DimensionZ

Tag: Game Review

  • The Mac Gaming Alliance Archive: 54 Retro Mac Game Reviews from 1997 to 1999

    The Mac Gaming Alliance Archive: 54 Retro Mac Game Reviews from 1997 to 1999

    This post has affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

    Before DimensionZ was a food and travel blog, it was home to the Mac Gaming Alliance (MGA), a Mac games site that ran from 1997 into 2000. Back then Mac gamers were used to waiting a year or more for PC ports, and sites like the MGA covered every release, patch and 3D card that made gaming on a Power Mac possible.

    All 54 MGA reviews are now back on the blog as regular posts, reproduced as they were originally written, typos and all, with their original screenshots and the MGA’s 1–5 apple ratings. They were written by Jonathan Dreyer and the MGA’s volunteer reviewers, including Marty Dodge, David Leinbach, Jon Ostenson, J. Driver, David Padula, Ian Russell, Ben Kilford, Cale Corbett and Martha Engber.

    Perfect scores

    Twelve titles earned a full 5 out of 5 apples overall: Age of Empires, Assault Vehicles, Carmageddon, Carmageddon: Splat Pack, Civilization 2, Duke it out in D.C., Future Cop: L.A.P.D., Hexen, Imperialism, Klingon Honor Guard, Power3D, X-Men: Ravages of the Apocalypse.

    All Mac Gaming Alliance reviews

    Strategy and war

    Action and shooters

    Racing

    Flight and simulation

    Sports and hunting

    RPG and adventure

    Puzzle

    Edutainment and other

    Hardware: joysticks, throttles and 3D cards

    The MGA news archive

    The weekly MGA news pages, covering the Mac gaming industry from August 1997 to late 1999, are still online in their original 1990s form in the MGA news archive. Many of their outbound links died long ago.

    Playing these games today

    Most of these titles need a classic Mac (Mac OS 7 to 9) or an emulator such as SheepShaver or Basilisk II. Original CDs turn up second-hand, and a few classics have been re-released for modern systems. Each review has a link to search for a copy.

    See every review in the Mac Gaming Alliance category.

  • Age of Empires Mac Review (1999)

    Age of Empires Mac Review (1999)

    This post has affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

    From the archive: this review first ran on the Mac Gaming Alliance (MGA), the Mac games site that lived here on DimensionZ in the late 1990s. It was published December 1999 and is reproduced as originally written, with the original screenshots (click to enlarge). More in the Mac Gaming Alliance archive.

    Publisher MacSoft
    Tested on B&W 400 mhz/128 RAM OS 8.6
    Gameplay 5 / 5 apples
    Graphics & Sound 5 / 5 apples
    Interface 5 / 5 apples
    Difficulty 5 / 5 apples
    Bugs 5 / 5 apples
    Overall 5 / 5 apples
    Reviewed by Marty Dodge

    What a concept! A strategy game for the Mac that is not a sequel. This is not just another game that has been updated to take into account the new technology available to Mac users. Granted this is a port of a game that has been out for the PC for a long time, has an interesting add-on and it about to see its sequel. Of course because of this you have access via the web and in book form to lots of information, cheats and hints on how to win this sometime diabolically hard game. The training mission(s) are well worth starting on. They may seem a tad easy and dull at first but that soon changes. The instruction book is very useful, but not that necessary. In addition, the game includes a helpful tip sheet that contains all sorts of useful information that can be accessed in an instant. Another advantage to Mac users is that PC users find any problems with the game.

    Age of Empires screenshotAs you may know, Age of Empires is Microsoft’s ground breaking strategy game where you guide a civilization from the stage of hunter- gathers all the way up to the Iron Age. Most of these civilizations are based around the Fertile Crescent in the Middle East. You have many to choose from, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages on the path to the Iron Age. For the most part the descriptions of the tribes are historically accurate. Not surprisingly a tribe that got its start on an island chain is better at sea craft than a landlocked one. You have a choice of playing scenarios in a campaign to greatness or starting on a random map ranging from small to huge, with your choice of number of opponents and type of terrain. Be warned however that a huge map with a large number of civilizations can be taxing to even the fastest of Mac systems.

    As can be expected from this type of game there is a significant multiplayer element to Age of Empires, allowing you to play over a LAN or the internet. LAN play, unlike Civ II Gold is easy to set-up and very stable. I have played at least 6 games in varying settings and never once had a crash. I ran this on a 100baseT Ethernet LAN with Hub between a B&W 400/128 and G3 233/32. We had no problems and it was an absolute blast, even when my friend and I both got our tails kicked by computer opponents. There is a deathmatch setting in which you are given all the resources you could ever need in an elimination race for supremacy. You may play over either Appletalk or TCP/IP. I understand that there are some problems with internet based play but these problems have not caused anywhere near the outpouring of frustration caused by CivII Gold.

