MONTHLY 5 - December 2020

Just in time for say good riddance to 2020, here are December's selection of PC games to keep you occupied. There's the mini-game collection of Animaniacs Game Pack (1997 Funnybone Interactive), some hi-octane shooting in Delta V (1993 Bethesda Softworks), a historic puzzle solving adventure in Karma: Curse of the 12 Caves (1995 Discis Entertainment), histrionic puzzle solving in Lemmings 3D + Winterland (1995 Psygnosis Ltd) and some Christmas hijinks in Nightmare in the Toy Factory (1997 Anglia Multimedia).

 

There is one update for this month too - Curse of Enchantia from Core Design. It was one of my earlier installers so I've updated to the newest version of DOSBox and made sure it is completeable. And I had to go through that annoying cliff walk multiple times just to make sure :)

Beyond testing this classic adventure, I've been spending more time with family than I usually would - it has been Christmas after all. And if any year is going to make you appreciate them more, it's 2020. As such, I've struggled to find time for the Chamber, so please be patient if you've contacted me and are still waiting for a reply - I aim to get back to you. 

 

This also means that there are no videos for this month I'm afraid, but I do aim to ring in the first few weeks of the new year with my annual Top 10 rundown extravaganza! I'll see you all soon for that, and until then have a merry New Year and Happy Gaming!

ANIMANIACS COLLECTION

 

One of the few good things about this past year is that Animaniacs got a reboot. And because this past year was 2020 us Brits didn't get it. Nevertheless I got my totally insaney fix by revisiting the surprising decent collection of console games based on the original 90s show.

MONTHLY 5 - NOVEMBER 2020

Okay, so a massive workload this month scuppered my plans for November. Essentially, there was to be some ranting diatribes about American politics as an excuse to review some thematically political computer games. You can still see a little of that in some of November's monthly five - most notably in two strategic simulations called Shadow President (1993 D.C. True Ltd) and CyberJudas (1996 D.C. True Ltd). 

 

If you're just about done with all that, there's some light-hearted fare too. Check out 3D Ultra Radio Control Racers (1999 Sierra On-Line) for a fun jaunt in a back yard-cum-race track. Or perhaps the kid-friendly point-and-click adventuring of Once Upon a Forest (1995 Sanctuary Woods) will suffice. If you just wanna shoot stuff, Radix: Beyond the Void (1995 Epic MegaGames) has you covered.

There's one update this month - Race Mania (1995 Flair Software). I've fixed a few glitches relating to audio and gameplay speed. It makes my main gripe when I reviewed it in 2015 disappear - I can actually win a race now! My gaming cred has returned :) Read the full review and list of changes by heading over to the game page.

 

 

What a selection! Check them all out after the jump.

MONTHLY 5 - October 2020

We may have to stay inside this Halloween, but with this bunch of old games, you don't have to waste it. Dusting off their sheets to escape the Chamber are the platforming skills of Satan (1989 Dinamic Software), the first-person shooting horrors of Eight Legged Freaks (2002 Warner Bros), the role-playing freak-outs of Xenomorph (1990 Pandora) and the survival horror that is Doctor Hauzer (1994 Riverhill Soft). Scariest of all is the teen romancing of The Vampire Diaries (1996 American Laser Games), but at least they have some vampire attacks in there to calm the nerves. 

October also got a slew of updates. 3D Ultra Pinball: Creep Night, Gahan Wilson's Ultimate Haunted House and Jurassic Park Collection: Volume 2 all got a little easier to get running on Windows 10. Check them out after the jump!

WATCH THE VIDEO

HIDDEN GEMS - TOP 10 SPOOKY GAMES FOR KIDS

 

This one took a while to compile, but it wouldn't be the Halloween without a swathe of spooky retro titles for you to game to. This time, I present my personal, completely biased Top 10 list the best 90s kids games best played in the Halloween season. I've limited myself to games that are no longer sold, so no Maniac Mansion, Hocus Pocus or MediEvil, and those specifically aimed at the younger critters infesting households the world over.

