Copyright: Copyright 1994 by RePlay Digizine


Table of Contents

	Welcome to RePlay Start Here		How to Subscribe to RePlay
	In Review Tubular Worlds, D-Day, Corridor 7, and More!		On CD-ROM Shadow of the Comet, Comanche CD-ROM, and More!
	Coming Attractions Delta-V, Armored Fist, Jagged Alliance		Columns Ask Doctor RePlay, Smaug's Lair, and More!
	Favorite Games  Roger Ebert and Raymond Feist Tell Us Theirs.		Talk Back to the Editors!


•   Armored Fist

•	Jagged Alliance

•	Delta-V


•  Corridor 7:  Alien invasion:

•	D-Day:  The Beginning of the End

•	The Elder Scrolls:  Arena

•	Lethal Tender

•	Tubular Worlds

•	Terminator: Rampage


•   Shadow of the Comet

•	Companions of Xanth - CD-ROM

•	Comanche CD-ROM

•	Tuneland starring Howie Mandel

•	Wolfpack CD-ROM


•   Ask Doctor RePlay

•	The View From Up Here

•	Flame That Game!

•	Smaug's Lair

•	Hints:  Return to Zork


256 color screen shots are available in the Subscriber's edition of RePlay.


RePlay Digizine

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Santa Barbara, CA   93102

CompuServe:  73612,2247

America Online:  RePlayZine

Internet:  replayzine@aol.com


Talk Back to the Editors

What did you like about RePlay?  What didn't you like?  What would you like to see more of?  Less of?  The editors of RePlay want your feedback.  We aim to make RePlay not just the best computer gaming E-Mag, but the best computer gaming magazine, period.  Any constructive criticism that you have to offer as to how we can make RePlay even better is very welcome.  We want our readers to feel that they have a stake in the magazine, and the only way to make that happen is for you to get involved.

Write to us with your questions, comments, and (constructive) criticisms at RePlay Digizine.  We'll make sure that you get a personal response to your letter.  I'll wager that not many other magazines can say the same.  Thanks for giving us a try.  We'll see you again next issue.

- John D. Nichols

  Editor-in-Chief


The Masthead
The Credits

Subscribing to RePlay     Writing for RePlay     Advertising in RePlay

RePlay Digizine was produced by a cast of several, including, but not limited to, the following:

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

John D. Nichols

Managing Editor/Director of Marketing

Joel Ross

Contributors

Bruce E. Butts

Albert Dente

Gene Alloway

Roxanne Lemond

Peter  B. Moss

Brian Chang

Lawrence G. Szydlowski

rod4@netcom.com (Internet Bureau Chief)

Mark Johnson


Writing for RePlay

RePlay is looking for a limited number of writers to fill out its staff.  Previous publishing experience is desirable but not necessary.  A longstanding knowledge of and interest in computer gaming is.  As is the ability to write clear, concise English prose.  Those interested should contact John Nichols at RePlay Digizine.


Advertising in RePlay

RePlay has the capacity to accept only a very limited amount of advertising in the on-line edtion.  Advertisers will find, however, that they can reach a large number of target customers at very reasonable rates.  As we continue to grow and gain subscribers, we will open the subsciber's edtion of RePlay, which will offer far more flexibility, and predictability of audience, to advertising.  Interested parties should contact Joel Ross at RePlay Digizine (805) 568-9154.


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Companions of Xanth CD-ROM

by Legend Entertainment

Reviewed by Roxanne Lemond

In the halcyon days of my youth, I devoured every book that Piers Anthony wrote.  Nothing seemed more sophisticated than to be in on the joke for his omnipresent puns (all right, so I was a little naive).  King Dor (I knew him when he wasn't even a prince), Grundy Golem, The Magician Humphrey, and all the Xanth crew were like old friends.  Somewhere along the line, though (was it the twenty-seventh or twenty-eighth Xanth novel?), the bloom began to fall off the rose.  The old stand-bys failed to exert their customary charm.  In short, I had grown up.