    Age of Empires screenshotThe interface on this game is amazingly good. Your units are large enough so that it is very hard to lose them in the fray unlike similar cases in other games of this type. As someone who has played the PC version of this game, I can tell you Macsoft have done an amazing job of improving the interface. I found the game much easier to play that the PC version. Once I got used to using the mouse and the Apple key at the same time to give orders. Never once have I had the frustration of units getting lost or not doing as I tell them. You still have to pay attention and to send units in a as straight a line as possible as to not get them hung up, but much less than other games of this type.

    The animation in this game is nothing short of amazing, even down to being able to watch each villager cut a tree and collect wood. The cut-scenes and FMV are a pleasure to behold, especially after you have emerged victorious from one scenario or other. The only real frustration in gameplay is the limit of 50 total units at any one time. The easy way to avoid this limit is either by getting some of your lesser units killed or by hitting the delete when you have selected a unit. A tad crude but effective. On the PC there was a patch which allows this limit to be overcome, hopefully we shall see this on the Mac as well.

    Age of Empires screenshotThis game is highly addicting and you can expect to lose sleep, as a result of the longer scenarios. As with most games, you know its good when you are unable to tell that time has elapsed. Playing AoE 3 or 4 hours straight when involved in a long scenario is not unusual. Fortunately, it is possible to save the game at any time and the scenario orders are available at any time in the game should you forget what you were suppose to be doing. In most of the levels it is possible to win two different ways, either achieving the victory conditions or by wiping out all your opponents. This latitude allows endless play that will keep you occupied for months to come. Those who are builder types, can even create their own scenarios to challenge their abilities.

    As far as I am concerned, this is the best game of its type ever made for any platform. I hope that Macsoft and Microsoft will be able to bring the sequel Age of Empires II, which runs from Rome to the Middle Ages to the Mac. This an absolute must for anyone who has even a passing interest in anything other than shoot’em up type games. There is enough action to keep action fans happy and enough strategy to keep strategy fans happy. I never thought Warcraft II would ever be topped in my all time great games list but Age of Empires has done just that.

    Age of Empires screenshotAn essential purchase for all mac gamers. If you rush, you can get a $10 mail-in rebate from Macsoft.

    Editor’s Note: As of 8/02/99, this is only the second game ever to get a perfect score by the MGA.

    Find a copy

    Age of Empires has been out of print for years, but used copies of the original Mac release still turn up, and some classics have been re-released for modern systems. Search for Age of Empires on Amazon.

    Ratings use the MGA’s original 1–5 apple scale. Prices, system requirements and web links in this review are from the time it was written.

  • Star Wars: Episode One Insider’s Guide Mac Review (1999)

    Star Wars: Episode One Insider’s Guide Mac Review (1999)

    This post has affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

    From the archive: this review first ran on the Mac Gaming Alliance (MGA), the Mac games site that lived here on DimensionZ in the late 1990s. It was published December 1999 and is reproduced as originally written, with the original screenshots (click to enlarge). More in the Mac Gaming Alliance archive.

    Publisher LucasArts
    Tested on Power Mac 8600/300 w/96mb RAM
    Gameplay 4 / 5 apples
    Graphics & Sound 5 / 5 apples
    Interface 4 / 5 apples
    Bugs 4 / 5 apples
    Overall 4 / 5 apples
    Reviewed by Jonathan Dreyer

    LucasArts takes it’s first step towards it’s return to the Mac with the Star Wars: Episode One Insider’s Guide.

    Star Wars: Episode One Insider's Guide screenshotEpisode One Insider’s Guide is a two CD set loaded with every single scrap of information on The Phantom Menace in existence. It combines text, pictures, audio, and movies to provide a full multimedia Episode One experience.

    Star Wars: Episode One Insider's Guide screenshotInsider’s guide is nicely divided into sections for easy browsing on information. It includes a lot of information not seen in the movie or book. The Insider’s Guide provides names and backgrounds on pretty much every character you see on screen in the movie. So detailed and informative in the guide, that it includes names for practically everything, characters, ships, weapons, you’ve seen, it names it.

    The discs are divided evenly between in-story information, and behind-the-scenes information. Disc 1 deals with the characters, technology, vehicles, and locations. It is a massive amount of background information on even the most remote part of the movie. As usual, Lucas has created the entire universe, not just the parts that the movie focuses on, but an entire universe of people, places, and things. All of the information on the characters, technology, vehicles and locations is organized by groups. Different sections for the Sith, Trade Federation, Naboo, etc… Most major entries include galleries of pictures, audio clip, and video clips from the movie itself.

