***** Star Games
by Richard Leader

Winter Break is approaching and you might want to kick back in front of the computer on a bleak day and catch up on some of the ground breaking games you might have missed. Even if you are not the biggest fan of computer games, you still might want to take note, just to see how much things have changed over the years or to get a few ideas for gifts this Holiday season.

Not all of the games mentioned in this article are brand new, but each and every one of them is a must have and can easily stand head and shoulders with anything you might see on store shelves in the near future. Many of these games can be found for bargain prices often as low as $10 if not at the bins at your local CompUSA, then at discount Internet sites, such as Electronics Boutique , Compuexpert, Egghead, or Dragon. Watch out for "special," "gold," or "game of the year" versions. While some of them are a later version of the game and have extra features, others are just repackaged (often with less goodies thrown in) and sold at a higher price than the original. I will try to warn you which ones to avoid and which ones to pick up but you don't have to trust me; check out the reviews at AVault, Gamesdomain, and Firingsquad to check out what others are saying.

Some of these titles do not require the latest and greatest computer, especially in the Role Playing Game (RPG) or Strategy genres that, for the most part, do not require special 3D hardware. These games make the best gifts (sometimes for yourself) if you are in doubt about whether or not your computer is up to par.

 
Release Dates? Sure...

November:

28 Evil Dead: Hail to the King
30 Mechwarrior 4

December:

1 Longest Journey
5 American McGee 's Alice
Giants: Citizen Kabuto
12 Star Trek: StarFleet Command 2
18 Tribes 2

January:

1 Mech Commander 2
15 Icewind Dale Heart of Winter
31 B17 Flying Fortress 2
31 Duke Nukem Endangered Species

February:

I Arcanum
1 Need for Speed: Motor City
6 Black & White
27 Fallout Tactics

March 1, 2001

is a big day that will bring (hopefully):

Alone In The Dark: The New Nightmare
QUAKE 3 Arena Mission CD
Pool of Radiance 2
Team Fortress 2
Warcraft 3

Porsche: Unleashed (also on PSX)

Porsche Unleashed is simply the driving game to get. Not only does it feature the best graphics in town and an impeccable physics system, which is a joy to behold you might just actually find yourself watching an ENTIRE replay of your last race. Watch the Porsche evolve from the sturdy cars of the Classic era to the modern speedsters.

Half Life (soon for Dreamcast)

Two years ago, Half Life (HL) rocked the computer gaming world which was still trying to pass off Quake I clones. Though a great single player game, it has taken the Internet by storm featuring both Team Fortress Classic and Counter Strike (UB's most popular game). Look for the original or the "Game of the Year" editions as they are the cheapest.

Age of Empires 2: Age of Kings

Sequel to one of the most successful strategy games of all time, Age of Kings (AOK) is a great introduction to the "real time" genre. Featuring vibrant graphics and animation suitable for all ages, ADK makes a great gift item and is a must have for every family computer. From the William Wallace tutorial, to Joan of Arc and Genghis Khan, AOK brings life to its subject matter.

Fallout 1 & II

Think RPGs are all about dwarves and playing dress up? Well, they don't have to be and the Fallout series proves it in spades. For about $15 you can get two of the best games ever made. Journey with the Wanderer and his dog (aptly named Dogmeat) through postapocalyptic California. Fallout boasts a combat system so perfect that it is being adopted into a strategy game, Fallout Tactics, this February. This game is not suitable for children, so have fun kiddies.

Homeworld and Homeworld: Cataclysm

Few space games are able to recreate that feeling you had when you saw Star Wars for the first time: seeing the Death Star's turrets fluidly track, but just miss, the nimble X Wings or the spinning explosions when they did. Homeworld can inspire just that kind of visceral reaction. The "Game of the Year" edition has an additional strategy guide and a sound track CD and goes for around $29; not a bad deal, but the original edition is cheaper if you can find it.

Monkey Island 4

Pure adventure games (which focus on story telling and puzzle solving) are a rarity these days and the fourth installment in the venerable Monkey Island series is a breath of fresh air. While presented in 3D (using the GRIME engine of the equally good Grim Fandango), the game stays true to its cartoon roots and, like the best of its genre, it operates on two different levels using both slapstick humor and high brow satire. Say "Hi" to the guy at the Palace of Prostheses for me.

System Shock 2
(soon for Dreamcast)

Two feuding artificial intelligence systems, an evil biological life form with psychic powers, a giant out of control spaceship: and you. Using the DarkEngine for graphics (Also used in the groundbreaking Thief series), System Shock 2 presents the most believable sci-fi environment ever created for a computer game. If there is any game that can inspire nightmares, System Shock 2 is the one. "Why do you choose cold metal over the splendors of the flesh?"