonderful online community

• Requires a topnotch computer for best visuals
• Mastering the realistic new physics model can take weeks ofpractice

Reviews (50)

The best Nascar game ever.
The absolute best nascar game ever, Nascar Racing 4.Ive played them all, and this one is the simply the only 1 I ever play at this point, because none other lives up to its features and playability.I highly recomend this game if you enjoy nascar sims,just be sure you have a good wheel.

this is the best game ever
This game is cool becasue it has cool 3d grafits and i hope they make nascar racing 5.

Requirements
I own the Game.. AllThough The requirements don't mention it, Nascar4 also works with WINXP also.. I have XP and I have no problem with it.. After you install, connect on line and let it update.. Great graphics.. Smooth controls with Thrustmaster Racing Wheel.. Better than Nascar Thunder or Nascar2003..

It's more than you think!
Do you want monster realism and physics?Scrutinize this one with a lot of nitpicking, folks, because what we have here is a reformation of one of the most "highly valued" games around.Want to go backwards (but driving forward) at 188 m.p.h. (don't mean to sound harsh, but)?Go ahead.You'll experience the major collision with about 30 cars flipping up into the air sideways, or many different ways.While viewing the replay, you'll see one of the front panels of many race cars fly up 50' in the air; glass, parts, destruction....This is more like NASCAR, people!

Handling your car can be a slight boo-boo, unless you download the patch, where not only will you then exceed in winning some famous races, but become more skilled for multiplayer races.

Just listen to the major BOOM when you smash head on into one of those Nascar cars at 190 m.p.h.We've got some major sound effects!!Many other great sounds, like screeching the tires, tires exploding, you name it.

Also, want to paint your own vehicle?Go to the paintshop.Save a few images from the internet and put them on your car!

If you want, you can operate on your car, tune it any way you want!

That's the reformation of a great Nascar game, people.Bright, sophisticated, brilliant details and graphics and gameplay make this the worthy, leading successor of all the Nascar games out there for the PC.

nascar racing #4
first i did not get a book of instructions with the game?? i had to learn on my own. my pit crew is not visible, don't know how to find them? the game goes in stop motion from time to time and the sound goes off all the time. i think it should be more simple to operate--to many buttons on the key board that changes things. in part the game is real fun and i plan on buying nascar 2002 soon. i just hope i get a book this time. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

This collection contains two terrifying adventures by Roberta Williams from the bestselling horror series in gaming history. The package's extensive film footage, realistic graphics, and orchestrated soundtrack will easily pull you into this world of psychological horrors. (Ages 17 and older) ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Doesn't live up to its expectations...
I am a huge fan of Roberta Williams, her King's Quest games have offered me hours of entertainment since I was about 9 years old. When I heard that she was taking on a more "adult" project featuring real actors and a gripping, horror-based storyline, I was more than excited. However, I received nothing but disappointment.

The graphics in this game are most impressive (considering the time that the game was created). They feature real actors who are placed in front of a blue screen with a cartoon-ish backround and props projected behind them. This gives the game a fairly realistic effect although at times the actors look so out of place in front of their backrounds that the occuring event is everything but real.

As far as the acting goes..it's about what you'd expect from a game which resembles a B horror movie. Most of the acting is barely believeable (although Adrienne, the main character, is not horrible) and the characters themselves are most annoying.

The story was just awful...cliched and robbed to the core, I found absolutely everything in this game to be entirely predictable. It focuses around a couple, Don and Adrienne, who move into a huge, spooky house on an island. The house was owned by a creepy count named Carno and it is said to be haunted. All of the islanders are afraid of the house and none of them are too keen on talking about it (with the exception of one eager old woman who serves as the "revelation of the evil within" source seen in all movies of this sort). The story proceeds just as you would predict. Without giving anything away I'll just tell you that Adrienne discovers ghosts, secret rooms, and a demon which has been wreaking havoc on the house for years. It borrows heavily from Stephen King's "The Shining" (as in..the house turns the husband into a raving psychopath). For anyone who is not too familiar with the horror genre, Phantasmagoria may provide a few hours of good story. To fans of classic horror movies and games, Phantasmagoria will become stale before the end of chapter three.

