Expected very soon is the long awaited "Brett Hull Hockey '95" with more than 600 of the greatest players from the NHLPA. It offers several modes of play from exhibition games to an 11 game short season, 42 game half season and an 84 full game season with the championship playoffs.
In the Live Action series, Accolade plans to release "Live Action Baseball" in May. The game licensed by the MLBPA will include live baseball video footage with sportscaster Al Michaels.
Two compilations of "Jack Nicklaus Golf" were announced and should be available by the time you read this. The first one, "The Tour Collection" contains the "Signature Edition" and two accessory disks (Vol 1&2) and the second, the "Golden Bear" edition for the Windows environment.
Access said that "Links 486" will be available this year on CD-ROM only and a new CD version of "Links 386 Pro" should be available before the summer.
Gametek announced a new golf game that will be every golfer's dream. "Fairway to Heaven" will feature the best holes from eighteen courses worldwide, an arcade style golfing game play and seven different camera angles to play a shot or watch the replay. Video footage will be available on the CD version for each hole.
Interplay will also release in the first quarter of 1995, its golf game called "The Skins Game at Bighorn". It features photo-realistic pictures, tee to green fly-overs to give players a look at the course and more.
After the golf, let's shoot some pool with "Virtual Pool" from Interplay. This is the first billiard game that lets you see the table from any angle and features a multi-player option to be played over a network, through e-mail or a modem! It looks and plays great, and will be released in April.
In another domain, Merit Studios is close to releasing "Alex Dampier World Hockey 95". It offers nice graphics, isometric views, sound effects and over 25 international teams with their national stripes. Throughout the game the CD version combines Full Motion Video and between period commentaries. Look for it this month.
MicroLeague displayed their new titles: "Sports Illustrated Presents MicroLeague Baseball '95" and "Blood Bowl". The first one is the sequel of the baseball simulation game released last year and features 3D modeling and rotoscoped graphics. "Blood Bowl" is a fantasy football simulation where creatures and humans of a dark future are playing against each other. With the modem support, players will experience a real-time game filled with a lot of action.
Developed by Rage Software and published by Time Warner Interactive, "Striker '95" is a soccer game with cameras close ups and 256 SVGA color graphics. Rotoscoped player animations at 10 frames per second with a new artificial intelligence system will give the game a realistic look.
For both arcade fans and die hard hockey players, Time Warner Interactive will released at the end of this year "Wayne Gretzky's NHLPA All-Star". The game features a full 84 game season, player trading and includes over 600 professional hockey players. Sprites will be 20% larger than in other hockey games and the CD version will include movements and characters of Wayne Gretzky himself.
"JetSki Rage" is a new game from Velocity that will be out this Spring. It is a jet ski racing combat game that features stunning 3D rendered waves, multi-player capabilities up to 8 players and live action footage.
After the huge success of "Return to Zork", Activision will publish in December a new Zork adventure, "Zork: Nemesis". Like the first episode, stunning three-dimensional worlds with a cast of Hollywood actors will be included in the game. Also slated for a late 95 release is a new game written by James Adam, a leading news correspondent and author of spy thrillers. The game will use themes from William Colby's real-life experiences, former CIA director and Oleg Kalugin, former head of the Russian KGB. "The Great Game" will also include video footage from well-known actors with professional soundtracks.
The last one, "Santa Fe Mysteries" is a set of interactive murder mysteries set, of course, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. With video footage, the player will learn about the crime and get hints and clues to solve the mystery.
Cyberdreams has two adventure games currently in development. First, there is the sequel of "Dark Seed" which is a psychological thriller where you have to travel between the normal world and the dark world to discover what the aliens are preparing.
Second, "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" is based on the short story of the same name written by Harlan Ellison. Through five different characters, you have to journey inside a super computer that has destroyed all of humanity.
"Domark's Orion Conspiracy" is a beautifully rendered adventure in SVGA with an intuitive point-and-click interface set in a futuristic environment.
