The first Assassin's Creed got great critical reviews for its exploration of the ancient Middle East and the factions fighting for its control, set across four or five major cities. Popular reviews were less accepting of it mainly because it was repetitive and, I hate to say, somewhat boring. I actually enjoy this game for its historical value. I'd never seen anything like it. It was stark and used a muddy palette of greens, browns, and reds, but that in itself was intriguing. Amidst all the darker coloring was a deeper presentation of architecture, religion and a plot linking the ancient past with a present day company using a man and his memories to find lost secrets. Best of all was that it was the start of something lasting, as was proven with AC2, where the devs started to find their identity and gave the game more life and action than AC1. For me, AC is more of an exploration of the past than an actual game. It has its moments in the main plot but the side stuff is less satisfying. All in all, for $5.99 it's worth a look.
Played this on my C-64 so this is not a recent game I've played. Of the many games I had for my 64, this one sticks in my mind probably because so few train sims existed then, if at all, for this pc. Accolade developed this game, and it's fairly linear as sims go. This is a story-based sim having one mission only. There is not a lot of replay value. You play multiple roles as a person trying to hijack a train loaded with stolen WW2 treasure. It's interesting because instead of solely being the conductor, you make stops to defeat blockades and to change the track heading. It's fun but not deep. If you like lots of numbers and charts with your sims, this isn't the ride for you. It's more toward action and being able to switch roles fast to keep the train running, defended, and fueled.
Got this way back on release, mostly b/c it was adult-oriented and featured some nudity, thanks to CD storage and FMV. Anyway, while it is a somewhat light R-rated point n click featuring the hero Darksheer, it also has a terribly clumsy, awkward mouse interface. It has to be seen to be understood. On top of that, the hero has no super abilities, just a cape. I guess he uses the dark to hide or something. He can't call the forces of darkness to help him or levitate. Noctropolis has no groundbreaking content to offer besides being on CD. It's the usual walkaround, find things, solve puzzles, with no compelling story to drive it. There is some cool twisted imagery and disgusting visuals but that's it. Short game too, maybe five to seven hours. Even $9.99 is absurd. I'd pay no more than $4.99 for this.
One of my all-time favorites. Such a simple looking game hiding a deep experience of skill building, team leveling and tactical combat. Wasteland featured a, strangely enough, mostly text-based approach to turn based combat. You'd select your attack and then read the results, such as "Brad empties his clip into a radiated giant rat." The game works as a top-down map from which you move around. Coolest thing was the open-ended way skills were handled. You could use skills (and there were about thirty of them) anytime to solve puzzles or get out of tight situations. You could try to talk to enemies instead of fighting, you could use acrobatics to entertain a group of people and win their favor. It was quite interesting and fun to know skills had uses beyond just combat. NPC's could join the party, lots of weapons, armor and locations.
Played this on my C-64. This version was actually better than the PC/DOS remake a few years later (F-117). What it lacked in graphics it made up in data, accuracy and tension. If you played Red Storm Rising or any of the sims from Microprose in that time period, you know what I'm talking about. People today will find it restrictive and primitive but at the time it was ahead of its time as the first game to simulate stealth aircraft missions. F-19 focused on secrecy, much as a spy would avoid conflict and have to think quickly, so the combat aspect is downplayed to highlight using cover, technology and smart flight plans to get in, drop a bomb, and get out. A worthy game but not for those who don't come from that time.