This brings me to the gameplay. The game itself is divided into 7 chapters (each chapter contained entirely on its respective disk). While this may seem as though it allows for a massive game, it must be said that each chapter can be completed in a quick half hour, even by the most inexperienced of adventure gamers. The puzzles that each chapter requires you to solve are completely lacking in challenge. They are solved by the use of obvious items in Adrienne's inventory and no logical thought is necessary. There was actually a chapter in the game which focused entirely on buying a bottle of Dran-O from the village general store and returning it to your husband. Yes - that's it. Later - a puzzle comes up where the very item you need can be found a single screen below and it is not hidden in the very least.

To fans of blood and gore - this game may serve as an enjoyable "shockfest". There is more than one moment of senseless violence which is not limited to beheading, faces being ripped open, and the funneling of human body parts down a woman's throat. For those too squeamish to even imagine such things, the gore can easily be censored with an in-game option requiring the entry of a password (to protect the little ones' virgin eyes).

Overall, Phantasmagoria lacks in every area required to make an adventure game reach "classic" status. The story is predictable, the gameplay simple and stale, and the characters annoying. For huge fans of senseless violence and B-movie horror plots, this may serve as some sort of "cult classic" piece. All others, don't waste your money.

The absolute best
This is the most enjoyable and thrilling game I have ever played on the PC.I didn't want to move away from my computer while playing because it was so gripping.I recommend this game for any PC gamer who wants a realistic adventure.

Phantasmagoria (the original)
I loved this game the first time we played it!!! I want to buy it and replay it but I don't know if it can be played on Windows XP?Does anyone know?Please email me at thetaylors@insightbb.com.I want to purchase it as a xmas gift(on amazon) for my husband.We set up all night and played it 10 years ago.I wish they still made games like that.Todays' games are too complicated to play. (IMO) All of Sierra games are good !!!!!!!!

Excellent!!!!!!*************
I played this game when it first came out and i LOVED IT. 8 years later, I am ordering it off ofamazon.com and anticipating my package in the mail. The game is out of print and i have been looking for it for ages, and buying it online is an amazing idea for dorks like me! Ive heard puzzle of flesh isnt as good but ill be the judge of that. AMAZING GAME OVERALL! (P1) Check it out! You will NOT be dissapointed.

Trashy - but very enjoyable
These are two rather [weak] but very enjoyable games - here is a review of each one.

Phantasmagoria is a rather basic interactive movie/graphic adventure in which you play Adrienne Delaney who moves into an old mansion estate with her husband Don Gordon. She then learns of the estates twisted past and Don becomes increasingly abusive toward her.

The interface is basic - you click around the screen, examining objects, which may be put into your inventory to use later by clicking on them in your inventory which makes the object your cursor to use etc.

The graphics are live action actors on a 3d background, are mostly quite grainy but not bad for 1995.

The soundtrack is amazing, some fabulous orchestral scores. Fantastic.

The game is very graphically violent, but there is a censorship option.
The first three chapters leaves you wondering why the game is rated Mature however the next three chapters your questions are answered as everything Adrienne researched in the latter chapters is now seen. Some scenes in the game are truly [strange] and disturbing and by the last chapter you start feeling very nauseated, especially if you do it the hard way.

The only annoying things about Phantasmagoria are that it's to short and easy. The first time you play, you can finish it in six to eight hours, but it's worth playing again because there are plenty of movie scenes and a few "Easter eggs" you can miss the first time round. The second time you play if you know exactly what your doing and view everything there is to see you can finish it in four hours fifteen minutes.

Overall great game deserves its mature rating- recommended.

Phantasmagoria: A puzzle of flesh is also a rather basic interactive movie/graphic adventure in which you play ex-mental patient Curtis Craig who's been out of the mental hospital for exactly one year; he now has a good job and a great girlfriend.
However now he begins to have hallucinations, first an invisible hand punches him at his desk and his rat begins to talk to him. Then one of his co-workers is brutally murdered and all evidence points to him. Playing as Curtis you must set out to prove his innocence and unravel the mysteries of the company you work for.
Meanwhile you're cheating on your girlfriend with hot S&M babe Therese. Sounds [weak]- it is, but it is also very enjoyable, however not so much as the original because it's not as scary.