 

From the list, there are 4 titles new to the Chamber, and another 2 that have been updated. That's Are You Afraid of the Dark, an adventure game based on the classic Nickelodeon show, I.M. Meen, an excuse to learn grammar while playing a Doom clone, Jan Pienkowski's Haunted House, based on the still-impressive pop up book and Nightmare Ned, of the best Disney show no-one remembers. Check them out after the jump by following the links below, but not before you catch my video on the subject!

 

THE DARK EYE - Video Review

Let's kick off the month of October with a few chilling tales from Edgar Allen Poe, a game I tend to revisit often this time of year. Watch the video review above, then check out the full review and game by heading to the link below.

If you want to support me and what I do here, you can join my PATREON or send a one-off donation through PAYPAL if you have the funds. I have a lot planned for October, so check back often to see what's new.

MONTHLY 5 - September 2020

Ok, so I went on holiday and missed August's back of mini-reviews, but it's back for the last Friday of September! Puzzle your way around some train tracks in 3D Ultra Lionel TrainTown (1999, Sierra On-Line), play as a cartoon Bond in the animated action game Guy Spy and the Crystals of Armageddon (1992, ReadySoft), act on that urge to go a bit faster in the original racing game The Need for Speed (1995, Electronic Arts), fix time by way of educational mini-games in The Time Warp of Dr. Brain (1996, Sierra On-Line) and lastly shoot up the place in the 360° schmup Zone 66 (1993 Epic MegaGames).

Don't forget that on top of all this, the last two months have brought us a number of new reviews and videos including my Top 10 Underrated FMV Adventures. I've also updated the package for RAMA to version 2, so check that out if you're interested.

Before you head on over, see them in motion by watching my YouTube video below! If you like it, you may want to subscribe to my channel and if you really want to show some support, consider becoming a Patreon.

THE ADVENTURES OF DOWN UNDER DAN

In the 90s, point and click games were in their prime. We had classics such as Grim Fandango, Monkey Island, I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream, Myst, and many others.  While yes, the genre was flawed, good things did come out of it. One game that really flew under the radar was The Adventures of Down Under Dan, releasing in 1995 to the Australian and United Kingdom markets only. The game even takes place in Australia, if the title didn’t give it away. It boasted full voiceover, real videos, and digitized actors, which was still a selling point at that time.

HIDDEN GEMS - TOP 10 FORGETTON FMV ADVENTURES

I'm back from a little holiday with another TOP 10 list! This time we're looking at the oft-maligned FMV adventure, complete with over-the-top acting and CD count! Not all of them deserve the bad reputation associated with the genre so I've collated some of the absolute best. Don't expect the revered likes of Gabriel Knight or The 7th Guest which are easily available to buy online. These are the forgotten gems that no-one seems to talk about anymore (if they ever did).

There's even a number of games not previously featured on the site (including QUANTUM GATE and THE CASSANDRA GALLERIES), so go check them out too!

SPACE HULK: VENGEANCE OF THE BLOOD ANGELS

Game Workshop's Warhammer series of tabletop strategy games spawned a bunch of spin-offs and spin-offs of spin-offs. First launching in 1989, Space Hulk took the sprawling sci-fi setting of Warhammer 40K and shrunk it down to the small claustrophobic corridors of many a derelict spacecraft. These were known as Space Hulks, and that premise begat a rather successful videogame franchise, including this second entry from Electronic Arts; Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angels.

URBAN RUNNER

I've played a fair few FMV games in my time and regardless of their overall quality, they all tend to share the same problem - a conflict between the game's design and the rigid nature of moviemaking. Published by Sierra in 1996, Coktel Vision's Urban Runner epitomises all that can go wrong when the two art forms collide.

CARNEVIL - Video Review

Let's drop some coins and visit the twisted arcade realm of CarnEvil (1998, Midway). I reviewed this horror themed light gun shooter way back in 2016 but now we have the video review! The game remained exclusive to the arcades, so watch the video then play the game to find out what you all have been missing.

