MONTHLY 5 - NOVEMBER 2023

December is nearly upon us, but before we commence our countdown to the festive season, let's gander at an eclectic quintet of PC gaming perfection* from the past.

First up for November is Beyond Time (1997 DreamCatcher Interactive, Inc), a time-travelling ancient Egypt-set first-person adventure that dabbles in everyone's favourite* presentation style; FMV. For more trips throughout history, why not try Excalibur 2555 A.D. (1997 Telstar Electronic Studios), that sees Merlin's granddaughter travel to the future to do some exciting* actioning along with that adventuring. If you want some full-on guns-blasting action, take a look at Machine Hunter (1997 Eurocom Developments), a fantastically* frenetic top-down shooter that rises up to become my pick of the month. If all the bloodshed is not to your liking, try the ever-tranquil* SimSafari: Step into the African Savannah! (1996 Maxis, Inc), that takes the tried and true SimNoun template into a safari park. Lastly, navigate a cute little tank across vast landscapes in Wild Metal Country (1999 DMA Design / Rockstar Games), an overlooked gem* from the folks behind Grand Theft Auto. Despite my tongue-in-cheek asterisks, all of them are worth a try so check out my reviews to find out more.

Sadly, no updates I'm afraid, but I did catch up on some of the missing written reviews from the last couple of months. Check out my thoughts on Weird and SimIsle and let me know yours in the comments. I'm currently neck deep in preparing for the annual Christmas Countdown that will commence 14th December - that's 12 days straight of gaming goodness just for you lovely folk! On that note, I must crack on with it. Until then, head on after the jump and enjoy!

* Your definition of what's considered this may vary drastically...

MONTHLY 5 - SEPTEMBER 2023

So, it appears my Facebook (Meta?) has been hacked so if you are used to visiting my humble corner of the internet from there, that's why I haven't posted an update. So far, it looks like they've changed nothing beyond my admin status, username and password but it's probably wise not to trust links from there for a while until I claw back control from some arsehole in Dehli, India. I should probably take this as a sign to keep on top of my other social media accounts like Twitter (X?) and Instagram (Instagram?) which I've very much neglected over the years.

By technical troubles coming from Dehli, India haven't stopped me from putting forth five newly added games to the chamber (although, as is unfortunately becomming the norm, some of the reviews aren't up yet). Pick of the month is the sequel to Magic & Mayhem called The Art of Magic (2001 Virgin Interactive Entertainment). It continues the same strategy/RPG gameplay as the first but instead of the charming claymation graphics were introduced to some new-fangled 3D polygons. Dark Angael (1997 Vicarious Visions) is a cool Metroidvania-style platformer which has the same under-used mouse and keyboard controls as Abuse. L'Affaire Morlov (1995-1996 CPIO Multimedia & Titus) is a French-produced, English-language FMV detective adventure. SimIsle: Missions in the Rainforest (1996 Maxis Inc) is yet another SimNoun title, this time asking you to balance commerse and conservation on a series of island rainforests. Lastly, guest reviewer Austin tackles a surprisingly emotional freeware adventure called Mourir en Mer (2002 Digital Mind Studios).

As for updates, the big one is that of a compilation featuring Sierra's Hi-Res Adventures. ScummVM has been updated so it would accept a larger variety of Apple II disk images allowing all 7 games in the series to run via that program. Cranston Manor is now playable this way instead of using the more cumbersome AppleWin emulator. I've also tweaked the DxWnd configuration in Space Hulk 2: Vengeance of the Blood Angels which would hopefully help with random crashes.

That's it!

MONTHLY 5 - AUGUST 2023

Summer's over, but more forgotten games are abound! I've been quite busy over the past month, so I doubt all of the reviews will be complete by the time I first post this, but the packages and art are up so that's something! Expect them in the coming weeks.