At the show, Sanctuary Woods exhibited three new products on CD-ROM. The first one is the sequel to "Journeyman Project" called "Buried in Time". It looks fantastic and the plot is original. Accused of altering history, you will have to journey through time and pick up clues to prove your innocence. The second game, "The Riddle of Master Lu", is scheduled for release in April. The game is being developed by the same team that created "Phantom of the Opera" for MicroProse, and sends you back to 1936 in a quest for an archeological treasure. The game features splendid SVGA graphics and fluid animations. "Once upon a Forest" is an adventure game based on the movie. Designed for kids, the game will be available on CD-ROM and on floppy.
Virgin's "Lost Eden" is still looking great with spectacular animations but the game is not yet ready to ship. Look for it around April.
"Harvester" is still in development and will not be released until May.
Another SVGA game is "Bureau 13" from Gametek that should be released by the time you read this. Based on a paper role-playing game, it was created by "Take 2 Interactive", the company that developed "Hell".
I-Motion is well known for their famous "Alone in the Dark" series. The third episode was shown at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas and we are pleased to provide a complete review in this issue of the magazine. Two new adventure games were announced by I-Motion. "Marco Polo" takes you to the Silk Route to China with over 2000 digitized images, and even film sequences featuring Burt Lancaster and Leonard Nimoy. "Prisoner of Ice" is the sequel of "Shadow of the Comet", but many improvements have been made to the original episode. Hundreds of animations and SVGA graphics have been added with more than 70 minutes of music.
Fox Interactive will release several titles this year based on movies or television series. "Die Hard with a Vengeance" is an adventure game that will feature a three-dimensional driving environment. "Return of the Apes", scheduled for release in 1996, will be directed by Oliver Stone himself. The title is being designed as a role-playing adventure game.
For the television based games, we find "The X-Files" and "Virtual Springfield", that last one being based on one of the most popular television programs. Both are slated for a 1996 release.
"The 11th Hour" is still in development, although it was announced for September 94 at last Summer's CES. We hope that Trilobyte is working up something exceptional with all this extra time they have taken to complete it.
One title that surprised me was "Daedalus Encounter". As Virgin bought Media Vision Technology's software division, they continued all the projects started by the company. "Daedalus" features Tia Carrere and the graphics are terrific. "Hodj'n Podj" by Steve Meretzky and "Rivers of Dawn" by Pepe Moreno are also expected to ship during the first half of 1995.
"Star Trek: The Next Generation, A Final Unity" will soon be released by Spectrum Holobyte on CD-ROM after many delays.
LucasArts expects to release "Full Throttle" on CD-ROM only in the first quarter of 1995. It is a futuristic biker game about fighting for justice with cartoon-like graphics and animations such as those used in Rebel Assault.
"Flight of the Amazon Queen" from Renegade is an adventure game on CD-ROM that makes fun of the adventure serials popular in the 1940's. Over 100 different locations are included in the game with over 40 individual characters. The interface is similar to the one used with the "Indiana Jones" series developed by LucasArts, and the graphics are brilliant. It should give the game a successful future.
Inscape, a partnership formed by Home Box Office (HBO), the Warner Music Group and Nash New Media, announced three adventure games for 1995. "Bad Day on the Midway" is a game where you have to follow 12 principle characters through thrills and misadventures. "The Dark Eye" offers a journey into horror when investigating a haunted mansion. In another style, "Devo Presents Adventures of the Smart Patrol" is a wild combination of science fiction and social satire.
After the great success of "Quantum Gate", Hyperbole started to work on its sequel, "The Vortex". Bundled on three CD's, "The Vortex" features 3D environments with photo realistic pictures, and six hours of digital video performed by 30 actors. Other titles such as "The Madness of Roland Book II", "Portals" and "Ten State Spree" will be released this year.
Capstone will release their first adventure game around August. "Crystal Skulls"'s story will be written by Rob MacGregor, author of the "Indiana Jones" series and Capstone claims the game will be unlike anything seen before. This month, "Zorro" should be available in the stores. This is a cinematic action adventure game packed with 3D rendered graphics and full CD music and sound effects.