    Star Wars: Episode One Insider's Guide screenshotDisc 2 deals with more of the behind the scenes information. It includes hundreds of behind the scenes photos detailing the making of the movie, along with many behind the scenes video so you can see and hear the making of the Phantom Menace. Also on disc 2 is the “Expanded Universe” section. This section has listings for every single movie tie-in, from toys to books to games, they’re all listed and include photos.

    The interface, although lacking several of the usual Mac amenities, is nice and friendly. The information is easy to navigate to find what you’re looking for. I found the buttons on the bottom of the the window not to be as useful as they first seemed, especially the “Next” and “Up Level” buttons which I found a a little awkward in actual use.

    Star Wars: Episode One Insider's Guide screenshotThe only thing that really annoyed me about Insider’s Guide is that it only runs in 640 by 480 resolution. If your resolution is at a higher setting, it will run in a window. Now some people may prefer that it didn’t force you to change resolutions, but I would have preferred an options box at the beginning asking me if it could change to the lower resolution. That’s isn’t a detractor from the actual guide, but just a pet peeve for me.

    In conclusion, Star Wars: Episode One Insider’s Guide is an informative and fun look at all of the aspects of the movie. It is not a stellar first step back to the Mac market for LucasArts, but it is a step in the right direction. I can’t wait for Pod Racer on my Mac, and Insider’s Guide is a nice appetizer in the meantime.

    Find a copy

    Star Wars: Episode One Insider’s Guide has been out of print for years, but used copies of the original Mac release still turn up, and some classics have been re-released for modern systems. Search for Star Wars: Episode One Insider’s Guide on Amazon.

    Ratings use the MGA’s original 1–5 apple scale. Prices, system requirements and web links in this review are from the time it was written.

  • Quake II Mac Review (1999)

    Quake II Mac Review (1999)

    This post has affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

    From the archive: this review first ran on the Mac Gaming Alliance (MGA), the Mac games site that lived here on DimensionZ in the late 1990s. It was published August 1999 and is reproduced as originally written, with the original screenshots (click to enlarge). More in the Mac Gaming Alliance archive.

    Publisher Activision, Ported by Logicware
    Tested on B&W G3 400Mhz w/128 mb RAM
    Gameplay 4 / 5 apples
    Graphics & Sound 4 / 5 apples
    Interface 4 / 5 apples
    Difficulty 4 / 5 apples
    Bugs 4 / 5 apples
    Overall 4 / 5 apples
    Reviewed by Marty Dodge

    Quake II came out at a rather sad time for Logicware; their buddies at ID had just released Quake3test and damn if it wasn’t released for the Mac FIRST! You would think amidst all the hype and gloating of Q3test, QII would have gotten lost in the shuffle, especially for those only interested in the multiplayer aspect of QII.

    Quake II screenshotTo be honest, I thought QII was too little too late when it first came out for the Mac, having come out over 6 months after its PC version. It seemed to me that Q2 was blinded like many games by the tour de force that is Q3test. That was before I discovered the pleasures of GameRanger beta (soon to be shareware,) a nifty little piece of software that allows online players to find other Mac gamers to battle with from all over the world. Then in a bit of luck for old Logicware, ID messed up its test releases for Q3 and delayed the Mac version (but not the PC or Linux) for almost a week. Suddenly denied of my Q3test fix, and then unable to get to Beta 1.08 working for another week, QII began to look at lot more interesting. I suspect that I was not the only feeling this way.

    Quake II screenshotBelieve me, once you play QII online, you will find it pretty damn near addictive. With its larger variety of maps, from Capture The Flag to Action Quake II (both of which work on the Mac), it takes a lot to get bored with QII. Q3test still only has three maps, and now is even worse for high pingers, due to some network coding changes. QII however has some of the best network coding I have ever seen. It runs smoothly and is playable at all but the highest of ping rates. You might not win but with a bit of skill, it is possible to get in the upper third of the rankings, and very possible to have a hell of a lot of fun in CTF.

    Quake II screenshotBut wait, some may say, how about the solo play? Well as you would expect from a Quake game, the solo play is not much to write home about. For one thing, despite my setting my game video settings to max, it was too dark to see anything. The plot is Quake-like: pretty non-existent. The baddies are nasty looking alien creatures with all sorts of cybernetic enhancements. The most impressive are the diabolical Tank and Tank Commander. Some of the movement for the monsters is a big ungainly and nowhere near as graceful as say the aliens in Unreal. The AI falls short of that in Unreal, and the levels are just not that exciting. In short, if you are looking for satisfying solo play, other than basic practice with the weapons for Internet play, consider purchasing Unreal or Klingon Honor Guard instead. Graphically QII does not hold a candle to Unreal or KHG or even Dark Vengeance. There is one bonus from the its non-intensive graphic engine; the fact that requirements for QII are way below that of any of the games listed above, Q2 is not a RAM pig like Unreal and runs quite smoothly at 60 Megs of RAM dedicated to it as compared to base 96 for Unreal.

