One of these very underrated games which at the time set a new staple in the genre. Being released prior to Quake II, this game features environmental storytelling, hours of quality FMV story, and full support of first and third-person modes which you can change at any time and abilities.

Being made on a new advanced 3D sector-based engine it was a huge milestone for Lucas Arts. Production of the game was quite a high budget for the time - with tie-in books and concept art made the way Lucasfilm did it with the original trilogy of Star Wars movies and in the end lots of its parts have this "Ralph McQuarrie" aesthetic.

This game is also interesting being made with atmosphere of the 1990s Expanded Universe and its perception of post-endor and old republic before Lucas did his prequels. The game also features no movie locations or characters and does not even mention them, having its own atmosphere and its own story - the story of Kyle Katarn.

Sadly, physics, gunplay, and AI in this game are very janky, the same as force abilities. These were early steps for LucasArts in full 3D FPS and it shows that, don't expect smooth gameplay like from Quake 2 or Unreal. The game also doesn't work well on modern systems because of its old graphics API support and other issues, thankfully there is a modern open-source engine replacement for it which works smoothly.

Very good classic arcade racer game. One of those more "late" PlayStation 1 titles, which started to squeeze better image and detail out of the system. While Ridge Racer on N64 looks bright and colorful, this one is on a more grounded realistic side in terms of visuals.

The ability to take teams and car manufacturers with unlocks of new cars gives it a bit more replayability. Tracks are generally nice and memorable too, especially the last one, even if its really simple one.

The soundtrack as usual for the series is a banger, main theme combined with high quality for the time CGI intro is very memorable.

Not something you will spend years after years playing repeatedly, but good pick to spend some time racing against your friend probably. If you have PS1 and CRT - pick this game, it will be a nice experience.

It was a weird experience to see Sonic game on Nintendo console... at least, it was one day. I always adored GBA for bringing "16bit" limitations into much more modern development space and this game is an example of it. A strange mix of classic sonic game with modern characters and elements of presentation.

I liked that simple stylish intro, reminding me of more modern Amiga demos, I loved music, I liked character sprites - their animations feels alive and lovely, even tho physics feel a bit stiff at first, because how unusual it was for me to see modern sonic as a 2d platformer character.

Overall as a game it probably a bit on average side? Back in the day I'd loved it, but in modern age it feels a little basic and simple. I felt like there missing something what you would expect from "advanced" game. In the end its simple, strait forward and not very long. At least you have multiple character options for another walktought, Amy was a welcome addition. Oh an also, bonus stages play a bit janky.

It is a complicated game to make a honest review as it is one of those things which really lacked a budget and time to be what it wants to be. On other hand, it never even planned as something big, AAA, super advanced. This game is a mid-budget RPG-tactics title from eastern europe, which implementation while borrowed some more modern stuf, by spirit stayed somewhere in 00s.

If you think about some 00s european RPG title like Two Worlds you will be more close to the idea of what King's Bounty II is. But, never the less, the game for what it is crafted really well, it has lots of content everywhere, world does not feel empty or dead. Each battle and quest are carefuly staged to deliver specific experience, so it is probably not something you are going to replay a lot.

This game is also not in any way like old Katauri King's Bounty "The Legend" series games, even tho it borrows some ideas from it. In the end, I'm sad that ending of this game is quite rushed, some things are not polished, some other were not implemented properly. Since game not sold well and.. other real life events, we will not see new add-ons or sequels. Which is indeed unfortunate.

Probably, one of the most important videogames in the history of mankind on multiple levels. The core idea of combining the style and narrative of Ultima 6 with concepts from Duneon Master clones but in higly advanced full 3d engine was revolutionary. This game, being in development since 1990 to 1992 inspired id Software to make their first person games, same as mix of genres in this title created famous "immersive sim" philosophy. And directly, this game engine was used by the team to create such famous titles as Ultima Underworld 2 and System Shock. In retrospective, UU1 was that milestone which over time killed traditional 2d first person RPG games and changed the direction of CRPG genre as a whole.