Still, I retain a certain vestigial fondness for the world of Xanth and its inhabitants, so when opportunity arose to review Legend Entertainment's Companions of Xanth, which is based on Anthony's novel "Demons Don't Dream",  I accepted with alacrity.  All the old stalwarts are there:  the bad puns, the Gap Dragon, even Grundy Golem (although for some unaccountable reason they've turned him into a fairy). The CD-ROM edition of Companions of Xanth (the acronym is an unhappy one, so I'll stick to the full name) is in all essentials a straight port from the floppy based version, but with actors providing speech for the game's characters.

As the game opens, you're a teenage boy (not one of my fantasies, but different strokes etc.) alone at home on a rainy day.  The phone rings - it's one of your pals, who's stumbled across a great computer game he wants you to try.  When you slip it into the CD-ROM drive, you get sucked into the world of Xanth, and into a contest with a girl of similar age.  To help you in your quest, you can choose from among four different characters to accompany you along the way.  Here's an odd twist:  With only one of the four can you actually win the game.  Why Legend has included the others is a mystery for the ages.

The play of the game consists of wandering around Xanth, trying to find the necessary items to overcome the various obstacles in your path toward Magician Humphrey's castle.  If you've ever played any of the King's Quest games, you know the drill - put item A into slot B, or is it item C into slot D?  Lots of persistence is required (or a set of reviewer's notes).  Most of the obstacles involve some pun, so figuring out the pun will, in theory, help you to know what to do.  In practice,  some of the leaps of logic involved shouldn't be attempted without a net.

Judging from the storyline, Companions of Xanth is really intended for the adolescent market, so perhaps it's a bit unfair to judge it from an adult perspective.  Needless to say, that's not going to stop me from doing just that.  Actually, Xanth has a lot to offer:  solid graphics, excellent sound, and for this player, anyway, lots of nostalgia value.  I was tooling right along, quite enjoying myself, in fact, until I got to the region of Earth (you have to go through all the elements: Air, Water, Fire, Earth).  Then things started to drag.  And drag. And drag.  For reason's known only to themselves, the game's designers decided to put a maze smack dab in the middle of the game.  There isn't any real point to the maze, and it isn't the least bit difficult to get through, but it takes forever.  It may have been merely tedious in the floppy version, but in the CD-ROM edition, with a ten second wait to move from one room to the next, it's interminable.  Frankly, it ruined the game for me.  Other than that, though, Companions of Xanth was great.

Installation: 10     Graphics: 8     Sound and Music: 8     Playability: 5     Overall Rating: 6


Companions of Xanth CD-ROM

Published by:  Legend Entertainment

System Requirements:

Minimal


Legend Entertainment

P.O. Box 10810

14200 Park Meadow Drive

Chantilly, VA   22021


Introduction
Letter from the Editor

Welcome to RePlay

Oh, no, not another gaming magazine.  Yes, another gaming magazine.  What's different about RePlay?   Well, see for yourself.  Where paper magazines end, RePlay begins.  It's a colorful interactive experience, full of fun and surprises.  The medium, however, is not the message.  In RePlay, you'll find lively, entertaining writing, and the inside dope on the computer gaming industry.  And RePlay doesn't shy away from controversy.  As you'll discover, if our writers don't like a game, they'll let you know in no uncertain terms.

And you haven't seen the half of it.  If you like this shareware edition of RePlay, you'll love the subscriber's edition.  It's a true multimedia experience,  with high resolution 256 color screen shots, entertaining sound effects, special effects, a MIDI sound track, and more.  In addition, subscribers get a companion shareware disk, full of the latest hot shareware games from the major shareware publishing houses.  If you've ever downloaded a 900 Kilobyte game at long distance phone rates, you'll know what a convenience this is.  So go ahead, kick the tires, and take it for a spin.  We're confident you'll like what you see.

Support the Shareware Concept

Please support the shareware concept by uploading this file to your favorite BBS.  Shareware is "Try Before You Buy", giving you the opportunity to try quality programs on a trial basis before committing yourself  to any financial outlay.

A Word About Screen Shots

RePlay uses the Windows Help Engine, which ordinarily does not support 256 color pictures.  In order for us to bring you 256 color screen shots in the subscriber's edition, we have to use a sizable multimedia extensions library.  Because we're committed to keeping the shareware version of RePlay down to a manageable size (i.e. under 250 Kilobytes), all of the screen shots in this shareware edition have been dithered to 16 colors.  It's far from an ideal solution, but then, life is full of compromises.

