MONTHLY 5 - August 2025

So, Summer is officially at an end, but fear not! As the last sun of August sets, five long-forgotten gems awaken from the Collection Chamber. 

Finished reading the digital pages of the Fantastic Four from last month? Well continue your Marvel kick with Silver Surfer: Interactive CD-ROM Comic Book (1996 Pixel Technologies & Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc). There's also the adventurous likes of the Mysterious Island: A Race Against Time and Hot Lava (1996 Virgin Sound and Vision) designed for young audiences, but has enough production value to please grown ups too.

For something a bit (and by bit, I mean a lot) different, try AI Wars: The Awakening (2000 Nexus Information Systems & Marketing inc.), a truly unique FPS that has run amuck a virtual representation of the Net, hacking everything you see with the aim to achieve immortality. Contains some of the trippiest visuals of the Y2K era.

But my faves are pure adventure games through and through. Hell: A Cyberpunk Thriller (1994 Take 2 Interactive Software) hasn't got the best of reputations, but I had some fun playing through this interactive movie disguised as a point-and-clicker. Pick of the month, however, is a curio solely created by two brothers; Crack the Conspiracy (1998-2001 The Pixel Shop, Inc) rides off of the 90s alien craze that began with The X-Files and makes for one entertainingly obscure adventure.

Old-game updates give us massive upgrades to Kid Klown's Crazy Collection got a complete overhaul adding a bunch of alternative releases and spiritual sequels, while Discworld and Discworld II: Missing, Presumed... ? upgraded their ScummVM package. Don't cringe too heavily on my written musings. They're some of the earliest reviews on the site when I tasked myself with writing one a day (!!!). No idea how I managed that, but head over to their review pages or the Game Updates section for more information on what's new.

MONTHLY 5 - June 2025

It's that time again! Time for some new-old games to be rediscovered. Following on from last month is the Amiga exclusive dungeon-crawling sequel Abandoned Places 2 (1993 Francis Staengler & Steve Fabian & ICE Ltd). If you're an action gamer, try out the high-octane chopper sim Extreme Assault (1997 Blue Byte Software) or the interesting arcade shooter Jump Raven (1994 CyberFlix, Inc). For a more thoughtful time, the extremely underrated sci-fi cinematic platformer onEscapee (1997-2004 Invictus Team) is now playable in both Amiga and Windows form while the fantastical first-person adventure Zelenhgorm: Episode 1 - Land of the Blue Moon (2002 Moloto Productions AB) scratches that point-and-click itch with some impressive FMV to boot. It just wins out as my pick of the month, but many of the others come close. What better way to spend your time during a heat wave. Head on over after the jump to check them out for yourself.

Beyond these new additions, I've also updated a bunch of other games. The PlayStation classic Echo Night has been overhauled through an updated emulator with re-mapped modernised controls and the option to play with super cool widescreen and graphical improvement patches. While the old DOS-based Fable remains, the new addition of a native Windows release brings some great improvements, not least the ability to play the US or European version complete with their vastly different endings. Lastly, NET:Zone got hit with a much needed save-game fix. If you already have version 1, read the comments on the game page to save a re-download and fix it yourself.

I'll see you next month for a barrage of new bangers.

MONTHLY 5 - May 2025

May is here, and much like the variety of weather conditions in ol' Blighty, I've gathered a variety of gaming curios for your enjoyment too!

Pick of the month is a classic 3D platformer that I played the heck out of when it first came out on the PlayStation 2. But this Windows version of the Namco-published I-Ninja (2003 Argonaut Games) - complete with true Widescreen support - is perhaps the best way to play. Also rather interesting is the first-person sci-fi adventure Zero Zone (1998 Cryo Interactive) which is one of Cryo's better attempts at the genre.

Next up is the first-person tactical squad-based shooter Mortal Coil: Adrenaline Intelligence (1995 Crush, Ltd). While it pre-dates Rainbow Six by three years, and is full of jank and glitches, it's actually a rather fun time once you get to grips with it's quirks (and I spent a lot of time doing so, so you don't have to).

Lastly, there's a couple of classic Amiga games and their lesser PC ports. Abandoned Places: A Time for Heroes (1992 ArtGame & Electronic Zoo) is an old-school computer RPG in the best possible sense. Le Fetiche Maya (1989-90 Silmarils & Digital Integration, Inc) - also known simply as Maya - is an ambitious action-adventure that has you searching Mayan temples for hidden treasure.