    Quake II screenshotQII requires OpenGL and a 3D card in order to be seen in its full glory. On the box it states that this is limited to Rage 128 only, however you can download the latest Mesa Drivers to play it with your Voodoo card. The game also requires OS8.1 (for 3D accelerated play, 7.5.3 for non-accelerated software mode), at least a 603e PPC, 4x CD-ROM drive, virtual memory and 48 Megs of minimum RAM to run. Logicware have produced a good port, that while having a PC-ish feel, is still user friendly enough for a Mac user. Moreover this port is very stable both in solo and Internet play.

    I would highly recommend this game to anyone interested in high speed, adrenaline filled on-line or LAN based Deathmatch play, but for anyone looking for solo thrills, look elsewhere.

    Find a copy

    Quake II has been out of print for years, but used copies of the original Mac release still turn up, and some classics have been re-released for modern systems. Search for Quake II on Amazon.

    Ratings use the MGA’s original 1–5 apple scale. Prices, system requirements and web links in this review are from the time it was written.

  • Assault Vehicles Mac Review (1999)

    Assault Vehicles Mac Review (1999)

    This post has affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

    From the archive: this review first ran on the Mac Gaming Alliance (MGA), the Mac games site that lived here on DimensionZ in the late 1990s. It was published around 1999 and is reproduced as originally written, with the original screenshots (click to enlarge). More in the Mac Gaming Alliance archive.

    Publisher XYZ Entertainment
    Tested on PowerMac G3 233 130 RAM (VM on)
    Gameplay 5 / 5 apples
    Graphics & Sound 4 / 5 apples
    Interface 5 / 5 apples
    Difficulty 4 / 5 apples
    Bugs 5 / 5 apples
    Overall 5 / 5 apples
    Reviewed by Marty Dodge

    Assault Vehicles is one of the those exceptions to the rule, it is not made by Ambrosia and it is a great game. AV has come along at the perfect time for all Carmageddon fans. Just when reliable sources inform us that Carmageddon II: Carpocalypse Now looks like it will be out in the new year at best, up pops AV to fill the gap. It is simple car combat game where you pummel your opponents with guns, rockets, mines and a few special attacks.

    Assault Vehicles screenshot
    (Click on Picture to Expand)

    Gameplay

    The game runs smoothly and rapidly on my machine in all modes. There is no screen jump or pauses. I am sure that the game is even better in Multiplayer LAN suffering none of the long loading time problems so often experienced with Carma and other games. Basically there are five zones in which one can play. These arenas (think Car Wars arenas with natural instead of cement borders.) are located in Egypt (complete with Pyramids), Himalayas, the Midwest, Siberia and South America. In the Trophy game one faces one more opponent at each level (1,2,3,4,5 max) which one has to kill to advance to the next level of play. After completing all areas one moves onto the Gold Trophy contest where one gets awards as one advances. (Options and two vehicles are amoung some of the goodies available.)

    There are two other modes, both can involve team play with other cars. These are Elimination and Kill Count, last man stranding and a pre-set kill amount respectively. Both of these ways are a great way to learn how to play the game and develop skills needed in the Trophy chase. It would also pay to try this a few times before facing human opponents in the multiplayer mode.

    Assault Vehicles screenshot
    (Click on Picture to Expand)

    Graphics/Sound

    They are not basic but not the latest either, but then again this is shareware after all. Graphics are clean and uncomplicated. There is day/night modes and even the occasional rain shower. There is no graphical object overlap that there is many games of this type. The sounds are basic cars noises, nothing special but nothing too annoying either.

    Assault Vehicles screenshot
    (Click on Picture to Expand)

    Interface/Difficulty

    The interface is mostly on the keyboard, although the mouse can be used for movement. Keys are customisable so both lefties and righties will be happy. I recommend the standard layout for movement (numeric keypad) while using the defaults for the action keys. The controls do not take too long to get used to, what takes a while is learning how to survive and avoiding sucking missiles from all sides. One sits in the car and looks out the front, below this is a basic dashboard with information about location of enemies & allies, damage and armament.

