Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    OOPS, DID I SAY 1-10 HOW ABOUT QUARTERS?!?!?!?!?
    
                                                    2G

    I give Earl Weaver Baseball a 9 out of 10.
    
    PS.  Has anyone ever played Strat-O-Matic Baseball and if so do
    you think that it is like the Board version of Earl Weaver Baseball.
    
    ProWrite gets a 6 out of 10.  I would give it a higher rating if
    the print on the printer would come out unflawed.  I assume this
    is a problem with my la50 driver, but I have no problems with Deluxe
    Paint II which I will give an 8 out of 10.
    
    FACII gets a 10 out of 10.  How can anyone live without it.  Of
    course if I had a hard drive I would have to score it lower being
    that facII does not support hard drives.

    Arrgh gets 9 out of 10  (you get to smash buildings, eat the villagers,
                             battle other monsters, in 3D village)
                             not 10 out 10 because there is a trick
                             that lets you win all the time.
    
    Roadwar gets 8 out of 10 (very nice, 1 or 2 player)
    
    XENON gets 6 out of 10 (very impressive graphics, music, unplayable
                            after "sector 1")
    
    -dave

    Ferrari Formula One gets a 9.5  (But then I'm partial to auto racing)
    
    Sinbad gets an 8.  (It *is* pretty addictive.)
    
    Shanghai gets 8.5  (An oldie but goodie)
    
    Dark Castle a 7.  (Drives me crazy.)
    
    Defender of the Crown a 4.5   (Another oldie, but this one ain't
    a goodie.  Graphics are still fantastic, but the game stinks.)
    
    The Pawn and the Guild of Thieves  both get 9's.   (Great adventuring)
    
    
    
    Enough for now....
    
    
    Gary

    Here my two cents:
    
     Bard's Tale 8 out of 10, because it is extremely addictive and
    has wonderful graphics, but all that mapping is terrible.
    
    Jet a 9 out of ten, because it is a great simulator with exceptional
    graphics, and gives you the feeling of really being in a Jet when
    flying the combined attack mission, but the hard-to-avoid missiles
    drop it down a point.
    
    I'll give FirePower a 6, because it is basically aimless and you
    can get stuck much too easily, but the graphics are great and it
    quenches your thirst for some adrenaline-pumping guns and gore.
    
    BTW, I'm planning on getting another game, but am not sure what.
    I  have just listed the games I presently own, and would like something
    of variety. I was thinking about Hunt for Red Oktober or Sinbad,
    so could someone tell me more about these games, or others I might
    like. Thanx!
    
    -Dave and his bran-spankin'-new 500

    re: .5
    
    Red October is about 2 out of 10 - don't waste your money.  Graphics
    O.K. but plays like warmed over C64 game, very inconsistent.  See
    note 1317.
                            
    Other comments:
    
    Archon, Archon 2 are 8 out of 10, decent graphics, nice combination
    of strategy, deciding which piece to move onto what square, and arcade
    type shoot'em'up during fights.                            
    
    Artic Fox is 7 out of 10, interesting concept, 3D graphics but plays
    a little slow.
    
    Mind Walker is 10 out of 10.  Never seen another game quite like
    it.  Read three different reviews in various Amiga mags.  All three
    said something like "closest thing to a drug trip we've ever
    experienced in a computer game".
    
    Arachnoid (sp?) is about 8 out of 10 if you have great concentration.
    If you enjoyed "Breakout" (one of the very first video games, for
    those who don't remember), this is the same type of knock-down-the-
    bricks-with-the-bouncing-ball concept with something like 30 different
    screen setups and a few new tricks.
    
    Enjoy,
    
      Kevin C.
    

    Let us not forget the all time great, Faery Tale Adventure.  This
    is a sure 10 out of 10.  The scope and size of this game rival the
    Zork and Adventure! classics, with graphics, animation and sound
    that only the Amiga can provide.
    
    I spent three months on this game, and still didn't quite finish.
    It was becoming an unhealthy obsession (I'd rush home from work
    just to jump back into it) and I had to quit cold turkey.
    
    As far as I'm concerned, it's the greatest game ever done.
    
