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Games and Internet
PC Revenant (Eidos) £34.99
'i’.’ Wye-playing gair‘ic- and "if' e' ".rii' efrc ‘ai‘tasy ad.’ei‘.t:;'e E ‘a .agpit- 'ecogr‘moh of file '1' Ac-r‘a tie closest you get to r-.i‘."c-'—< ‘ad, s.'.o'd-s‘.'.aging, clan‘sel- :tasy, you .‘.‘l' ui‘derstand f-‘mwialit " .i'ide' ii‘.(' secor‘cls
iv, a .‘.a"ror 'azsed from the pits of
lie -, it ,roar lob to sane the local lord's daLiglitei ll()ll' a": (“.‘il cult, whether you like it or not There is it '.'.ander'ng through grassy plairi mil dank tunnel, inuch talking in ‘,e olde haide l‘ldl‘. accents and 7: tic l2, ll‘iti't h. l'tlllilllfi The combat is 'iteresthg as it 's l'l real tine and n: orpoiates a ll‘-tlllllllll( tron i.'~.'eapon- e:d rig ii‘tei't'ace as v.’ell as magic A great rum in. principal, but despite all best .l‘lf‘l‘UOllS, random button- l)<l‘sl‘.l."() (lti'l( kly becomes the art of
That said, Rwenant lacks nothing but a sprinkiiig of :magination and, with the oppo'turi-ty to play on the Internet, interacting with adventurers from strange and distant lands, it cotiid prove a ‘.'.‘()l'llty purchase for the RPCi ‘an Others may find it a tad uninspiring ilDl
PC Abomination (Eidos) £34.99
Abomination is a strange hybrid of a game It combines the well armed searc it-aitd-destroy squads of Sj,’li(/l(dl(’ with a storyline and gameplay similar to X-COm Apocalypse And that's Just for single players If you can connect to the lnternet E:clos nov. provrding a free server on \.'.’\‘.’\.‘\.’ eidosnet co uk -- Abomination becomes a team battle extravaganza in the vein of Fireteam l'()l|()\‘i.’lll(} a \‘.Ol’l(l\‘\.’ldC‘ plague, a cult known as the Faithful grows from humanity's survwors It is VOLir Job to lead a team of eight operatives in a
122 THE LIST .7. 1.6 Dec 1999
e~mai|:scanner@|ist.co.uk
N64
Jet Force Gemini (Rare) £44.99
Having produced the very first killer title for the Nintendo 64, Goldeneye, software developers Rare have gained a rather special reputation. No surprise then that their latest release, Jet Force Gemini, has been greeted with a furore second only to the Millennium. Could this live up to Goldeneye? Can this title help save the Nintendo machine from premature death? Cursed by such expectation, it is a joy to find that the game itself is a real winner.
Starting as Juna, you must guide the Federation's crack patrol unit, Jet Force Gemini, through a
multitude of environments as they attempt to save the allied Tribals from enslavement to the evil Mizar. As the game progresses, Vela, Juna's twin sister, and Lupus, their dog, become available as playable characters, effectively splitting the story into three parts. Viewed from above and behind the character, this is a 3D combat adventure with a sniper's view helping with well-secreted enemies. In fact, it is possible to play entirely in this view, giving the game an almost first- person feel. However, as the auto-aim in the normal angle is so good, with running and shooting both simple and pleasing, it is often easier to leave things as
they are.
The visuals in let Force Gemini are packed with character - colourful and well worth a bit of pause- button tourism. From dripping, slimy swamps to
slapstick.
Twinning ways: Jet Force Gemini
gleaming starships, the environments are large, impressive and surprisingly interactive. Often a stray bullet will remove an otherwise ignored obstacle, revealing a stash of goodies. And although the Tribals are sickeningly nice, bearing more than a passing resemblance to Ewoks, the characterisation award goes to the enemy. From the ant-like drones to the various vicious bosses, they move, hide, run and ambush with an eerie intelligence. They also provide some glorious
Again the Nintendo 64 blesses us with a game of geniune originality and fantastic gameplay. Jet Force
Gemini should be on everyone's Christmas list and, with
the N64 gaining a brand new neon livery and a price drop to £64.99, not owning the console should pose no problem. (lain Davidson)
covert operation against this band of raVing lunatics Through a pOInt-and- click interface yOu have complete control of your combatants, using both swift reflexes and keen tactical insight to ensure Victory
Although the story races along With each progressive mission and weaponry numbers in the hundreds, it is the multiplayer game which really stands out Due to the high vrewpornt, much of the detailed terrain is in View, forcing teamwork and no small amount of strategic trickery to be
The boy from Brazil: Ronaldo V-Football
used. Connecting with human team— mates and opponents truly brings the game to life. Not easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is MD
PC The Nomad Soul (Eidos) £34.99 .i. 1: .i
This has been the year of the over-the- shoulder adventure, with games like Silent Hill, Outcast, Shadow/man and Jet Force Gemini providing vastly different experiences through similar interfaces. Now Eidos have released The Nomad SOul, an adventure which delivers yet more richly engaging gameplay
Simply put, the game places you" soul within the body of a stranger in a strange wOrld, Suffering some strange amnesia From there y0u must learn ab0ut y0ur host, his life and hopefully solve his immediate mental and growing physical problems However, no sooner do you get comfortable n One body than yOu are whisked oft’ to another and the plot thickens Telling more would spoil the ride suffice to say yOu meet Dav/id Bowie along the way
The world of The Nomad Soul is guite astOnishing, with every bar, every store, every street corner bustling with life The wealth of Visual detail, such as a couple necking against a wall or a beggar appealing for assistance, can
often be urinervmg The garneolay is varied, the story :s imaginative and the tOuches of brilliance are knee-deep A llllTG-COHSUHTIHQ gem iIDl
GAMEBOY Ronaldo V-Football (Nintendo) £24.99
Without the GarneBoy, Nintendo would have descended into i'ea financial difficulty The portable plastic player has a catalogue of games ar‘y console would kill for, and a quick look at the forthcoming release schedule suggests a continuing l:ne of quality and invention Now it has its own footie game, fronted by that Bra/ilian With the bag of sweets (il‘ i a cheeky wee smile
Essentially Rona/do V-Footba/l plays like any of its bigger cousins Nearly 3- D players run up and down the pitch, passing, tackling, heading and shooting to their heart's content There are cups and leagues to compete in, involving 64 national and international teams, and tactics, player and team names can all be redefined The control system, hampered by the GameBoy's paltry number of buttons, is actually guite intricate and requires a good deal of practice to master Stick with it thOugh and swift, enjoyable football comes to life on the smal' screen