GTE Interactive Media's "Tank Girl" will be an interactive adventure game based on the cult comic book that has already inspired the soon-to-be-released MGM motion picture starring Lori Petty and Malcolm McDowell. The game will be available in the fourth quarter of 95 on CD-ROM.
One of the most impressive titles in development is "Frankenstein - Through the Eyes of the Monster" starring Tim Curry. The game stands massively on 3D rendered graphics which feature Frankenstein's castle, catacombs, gardens and secret passages. Live action video, special effects and digitized voices are included in the game with puzzles to solve as in "The 7th Guest". It should hit the stores in June 95 for the PC.
Readysoft's "BrainDead 13" is an action/adventure game with cartoon-like animations that should arrive during the second quarter of 95. You will play the role of Lance, A computer repair guru, who gets a late-nite "fix-it" call to the mysterious castle of Dr. Nero Neurosis.
"Dungeon Master II" also from Interplay will be available in March on floppy and CD-ROM. Fans of the old "Dungeon Master" will be happy to hear the game features an automap, and that action takes place both inside and outside, is in real-time.
Capstone's "Witchaven" is a game that combines RPG elements with the action of a 3D engine. The advanced 3D engine is licensed by Apogee software and the dungeon maps will be written by game designer Mike Pitt. Dreamforge, the company that developed "Ravenloft" and "Menzoberranzan" for S.S.I. will create a new RPG game with the help of Roger Zelazny for Capstone. No title is yet available but the game is scheduled to be released in November.
Although Bullfrog was not at the show, we can mention that "Dungeon Keeper" will be the first RPG game developed by the company. We can expect many surprises in the game compared with original games designed in the past by Bullfrog. "Hunters of Ralk" from Cyberdreams is the first episode in a series designed by Gary Gygax, creator of "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons". The game will feature revolutionary real 3D combat with a first-person perspective and texture-mapped graphics. The game will be released in the Fall of 1995 for Windows platforms on CD-ROM.
Origin's "Bioforge" should be available in March on CD-ROM only. You will play the role of a sophisticated Cyborg whose memory has been erased. The game will allow a total control of the synthetic actor in a detailed 3D world. Stone Prophet's S.S.I., the Ravenloft's sequel, designed by Dreamforge will come out in March on CD-ROM only with high resolution graphics on standard VGA. It features an intriguing plot with more puzzles than ever before, an improved playability with a new spell management system and an intuitive point-and-click inventory.
"World of Aden" is a new fantasy world introduced by S.S.I. The first title of the series, developed by S.S.I.'s Special Projects Group will be "Thunderscape". You will explore dozens of different levels including catacombs, mines, caves, fortresses, and even a Dwarven city to encounter 28 different monsters created and rendered on Silicon Graphics Workstations. The game will be available in May on CD-ROM only.
"Lands of Lore II" from Westwood Studios should hit the stores during the second quarter of 1995. Featuring outstanding animations created with 3D Studio, the game should establish a new standard for RPG games.
Acclaim's "StarGate", a movie-based game, is in development and should be available on CD-ROM later this year. From the same company comes "Judge Dredd" on CD-ROM, a game where the player is a judge, jury and executioner. "Alien 3" by Acclaim will bring incredible movie graphics and extraterrestrial terror to the PC in the second quarter.
"Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure" will be a tremendous title with an incredible full-screen animation in a Windows-based environment. Special sound effects will reproduce ambiances from the jungle, waterfall, temple, and more to create a different feel for each level of the adventure.
American Laser Games's "Last Bounty Hunter" will send you back in the old times to pursuit the most cunning outlaws. The game automatically adjusts the level of difficulty to the player's shooting skills and the order in which the player stalks each outlaw will change with the game's responses and difficulty level.
"The Chaos Engine 2" is the sequel of the popular "Chaos Engine" released by Renegade. It will involve more strategy but will still require good shooting skills and reaction speed. It will hit the stores on CD in the Spring of 95.