Getting Around in RePlay

Navigating in RePlay is simple matter of point and click.  The easiest way to get around is to use the Browse Buttons [image] [image] located at the top of the screen.  With them, you can turn the "pages" much as you would with a book.

You'll also find various buttons [image] sprinkled about RePlay.  As a rule of thumb, if it looks like a button, it probably is, so click on it.

Colored underlined text, usually green, represents a hypertext link, and should also be clicked.

As a bonus, we've added our own little innovation, the floating table of contents.  Click the right mouse-button anywhere within the scrolling window, and a menu will appear, allowing you quick access to anywhere in the magazine.  Go ahead, give it a try.  Now, on with the show!

* * *


Like This!


Hints: Return to Zork

The Rusty Sword

Ask Moodock about the Survivor game, and then play a game.  He'll give you the rusty Dwarven sword for being so swell.  Make sure to check out the sword closely.   Then give it to the Blacksmith to clean up.  He'll want some cash before returning it to you.  After you pay him, inspect the sword again.  He pulled the big switcheroo - it's not the same one you gave him.  Threaten him until he gives you either the real dwarven sword or a voucher.  Then, finally, give it to the Holy Woman for her blessing.  Now you've got your own personal Spidey Sense Sword - it'll glow blue in the presence of danger.

Forging the Frisbee:

Get thee to the Ancient Ruins.  Put the six pieces of the Flying Disc of Frobozz on the trencher.  Then, from left to right, give the following items to the statues (skipping the middle statue):  the bog navigation stick from Witch Itah, the Return Talon from the Vulture Pits, the Thermozz, the miner's helmet, the wooden box, the shiny shield, and the orb.  Then press the red button and forge on.

Bat Guano and the Magic Tiles

You've got to get the 11 tile pieces and the frame you can find at the Ruins.  You assemble the puzzle by putting the pieces into the frame.  Press the button on the lower right to reset the puzzle to its original arrangement, then you've got to click the tile in the following order (they're described in relation to the empty slot):  left, above, right, above, left, below, below, right, above, above, left, left, below, right, below, left, above, left, below, right, above, above, left, below, right, right, above, left, below, right, below, right.  The sentence should read "Water Unseen At Falls Mix With Bat Dropping Yields Potion For."  (If you've got one of the collector's versions, though, it'll read, "Uneaten Fox Mixes With Bats, Dripping Pistons For Yarrow."  If you've got one of those, you're a lucky dog - it's worth big bucks.)  The last word will appear when you've got the first eleven.  It's truly illuminating.

The Great Maidenform Mystery

You're locked out of the General Store and the owner has run off with the key.  You need a credit card or a wire to open that door.  Credit cards are in seriously short supply - in fact, there are none of them.   That must piss you off - to let off some steam you ought to threaten Pugney.  Be really vicious.  Then apologize.  Being a co-dependent, he'll then give you permission to take the bra box.  Throw it into the furnace, and you've got wire (in the refuse drawer).  But, youch! it's hot.  Get the Thermozz from Snoot's farm or the flask from the Old Mill and fill whichever one you got with whatever liquid you can find.  Pour it on the hot wire and you're home free.

The Vulture Pits

Vultures are dirty, nasty creatures who like to peck away at rotting meat.  Rotting meat.  Fresh meat, they can take it or leave it  But rotting meat, it's like a chocolate eclair to them.  They can't resist it.  Get some meat from the freezer at Snoot's and carry it around 'til it rots.  Don't wait so long that the maggots spontaneously generate, though, or you'll come to a particularly grisly end.  Then lightly coat the rotting flesh with Fairy Dust (you get this by lighting a match in the dark forest clearing and chatting up the Fairy until she gives you some dust), and toss it outside the Pit.  Your scavenger friends will eat and fall asleep.  Dash in, grab the talon, and leave.