    The Trophy chase in single player is not at all easy and it takes some skill and tactics to survive past the third or fourth area. One must learn to conserve ones’ cars in the early stages so it will be possible to survive when facing 5 other opponents. Fortunately the baddies do have a habit of pummeling each other as well as you. Your allies take offence when you hit them as well, and are prone to nailing you with a missle or a shot if you hit them by mistake.

    Assault Vehicles screenshot
    (Click on Picture to Expand)

    Bugs

    None that I could find. There may have been some, as there is an update on the site for those who have earlier versions of the game.

    Conclusion

    This is a great little game that does what it does well. The only criticism I can think of is that one needs a copy of the CD is each machine on a LAN. Of course the fact that the game costs all of $15 from their website does make up for this problem. This is the perfect game for a 30 min session of flatten your co-worker. Assault Vehicles will fill the crevass in my life until Carma II comes out. If you like offensive driving games then this is the game for you.

    Find a copy

    Assault Vehicles has been out of print for years, but used copies of the original Mac release still turn up, and some classics have been re-released for modern systems. Search for Assault Vehicles on Amazon.

    Ratings use the MGA’s original 1–5 apple scale. Prices, system requirements and web links in this review are from the time it was written.

  • Carmageddon 2 Mac Review (1999)

    Carmageddon 2 Mac Review (1999)

    This post has affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

    From the archive: this review first ran on the Mac Gaming Alliance (MGA), the Mac games site that lived here on DimensionZ in the late 1990s. It was published around 1999 and is reproduced as originally written, with the original screenshots (click to enlarge). More in the Mac Gaming Alliance archive.

    Publisher Interplay
    Tested on G3 233 MHz 96 MB RAM (total: 131.1 MB) MacOS 8.5.1 (US)
    Gameplay 4 / 5 apples
    Graphics & Sound 4 / 5 apples
    Interface 4 / 5 apples
    Difficulty 3 / 5 apples
    Bugs 5 / 5 apples
    Overall 4 / 5 apples
    Reviewed by Marty Dodge

    Most images in this review can be enlarged by clicking on them

    Over three months after being released on the PC, Carmageddon II is finally out for the Mac here in the US. In a bizarre gaming industry snafu, Carma II, the game is still not out in the Europe as SCI (UK) has just made an agreement with GT Interactive to handle distribution. SCI claims that the Interplay version is tamer than the European release. I doubt whether this will mollify the irate MacCarma fans in the UK and beyond.

    SCI made a great effort to make Carma II different from its predecessor. In some areas such as graphics and physics it is greatly improved over the first one, in others it is much worse. Someone at SCI decided that missions were the thing to set Carma II apart from its predecessor. This person should be hit very hard in the head as missions in Carma II go along way to ruin the entire game. Being stuck on the same mission for days on end in neither fun nor useful. All missions are time limited with no opponents and no way of extending the time. These missions become tedious on about the third attempt. SCI has admitted that the mission part of Carma II has been less than popular. An SCI PR rep claimed that emails to SCI are 50/50 pro/anti missions, I doubt this to be entirely accurate if the C3 Wish List message board is anything to go by. I trawled through over 100 messages and found 1 pro-mission post and a great number against.Carmageddon 2 screenshot

    The second major problem with Carma II is the official system requirements. In my opinion and that off several major Carma II fan sites, (is a good place to start as they have an extensive piece on requirements.) for the Mac at the stats are way too low. My advice is that the minimum requirements to make the game playable are G3 233 with at least 4 MB VRAM and at least 64 built in RAM. I had to purchase 4 MB of VRAM for my RagePro card so that Carma II was not choppy and unplayable on the higher levels. I hear reports that those with slower machines and video cards are performing well but then again your card must have at least 4 MB VRAM to make it worth playing at all. Another annoyance when one has less than 4MB VRAM is that one cannot use the map feature, this is especially a problem in the mission levels.

    Carmageddon 2 screenshotCarma II does have some good points however, hence the 4 rating. If you have a fast enough machine with the right bell and whistles, Carma II really shines. The visuals are amazing. Windows break, signs break, cars break in half and bits of your car fall off. There are a whole new array of power ups, some of which are anti-pedestrian weaponry, like a flame-thrower and morning star tail. There are of course new cars ranging from a Bus to a WWII German airplane. There are 30 new tracks, ranging from an aircraft carrier (USS Lewinsky) to an airport with active airplanes. Unfortunately you cannot blow them up, and they are merely obstacles. A greater variety (150 different types) of pedestrians and animals provide hours of gory fun. Oh yes and for some of us the soundtrack is a bonus, Iron Maiden and Carmageddon, quite a combo.