First on the docket to see us into Autumn is Celtica (1998 I Hoffmann + associates Inc & Artech Studios), a blatant Myst clone loosely based on Celtic mythology with a touch of mysticism and astrology thrown in. Then there's the video game adaptation of Luc Besson's The Fifth Element (1998 Gaumont Multimedia) in slightly wonky action-adventure form. Despite bad first impressions, it somehow grew on me to become my pick on the month. Psygnosis returns with a solid first-person-shooter called Lifeforce Tenka (1997 Psygnosis) known as Codename Tenka in some regions. Quarky and Quaysoo's Turbo Science (1992-3 Sierra On-Line) is a super fun edutainment entry to Sierra's Discovery series (like EcoQuest and Dr Brain before it). Lastly, it's time to simulate some golf in SimGolf: Compete on Courses You Create (1996 Maxis, Inc). Unlike the game with Sid Meier's name as a prefix, this one is more of a straight-up Golf sim (boo) with a robust course create option (yay).

Only one doozy of an update for this month, as well as a small patch. The Terminator Collection, which collates all of the classic first-person-shooters from Bethesda and hasn't been updated since I first uploaded it in 2015, has been given a complete overhaul. Basic DOSBox has been replaced with a newer version of DOSBox-X, every game now has a manual, input has been tweaked and modernised (particularly for Future Shock and SkyNET) and the custom menus have been re-built from scratch! And that's just the beginning of it! Took a while to do too, which is perhaps another reason why some of these current reviews are late. Anyway, check out the game page or the Updates page for more info on what's changed and read the ChamberNotes.txt within the install folder for a full technical rundown.
I've also added a small patch for Nocturne which includes a DDrawCompat .ini file that will limit the framerate so the flappiness of the wind physics isn't so flappy. Saw RagnaRox's excellent video on the subject and after being totally surprised by the shout-out, I thought I'd better include it. Just unzip to the install folder and you're done!

Click on!

MONTHLY 5 - JULY 2023

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny may have come out at the end of last month, but I didn't see it until the beginning of this one. I like it fine enough. It was generally level in quality making me prefer it to the mess that was Kingdom of the Crystal Skull but I must say that Spielberg's misfire is the more memorable movie. The highs are much higher there but its the depths of its lows that make me like this new one a little more. I'll hand over my full thoughts at the end-of-year movie rundown, but until then I've collated a bunch of Indiana Jones games no-one seems to remember anymore. It took me a hell of a long while to do, so I'll have to give Indiana Jones: The Action Games (1982-1994 Various) my pick of the month, even if most of its content is more fascinating than fantastic. It include the original Atari 2600 game based on the original movie, the Temple of Doom arcade game and its many ports, almost all platform iterations of The Last Crusade and the action side of The Fate of Atlantis. Including ports, variations and a number of other oddities, that's nearly 40 games!

My real pick would probably be Magic & Mayhem (1998 Virgin Interactive Ent & Mythos Games Ltd), a fantasy-set strategy game from the folks behind the original X-COM trilogy. Ark of Time (1997 International Computer Entertainment Ltd) is a decent point-and-click adventure that sees a journalist stumbles upon an Atlantean conspiracy. CyberBykes: Shadow Racer VR (1995 Artificial Software, LLC) is an early attempt at consumer VR, but more interesting than that is Charlie Brooker's (of Black Mirror fame) bizarre PC Zone review. To cap off the month, I've returned to the world of the Sims with SimTown: The Town You Build Yourself (1995 Maxis Inc). It's a more kid friendly version of SimCity that must've been installed on school PCs the world over.

I only have two updates this month, and both are revisions of games from last month. A lot of people have been having issues with Clue: Murder at Boddy Mansion. I suspect their systems are missing one of the Microsoft Visual C++ packages (link in the FAQ) which I recommend every retro PC gamer install. Version 2 of the game's installer now launches using the offical .exe instead of one modified with the NoCD patch. It will also use Image Drive Portable to automatically manage virtual CD mounting. I've also put a limit on the framerate for The Reap which makes the game much more playable.

That's it for this month! Until next time...

MONTHLY 5 - FEBRUARY 2020

There's a whole world to visit in February's quintet of games. Travel the globe hunting for treasure in the edutainment hidden gem Bush Buck: Global Treasure Hunter (1990, PC Globe Inc). Then take a post-apocalyptic jaunt through Miami in the unofficial sequel to Wasteland that is Fountain of Dreams (1990 Electronic Arts). If you want a more violent foray into the future, check out Quarantine II: Road Warrior (1995 GameTek), an action-driving sequel that's just as gory as the first. If you suffer some wounds on your whirlwind trip, seek the advice of SimHealth: The National Health Care Simulation (1994 Thinking Tools Inc), an obscure entry into Maxis' Sim series. On your way back, stop off at a very romantic location (it is February after all) with William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet: An Interactive Trip to Verona Beach (1996 Fox Interactive). Read on to find out more.