"Lawnmower Man 2: Jobe's War" is an arcade game based on the movie that will be released simultaneously with the film's arrival before Christmas 95.
I-Motion's "Chaos Control" is an arcade-adventure game with over 30 minutes of high resolution 3D sequences which provide a thrilling arcade game experience. Space flights, battle sequences and the final fight with the alien forces's commander will provide the player with a challenging action game.
In the arcade-combat genre, Gametek will release "Super Street Fighter II Turbo" on floppy and CD-ROM. With the addition of four new characters, the number of Street Fighters now reaches 16. The game will be compatible with six button PC gamepads and will allow one or two players simultaneous.
"Mortal Kombat II" will make its appearance in March on CD-ROM and floppy. Twelve characters are available in the game, each with tons of special moves, sounds and visual effects.
Time Warner Interactive will bring the excellent coin-operated game "Primal Rage" to the PC in the fourth quarter on CD-ROM.
GTE Interactive Media will bring a Virtua Fighter-like game for the PC, FX Fighters. The competition will be held on eight different planets with a choice of nine opponents. The game allows over forty different attacks, features a flying camera perspective, SGI rendered backgrounds and character animations.
Capstone will release several titles in the "Harpoon" series. The first one, "Harpoon 3 Multimedia" will feature a full motion video, terrific graphics and enhanced game play when it will be released in June. Other titles will be add-ons like the "Harpoon II Cold War Battleset" for February and the Harpoon II scenario editor for late April.
Gametek's "Baldies" will be a game where the player controls a tribe of Baldies and abuse or use fantastic inventions to defeat your enemies. The game should be as addictive as "Lemmings", "Populous" and "Settlers" and it is slated for an April release.
The following Avalon Hill's strategy games will be released during the first half of 1995: "The Third Reich", "1830: Railroads & Robber Barons", "Advanced Civilization", and "Blackbeard and Beyond Squad Leader"
Empire's "The American Civil War" will use the same engine that MicroProse's "Fields of Glory" used to reproduce the problems of the commanders in the American Civil War. The one or two player modes which including play over a serial link, modem or network, and the 3D texture-mapped battlefields are some of the key-selling features of this game. The other title from Empire, "Red Ghost" is a strategy simulation game scheduled for the second quarter of 95.
"Great Naval Battles Vol III: Fury in the Pacific" will soon be released by S.S.I on CD-ROM only. It includes a scenario editor, the opportunity for the player to change the effectiveness of gunnery fire, the damage control and more, a random battle generator, and features a new interface.
I-Motion's "A-IV Network$" is a hyper-realistic economic adventure that will be a mixture of "Sim City 2000" and "Transport Tycoon". You will also be able to dabble in real estate investments, dissolve unprofitable companies, schedule mass transit operations and more. Slated for a second quarter release, this simulation is a potential hit.
New World Computing's "Heroes of Might and Magic" is a fantasy strategy game on CD-ROM only where you must achieve victory through battles and resource management. Over two dozen different types of monsters are available with dazzling SVGA graphics. Another title from New World Computing, "MechLords: The Inner Circle" is being developed by SimTex Software, creators of "Master of Orion" and "Master of Magic". This futuristic strategy game has a 3D isometric view, over 150 selectable characters and cinematic 3D sequences.
Impressions will release four titles during the first half of 1995 including "Powerhouse", "Project USA", "High Seas Trader" and "Breach 3". By the time you read this, "Front Lines" should be available in stores.
MicroProse's "Zeppelin" will allow gamers to create a successful air shipping business. Machiavelli The Prince will give players many opportunities to explore the world and trade with more than 40 cities in 14th century Italy.
"X-COM: UFO Terror from the Deep" will take the first episode's success to new heights with this sequel in the depths of the earth's oceans. New creatures, an improved interface and mutation technology are some of the new features of the game. Look for it around April.
After "Transport Tycoon", MicroProse will release in the first quarter "Pizza Tycoon", a strategy game of empire building and pizza making.