The interface is pretty basic. You click on highlighted hot spots, which will more often than not trigger a movie sequence. You can collect objects and click on them, which will then make the object, become your cursor, which enables you to use them in the game environment, examine with the eye icon, etc, etc.

The puzzles are also pretty basic, apart from a few password cracking puzzles which are mainly difficult because you don't know when you're supposed to crack each one within the game.

The graphics are your usual pixelated movie sequences and unmoving back grounds however in high colour it's better quality than most games of its type.

The game like the original is very graphically violent however there is a censorship option, which will cut four of the most violent scenes and three of the [physical ones].

As I said this isn't as scary as the original but there are a few jumpy moments, a disturbing mental hospital scene and a gory, disturbing murder scene, which I found scary.

There is a fair bit of replay value mainly for the sheer heck of it because it was so enjoyable the first time but also because there is a whole "Easter egg" system in which you can click around "unclickable" places etc to trigger funny movies and weird things like Curtis picking his nose which is a laugh, you can also get scored on the Easter eggs you find. However unlike the original you will see almost everything the first time you play.

It can be finished for the first time in about eight to ten hours - a bit more if your really bad at puzzle solving. The second time you play, if you know exactly what your doing it can be finished in approximately five hours so it is a slight improvement on length than the original even though its only on five CD's while the original was seven. If you want to find all the "Easter eggs" however it could take you forever - you will need a guide.

There is also a fair bit of humour in this one, mostly coming from Curtis' mate Trevor, who cracked me up. There was a lot of great one liners and jokes coming from him which was refreshing because in the original there was next to no humour at all.

Overall despite the bad ratings this game got I found it to be very enjoyable and am sad to say I have replayed it several times, but it definitely deserves its mature rating!

To sum up two great genuinely scary games which you'll want to play again and again. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Amber: Journeys Beyond--a tight and self-contained ghost story--begins when you visit a fellow scientist named Roxy. An avid paranormal researcher, Roxy has chosen her new home because she believes it is haunted. Using a host of unreliable detection devices, she plans to use this house as a laboratory. Her goal: proving the existence of psychic phenomena.

Driving out to the house in a thunderstorm, you are run off the road by a shimmering apparition and are sent crashing into a lake. In short order, you discover other things have gone wrong--Roxy is in the garage, apparently dead. It's up to you to save yourself and the overzealous scientist from the forces lurking in the house.

Patience and close attention to detail are musts for playing Amber: Journeys Beyond. Critical items are sometimes hard to spot, and one or two of the scenes take place in very dark locales. When you can see, the graphics are crisp and drawn with a faint gothic sensibility, surrounding the player in a milieu of creepy sounds and ghost-catching gadgets.

The game is especially suited to beginning or younger gamers, as the problem-solving challenges are on the simple side. Even so, Amber: Journeys Beyond is spooky and engaging, a worthy electronic heir to campfire stories everywhere. Alyx Dellamonica ... Read more

Reviews (83)

Xcellent Game but will not work on XP
Whomever wrote that a Compatibality of Win 95/98 will run Amber then please let me know how you got it to run.It will load in XP, but when trying to run the game there is an error in the MOVUTILS file and an error of Script Handler -Both which shuts down the game.

I suggest that if you are "really" tired of the games out now to train our future generation of professional soilders, then keep an old computer on hand so you can play the really good entertainment and thought provoking games like AMBER Journeys Beyond.

spooky fun!
If you like murder mysteries then you'll like this game. Ghosts from different decades haunt the house and make for a spooky good time!

My absolute FAVORITE PC game
It was defenitely way too short!
I bought & played this game back when I was on Win95 (use WinXPpro now) and I had no problems whatsoever. This game was fun, exciting, creepy, and kept me wanting more. Even after I found things I needed in places, I was still curious to search more and just poke around. The stories were sad and haunting, but so entertaining. I was VERY dissapointed that this was so short and I have been searching for a similiar game ever since, with no luck at all :(
Still, I don't regret buying this....I mean, it's been forever, and I'm STILL searching for a game that can entertain me like this did! I gave Amber 4 stars only because of game length... other than that, I say, you have to play this game!