    Carmageddon 2 screenshotI have not been able to test this version of Carmageddon on a LAN, but I suspect that it will be as much fun as it predecessor. As with the first edition of the game, up to 8 can play on a LAN at one time and only the host machine needs to have a CD in it. Full installs must be done on all other machines. It surprised many that there is no Internet or Modem to Modem play with Carma II. I suspect the reason is that there is so much action taking place on the screen that only Cable/ADSL players would be able to play at any sort of reasonable level.

    Carmageddon 2 screenshotCarmageddon II: Carpocalypse Now is a great disappointment, but still a great deal of fun to play. As with the first game, expect to see lots of custom cars, pedestrians and tracks popping up all over the internet. I would approach CarmaII with caution if you have either a slow computer or never played Carmageddon. There are no plans for a Mac demo, so you have no way of trying it before you buy. It is best that I finish this review now, before I change my mind and lower my rating. I seem to change my mind hourly, missions in a racing game! Bah!

    Find a copy

    Carmageddon 2 has been out of print for years, but used copies of the original Mac release still turn up, and some classics have been re-released for modern systems. Search for Carmageddon 2 on Amazon.

    Ratings use the MGA’s original 1–5 apple scale. Prices, system requirements and web links in this review are from the time it was written.

  • Rocky Mountain Trophy Hunter Mac Review (1999)

    Rocky Mountain Trophy Hunter Mac Review (1999)

    This post has affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

    From the archive: this review first ran on the Mac Gaming Alliance (MGA), the Mac games site that lived here on DimensionZ in the late 1990s. It was published around 1999 and is reproduced as originally written, with the original screenshots (click to enlarge). More in the Mac Gaming Alliance archive.

    Publisher MacSoft
    Tested on PowerMac G3 233 130 RAM (VM on)
    Overall 2 / 5 apples
    Reviewed by Marty Dodge

    Rocky Mountain Trophy Hunter, with even more locations to shoot virtual game, is the follow-up to blindingly dull Deer Hunter. (The game not the movie.) Macsoft claims that the original is a top five selling game for the Mac. Quickly following the release of DH, this just in time for Christmas sequel, promises more guns and more types of game to track and hunt. Included with the game is an insert with all of the hunting and fishing titles published by Wizworks, presumably all of these games, including Deer Hunter II will make it to the Mac if DH and TH do well.

    Rocky Mountain Trophy Hunter screenshot
    (Click on Picture to Expand)

    Trophy Hunter: Interactive Big Game Hunting, has got to be the second dullest game ever created for any platform (Deer Hunter being the first). The point of this game is to track and shoot big game. You can use a rifle, shotgun, bow, muzzle-loader or six shot revolver to kill big horn sheep, bear elk and moose. The practice area is now included in the hunting screen, so you can practice your aim, with any of the weapons featured. There is a constant chatter from a coach who compliments or criticizes your aim. Of course being on a computer there is no feedback from the weapon. There is no feel for the kick of the pistol or shotgun nor is there the feeling of release when the arrows leaves the bow. Maybe Deer Hunter II should be a candidate for “force feedback” add-ons.

    Rocky Mountain Trophy Hunter screenshot
    (Click on Picture to Expand)

    The only realism in this game is the long wait for an animal to come into your sights. You can help yourself with the aid of a call, bait and musk. There is also a choice of using a stand to sit on and. If the rifle scope is not enough for you, there are binoculars and a spotting scope to help you find prey. In addition to the “Tools of the Trade” the aerial maps contain hot spots, a compass and wind indicator, and things like tracks, markings, blood trails and rubbing areas. When and if you hit anything it is recorded in a Trophy Room, with the head of an animal and a description.

    Rocky Mountain Trophy Hunter screenshot
    (Click on Picture to Expand)

    The graphics are basic although if you are unlucky you can encounter climate and extreme weather, the sounds are basic, if accurate. Because the game is so basic and simple the requirements are pretty low. PowerMac, OS 7.1, 16 RAM, color monitor and 80 MHz or faster. As with Deer Hunter, the low requirements and lack of high-tech graphics mean there are no obvious bugs.

    Rocky Mountain Trophy Hunter screenshot
    (Click on Picture to Expand)

    One good thing about this otherwise dullard of a game is the fact that some of the proceeds of the game will be donated to Wildlife Forever, an organisation dedicated to maintaining America’s wildlife heritage, a noble cause indeed.

    Rocky Mountain Trophy Hunter screenshot
    (Click on Picture to Expand)

    Find a copy

    Rocky Mountain Trophy Hunter has been out of print for years, but used copies of the original Mac release still turn up, and some classics have been re-released for modern systems. Search for Rocky Mountain Trophy Hunter on Amazon.

    Ratings use the MGA’s original 1–5 apple scale. Prices, system requirements and web links in this review are from the time it was written.