    I'm anxiously awaiting Dungeon Master.  Currently, it's the top
    selling Atari ST game title.  It's being ported to the Amiga (Harv Laser
    got a pre-release demo at AmiExpo) and it's enhanced over the Atari
    version with stereo sound and better graphics.  According to the
    Atari guys, it's pretty awesome.
                          
    Ed
    

    
    maybe we need a subcategory of classic games, the kind that keep
    dragging you back to play after a couple months.
    
    Artic Fox rates 10 out of 10
    Starglider rates 10 out of 10
    
    -dave

  SINBAD IS A GREAT GAME IF YOU GOT GOOD SKILL..
    THE OBJECT OF THE GAME?? GET THREE JEWEL EYES FROM THREE IDOLS AND
    A FORTH OBJECT AS TOLD TO YOU BY THE SHAMAN. 
    
    THE GAME STARTS OUT WITH AN HOUR GLASS SHOWING YOU THE SANDS PASSING.
    AT  THE PULL DOWN MENU TOWARD THE RIGHT YOU CAN  SEE THE CITY, THE
    TIME, OR THE WORLD. IF YOU GO TO THE WORLD, YOU GET A MAP OF THE
    WORLD YOU WON'T SEE A LOT BUT HOLD DOWN THE LEFT MOUSE AND A MAGNIFIING
    GLASS WILL APPEAR SHOWING YOU WHERE YOU CAN GO. THE PULL DOWN ON
    THE LEFT WILL SHOW YOU WHERE YOU CAN GO.
    
    YOU MUST BEWARE THOUGH OF SHIPWRECKS THAT YOU MUST NAVIGATE THROUGH,
    YOU CAN MAKE WISHES IF YOU FIND A GENIE, YOU MUST AIM AND SHOOT
    BLACK BIRDS, SWORD FIGHT ALL KINDS OF THINGS FROM A BLACK PRINCE
    TO SKELETONS, AND IDOLS, 
    
    AN THE LOVE SCENE WITH LIBITINA .... TURN UP THE JAMS..(WOULDN'T
    MIND MEETING HER IN A DARK PLACE!) EXCELLENT GRAPHICS AND MUSIC.
    
    IF YOU HAVE A STEREO, THE ARRGHS FROM THE PEOPLE IN THE SWORD FIGHTS
    ARE HEARD IN THE SPEAKER ON THE SIDE THAT THE ARE ON.
    
    
    
    I RATED IT 4 QUARTERS  (THATS A 10 FOLKS!) 
    
                                      NUFF SAID.... I DON'T WANT TO
    GIVE AWAY EVERYTHING.
    
    
    GREGG

    Sounds good, but is it all very repetetive like DotC?
    
    Dave

    DAVE,
    
     I NEVER HEARD OF DOTC. I LIVE IN A LITTLE TOWN. SOME ACTION IS
    REPETETIVE SUCH AS THE EARTHQUAKES AND SHIPWRECKS. HOWEVER THE CYCLOPS
    WILL GET FASTER OR SLOWER (DEPENDANT UPON WHO YOU MEET,) THE
    EARTHQUAKES ARE HARDER TO GET OUT OF AND THE IDOLS EYES RUN A WHOLE
    LOT FASTER. ITS WELL WORTH THE TRIP.
    
                                                      GREGG

    re -.1
    
    'DotC' is an abbreviation for Defender of the Crown, another Cinemaware
    game reknowned for its sickening repetetiveness and terrible game
    play. :^) 
    
    Dave

    I just bought Ferreri Formula One, and I'll let you decide how to
    rate it: It is a very detailed game, letting you work with the very
    insides of the car, adjusting the wings in the wind tunnel, and
    adjusting about everything in the car to make it superior. And I
    mean EVERYTHING. You travel around the world to all the Grand Prix
    races, each track unique. If you arrive early, you can practice
    and get the feel of the track. The game is not played in real time-you
    make your decisions and it sets the clock ahead to compensate for
    the appropriate time used for that action ex: You decide to fly
    to rio, so you click the appropriate icon and you are there, but
    the clock is ahead two and a half hours. I feel too much time is
    spent on graphics (do I smell some Defender of the Crown around
    here?) and complexity, but not enough time on racing.  If you like
    complex games, this one is for you. Don't expect a boot up and start
    peeling down the track type of game, though.
    