AMBER- JUST PLAIN FUN
Amber is a CLASSIC computer adventure game, in the style of the original MYST. It is not as long a game, but entirely enjoyable.
The puzzles are not THAT hard (not THAT easy either), and I only needed to look at a walkthrough a couple of times.

An interesting array of different set ups through the game.
Set your computer screen for lower resolution, and the game window gets bigger-- 800X600 will fill up your monitor screen.

THis is my second time playing the game- and it took a lot of investigation to figure out (on the web) that Amber WILL NOT- ABSOLUTELY NOT WORK ON WINDOWS XP.You need an older OS, Win98 is perfect. I bought a computer at the Salvation Army with 98 on it just to play this game-- it was worth it.

A very nostalgic thing about the game, very involving, very atmospheric with beautiful sound effects and story.

Remember, its more rudimentary looking than many games today, but this in no way detracts from the enjoyment.

A very cool game. I'll wait a couple ofyears and play it again.

Neil Slade
www.NeilSlade.com
The AMAZING BRAIN ADVENTURE

Cool, spooky game
I really enjoyed this game.I was turned on to it by some friends who witnessed my frustration with Myst and Riven.They knew my interest in the paranormal and passed this one along. I've had it for several years now and have solved it umpteen times, it's just fun to revisit it once in awhile. The only problem is that I'm running XP now and I've tried changing the compatibility in the computer, but I can't play it anymore. I suppose that the company is out of business or something because their website is non-existant and there is no contact number. Good luck to those running a newer version of Windows who want to play this- it's a great game though!! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Every so often, a game comes along that completely redefines a particular genre. In 1998, Half-Life ignited first-person shooters with its addicting blend of storytelling and action sequences. Homeworld, a polished, groundbreaking first-time effort from Relic Entertainment, attempts to change the way gamers play real-time strategy games. In the past, none of these 3-D games have accomplished the daunting task with the same gorgeous visuals and tactical game play as Homeworld.

Upon the discovery of an ancient galactic map inscribed with the words "our home," the people of Kharak began construction of a massive mother ship and fleet to traverse the galaxy and reach their long-rumored home world. Players construct, maintain, and control the Kharak fleet through 16 challenging single-player missions or against fellow humans on Sierra's WON.net online gaming service. During the solo campaign, you'll face literally hundreds of enemy vessels. All friendly and enemy ships, ranging from small, yet dangerously quick interceptors to the powerful, though expensive destroyers and heavy cruisers, are rendered with exquisite detail; further, expect plenty of impressive visual effects, from the glowing ship exhaust to fiery explosions. Adding to the pluses, Homeworld's thoughtful interface design eases the intense--and often complicated--resource gathering and combat situations. --Doug Radcliffe ... Read more

Reviews (75)

Incredible Gaming Experience
Homeworld was not easy to learn -- the startup tutorial helps you get the hang of controlling your units in true 3-D space -- but that's what sets the standard for a new class of games.

I bought Homeworld for $ at CompUSA, after it was already 2 years old.What luck!The game is engrossing.The graphics and sound are spectacular, and the game's pace is a mix of frantic battles and eerie, downright creepy exploration.There's plenty of familiar strategy to start with: build units, gather resources, and research new tech.

But it's the realistic way that you manage your ships in 3-D space, with rotation and scaling that are really intuitive once you get comfy with it, that makes this game a mindblower.I've played most, if not all, new games in the past 5 years, and this one is near the top of my value-per-hour-played list.

Get it, even if it's used.

5+!
Spectacular! This is easily one of the best games I have ever played! The graphics are wonderful, and the ease of scrolling and views you can take are second to none! Some RTS games such as Far Gate, Star Trek Space Armada and Empire Earth slow up to be impossible to play when you have a lot of units in play, but with Homeworld this is not a problem. Game creaters could learn a lot from this!
A great feature is the amount of space warfare you get to do. I love that! As I was going through the game I started to feel a bit as though the missions were a little too easy, as I was using the same strategy for aboutt hree of them with success, but I realised that I has spoken too soon! I am right on the last part of the game now and I am finding it impossible to beat. I can't believe that after only just managing to beat one wave of ships, another one appears immediately with the same fire power.
I haven't had any problems with the inteface. I find its complexity adds to the realism of the game.

