Though branching out from their typical 3/4 birds-eye view rpg/adventure that's known to us older gamers as Ultima, this First-Person dungeon crawler is still just as fun, and brings a difference to the way you know Britannia. The first one takes place in the Stygian Abyss (as the name implies), a dungeon that's supposed to be the be-all-end-all of dungeons in the Britannian world, you must make your way through down through it's depths and rescue the damsel, clear your name (although since you are the Avatar it shouldn't have even come into question - but I digress) and set the world to rights yet again. Ultima Underworld II takes place during the time of the Fellowship, when an otherworldly, inter-dimensional entity known only as The Guardian is vying for world domination and conquest. Trapping you and some of your cohorts (introduced in preceding 'Ultima' games, again you must steel yourself to the challenge and find a way to free the castle's occupants from the "dome" (kind of Stephen King-esque, if you've read his book), and thwart The Guardian's plans yet again. If you've never experienced the world that is "Ultima," or if you like FPS, this game is set to keep you entertained for many, many hours. Go on. You're the Avatar, and everyone's crying for you to save them... AGAIN.
When I'd heard about Dungeon Keeper for the first time many, many moons ago, I was intrigued. When I actually played it, I realized I had an addiction. As The Lord of All That's Not So Good And Holy, nothing makes you sicker that seeing a realm teeming with love, happiness, and all that rot. You intend to change that. Quite literally carving out your 'niche,' the premise of the game is to design your dungeon, train your minions (different types become available with each new mission), and beat the snot out of the good guys. You know, your typical powermonger fare. Mine out gold veins, build different rooms (from your minions' lair to hatcheries, to training rooms and more) and train your horde. Some of the most fun, though is simply smacking your imps around and watching them run their little butts off, scampering about and doing your bidding. This game will keep you occupied for hours-on-end. Now we just have to hope for the arrival of Dungeon Keeper 2...
While I've been a member of GOG.com for almost two years now, I've always been one to stay on the sidelines and not be actively involved - this game has brought about change. In a gamer's day when space sims were still highly marketable and computer games in general were on top, Origin Systems (We miss you Richard & Robert Garriot) struck gold with the release of "Wing Commander," a masterpiece space sim with Christopher Roberts' in the cockpit. No less popular, and (a little) more non-linear than it's predecessors, Privateer puts you in the pilot's seat of a freelancer simply trying to ply his trade in a most hazardous, yet lucrative 'world' (for lack of a better term). Taking place during the Terran-Kilrathi war, dangers abound, ranging from the obvious Kilrathi, to space pirates, to the Military itself. With the freedom to decide which side you want to favor (albeit with no real change in the storyline), it gives a little flare to gameplay, and adds an element that keeps you playing, even when repetition would have had you moving on to something else after a while. As a freelance Merc, you have the options of trading commodities, legal or otherwise, from planet to planet - even space stations - , collecting bounties on rogue pirates' and their factions, fending off the Kilrathi threat for the Military, and more. What's more, you have the the option to purchase new ships (although your limited to 3 choices), and the purchasing and upgrading of said ship is half of what Privateer is all about. You will spend countless hours saving up the money for weapons or tech upgrades, hunting down the bad guys just for fun, and pursuing a decent storyline. Trust me when I say more hours will be put in to playing the missions of your choice vs. the storyline... as the story itself is not very long, and you face an inevitable death without upgrading, but somehow this game WILL keep you playing. If you've never had an opportunity to play this title (or any Origin game, for that matter) do yourself a favor and try it out. I promise you that there is little else where $5.99 could be better spent. As a game veteran of over 25 years, I have to say "Hats off to the staff!" Thanks GOG! You guys have done wonders in resurrecting gone-but-not-forgotten titles, but this day is one I've been waiting for. I look forward to seeing what other great titles are in store for us!