* * *


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The Elder Scrolls: Arena

by Bethesda Softworks

Reviewed by Roxanne Lemond

You wake up in a nasty little cell in the sewers of the Imperial City.  Your dead friend, Ria Silmane, shimmers into existence to tell you all about the Evil Deed that has been done and, thankfully, to give you the key to your cell.  The Evil Deed de jour is:  Muffy Bennington, the Imperial Battle Mage, has exiled the Emperor to another dimension and taken his place.  For some reason, you prefer the previous monarch.  So you've got to assemble the eight pieces of the Staff of Chaos and snuff the Pretender.

But who are you?  Well, you're one of eight races, ranging from cat-person to lizard-person to Norwegian bob-sledder, all of whom have different strengths.  You're also one of eighteen classes.  These include Rogues, Acrobats, Monks, Rangers, Sorcerers, and Spellswords.  They have different levels of magic ability and weapon and armor proficiency, and a variety of special attributes (such as resisting poison or picking locks).  You've also got to generate your stats:  strength, intelligence, willpower, agility, speed, endurance, personality, and luck.  Then it's off to the sewers.

Arena is big.  It's got something like 4 million kilometers to explore, with 940 towns and cities, 300 dungeons, and untold hordes of houses, farmsteads, inns and leafy glades.  It's big.  After you fight your way out of the sewers, you can decide to follow the Staff of Chaos quest, or not.  You can do pretty much whatever you want - a little breaking and entering, wandering around at night looking for some vigilante action, exploring the wilderness, going on mini-quests, whatever.

The interface is Wolfensteinian - you've got a first-person view of the action, and your sword (or war-hammer, staff, or axe) follows the movement of the mouse.  The sound is unobtrusive and the graphics are good.

The down side:  Arena is so huge that it gets repetitive.  The first version was buggy.  Installation is a minor nightmare.  There are some actions that defy common sense (swimming in plate mail, for example).  You can only control one character, not a party.

On the other hand, if you liked D&D, you'll like Arena.  You've got the classes and races and stats.  You can buy all kinds of neat weapons and armor.  You can create your own spells.  And, most important, you don't have to slavishly follow some lame quest plot.

Editor's note:  Attentive readers will notice that the screen shot above is not from the released version of TES.  The tip-off, of course, is that there are four characters portrayed in the picture, whereas only one character is allowed in the actual game.  Since TES has been on the market since February, we thought we'd throw it in for curiosity value.  Sort of like a stamp with the fat Elvis.

Roxanne Says:  Why is the woman warrior on the Arena box wearing a thong bikini?  What's the armor rating on that?  How come I couldn't buy it in the armor shops?  Were there lingerie boutiques around that I just didn't find?  Also, did Bethesda think gamers would be so impressed with this bottomless-pit of a world that they'd ignore the mouse-melting repetitiveness.  It's really repetitive.  Very repetitious.  Big, but repetitive.  Awfully repetitious.  The same things happen over and over again, repetitively.  If you found that tiresome, don't buy Arena.  In fact, unless you were (or are)  a pimply-faced D&D-head who can't get a date, stay out of the Arena - you'll be bored to death.

Installation: 2     Graphics: 7     Music and Sound: 8     Playability: 4     Overall Rating: 5

Mark Says:  What's the matter Roxanne - that time of the month?  Speaking for the (formerly) pimply-faced D&D-heads in the audience, I feel a little dissent is in order.  I loved Arena.  In fact, I'll go so far as to say that it's the best CRPG ever.  Yes, there's a lot of wandering around involved, but that's part of the fun.  Instead of a pre-programmed, linear story-line (cf.. King' Quest I - VI), you get to control the action.  If you want to go after the Staff of Chaos, that's fine.  But you can do so at your own pace.  Until then, there are Artifacts to be found, dungeons to be cleared, quests to be gained, and booty to be won.  With all the different possible permutations involved, you can play Arena literally for months, and still be hungry for more.