AWESOME strategy game
Sierra makes really good games,and this is one of them.Homeworld is an awesome strategy game and it's probably my favorite other than Starcraft.Anyway,this game is well worth the money.It has great multiplayer that you can do against the cpu or people,and great graphics.Good gameplay and a good storyline.Conclusion:this game is incredibly good and well worth the money.I'm also looking forward to ordering Homeworld Cataclysm(I hope that's spelled right),which I think will be a good game too.

The best game Since Pax Imperia: Entiment Domain
PROS:

1) Great single player storyline and plot with good cinimatics in between missions.

2) Most missions are well thought out and unpredictable

3) Optional Great graphics on powerful computers, optional great performance on slower computers

4) Included multiplayer system works well and is free. Usually not to busy but there are always at least 20 people on. Usually over 50!!

5) Build many kinds of ships, each having their own strenths and abilities.

6) 3D enviorment is well designed and easy to manuver through.

7) Use different formations, attack setting, grouping, etc. to make the most out of your attacks.

8) Good sound effects and music

CONS:

1) Harvesting system isn't the best ever, but works well on a good map

2) Included map editor unreliable and hard to use

3) focusing to close on a battle causes incredible lag, esspecially durring internet gameplay.

4) The 2 different races almost exactly alike

5) GRAVITY WELL GENERATORS PISS ME OFF (You'll know what I'm talking about when you start playing this game online!) :)

6) More ships would be nice :)

An innovative game for the true Science Fiction fan
I bought Homeworld when it was first released, in 1999. When I first played the game, my reaction was the same as that of many others who have posted their reviews - the interface was difficult to master, the missions were too difficult. Eventually, I gave up and put Homeworld back onto the shelf. It's now 2001, and Homeworld has built up a huge following on the internet. So I re-installed the game on my computer...and got a major surprise.

The first time round, I'd seen this games flaws. It DOES have a difficult to master interface. Its missions are VERY difficult to play - especially those set in the Garden of Kadesh nebula (missions 7 - 9). The big difference is that there are many sure-fire strategies posted on the internet that can assist you in getting past the more difficult missions.

Once you've gotten used to the interface, and the totally new mind-boggling environment of real 3D space, Homeworld is a surprisingly enjoyable game. The graphics are what draw you in first. Two years after it was first produced, and I find the graphics to be totally entrancing. I'm not sure whether even new games like Sacrifice or Giants: Citizen Kabuto can surpass it...at least not without upgrading your PC to a 1GHz CPU.

Like the Command & Conquer games, you have to harvest resources and build a massive army. But there are two big differences - the space fleet you build in one mission is carried over into the next mission. I enjoy this aspect of the game - there's a deep sense of satisfaction when you see the massive fleet of 10 ion-cannon frigates, 5 destroyers and 2 heavy cruisers you just built.

The second major difference is that you can capture other spaceships and add them to your fleet. Annoyed with those pesky multi ion-beam frigates attacking your mothership? Just send a squadron of salvage corvettes after them and capture the entire fleet! This is definitely one of the most important aspects of playing Homeworld - learning how to sneak a squad of salvage corvettes towards an enemy fleet.

The story isn't terribly original. What is original is the style in which it is presented. This is no slick, Hollywood-produced motion-picture like Tiberian Sun or Red Alert 2. The production style is much closer to a pared-back Japanese anime. To be honest, despite the comparisons to Star Wars or Star Trek, Homeworld is a much closer relation to Star Blazers, Robotech or Macross. Especially when you have spaceships like the Heavy Cruiser (a very close relation to Robotech's SDF-1), or the Destroyer (Star Blazers fans will LOVE the wave-motion gun effects from its ion-cannons!).