    10 out of 10 for complexity :^)
    
    1 out of 10 for excitement  :^(
    
    Dave
    
    BTW, The Awesome Arcade Action Pack Vol. 1 is on its way to my house
    via surface mail. I'll tell you about it when it gets here.
     

    1 out of 10 for FF1?  Are we playing the same game? :-)   I've killed
    more hours with that game in the last month than I care to admit.
    Sweaty palmed excitement!  Actually, I must admit that I've been
    a racing fan since day one, so I may not be completely objective.
    I've found the racing sequences to be a blast.  Even after several w
    weeks I give it a 9.5.
    
    Alain Prost ...er... Gary

    re -.1
    
           I can see how this game could be exciting if you were into
    race car driving and mechanics, like how you could be anxious to
    see how your new fuel mix will work out, or something like that.
    I don't happen to be into racing (I bought it because I wanted to
    have some exciting racing, but frankly the rest bores me. So, the
    whole game depends on what the user is into. I am not, so that is
    why you might see a note somewhere in the 1480's of this file regarding
    the sale of this game. Happy Transmissioning :^)
    
    Dave

    More ratings:
    
    Gravwars: 10 out of 10 -This game is shareware, but the graphics
    and gameplay are perfectly done. 
    
    Clue: 6 out of 10 -also shareware, but it comes with no directions.
    It could be better if you didn't have to figure everything out
    yourself.
    
    Dave       
    

    I just got Awesome Arcade Action Pack Volume One (Say that ten times
    fast) in the mail today. Here's my little review of each of the
    games in the pack:
    
    Xenon: Interesting, but only average gameplay. You control a spaceship
    that you can change into a hovercraft at any time during the game.
    Sometimes it forces you to become one or the other.  You collect
    little weapons along the way to aid your battle. Oh yeah, there's
    this digitized animation of a guy that approaches you at each sector
    and says "sector one" or two, etc. then moves back and disappears.
    
    Xenon: 6 out of 10
    
    
    BlastaBall: I love this game! Not the best in the pack, but it is
    original.  You play against computer or opponent.  Each player chooses
    one from ten different ships. Some faster and more manueverable,
    others slower and less manueverable, but armed with precious homing
    shots.  If you play against the computer, it has the same ship as
    you.  You play this game on a huge court, a large scale map on the
    top of the screen. The object is to either ram with your ship or
    move with your bullets a large puck down to your opponents end of
    the court, either hitting the end-of-court-line with the puck for
    one point, or moving it into the goal area for two. The game clock
    is set to three minutes, the winner with the most points at the
    end, or if you rack up nine points within three minutes the game
    stops and you win automatically, called "A Killing".  This game
    is addictive, so watch out.
    
    BlastaBall: 8 out of 10 
    
    
    SideWinder: I love this game. I love it. The graphics are perfect.
    The sound is perfect. I saw some screenshots from this game and
    that is why I bought it. When you blow up something (You can blow
    up almost everything in this game. I love it!) it gives a satisfying
    'kapow', and an animated explosion on the screen that makes you
    want to cry. Also, the different levels are VERY different. The
    first is the water level, where you entered the 'star-killer'
    planet-ship with your state-of-the-art fighter. You then must pass
    the agricultural level, complete with greenhouses, farming fields,
    and agricultural robots that shoot at you. Proceed on to the
    residential level, with buidings, etc. Then the Flight Deck, where
    you meet a variety of pretty ships that try to kill you. Then the
    command level, and the final control level. You can also set the
    difficulty level from beginner (1) to master (5).
    
    SideWinder:10 out of 10. A definite "If you have an amiga, have
    this game."
    
    Dave 
    

    WordPerfect for the Amiga -- 8.9/10
    
    This software is great for word processing and has many advantageous
    over the IBM version, especially the choice of mouse controls, or
    keyboard.  I find myself using them interchangeably.  Templates
    come with the software to help locate the keys.
    
