MONTHLY 5 - July 2020

Come and see what July has in store for The Collection Chamber! I recently ranked Cybercon III (1991, The Assembly Line) and Hades (1995, Ablex) in a Top 10 Hidden Gems video and now you can play them for yourself to see how you'd rate them. Let's not forget Defiance (1997, Avalon Hill) and Shadow of Destiny/Memories (2002, Konami) that each got the full video review treatment.

New to the Chamber is Darklight Conflict (1997, Rage Software), a visually impressive space combat sim, 3D Ultra Cool Pool (1999, Sierra On-Line) which is, well, cool pool, and the third game in the Dr. Brain series; The Lost Mind of Dr. Brain (1995, Sierra On-Line).

Let's not forget the one update for the month: S.C.A.R.A.B. (1997, Electronic Arts) which now has multiple options on how to play it on Windows 10.

Watch the video roundup. then find out more after the jump!

SCARAB - Video Review

We're revisiting one of the earlier games I reviewed for The Collection Chamber - S.C.A.R.A.B. (1997 Electronic Arts). My opinion on this 3D arena shooter with a heavy emphasis on strategy seems to changes every time I boot it up. Watch the video to find out my current thoughts, then see my 5-years out of date sentiments in the original review linked below.

I've updated the installer too, so it's the perfect time to play it again and see if your own views on it have changed too. Click the link after the jump to find out more.

DEFIANCE

At times, revisiting old games can be fascinating. As trends and design philosophy change, so do your opinions on what once flooded the market. Games that were once considered classics are now unremarkable. Others that were deemed bland and repetitive now feel like quintessential releases of the era. For me, Defiance, a first-person shooter from 1997 published by Avalon Hill, fits right into that latter category.  

HIDDEN GEMS - TOP 10 FIRST PERSON SHOOTERS OF THE '90s

We're doing something a little different today - a Top 10 video! Only, this being The Collection Chamber, it has to be about obscure hidden gems! Check out the video and let me know any that I've missed.

Some have already been featured on the site so follow the jump to link to their review.

SHADOW OF DESTINY (aka SHADOW OF MEMORIES)

Shadow of Destiny (or Shadow of Memories as it was known as over here) was the third PlayStation 2 game I ever purchased. It came a whole four months after the console's November 2000 launch, which I naturally bought immediately after saving up for months. While I managed to beat Konami's quirky adventure game fairly quickly, returning to the likes of TimeSplitters or Tekken Tag Tournament far more often, the images it conjured still managed to stick with me for many, many years. I remember being wowed by the graphics, totally immersed in the distinctly Bavarian town and gripped by the time-travelling mystery contained within it. It's been almost 20 years since I've played it, so I anxiously revisited it to see if my fond memories still hold weight or will they be overshadowed by the ravages of time.