5 GAMES FOR NOVEMBER

Stave off those winter blues this November, 'cos the monthly 5 is here! Control four robots to bust out of prison in the sci-fi RPG Captive (1990-1992 Mindscape) then travel to places unknown by way of a fire breathing dragon in the fantasy platformer in Unreal (1990-1991 Ubi Soft). Want your fantasy a little more bloody, then tackle the FPS sequel Witchaven II: Blood Vengeance (1996 Intracorp). Challenge multiple opponents in the first-person arena shooter XS: Shield Up, Fight Back (1996 SCi) and when you're done with that, build a business from scratch in the management sim Zapitalism! Deluxe (1995-1997 LavaMind).

ANGEL DEVOID: FACE OF THE ENEMY

The line between cinema and games blurred during the FMV craze of the mid-90s and many developers embraced the new technology wholeheartedly to varying effect. One such developer was Electric Dreams, a short-lived company who, with Mindscape on publishing duties, gave us the interactive sci-fi thriller Angel Devoid: Face of the Enemy in 1996.

CLAW

Back in 1997, Claw from Monolith Productions (Blood, F.E.A.R., Shadow of Mordor) was something of a rarity; a PC exclusive platformer. And a good one at that. This tough-as-nails 2D side scroller proved that home computers could play host to such a game without playing second fiddle to the genre's prolific nature on consoles.

SYMBIOCOM (aka SYN-FACTOR)

 

After helming one of the best interstellar Mary Celeste adventures in Majestic: Part 1 - Alien Encounter, the one-man design team of Istvan Pely got to work on some thematic sequels. Released 1998, the same year as Zero Critical (a future Chamber escapee I'm sure), Symbiocom shares a lot with his previous game in that you are searching a deserted space vessel seemingly abandoned in the deep recesses of space.