MicroProse finally decided to make a multi-player version of their award winning game "Civilization". The long-awaited version should be available for the summer but no definitive date has been fixed yet. Also coming with a multi-player option is "Master of Orion Deluxe" after the huge demand for multi-player support from avid gamers.
The latest title from MicroProse is "Magic: The Gathering" based on the card game created by Wizards of the Coast. SVGA graphics that faithfully reproduce the original artwork from the card game is featured in the game. Magic offers two play modes: the stand-alone mode against the computer and the multi-player mode where players can duel other wizards on on-line networks.
Maxis's "SimIsle" puts the players in charge of a group of islands which contain a rich and vast rainforest. It features a 3D isometric view similar to the one used in "Sim City 2000", and also Full Motion Video with various experts to guide you. The game will be released on CD-ROM in the second quarter.
Although "SimTown" is designed primarily for kids, it will appeal to adults as well with its incredible detailed 3D graphics which represent a town and its inhabitants. Available only on CD-ROM in the first quarter.
Maxi's "SimTower" will let you build your own skyscraper with up to 100 floors and make it a profitable piece of commercial real estate by leasing out space inside for apartments, offices, restaurants, shops and entertainment centers.
Sir-Tech's "Jagged Alliance" is a strategy role-playing game with a realistic overhead perspective and real-time action. It should be released in the second quarter 95.
Time Warner Interactive's "Conqueror" is an action/adventure/strategy/role playing game set in medieval England. You take the role of a young knight who must build up the strongest fief in the land in order to become the king. The game features a three-dimensional isometric view with SVGA graphics and action sequences like quests and jousts.
"Command & Conquer" from Westwood Studios is nearly completed and will ship on two CD's around April. "Dune II"'s fans will be rewarded of their patience with over 60 minutes of full motion video and 30 minutes of 3D rendered sequences. The game also features multiple-player options, modem compatibility and a variety of missions to provide hours of gameplay.
Blizzard Entertainment announced plans to release "Pax Imperia 2" for Christmas 95. It will be a real-time space strategy where the player must explore and colonize alien worlds, develop resources and technologies, and engage in combat with other empires.
"Star Control III" will be developed by Legend as announced by Accolade. No other information was available but the release date is scheduled for late 95.
"Renegade's Z" is a mix of game styles with parts of a wargame, shoot'em-up, strategy and action. Available on CD-ROM in Spring 95.
In GTE Interactive Media's "Rapid Assault", you have the choice of four vehicles in a real-time texture-mapped graphic environment with 3D rendered enemies. Modem and network play will allow head-to-head games in over 20 different action packed levels. Start looking for it around the second quarter of 95.
Core Design will release this month "B.C. Racers", an extremely fast prehistoric racing game which combines driving skill and punching power. Over eight different 3D terrains are included in the game with twelve Neanderthal opponents.
Developed by Manic Media and distributed by GT Interactive Software, "SuperKarts" features one of the fastest 3D graphics engine ever seen. On 16 wild tracks, you experience a coin-operated quality arcade experience in a two player split-screen mode, a multi-player mode that supports up to eight players on a network or a stand-alone player mode.
"Terranova: Strike Force Centauri" is an action-based game on CD-ROM that will be released in the second quarter by Looking Glass Technologies. The game is a real-time, first person 3D combat simulation with super realistic texture mapped worlds. Full motion videos will be included to support an original plot as well as a digital stereo soundtrack with sound effects to immerse you into a combat experience.
Merit Studios's "G-Nome" is an interactive movie with arcade action set in the 22nd century on a group of planets located at the edge of the galaxy. "G-Nome" has thousands of rendered animations with live actors and hundreds of cinematic sequences with SVGA graphics.
Rocket Science Games will release several action-based games this year: "Loadstar: The Legend of Tully Bodine", an action/adventure game set in the future, "Cadillacs and Dinosaurs", of the same style but this time during the prehistoric ages.