    The only thing that I don't like about the software is that graphics
    cannot be incorporated.  Besides that, it does EVERYTHING (and I
    mean EVERYTHING) that you would want in a word processor.
    
    
    Terror Pods  9/10
    
    This is a great piece of hybrid software, somewhere between an action
    game and a strategy game, dubbed 'action-strategy'.
    
    The game basically deals with you in a land rover on a distant mining
    colony that is about to be taken over by hostile forces called Terror
    Pods.  Your mission is to find the Terror Pod components on the
    planet's surface to find out the secret of your enemies.  While
    you are riding around the planet's surface, you have to watch yourself
    from enemy attack. 
    
    The catch is the strategy:  In order to obtain the components, you
    have to trade items like fuel (your land rover uses alot of it,
    but you have a drover that can be used strategically to conserve
    fuel), explosives, and defense minerals for items that you need
    and also for the components.  The game is in stages, and after you
    find the components, you have to destroy as many Terror Pods as
    you can in a given time (I have never made it pass this point).
    
    The graphics and sound as extraordinary and very fast for their
    complexity.  I am upset that the game is copy protected which means
    that you have to use the original disk.
    
    Harve

    Hi Guys,
    
    Avoid these titles for the Amiga......
    
    Spaceranger - Truly Boring
    Fued        - Not exactly action packed. Slow aswell.
    Black Shadow- The most pathetic of them all.....
                  Two player version painfully slow, with use of 
                  one players controls preventing the other from doing
                  anything.  Too many nasties (How can people sell this
                  software with a straight face???).
    
    Cheers,
    
    Steve.
    

I bought this one for my daughter but I wish I hadn't!  The game 
appears to be intended for children - the story involves a baby 
dragon being pursued by an evil professor - but the play is too 
difficult for young children and the objective of the play is 
unclear.  

To navigate the playfield Mike must climb up and down ladders and
leap onto and off of moving platforms.  Mike must be positioned
precisely at the top of a ladder before he can go down, and the leaps
are easy to miss.  If he misses, he loses one of his three lives. 
When he loses all of his lives the game is over. 

One of the objectives of the game is to gather letters and spell
codewords.  Knowing that the professor is a computer wizard is
supposed to be useful in breaking the code.  The three letters on one
the first screens were L, A, and N.  I don't know what word they're
looking for - possibly the acronym for "local area network"? 

Finally, even though there's a setup menu that gives you a choice of
input device and port, the game doesn't recognize the mouse or a
joystick in the left port. 

I've seen some good, interesting games for kids, and this isn't one 
of them.  In fact, this isn't a good game, period.  

- Cliff

    
    Just a little question, why has nobody raised a comment on a truely
    awesome game?  What is the game I hear you cry? 
    
    There can be only one, Interceptor!
    
    The graphics and sound are brilliant, the gameplay superb...
    
    I would rate the game 11 out of 10, it really is that good.
    
    (does anybody know how to complete the last mission, to destroy
    the enemy carrier/sub?)
                             
    
    - Herbie.
    

    I just recenctly bought my 2nd A500 (my first one was stolen) and when
    I did, Moe threw in a piece of software called "Rocket Ranger" for
    nothing. I must confess that I probably never would have bought the
    game because the author was Cinemaware, same as Defender of the Crown.
    As someone earlier stated (I beleive r.12) DoC was very repetitive and
    as a result after being awed for a few hours over the graphics, the
    game got very boring. Frankly I didn't have any desire to play it
    anymore. NOW, Cinemaware has definitely leaped a few step further in
    game play.
    
    Rocket Ranger has incredible graphics I must emphasize the word
    "incredible". The gist of the game is this; It is the year 2040 and the
    Nazis won WWII. Some scientists from the future send sophisticated
    weaponry via a time machine to you at Fort Dix NJ. And YOU become
    ROCKET RANGER the only person who can defeat the Nazis and change
    history. There is quite alot to this game as you race against time as
    the Nazis are taking over the world you are; deploying US agent around
    the world to get various location of Germany bases and what not, flying
    all over the world to asault these bases, rescue prisoners and
    generally slow down the Nazis take-over while you acquire five rocket
    parts to build your own rocket for the final confrontation on the moon.
    The game is a combination of strategy and acarde play. The Strategy is
    coming up with a game plan on how to slow down the Nazis to give you
    enough time to win the game, you are playing against the clock. The
    arcade action is great as you have several different type of scenerios
    which you have to battle through and the next time you get to a
    sequence that you have played before, watch-out it is now one step
    tougher. The game does have some repetition with the arcade type
    sequences, but frankly I have to come close to being bored and always
    look forward to beating the crap out of the nazi guard at the rocket
    factory. And guard number 5 always is an incredible challange, I always
    work up a sweat making this guys head snap. I'm looking forward to many
    more hours of exciting gaming.
    