  • Falcon 4.0 Mac Review (1999)

    Falcon 4.0 Mac Review (1999)

    This post has affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

    From the archive: this review first ran on the Mac Gaming Alliance (MGA), the Mac games site that lived here on DimensionZ in the late 1990s. It was published around 1999 and is reproduced as originally written, with the original screenshots (click to enlarge). More in the Mac Gaming Alliance archive.

    Publisher MacSoft
    Tested on Power Mac 8600/300 w/64mb RAM
    Gameplay 4 / 5 apples
    Graphics & Sound 5 / 5 apples
    Interface 4.5 / 5 apples
    Difficulty 3 / 5 apples
    Bugs 2.5 / 5 apples
    Overall 4 / 5 apples
    Reviewed by Jonathan Dreyer

    Falcon 4 lives up to it’s hype of being the “New benchmark in flight sim technology”. It is simply the most realistic, complex flight simulator I have ever played. Falcon 4 includes basically 4 aspects of play: Instant Action, Dogfight, Tactical Engagement, and Campaign.

    Falcon 4.0 screenshotInstant action is just what it says it is, instant action. You’re thrown into a F-16 mid-flight with a ton of enemy planes in the air for you to shoot down. This adds a level of “brainless fun” to an otherwise very complex simulation.

    Dogfight is really meant for multiplayer action, but you can also fly against AI controlled planes. In Dogfight up to sixteen people can compete over your LAN in 4 teams. Feel the thrill over blowing your best friend out of the sky.

    Tactical Engagement covers everything from training missions, to mission editor, to downloadable user made scenarios. Tactical Engagement alone makes Falcon 4 more comprehensive than any other combat flight simulator available.

    Campaign is what really takes Falcon 4 to the next level in terms of flight sim realism. You can wage multiplayer battles against real people, while at the same time other battles are taking place in the same campaign theater which can affect your next mission. This is one of the many things that make Falcon 4 the most advanced flight sim available.

    Falcon 4.0 screenshotThe learning curve of Falcon 4 is immense, almost as complex as a real pilot, but through the use of options modifiers even a flight sim newbie can be up and flying in a just a few minutes. It’s simple to get up and flying, very difficult to master. When I say it’s difficult to master, I’m not kidding, the Falcon 4 flight manual is an inch thick. Don’t worry about reading an inch thick manual if you want to get flying right away, also included is a Cadet’s Guide which will get you up and flying in just a few minutes. The wide range of difficultly options allows flight sim enthusiasts of all skill levels to enjoy the game.

    Falcon 4.0 screenshotNext level of realism in Falcon 4 comes from the amazing graphics. If you’re not playing it with a 3D acceleration hardware, it’s not worth it. The 3D accelerated graphics in Falcon 4 are the most realistic 3D I’ve seen yet. Unfortunately, this level of graphics comes with a price in hardware demands. Although MacSoft lists the minimums as a 200 MHz PPC with 32 mb of RAM, the actual minimum is more like their recommended of a 233 MHz 604 or better with 64 mb of RAM and a 3D accelerator. The minimum just doesn’t cut it anymore.

    Falcon 4.0 screenshotAs we get to the “unfortunately”‘s in Falcon 4, we come to the bugs. There are quite a few of them present, and probably more that are lurking underneath. In all fairness, pretty much all of the bugs were present in the PC version and they just got ported over with the rest of the game. There is a patch that is currently being worked on that will fix pretty much all the bugs, once the patch is out Falcon 4 will become a 4.5 out of 5.

    Falcon 4.0 screenshotIn conclusion, Falcon 4 is an awesome game with variable difficulty to allow for all types of players, and freakin’ unbelievable graphics. I would not recommend this title unless you have a 3D accelerator and a fast machine, but if you do, I can’t recommend it enough. Although some bugs do detract from Gameplay, they will be fixed soon.

    Find a copy

    Falcon 4.0 has been out of print for years, but used copies of the original Mac release still turn up, and some classics have been re-released for modern systems. Search for Falcon 4.0 on Amazon.

    Ratings use the MGA’s original 1–5 apple scale. Prices, system requirements and web links in this review are from the time it was written.

  • Civilization 2 Gold Mac Review (1999)

    Civilization 2 Gold Mac Review (1999)

    This post has affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

    From the archive: this review first ran on the Mac Gaming Alliance (MGA), the Mac games site that lived here on DimensionZ in the late 1990s. It was published around 1999 and is reproduced as originally written, with the original screenshots (click to enlarge). More in the Mac Gaming Alliance archive.