Following titles are "Flying Aces", an action/simulation title set in the first World War; "Rocket Boy", an action/adventure game featuring a boy and his dog who have been blasted into space with a home made rocket, and finally, "Dark Ride", a mysterious psychedelic cyber-coaster with unbelievable 3D graphics.
Sales Curve Interactive's "Hard Corps" and "Gender Wars" are both action games on CD-ROM. The first will feature a one to four players network/modem option with over 20 arenas and ninety opponents. The second is an isometric action adventure game with a possible network/modem play option.
Virgin's "Iron Assault" is an action/simulation game that features a monumental and powerful assault vehicle with the shape and versatility of a humanoid. Over 30 robot models will be available as well as a modem link support for head-to-head combats. It should be available soon.
LucasArts's "Dark Forces" is scheduled for a late February release and although the game will not include a multi-player support, it is a tremendously potential hit that might overcome "Doom"'s success.
S.S.I's "Renegade: Battle for Jacob's Star" is a tactical space combat simulator with spectacular SVGA graphics, cinematic sequences and digitized voices. The game will feature eight different types of ships with 25 different wingmen and will be released in February. Scheduled in May, "Silent Hunter" is a World War II submarine simulator where the player commands an American submarine in the South Pacific. The game includes SVGA graphics with realistic 3D modeled art and stunning visual effects for explosions and gun fire.
"Top Gun" is the first Spectrum Holobyte's flight simulation that allows the player to leap right into the cockpit and experience the game without difficulty. Using photo-scanned texture maps for the 3D objects and authentic aircraft's cockpits, Spectrum Holobyte provides the player with the feel of flying.
MicroProse's "1944 Across the Rhine" should be available during the first quarter with additional mission disks coming out later this year.
Ocean's "Iron Angel" is a combat flight-simulation from the creators of "TFX" and "Inferno". The whole Earth is featured in "Iron Angel", so you can fly around the world. With the High Altitude Fighter (HAF), the world's most advanced fighter aircraft, you will reach Mach-6 in an instant. Look for it around the second quarter.
Gametek's "Frontier: First Encounters" is a new sequel to "Elite: Frontier" with texture-mapped graphics, full motion video, new ships and much more. The game will be released on floppy and CD-ROM in the first quarter.
"Flight Unlimited" is the most realistic flight simulator ever created for the PC with 3D texture-mapped scenery and a unique physic models to recreate a true flight experience. Due to release in April.
Virgin's "KA-50 Hokum" is a helicopter simulation set in the South China Sea. You will control a band of mercenary soldiers and chopper pilots to find and destroy the organization that is stealing valuable cargo from the many ships sailing in the area.
In "Motocross" by Renegade, the player's bike is seen in the middle of the screen and the landscape is built-up as a 3D texture-mapped surface with light shading. Coming out on CD only in Spring 95.
Domark will release three simulation games this year. With "Tank Commander", you will command a modern tank in dozens of missions against menacing foes in the Third World, Middle East and Eastern Europe. The game supports IPX-protocol LAN and Head-to-Head modem play and features SVGA graphics.
"Absolute Zero" is a sci-fi simulator with workstation quality graphics (1024 x 768) and stunning SVGA texture-mapped objects. A virtual cockpit allows side and rear-views while flying through space, and over 100 missions have been designed.
With the same quality of graphics of "Absolute Zero", "Flying Nightmares 2" lets you choose from three combat vehicles all with virtual cockpits (AV-8B Harrier, Ah-1W SuperCobra Helicopter and LAV-25 Armored Personnel Carrier).
BAO will release during the first quarter a new scenery for Flight Simulator 5.0 which features the Las Vegas area. "Flight Shop" is a new power program that gives the player the necessary tools to create the ultimate flight experience. You will design your own plane, specify the flying characteristics and create your own flight plan.
Gametek's new "Family Feud" on CD-ROM will bring all the excitement of the TV show on your screen with over 4,000 new survey questions taken from the television show. Full motion video families battle against each other in a rendered studio, and family members can be personalized with names, interests, brains, hobbies and looks.