In conclusion, I strongly recommend Homeworld to strategy gamers with an open mind. When it was first released, very few people had the PC's with sufficient processing power to play this game. Now? If you have anything faster than a Pentium III 450MHz, then I can't recommend this game highly enough. It is a classic that you'll be hooked on and playing years from now. Just buy this game. You won't regret it. ... Read more

Amazon.co.uk

When SWAT 3 was first released it faced two major criticisms,namely a short mission list and a lack of multiplayer options. Both of these have been addressed by the SWAT 3: Elite Edition, which sports a totalof21 missions and full multiplayer support for up to five players in deathmatchorcooperative games. Add to this a well-organized mod interface for facilitatingfurther enhancements to the game as they are developed and a fully fledgedscenario editor and you can no longer criticize this game for a lack oflongevity.

With these issues resolved, you are left with the most impressive portrayal oftactical squad action in the first-person shooter genre to date. Set in thenearfuture in Los Angeles, you are placed at the head of a five-man armed responseteam of the LAPD. A conference on world peace plays the backdrop to justifyallthe crazies coming out of the woodwork. This provides you with a stream oflinear missions ranging from hostage situations to disarming missiles, all setin real-life locations.

While the likes of Quake 3 and Unreal Tournament offer"all-guns- blazing" action, subtlety is the order of the day in SWAT 3. A single bullet can put you down. With no health pack round the corner to come to yourrescue, you need to employ guile and teamwork to survive. Unlike similargames,such as Rainbow Six, the teamwork isn't planned prior to the missions;rather it is managed on the fly with a number-driven tiered command system foryour two-man teams. It works beautifully for the most part, and with ascaleableAI, you can ensure both your compatriots and the suspects put up a convincingdisplay. This, combined with superb audio that blends information and suspensethrough radio chatter, well-modeled graphics, and tense gameplay, makesSWAT3: Elite Edition a worthy addition to any gamer's collection. --JasonWeston ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Probably the best tactical shooter OF ALL TIME!!!
When you get down to it, the rainbow six games are overrated. SWAT teams handle much more than international terrorism, a fact which SWAT 3 protrays vividly. The AI is incredible and really makes for a good sim. Buy this game. It's a good price.

IAm porud to say that I own it!!!!

This is probly the best coumputer action game I have played in years!!!!!, The Elite Editon offers more levals to
but the game is hard without the cheat codes so I suggst goig to IGN.comand finding the codes
This game isth closet a lot of us will get to being on the LAPD SWAT TEAM.

IAm porud to say that I own it!
I brought SWAT 3 off the shelif at Wal-Mart becuase it looked intresting and Iam glad I did

This is probly the best coumputer action game I have played in years!, The Elite Editon offers more levals to
but the game is hard without the cheat codes so I suggst goig to IGN.comand finding the codes
This game isth closet a lot of us will get to being on the LAPD SWAT TEAM.

Good gameplay, runs on almost all systems, etc.
SWAT 3 has great gameplay, combined with good controls and a realistic AI. Also worth noting is that the AI enemies are placed in random locations throughout the maps, allowing for more interesting replays of missions (the bad guys aren't always in the same spot!).

Another thing that's worth noting is that the game will run on almost any system (Celeron processor? No problem!). I've personally observed it running at fast rates on fairly old computers that have Celeron processors.

The only downside to the game is its infamous last mission. The last mission tries to force the player to move quickly through the map (due to a timer), in a failed attempt to delay the time that it takes for someone to complete the game. This only results in the last mission not encouraging the player traits that are so heavily encouraged in previous missions: patience and strategy.

Over all, though, it's a great game. I highly recommend that you buy it.

CLOSEST YOU WILL GET TO CQB!!! FROM A MARINES EYE VIEW
I am a US Marine and have been trained in CQB by DEA, Navy Seals, Delta Force, and alot more other organizations. This is the closest you will ever get besides being in a stack and doing the real thing. The weapons are not some made up [junk] they are what we really use. The terms are the same and the way they move, along with how they perfrom. If you want the best game ever made BUY THIS ONE!
FROM A US MARINE!!!
OOORRRAHHH
SEMPER FI ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

This sequel to Betrayal at Krondor offers many elements of the original game while taking advantage of technological advances. Players trek to investigate the disappearance of the Ishapian church's most sacred relic, the Tear of the Gods. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