One game on the update list this month: Urban Runner. I've updated ScummVM which will hopefully help with some compatibility issues that some have mentioned, but I wasn't able to replicate. There's also some updated manuals in there too!

Until the summer rolls in in June, have fun with this eclectic batch by clicking on the links after the jump!

MONTHLY 5 - March 2025

At the end of last month, I gave my predictions for the 97th Academy Awards. Out of the 23 awards, I got 17 correct, missing out on the shorts which I don't tend to watch and not going all-in on Anora. I had a strong inkling it would win the top prize but had no idea this low-budget independent movie would do as well as it did - its multi-hyphenate director/screenwriter/editor/producer has become the first person to win four awards in a single night for the same movie! And, to commemorate, I've dedicated the month of March to Movies.

If you've ever wanted to be a multi-hyphenate like Sean Baker, you can take over every aspect of moviemaking in Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair (1996 Knowledge Adventure, Inc & DreamWorks Interactive) and take over the production of a couple of fake films starring Quentin Tarantino and Jennifer Aniston. Alternatively, learn how a real movie is made with Braveheart: Interactive CD-ROM (1995 Medisoft Corporation & Twentieth Century Fox) and discover the real history behind the Best Film winner too.

Play an adventure-game version of the Charlie Sheen starring sci-fi film The Arrival (1997 Enteraktion Inc & LIVE Film and Media Works) or an awkward beat-'em-up version of The Crow: City of Angels (1996-7 Acclaim Entertainment & Bad Bird Productions). But by far, my pick of the month is based on one of the most awarded franchises in the history of the Oscars; Wallace and Gromit in Project Zoo (2003 BAM! Entertainment, Frontier Developments & Aardman). Every short or feature film has been nominated, and while the newest one didn't win earlier this month, it does have three to its name.

But wait! There's more! I have some updates for you! Shadowcaster from last month has been fixed, with the CD version now working properly (I overlooked a simple issue). Classic point-and-click adventure Bureau 13 has been given some TLC, updating DOSBox, adding Gravis Ultrasound support and including a walkthrough and soundtrack. Lastly, the first ever game posted on this blog, Abuse, has been given a major overhaul. Not only has DOSBox been updated but an unofficial Windows source port is also included, along with a ton of user levels all neatly accessed via a new menu system. There's more besides, so head on over to the game page to find out more!

Grab your popcorn and head on over after the jump to dive into each game. I'm dedicating April to Adventure games - my favourite genre - which is apt considering it's my birthday month. Until then, happy gaming!

MONTHLY 5 - February 2025

February is over, and with that comes the latest batch of games from the Collection Chamber. Pick of the bunch is RedJack: Revenge of the Brethren (1998 CyberFlix, Inc), a piratey point-and-click adventure. We also have a unique take on Cluedo with the puzzle board game Case Closed (1999 David Sakadelis). Head to some strange lands and learn about magical beast in The Great Myths and Legends: Monsters & Mythical Creatures (1995 E.M.M.E.) before kicking them in the face with the first-person action-RPG ShadowCaster (1993 Origin Systems). To round off the quintet, we have an archaic version of Rocket League with the vehicular sports game Wild Wheels (1991 Red Rat Software & Ocean Software Ltd).

We'll soon be heading into the month of March where movies will be the theme of the year. The Oscars - my World Cup or Super Bowl - is in a couple of days so I'll be celebrating it with some movie adaptations. They're yet to be decided, but what is locked is my predictions for who will win the Golden Statuette. I'm usually quite good at this, but never really post any proof so I'm gonna do it here;

We'll see how well I did in a couple of days. As for the games, check them out after the jump...

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - DAY 11

It's Christmas Eve, and we have a doozy of a game for the penultimate Collection Chamber Christmas Countdown 2024. In case you're wondering about the clue from yesterday, Major Boobage refers to an season 12 episode of South Park. Kenny gets high and goes on an acid trip massively inspired by the 1981 animated movie Heavy Metal. That leads us directly to its interactive spiritual sequel to that movie's sequel called Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K.2 (2000 MetalMammoth Inc & Gathering of Developers Inc), a rather awesome third-person action adventure that yes, has very major boobage.

Tomorrow is Christmas Day, and the final game for this epic countdown. More adventures await!

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - DAY 9

As is now something of a tradition within a tradition, Day 9 of the Collection Chamber Christmas Countdown (4C for short?) is reserved for Disney. As a kid, the VHS of latest Disney classic from the renaissance era was almost guaranteed to be under the tree. So, here's 3 Disney games to unwrap.

