Dark Rift is not a must play, but it's a solid, yet mediocre fighter. I'd love to play it again if GOG would manage to fix it's release. The game refuses to work on Windows 10 / 11. It crashes right after opening it. I tried everything (compatibility modes, updating dxwnd, tinkering with the dxwnd configuration). Other users reported the same issues, the GOG team didn't respond. Same with the STEAM Release. Please, GOG, fix that game. I opted for a refund now. I'll buy it again when it works.
Back in the 90s I had a PlayStation. Yes, the PSX port of Doom was great and a unique experience, but... Doom 64 brought the classic gameplay to a whole new level. Outsourced by ID Software to Midway, a fresh experience was developed that kept the basic gameplay intact, but with an even darker atmosphere and more puzzle elements and secrets. Great level designs, atmospheric sounds and music, redesigned and new enemy and weapon types... The true sequel to Doom II. This is a great PC port with support for modern controllers, high redolutions, an uncapped framerate and much more, while keeping the look and feel of its console counterpart intact. It even runs pretty good on my old potato PC. Smooth 60 FPS on an old Core i3 @ 2,8GHz with 4GB RAM and onboard Intel HD 4400 graphics (128MB) using the OpenGL renderer. Grab it! There is a fan made patch out there that restores the assets to match the original N64 release. Just in case you want to go full "vanilla".
Here it is - the first worldwide success of Kenji Eno's studio WARP. Back in 1995 / 1996 "D" was quite unique. An interactive horror experience never seen before. In "D" you play as Laura, a girl who arrives at a crime scene where her father has butchered a whole bunch of people. Suddenly Laura gets sucked into some kind of portal and finds herself in an old castle. Now it is up to her to find out what has happened, where she is and how she can get out of there. Gameplay is fairly simple. You can move on "rails", means you click the direction you want to go and Laura automatically moves there. You´ll stumble across some puzzle solving along the way. Puzzles are fairly easy, but they are just a nice "topping" anyway. The strong part of "D" is the storytelling and the creepy atmosphere. You have a 2 hour time limit to escape the castle and solve the secret behind your fathers' rampage. If you get stuck, you have a mirror that gives you a hint of where to go next. Use it wisely though - it breaks after using it three times. Along the way a certain number of scarabs can be found. They are not needed to succeed, but they will unlock a special ending for the game. Ah - endings. There are four of them: - A very bad one - this happens when time runs out. - A bad one - depends on a decision near the end of the game. - A good one - depends on a decision near the end of the game. - The best one - get the good ending and find all hidden items. Bottom line: If you like FMV games and slow paced, eerie experiences, then D is for you. A true classic and - imo - worth the 5.99 here on gog. It is available on 3DO, Saturn, Playstation and PC - but the disc releases are quite expensive and the PC version is a hassle to get running on modern system with dosbox. Save yourself time and nerves and buy this digital release instead, as it runs right out of the box.