For new players, I'd say, this is the title which is still worth to be played as it is. Interconnected dungeon world of the game is an interesting place to explore, with lots of foes, friends, puzzles, dialogues, npcs and secrets. Probably, you will be confused by interface, resolution and controls, however, I must say that control scheme plays major part in immersive and survival elements of the gameplay: complications of action and movement gives freedom of item and NPC interation beyond what games with mouselook can offer. And managing your food, bags and boxes in inventory, sources of light are important part of the overall experience. Despite the low resolution, render of the game and objects in it are stylized the way that everything is clearly visible without pixel hunt. Dithering for light effects perfectly blends flat shaded 3d models with sprites and eviromets.

Hapy dungeoneering!

Star in the crown of classic CRPGs. A genre, which, is perhaps, forgotten nowadays. World of Xeen is a combination of Might and Magic IV and V entries in the series into one giant game. In CD version - with full voice acting. This game will be the last "classic" Might and Magic game before series moved towards other directions.

For those who don't familiar with subgenre - it will be very hard to describe what it is, sadly, all I can tell are things from conext of the time when it was made. And at the time, game had wonderful visuals, with colorful maps and covers, made by Mike Winterbauer, lots of awesome in-game art (especially in the dark side), lots of colorful and varied places with lots of fully animated NPCs. This game has user friendly fully mouse driven graphical interface, awesome for the time voiced cutscenes. While combat-action driven, the game has no "grind" in classical RPG sence of this word - all monsters are hand placed and gone once you killed them, this is not infinity encounter-based grinder like older CRPGs (including Might and Magic 1-2) or JRPGs. Same time as being fully open world, as you can explore anything on both sides of world of xeen from the start.

Game made on Might and Magic 3 engine, but makes a number of incremental improvements to anything, in particular, to difficulty curve - starting cloud side of xeen is most easy and accesable from all classic Might and Magic series. Some remnants of old engine still present, however - inventory is still pure text and tiny icons in list. There are no mouse drag and drop for items or character paper dolls, like in some other CRPGs of the time, Dungeon Master clones such as Eye of the Beholder and Dungeon Hack in particular. Same as you need to learn item stats in shops, for a price. However, this is not hard to memorize as its have fixed base set of weapons and armor + modifiers. This is probably the only major complaint for this game from me.

WoX, combined version of the game also have additional content and concludes story of all 5 previous games to the end. But don't worry, since Might and Magic 6 linked Heores series and old MM series, their foundations of the universe will continue to evolve beyond Xeen. If you like classic dungeoncrawlers, or a novice for the genre and want to start your turn-based action-driven adventure in VGA 256 color world of xeen - good luck, I hope you will love it!

Game, including CD version can be played vide ScummVM, modern engine port, natively. Sadly at the date of this review made it does not supports Mac version, that one had higer resolution and had more portraits, but anyway, it is not much different.

Quite a shallow experience to say the least. All interesting bits for engaging open world are here - story, freedom of travel, side quests, items, however everything feels so empty and forgettable. Game have quite a big detailed map, but travel across it mostly feels like travel on foot in TES2 Daggerfall.
Encounters and enemies are repeative, same as tasks for the player. On top of that, cooperative expeirience is broken, with 2nd player attached like some bot for the host. Feels like half-baked mod, however playing solo in FarCry 5 is quite boring.

Not the game which you will count ever as your favotite, but memorable enough modern consol-ish FPS title. While being not a "classic" shooter, or, for example, Serious Sam clone, like Painkiller, it still speedy and action driven.
The game also have pretty visuals for UE3 engine. If you love visual style and apperance of Starcraft 2, this game is right in the same valley.
Narrative is not deep or too serious, characters are comical, but I would've not described it as "random". It just don't go deep into universe, giving lots of stuff to your imagination. But what there is there. While being full of dity jokes, I not find it cringe or offensive, unlike some other titles.
My only complains would be about only 3 weapon slots (4th one for heavier stuff would've been a nice addition), sometimes repeative enemies, maybe too much limits on character movement. However, game defenetly has its moments. In general, I had fun and maybe will replay one day edition ported to UE4. Or sequel, if it will be made in future.

