I remember playing Interstate '76 on my friend's computer back in the late 1990's. It was fantastic fun - reminiscent of the Steve Jackson board game, Car Wars, with the funkiest soundtrack ever to grace a game. I loved cruising around, shooting things and causing mayhem. Years later, Interstate 76 naturally looks a little dated. The cars don't handle as realistically as I remember, and the damage model can - at times - seem to be just plain unfair. The game is very linear, despite offering you the chance to customise your car from salvage. It is, essentially, an action game rather than an RPG. Despite my criticisms, it is still a groundbreaking game and fun to play. The voice-acting is very good, and the car combat can get very intense, providing a satisfying experience when you drive your smoking Piranha home :) For $5.99, it is excellent to see this packaged with the Nitro add-on, and makes it well worth the purchase.
I missed out on the Gabriel Knight series back in the 1990's, although I have always been a fan of point & click adventure games. For the first time, today I took the plunge into the world of Gabriel Knight - and what a world it is. A mature, interesting and thoroughly satisfying RPG with depth of character, intelligent puzzles and a storyline that just sweeps you along - this is the most fun I've had with an adventure game in years. Even though the graphics are 17 years old now, you have to admire them - even the soundtrack is appropriate, and really adds an atmosphere to New Orleans. If you're undecided about buying this, all I can say is that for $5.99, you are investing in an adventure classic. Gabriel Knight is an adventure that firmly puts you at the centre of a thrilling plot - one that you won't want to put down until you've seen it through to the end. Five stars, all the way.