5 GAMES FOR SEPTEMBER

There are actually 12 games in September's monthly 5 if you include ports and compilations so it'll keep you busy as Autumn officially rolls in. First up is the 4th 3D Ultra Pinball game; the stock car themed 3D Ultra NASCAR Pinball. Next is the cyberpunk stylings of B.A.T. II: The Koshan Conspiracy, the bigger-budgeted sequel to last months adventure/RPG hybrid. The legendary developers at ORIGIN added some fantasy to their cyberpunk in the ahead-of-its-time FPS CyberMage: Darklight Awakening. Then travel back in time to a compilation of early Sierra graphical text adventures under the Hi-Res Adventures banner, including the official tie-in to The Dark Crystal film (damn, that Netflix prequel show was good!). Then, tend to a farm in another entry into Maxis' Sim series in the aptly titled SimFarm.

5 GAMES FOR AUGUST

So, it's been a while since I've posted something and that's down to a particularly busy August. But that hasn't stopped me rushing to fulfil my promise of at least 5 games per month. At the tail end of this very sunny Summer hols, why not go exploring a forgotten jungle using some shiny metal balls in 3D Ultra Pinball: The Lost Continent. Perhaps the cyberpunk stylings of the sci-fi adventure B.A.T. will satiate you. If not, try protecting a city of perpetual night from some warmongering invaders in the action-filled space sim Darker. If real life's getting you down, why not try a simulated one in SimLife - there's dragons in it! Lastly, chill with some friends and play some pool, Virtual Pool that is. Enjoy!

5 GAMES FOR JULY

The temperature is about to hit record levels, so why not stay indoors where there's air conditioning and play one or more of these 5 games for July. Discover the secrets of a spooky castle by way of a metal ball and flippers in 3D Ultra Pinball: Creep Night. Fly the city skies looking for criminals in the action game BHunter. Pretend like you're outside in the sun by playing Links: The Challenge of Golf. See if you can predict what global warming has in store for us in SimEarth: The Living Planet. Finally, revisit the ancient Greek myths of antiquity in the educational point-and-click adventure Wrath of the Gods. It's an eclectic bunch of games that will sure to keep you cool.

SIMANT: THE ELECTRONIC ANT COLONY

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be an ant? Probably not, but Maxis attempts to answer this question in 1991 with SimAnt, one of the many lesser known games in their Sim franchise.

SIMPARK: THE NATURE PARK YOU BUILD AND EXPLORE!

SimPark looks like your standard management strategy game. It is part of Maxis' Sims franchise after all, but this 1996 release has something different about it. It's, ya know, for kids...

SID MEIER'S SIMGOLF

The Sims became such a cultural phenomenon is the first decade of the new millennium that EA began to milk the brand for all it's worth. Very few of the cash cows were whole new games, let alone developed outside of Maxis, the company that birthed it. Sid Meier's SimGolf is such a game, and offers a whole different style of strategy to play with.

YOOT TOWER (A.K.A. THE TOWER II)

You Build It, You Deal With It!

Control a metropolis with the simulation/strategy sequel to Sim Tower

• Build your own community amidst the cascading serenity of Kegon Falls, the frenzy of Downtown Tokyo – or beaches of Waikiki with special tower Location Module included free!*
• Plan every detail of your tenants' lives–from the infrastructure of the subway to the menus at the restaurants and the movies at the theaters.
• Fail to plan, maintain, and protect your facilities–and stressed-out residents will boycott your lousy service, empty out your hotels, and take their yachts to another boat-dock.
• Provide top service, protect your residents from fires, terrorists, and traffic jams–and soon rock stars will be arriving in limos.
• Simple rules make it easy to play–so you can make your towers as complex as you want.

~ from the back of the box

Yoot Tower, a 1998 sequel to SimTower, confused a lot of people on release. In a lot of respects, it is the same as its predecessor in all but name. Maxis owned the 'Sim' brand at the time but it was Sega who put up the money to publish this game and therefore named it after the game designer, Yutaka "Yoot" Saitō.