NOTHAPPY
Wish I could write a review on Return to Krondor.But thats not what you sent me. The book Krondor the Betrayal that you sent me is green in color and looks good on my shelf. The video game in the back of the book says it has Return to Krondor and Betrayal at Krondor on it.But it doesn't. You have my money and I have your JUNK.
Thank You
Jim

good game
good game, great battles, but ends too quick. Its funner taking your time and finding fights in the first 3 chapters and getting better and getting better gear. Dissapoining ending, last boss was way easier than he should have been. I enjoyed it for 15 bucks

Fun game,dissaponiting ending
don't get me wrong it is a cool game the battles are great and i like the story line,but the ending was short and quick.did not know i beat it tell the cridts were roling. i paied 20 dollers for it and i thought it was worth it.i injoyed the game while it lasted.

SLLLOOOOOOWWWWW
I got this game from a freind for free awhile back. The graphics are pritty good but the character movements are EXTREMELY slow. The characters walk all the time. The battles are pritty lame too because all of the movements are slow. In my opinion its not even worth getting for free, which is how I got it.

Great Game
I have played this game plenty of times and I thought that it was a great game. Yes, at times it seems a little glitchy but it has just to good of a story line and it has so many good weapons that you can recieve. This is just one of the best games that I have ever played! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Many action games begin with a catastrophic event, but none matchesthe intensity of the opening level of Half-Life, a first-personshooter published by Sierra Studios. Utilizing a heavily modifiedQuake 2 engine, the game follows a day in the life of Gordon Freeman, amild-mannered scientist who inadvertently opens a portal to an aliendimension.

As Gordon, you'll battle a variety of hostile alien creatures and some not-so-friendly government soldiers while you attempt to escape from theunderground--and heavily ravaged--testing facility. Featuring both an engaging,atmospheric single-player experience and frenetic multiplayer action(supporting both local network and Internet play), Half-Life is currently one ofthe best games of it type.

What makes Half-Life special is its combination of crisp 3-D graphics (supporting many 3-D hardware accelerators), creepy ambient sound effects, andnail-biting action, which creates an immersive, movie-like experience. In momentsreminiscent of the movie Aliens, creatures leap from behind desks,drop down out of air vents, and pounce from dark corners--nowhere is safe, andyou'll often feel overwhelmed and outgunned. Speaking of weapons,Half-Life features an imaginative offensive and defensive arsenal,from a simple crowbar to the explosive heat-seeking rocket launcher andcrafty crossbow. If you're looking for an action-packed, story-oriented gamethat continues to impress after many hours, check out Sierra's Half-Life. --Doug Radcliffe ... Read more

Reviews (75)

A Dark and Brilliant Thrill Ride
Gordon Freeman is a scientist assigned to the secretive, subterranean bowels of a desert research facility. An experiment in particle physics goes awry, space is ruptured, and through the breach comes all manner of alien nasties.

The plot sounds cliche, but that's only because so many games have since imitated (or tried to) what Half-Life pioneered. The game is a FPS of great quality and unusually effective storytelling (it demonstrates a classic show-don't-tell technique) and weaves an unsettling atmosphere that is tough to shake. As Freeman tries to escape from his labyrinthine workplace to the promise of upper ground, a spectacular pace is set as he confronts nightmarish enemies... not all of which are alien.

If you don't have Half-Life as part of your gaming collection, here's why you should:

1. A paranoid, oppresive claustrophobia is built quickly and skillfully. There are no cut-scenes to break the spell. Once you begin playing, you're locked inside an unfolding nightmare. Few games (and fewer films) have ever managed to craft such a relentless atmosphere.

2. The AI is chillingly realistic. This is all the more impressive when you realize this isn't a new game. Enemies demonstrate intelligence, tactical planning, and behave as few video game creations do.

3. As mentioned above, Half-Life pulls a challenging story-telling stunt. As Gordon Freeman, you never get all the answers. No book with The Solution falls into your lap, and no omniscient character fills in all the blanks. Instead, the plot unfolds with nuance and implication... allowing a player to draw his/her own conclusions. This could easily have backfired. Instead, it works.

4. The alien creatures are masterfully depicted. Two of them are so disturbingly realistic that I can completely believe somewhere in the universe they actually exist: the "ceiling barnacles", and some creepy things that emit an ear-splitting sonic attack while convulsing their malformed bodies.