We 're moving away from educational titles, instead moving into first-person action, arcade pinball  and even survival horror! Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire - Trial by Fire (2001 Disney Interactive) is a decent first-person outing for the little'uns developed by the folks behind an earlier Christmas Countdown 2024 outing Ice & Fire. Disney's The Little Mermaid Pinball (2005 Disney Interactive) is a quick and fun ball-flipper firmly taking place where it's wetter. Lastly, we have a surprisingly unnerving foray into survival horror with the console version of Disney's Piglet's Big Game (2003 Disney Interactive). You may have seen some of the Silent Hill comparisons online, and believe me, it's warranted.

But if Disney ain't your thing, come back tomorrow. I promise it'll be worth a million bucks!

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - DAY 8

 
There's only 4 days left to go in the epic Christmas Countdown, and before we get to the end game, let's game our ends away with a mech brawler. A nasty hacker has stolen state secrets from numerous countries and is forcing each one to battle against each other in cyberspace to win them back. The tournament at hand is called Zero Divide (1995-98 ZOOM Inc).

Check out this one-on-one 3D fighter inspired by Virtua Fighter by heading over to the review page. And come back tomorrow for a trilogy of games that has become something of a tradition on Day 9 of the countdown. Yes, that's right! It's Disney Triple time! But which games from the house of mouse will be here? I've already snuck in a few clues hidden in various posts this past month so come back tomorrow to see if you're correct :). 

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - DAY 7

A week into the Christmas Countdown, and I hope none of your dreams are wasted as we play Wasted Dreams (1999 Digital Dreams Entertainment), an obscure action-adventure for the Amiga from the folks behind the surprisingly good time that is Codename Hellsquad. Take control of a couple of survivors whose ship has crash landed on an alien planet. Click on the link after the jump to see how well it stacks up.

But there's nothing wasted when it comes to tomorrow game. In fact, the non-existent scraps left behind means there's nothing to share...

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - DAY 6

Shoot our way through a futuristic game-show where you either win big or die while In Pursuit of Greed (1995-96 Softdisk, Inc). It's a frenetic first-person-shooter with a weird sense of humour. Just what you want for Chirstmas!

But don't let that stop you from dreaming about bigger things to waste your money on. Save that for tomorrow...

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN - DAY 4

 
Bring you woolly mittens with you for today's game in the Collection Chamber Christmas Countdown for we'll we dealing with both Ice & Fire (1995 Zombie, LLC). This debut first-person-shooter from Zombie Studios (ZPC: Zero Population Count, Spec Ops and a brief stint with Disney) sees you melt or freeze evil aliens infesting a space ship. Exciting stuff.

Snow may return tomorrow, but I promise we're off to warmer climes.

MONTHLY 5 - October 2024

Rise from the grave and party with the undead thanks to a whole bunch of horrifically spooky games brought back from the great beyond. 

Your mortal soul may not be in danger, but a bunch of video game characters are in my two highest recommendations of the month. Gast: The Greatest Little Ghost (2002 Mindscape & Idol FX AB) is a macabre adventure for all ages that has the titular ghost collect souls from those who have taken over an amusement park. The highly underrated survival horror Gregory Horror Show (2003 Capcom) has you do the same to the effed-up residents of a spooky hotel. Based on an equally weird and under-seen animated show of the same name, I'd say it pips Gast to the top spot by a wide margin. 

Beyond these soul stealers we have Dracula's Secret (1996 Corel Corporation), an entertaining adventure game for kids and Isle of the Dead (1993 Rainmaker Software, Inc) an under-loved if slightly wonky first-person-shooter with classic adventure elements that makes it utterly unique for its time. Finally, you can find out your own future in the fortune-telling application called Rosemary West's House of Fortunes (1993 Villa Crespo, Inc). No serial killers included, promise.

On another note, a lot more time has been spent away from the site than normal thanks to some real life events taking up much of my time. I've decided to not do a Monthly-5 for November, instead putting my focus on completing missing reviews, updating some of the older packages that most need it and preparing for December's Christmas Countdown. No idea how much I'm able to get done, but I'll update you all at the end of the month to let you know.

Until then, keep gaming!

MONTHLY 5 - September 2024

I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to the summer quite just yet, so while September brings autumn with it, it will also bring some summery fun thanks to the Collection Chamber.

Pick of the month is a sunny racing-game sequel; OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast (2006 SEGA Corporation) but if skinny-dipping in the sea is more your style, play the obscure cinematic platformer The Lost City of Atlantis (1995 Noch Software, Inc) - warning: there will be nudity.