    I would have to rate Rocket Ranger as a 10.
    
    			-Paul
    

    on my previous reply I forgot a few words in one of the sentences;
    
    I meant to write: But frankly I have YET TO COME CLOSE TO BEING BORED
    		      with Rocket Ranger.
    
    
    				-Paul
    

    Speedball 9.5 like soccer in the future. Fast paced!!
    
    Hybris 8.0    Shootem up game. Excellent graphics
    
    leatherneck 8.5 Like Ikari Warrior. How do you play 4 players?
    
    street sports basketball 3.0 Awful anamation!! Good graphics
    
    Road Wars 5.0   Boring!!!
    
    WCLB golf 9.2    Everything you want in a golf game
    
    720     9.9     Is there a amiga version????
    
             Matt
    

    Bards Tale I - 7 out of 10 - Dont agree with previous replies -
    mapping is part of the challange
    
    Bards tale II - 9 out of ten - the new features such as game save
    at any point/banks/casinos etc make this a very enjoyable game
    
    Impossible mission II - 7 out of 10 - controls are VERY touchy -
    If your like me and have a slightly battered joystick, the margin
    for error is a bit large - otherwise very addictive.
    
    Beyond the Ice palace - 5 out of 10 - good graphics but only 3 stages
    and after VERY short while the game becomes very predictible (ie
    monsters appear at certain points in the game EVERY TIME)
    
    The golden path - 8 out of ten - really a great adventure game -
    just wish the documentation included some sort of cheat sheet like
    the guild of thieves...(cos I cant find ANYONE whose played it!)
    
    The eagles nest - 7 out of ten - good game but graphics very C64'ish
    jumpy and very hard to concentrate on over a period of time.
    
    The guild of thieves - 8 out of ten - a great game for anyone who
    loved ZORK.
    
    Flight Simulator - 9 out of ten - very enjoyable though a tad
    complicated.
    
    Marble madness - 6 out of ten - gets a little boring after awhile
    but great veg-out material.
    
    Phil
    
    
        
    

    Dungeon Master - 10+ - For any of you Adventure game lovers, this is by
    far the best yet. (I've played Bards Tale, Ultima II & III, Wizardy,
    and Phantasie III) The graphics are spectacular, the sound is
    incredible, the playability far exceeds any previous attempt at
    programing a fantasy adventure game. Only played through level 5 of
    this game and am suprised and impressed with each new level of the
    game (level = depth of the dungeon). The game requires solving logic
    puzzles, simple at first but becoming quite challanging with each
    succeeding level. Managing resources of 4 characters. Learning how to
    use weapons and spells more proficiently. And ofcourse completing the
    objective of the game, which is to stop the bad guy. The attention to
    detail in this game is just astonishing, words can do it no justice,
    this is a must see to really appreciate the game. The game play is so
    real that I have actually been scared several times by events that have
    suddenly happened during the game. There is alot to this game and
    mapping is definitely required also taking some notes, but it is all
    well worth the enjoyment you get from the game. And the game is
    extremely addicting (Ask Ed, he's had quite a few late nights this
    week). Have fun! I highly reccomend this game.
    
    -Paul
     

   One game that I rate highly is ACCESS's World Class Leader Board which has
   been recently released.  Note that this is a much improved big brother of
   Leader Board - ACCESS's initial golf game.  If you liked Leader Board,
   you'll love WCLB!  
       