Played both on PS2 and PC. At the time of this review being done, backloggd has no PC version listed as optional, but better play this on PC rather on console.

Anyway, this game is sadly VERY unfinished. Not much I can say about it besides it being very promesing thing, in which a lot of work was put into, however, the result is sub-optimal. It is clear that entire game concept, cutscenes, game elements were removed. Lots of things were not polished or finished. Starting this game do not expect some hidden gem, rather than beyond mediocre eurojank FPS with some raw corners and truley bad moments.

While this game potentially is more advanced and in theory was planned to be much better than "Chaser" by same studio, "Chaser" is at least finished product while this is not. Play only if you are curious for such content.

This game was on the edge between old more arcady shooters and more modern Call of Duty type things, this why experience of playing it for the first time in 2022 was a bit weird one. Like, on one hand, for me personally, it did felt late later, more new WW2 fps game, being using idtech3 engine and all that advanced stuff with comrades and attempts at grounded designs and realistic approach. However, other mechanics more arcady, some elements and scripts which we expecting as given from Call of Duty 1-2 here are more raw and primitive.

I can only imagine how memorable this game was back in the day, being, sort of the first of its kind with this Normandy landing, street fighting in northen french towns and so on. However, nowadays, it may be a bit bleak and simple compared to games which followed it, same as some of its raw mechanics, like forever mentioned sniper mission, may feel dated.

My favorite mission was in night winter french town stealth section, there it worked really well, sad, that there are not that much of memorable places like that.

Liked nods to the original PS1 games, however, despite having similar mission structure, over dramatic animations of enemies etc. for me that game not felt quite like the PS1 ones. Still, if you enjoy FPS games from the era, like RTCW, give it a shot.

Not a bad mission pack. People say it is kind of boring, but I guess because they immideatly jump into it after the base game. I think that in some places this actually more interesting, than the main game. More little details, more actual attempts to play with level geometry, make interesting places. This is still a bit shy attempts compare to later fan made levels or even games like Hexen2, but still a move forward. What this mission pack laks I guess is maybe a bit more custom textures and models to be more memorable and highlight leveldesign attempts.

Finished on PC, using a controller in coop mode. It is a very mediocre game - short, simple structured semi looking levels with obvious arenas. Enemies are bullet sponges and poorly reacting on hits. Not to mention that some elements are poorly balanced, like one-hit enemies with explosive bolts which stick to you. It feels like the bare bones of the game, which initially was a UE3 engine showcase and not much more. In addition to that, we encountered many collision and AI bugs. I guess the game gets such popularity because of graphics and visuals for being one of the most earlier Xbox360 games which showcased its power, but it is not aged well as a game in my opinion. It is playable and okay to waste time, but don't try to find there something special.

It is very difficult to actually give this a score, it is a mixed bag of things. This addon was made by Xatrix. Already not "Redneck Rampage" Xatrix, but not yet RTCW Xatrix. Not too long, it is a decent size for expansion, and in general in terms of level design and gameplay it only a little bit below Quake 2. On one hand, it was made after, there a number of places where I liked detail and ideas a bit more than in original, on other hand, it rawer and less professional than id did it. The same goes with new enemy types, which are "same dudes but with new texture and more powerful". They are more powerful indeed, add-on is noticeably harder than the original game. Also, new weapons look a bit off with their much more high res textures. Overall, will be pretty decent experience for Quake II fans, just be prepared for some S-E-W-E-R level experience!

Interplay decided again to use a stolen engine from Snowball, creators of Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance, and adopt yet another "popular isometric RPG franchise" into diablo clone adoption. While it has its interesting moments, and also some minor improvements over the original Dark Alliance, it in general very meh game at best, made on a very limited budget. A true peak of creative crisis of "old" fallout which led to its ultimate destruction and death of Interplay. Honestly, they deserved it. Even if this game was ideally made, it'd get 4-4.5 at max. But with this simple yet crappy combat, issues with assets and levels score of 1.5 stars would be honest. Technically, it is playable tho, it is not one of those "unplayable" games.