I've also just created a Patreon page for those who really like what I'm doing here. Check it out here. Click the link after the jump to find out more.

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.

MONTHLY 5 - June 2020

Treat yourself to a plethora of retro gaming goodness this June on the Collection Chamber. Play some wacky minigolf in 3D Ultra MiniGolf (1997 Sierra On-Line), uncover a corrupt police force in the Amiga RPG Captive II: Liberation (1993 Mindscape) then solve some devious puzzles in The Island of Dr. Brain (1992 Sierra On-Line). There are more brain teasers to be found in Marble Drop (1997 Maxis) but if you want some action, try out the criminally underrated FPS Wrath of Earth (1995 Assix Software).

VERSAILLES 1685: A GAME OF INTRIGUE

While in lockdown, I've visited a number of places throughout history without leaving the slight discomfort of my cheap gaming chair. From Ancient Rome to China's Garden of Perfect Brightness, the virtual holidays are a perfect way to satisfy any unrequited wanderlust. Recently, I travelled to Versailles circa 1685 thanks to a little game by Cryo Interactive Entertainment.

STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE 9 - THE FALLEN

At on time, Star Trek games were very hit and miss. All throughout the 90s, we had a slew of great adventure games, a plethora of average platformers and some awful action games but by the beginning of the new millennium, the quality began to take a notable shift for the better. With an aim to mimic the action-adventure acrobatics of Tomb Raider, Star Trek: Deep Space 9 - The Fallen (2000, Simon & Schuster Interactive) was one of the many highlights of those times.

MONTHLY 5 - MAY 2020

Our May Movie celebration comes to a close with a quintet of licenced games. Aid the caped crusader through the events of Batman Returns (1992 Konami) in this relatively unknown point-and-click adventure. Take to the skies and defeat alien invaders in Independence Day: The Game (1997 Fox Interactive). Sometimes, all you need is a menagerie of talking animals to save the world - and Michael Jordan. Gather a team of Looney Tunes to play basketball against some aliens in Space Jam (1996 Warner Bros). Get back down to earth in a compilation of Lethal Weapon games. Lethal Weapon Collection (1992-1993 Ocean) features 5 unique games over 6 platforms. Finally, future earth has been flooded, so do your best to survive the real-time strategy in Waterworld: The Quest for Dry Land (1997 Interplay).

Watch our video roundup below or check them out yourself after the jump.

THE ABYSS: INCIDENT AT EUROPA

Out of all of James Camerons' back catalogue of blockbusters, I've always felt The Abyss to be a bit underappreciated. Sure, the visual effects were a milestone in moviemaking but underneath all of that is a thought-provoking sci-fi that's as deep as the depths the story takes you. In 1998, a year shy of its 10th anniversary, a little known developer by the name of Sound Source Interactive took that ageing I.P. and created a somewhat forgotten first-person action-adventure.

CITY OF LOST CHILDREN

Anyone with even a passing interest in French cinema has probably heard of the directing duo Jeunet and Caro. The former made inroads into Hollywood by directing Alien Resurrection before returning to his Parisian roots in a big way with the sublime Amelie. After a directorial hiatus, the latter made the underrated sci-fi Dante 01. It's their combined efforts that have earned them their early acclaim with Delicatessen in 1991 and a little oddity from 1995 known as The City of Lost Children. This visually arresting fable even got a belated video game adaptation a few years later thanks to Psygnosis.

MONTHLY 5 - APRIL 2020

Occupy your quarantined mind with April's selection of games from the Collection Chamber. Flip some balls in a theme park in 3D Ultra Pinball: Thrillride (2000 Dynamix). Solve some science puzzles in The Castle of Dr. Brain (1991 Sierra On-Line). Enter a VR sporting tournament in Locus (1995 Zombie LLC). Cure infected minds in Plague: In the Maze of the Mind (1996 Microforum) then cure infected hard drives in Virus: The Game (1997 Kiddum Multimedia & Telstar Electronics). Head on in to check them out.