    Publisher MacSoft
    Tested on Power Mac 8600/300 w/32mb RAM
    Gameplay 4 / 5 apples
    Graphics & Sound 3 / 5 apples
    Interface 3 / 5 apples
    Difficulty 3 / 5 apples
    Bugs 2.5 / 5 apples
    Overall 3 / 5 apples
    Reviewed by Jonathan Dreyer

    Civilization II Gold is an upgraded version of the original Civilization II which now includes support for multiplayer and includes all of the Conflicts in Civilization and Fantastic Worlds scenarios. Other than those two items, nothing else has changed from Civilization II.

    Civilization 2 Gold screenshotThe extremely fun and addictive gameplay of Civilization II remains the same. Advance your civilization with an aspiration for worldwide domination. You can micro-manage each of your cities, or let your advisors handle the production. There are many units and buildings to construct for each of your hopefully many cities. There are treaties to be signed, and technologies to discover. Civilization II gives you a rich and complex world to dominate.

    Civilization 2 Gold screenshotThe fun of Civilization II Gold comes in the multiplayer additions. Playing your empire against another real person’s empire gives the game a lot more thrill. You can play over your Local-Area-Network, the Internet through TCP/IP, or on one computer through the “hotseat” method. Note, I would not recommend the hotseat method, unless you like getting up and sitting down a couple hundred times during a game (hence the name, hotseat).

    Civilization 2 Gold screenshotThe “Conflicts in Civilization” and “Fantastic Worlds” give you the fun of standard Civ II with the excitement of playing with all new units and lands. Defend Earth from Alien Invaders, take a side in the Civil War, these scenarios play out with a cast of characters and a plot to follow. A lot of the scenarios incorporate entirely new unit and structures for your use, greatly altering the usual gameplay.

    It appears that when adding multiplayer support, they broke a couple things… There are more than a few bugs floating around in Civ II Gold, most noticeably for me is a bug with opening saved games while file sharing is active. Hopefully a bug-fix patch will be out soon.

    Civilization 2 Gold screenshotOverall, the addition of multiplayer support, and the inclusion of the great scenario sets make Civilization II Gold a recommended buy from me, albeit a marginal one. The multiplayer aspects and the new graphics and units of some of the scenarios breathe just enough life into another otherwise tired old game to make it an enjoyable play. It did make me long for the upcoming Civilization III even more…

    Find a copy

    Civilization 2 Gold has been out of print for years, but used copies of the original Mac release still turn up, and some classics have been re-released for modern systems. Search for Civilization 2 Gold on Amazon.

    Ratings use the MGA’s original 1–5 apple scale. Prices, system requirements and web links in this review are from the time it was written.

  • Close Combat Mac Review (1999)

    Close Combat Mac Review (1999)

    This post has affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

    From the archive: this review first ran on the Mac Gaming Alliance (MGA), the Mac games site that lived here on DimensionZ in the late 1990s. It was published around 1999 and is reproduced as originally written. More in the Mac Gaming Alliance archive.

    Publisher Microsoft
    Tested on PowerMac 6500/200
    Gameplay 5 / 5 apples
    Graphics & Sound 4 / 5 apples
    Interface 5 / 5 apples
    Difficulty 5 / 5 apples
    Bugs 3 / 5 apples
    Overall 4.5 / 5 apples
    Reviewed by J. Driver

    Close Combat is a World War II simulation. In this game, you control American Allied units who just landed in Normandy, or German troops attempting to hold their ground. Not everything can go according to plan, however, because your troops, and enemy troops, can become mentally unstable, either to your advantage or to the enemy’s advantage. Video coverage of the actual D-Day campaign shows you what you need to do, what you did, and what really happened.

    Gameplay

    Close Combat requires a Power Macintosh due to large amounts of information it has to process. Gameplay is typically very fast. You will really feel that you are really commanding troops in Normandy.

    Graphics and Sound

    The graphics in Close Combat are very good, for the most part. They can appear “grainy” during combat when you have magnified the battlefield 100%. Sound in Close Combat is also very good, and unlike graphics, it does not falter.

    Interface

    The interface in Close Combat is very simple: point and click. In the battlefield, there are also added conveniences in terms of buttons. Move out, Defend, and Pull Back lets you control all your troops without having to control each team.

    Difficulty

    Even on the Easy level, Close Combat is a very difficult game. Sometimes the only way to get past a particular battle is to do your best and refight it, that way the enemy is weakened.

    Conclusion

    Close Combat is a very good game. While the graphics could use a little work, the rest of the game is done very nicely and realistically.

    Find a copy

    Close Combat has been out of print for years, but used copies of the original Mac release still turn up, and some classics have been re-released for modern systems. Search for Close Combat on Amazon.

    Ratings use the MGA’s original 1–5 apple scale. Prices, system requirements and web links in this review are from the time it was written.