   WCLB is NOT copy protected, and there is NO dongle in the 2nd game port
   ala Leader Board.  It installs fine on a hard drive and works fine under
   1.3.  With respect to multi-tasking, it doesn't lock or takeover the
   machine BUT it does require just about all of your graphics memory to run
   (it's kind enough to tell you it can't find enough memory and lets you
   exist cleanly without crashing).  Exiting the game is done easily and
   also cleanly.
       
   Features/functionality of WCLB include (I may have missed some):  
       - 1 to 4 players
       - 4 x 18 hole courses - St.Andrews, Doral, Cypress Springs (or
         grove or swamp - whatever) and a home grown course
       - a course architect program for creating new courses or modifying
         existing holes on the supplied courses
       - promise of additional course disks which I hope ACCESS follows
         through on!
       - varying levels of expertise (sort of built in handicapping -
         some levels not affected by wind, and putting is less difficult.
         Even a KIDS level which automatically chooses the appropriate
         club for you.)
       - water, sand, fairway, greens, rough, bushes and trees - all come
         into play!
       - accuracy and distance of shots (and putts) controlled by mouse
         (click-release-click sequence)
       - shot performance out of the sand and rough impacted by swing
         timing
       - ability to 'punch' shots (good for getting out from under trees)
       - ability to intentionally hook and slice
       - shots are impacted by wind direction and velocity 
       - putting is impacted by severity of slop of the green and
         direction of the slop
       - toggle between 'looking down the fairway' view and top view of
         the hole
       - ability to play the holes on the course in any order
       - constant display of scores versus par 
       - ability to save and replay games (store up to 10 games) 
       - ability to print 'score card' at the end of the game 
       - ability to 'shift' the direction you are facing (what I consider
         a major improvement over Leader Board)
       - putting green
       - driving range
       - full set of clubs
       - good graphics
       - digitized sounds (club swing, ball hit, crowd cheers, even one
         where a commentator interjects a few words - although I've never
         heard this in the course of a game)
       -
       -
       -
                     
   The reason I rate it so highly is not because it is a true-to-form
   simulator, in the same sense/league as Flight Simulator, but because it
   is simple enough for a person (or group of persons which is even better)
   who has never touched a computer to use.  Enjoying a few hours of fun and
   relaxation playing what is a reasonable representation of the real thing
   - with a beer in one hand, a mouse in the other!  No bugs (the biting
   kind - nor have I encountered any computer kind); nobody driving a ball
   up your ass; no tee-off times to reserve; no slow players in front of
   you; no rain to contend with; no putting the clubs away at end of the
   season when the snows fly; etc.  And while you can still swear, you can't
   throw your clubs!
       
   My father, who was once an avid golfer, is now unable to get out on the
   links due to severe arthritis in his shoulders and legs.  When he comes
   to visit, he gets the biggest kick and enjoyment out of playing golf on
   the AMIGA.  It brings a lump to my throat when I see his reaction to
   sinking a 60 foot putt or getting on the green in regulation.  I have a
   couple of friends, who when they come over, can't get enough of it.
   Maybe I should charge green-fees?
       
   If it was intended as a one person game, I would want to see some
   enhancements - although I must admit that I find the play challenging
   enough as it is.  I ain't no Palmer on the real thing either!
       
   BOTTOM LINE
   -----------
   As a golf simulator I would rate it a 6 out of 10.  As a multi-user game,
   with enjoyment in mind, I would rate it 9 out of 10.
   
      
   Art
   

                           Graphics     sound     fun     total
    
    Black Coldroun(spelling?)     1         1       0         2
    Death Sword                   6         9.5     9         24.5
    Auto duel                     2         2       5         9
    Falcon                        9         9       10        28
    Street Fighter                7         6       5         18
    Wanted                        7         7       7.5       21.5
    Western Games                 9         9       7         25
    Future Tank(love the music)   7.5       7       8         22.5
    
              Matt
    

                          Graphics     sound     fun     total
    
    Quadralien                8          7          8     23
    Star Wars            (just like arcade) 9       9     18
    Sky chase                 5          6          20    31
    
    Skychase is a flight simulator type game that is faster paced than
    Falcon.  There are 2 windows on the screen for player 1 and 2.You
    can pick 7 different jets. You can play against each other without
    a modem.
    
    matt