I suppose the scorched sun of an alien apocalypse is kinda summery too and that's where the uber-obscure ( and uber-cool) Amiga action adventure Codename Hellsquad (2000 Digital Dreams Entertainment) mostly takes place. The point-and-click adventure purists of you will get a kick out of Martin Mystère: Operation Dorian Gray (2005 Artematica Srl), a fantastical murder mystery based on the classic Italian comic book.

Lastly, we have another slightly flawed yet unfairly forgotten real-time-strategy game by the name of Rival Realms (1998 Activ Pub). I would say it's a lot more enjoyable than last months pick-of-the-month (Rising Lands), but I reckon I've put together a stronger line-up this month, putting this in fourth place. Discuss in the comments where you'd rank them.

Next month is the annual spooky season, so I'll be playing with the other side of the brightness spectrum with some dark and horrifying titles. Until then, cling to the warmth of summer just a little while longer. Enjoy!

MONTHLY 5 - August 2024

The month of August was the month of the Olympics, and outside of an enthusiastically happy blue man in drag, I didn't watch a single second of it. I did celebrate it in my own way by uncovering some officially licenced DOS games based on the 1996 event held in Atlanta. Atlanta 1996: Olympic Games + Olympic Soccer (1996 U.S. Gold Ltd & The Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG)) bundles the first 3D game based on the event with a rather standard football game which began a yearly series that would later take on the UEFA moniker. 

If you're not much or a sporty person, I've gathered some other games to keep your limbs from moving excessively. Continuing on from last month is the final mystery at Greveholm. The Mystery at Greveholm 3: The Old Legend (2000 Young Genius) returns to the first-person adventuring roots of the first game and is all the better for it. Ring II: Twilight of the Gods (2002 The Arxel Guild) on the other hand foregoes this style that defined its janky forebear to become a tank-controlled action adventure. At least the absolute weirdness of it all is still intact.

For something a little less fantastical, try the movie tie-in for Fantastic 4 (2005 Activision Publishing Inc, Marvel & Twentieth Century Fox), a flippantly entertaining beat-'em-up for a flippantly entertaining blockbuster. And if flippant doesn't cut it, check out Rising Lands (1997 Microïds), a real-time-strategy game that surprisingly crept up to become my personal pick of the month.

Enjoy!

MONTHLY 5 - July 2024

Politically speaking, July has been quite the wild month. France narrowly missed out on a sharp veer to the far right before the many Olympics snafus took over headlines, and the too-close-for-comfort Biden v Trump race took a swing to the Democrats as Biden stepped down in favour of his Vice President Kamala Harris. Better yet, 14 years of Tory rule has finally ended in the UK with Labour winning in a landslide (or more accurately the Tories lost rather than Labour won; the unfairly vilified Jeremy Corbin earned more votes in each of his previous elections). Time will tell on how our new P.M. fares, but surely it can't be worse than the Conservative chaos we've endured.

To commemorate such turmoil, I thought I'd go back to the mid-90s and see how other countries viewed our world leaders. South Korea to be precise, and I did so by playing a satirical one-on-one fighter that came out of their gaming industry called Hello, Mr. President! (1994 Open Planning Co., Ltd). I promise I won't talk about elections too much in the review, though no promises about Bill Clinton's wrestling undies.

Brighter times may be ahead right here on Earth, but until then let's leave it behind for some space-faring excitement starting with the on-rails shooter called Zeitgeist: Laser Fighter (1995-1996 Taito Corp), also called Jupiter Strike when it later hit the PlayStation (also included). With gameplay that has more than a hint of StarFox in its DNA, it's quite the hidden gem in my humble opinion.

Beyond that, I've been hankering more of my favourite genre; the point-and-click adventure. The oft-requested Ring: The Legend of the Nibelungen (1998 Cryo Interactive, Arxel Tribe & Carrière Multimédia) is a poorly designed yet artistically impressive take on Wagner's infamous opera. Except in space. And that's where we'll be going in The Mystery of Greveholm 2: Journey to Planutus (1999 Young Genius), a the sequel to last month's surprise pick of the month though with the drastic change in gameplay it won't hold that title this time round. That would go to yet another space adventure; Earthrise (1990 Matt Gruson). It's a neatly-designed independent take Sierra's early graphic adventure game design complete with the familiar cursor-based character controls and a slightly wobbly text parser.

Enjoy!