Enough said. Half-Life is an own-it experience.

not compatible with Windows XP
Ihate to say this? but this game is not compatible with Windows XP OS, so owners of newest Dell computers have to install compatible OS.

An old game still worth buying...
Made in 98, but still better quality, play, and design than most games on the market in '05.Good storyline, great AI and graphics, not-overly aggressive system requirments, tons of add-ons available.Incredible single player mode, good weapon selection, and arguably one of the best FPS online games of all time.If you like HALO, you will like Halflife.Very similar, but no limit on how many weapons you can carry, and the levels aren't as repetative.(My biggest complaint about Halo, though it's obvious why, many of the levels and hallways are exact copies of one you've seen dozens of times already...gives a feeling of being lost, and even fed up at times.) Halo does have the edge as far as cars and what not though. I also recommend Halflife 2, the sequel to what I'm talkin about here...INSANE graphics and gameplay.

Best
You know, you shouldn't even have to read the reviews.If you see that this game has 4 1/2 stars, even though it was made way back in 98, you should know that its good.But good doesn't describe this game.Its better than great, excellent, or even outstanding.I'm going to have to say that this game is groundbreaking.Before this game, shooters were shooters.This game is a shooter that just happens to have a Final Fantasy quality storyline as well.And don't think that you'll be sitting around all day watching cinemas.No, the entire story is delivered to you in real time via other characters talking.*Note*This is not one game you want to play with the sound off!I'll now break the game up into 5 major categories, Graphics, Sound, Story, Gameplay, and overall fun.

Graphics are a biggy in a gamers life.Now adays with HL2 and Doom 3 out, were getting spoiled, and expect graphics like that when about 4% of all the nations PC's are capable of it.Half Life's graphics are very good, but you can easily see why it was made in 1998.The close up images are extremely pixelated, and blocky.But the overall movement is smooth, and if your rig can handle it, the cranked up Graphics are the best eyecandy available for games made in that time period.18/20

Sound is also a major factor in this game.Creepy sounds coming from unseen creatures, characters talking and giving away the great story, and finally fantastic weaponry sound effects.20/20

Story is one of the big plusses in this game, and rightfully so.Fantastic is all I will say.Fantastic story.Fantastic story telling.Fantastic Pace.Nuf said.20/20

Gameplay is big in this game as well.The controls are phenomanal(sp.), the menu is easily accesable, and switching through weapons is a breeze.Only problem is that there are alot of buttons to get used to.Still, if your commited, this category is also a winner.18/20

Finally, this is overall a very fun game.Stressed out?Tired from work?Then pop in Half Life and sit back.Blowing away monsters is a very good stress reliever.Add to that that the gory effects are great(blood splatters, organs and bones flying all over the place) if you are not turned off by blood.But if you are, why the hell are you playing an M game with a guy holding a gun on the front cover?!20/20

Final score 96/100 which means this game is a rare gem that you should indulge upon immedietly.I can't wait for our new computer to arrive so I can get Half Life 2!Oh yeah.I forgot to tell you it has an absolute kick @$$ online mode!

The best.....nuff' said
Half Life Revolutionized PC gaming.It is one of the greatest IF not The best pc game ever made.It has bin said that from almost every Pc Mag or Game mag.I was a few to own this masterpiece when it first hit stores and all I can say is...wow

This game really changed about the FPS gaming.It just made me think different about FPS.It truly is a masterpiece.I won't spoil this games amazing story of the g man's adventure.I wont even say how good this game is you just have to play it for your self.

The graphics for that time was amazing and so will the upcoming HALF LIFE 2 BABY!nuff said

The gameplay.......You're a moron if You acctually think I'm gonna go into that since we already no how incredible the game is....Nuff' said


The story is what makes this game...a game..it's not just any shooter...it's history in the making..well for games atleast...

I'm just gonna make this short and sweet for you...

THIS GAME IS AMAZING!

Of course this deserves a

5 out of 5 stars!!!!!!!

Amazing...Just amazing...Nuff said get the game before HL2 comes out..

Lates..
... Read more