Installation: 4     Graphics: 7.5     Music and Sound: 7     Playability: 9     Overall Rating: 9

For another view of Arena, see Smaug's Lair


The Elder Scrolls: Arena

Published by: Bethesda Softworks

System Requirements:

386  PC (486 Highly Recomended)

4 MB RAM

2 MB EMS

Supports:

Soundblaster and compatibles


Tubular Worlds

by Dongleware

Reviewed by John D. Nichols

Get ready for awesome arcade action.  Tubular Worlds, the latest offering from Dongleware (no condom jokes please), the makers of Oxyd, is a side-scrolling arcade-syle space odyssey.  You are a senior cadet at the Federation's elite school for fighter pilots in the Andromedan galaxy.  For your final exam, you must brave the gauntlet of four different cyberworlds, and destroy the fearsome Warlord to be found at the end of each of them.  Succeed, and you'll join the federation's best fighter pilots in leading the fight against the invading Grogs.  Fail, and there's a position waiting for you at the Interstellar Accounting Office.  A shudder goes through you at the mere thought of it.

All of which means very little.  Tubular Worlds is not a game that makes great demands on your intellectual resources.  Instead, it's an adrenaline-pumping, endorphin-releasing, reflex-testing, blood-presure-raising shoot-em-up par-excellence (try saying that three times fast).  Beginning with the Vulcan world, you make your way through a devilishly fiendish and complex hail of enemies, all of them waiting to destroy you in a dozen different ways.  Along the way, you can pick up powerups to increase your firepower in various wonderful ways.  Be forewarned:  It's very hard.  Each world features three different scenes that you must get through before you face a massive biomechanical battle-cruiser which throws everything at you by the kitchen sink (and I think I even saw one of those).  If you die (when you die, really), you have to start over from the beginning of the scene.  Tubular Worlds is not a game for wimps.

Tubular Worlds features three different levels of difficulty (a purse of gold to anyone who gets through the game when it's set to hard), can be controlled by keyboard, mouse, or joystick, and can be played simultaneously by two people.  Herewith, a few tips to get you through the Vulcan world:

•	Be patient.  Although things seem to happen in random and unfair ways, experience will show  you that the field of battle is the same each time.  The key to success is to memorize the difficult sections, and figure out how to avoid getting killed.

•	Always keep the fire button depressed.   You never know when something will appear unexpectedly.

•	Although you want to pick up as many  powerups as you can at the beginning of the game, you'll find that certain weapons work best at certain points in the game.  It's often prudent to avoid powerups when you have a good setup (there are limits to how many weapons you can acquire).

•	To defeat the battle-cruiser, once again patience is the key.  You have to defeat several of its different mutations, so hunker down for the long haul.  Hug the bottom of the screen when it starts to shoot rays through it's eyes, if you can out-wait it, you'll beat it.  When the eyes turn to snakes, move to the middle of the screen, and fire directly at them.

Happy hunting!

Coming, as it does, so closely on the heals of Apogee's Call of the Raptor, Tubular Worlds begs comparison.  Simply stated, there is no comparison.  TW is Raptor on steroids.  Dongleware has filled the screen with great action, superb graphics, and the sort of superior technical implementation that one would expect from the creators of Oxyd.  I'd like to be able to report on the latter stages of the game, but honesty compels me to admit that in some 40 or 50 attempts, I've only twice managed to make it to the second world, the Biomasse.  And that was with the game set to easy.  The screen shots look neat, though (as you'll see in the subscriber's edition of RePlay).  All of which points out the desperate need for some save game or access code feature that allows the player to skip those levels he's already completed.  We eagerly await any third party hacks, and will pass along such information to our readers.  Oh, by the way.  You can get a copy of a shareware demo version of Tubular Worlds (which features the Vulcan world), along with the subscriber's edition of RePlay, for just three bucks.  Quite a deal, if you ask me.

Installation: 10     Graphics: 8     Music and Sound: 6.5     Playability: 9     Overall Rating: 8


Tubular Worlds

Published by: Dongleware

System Requirements:

Minimal


Dongleware Publishing, Inc.

35 Howard Street

Cambridge, MA   02139


D-Day:  The Beginning of the End

by Impressions Software

Reviewed by Gene Alloway

D-Day: The Beginning of the End is a Micro-Miniatures wargame release from Impressions, presenting a strategic and arguably tactical view of the Western European Theater during World War II. Using an improved engine from Ed Grabowski's The Blue and the Gray, D-Day covers the invasion and the race to Berlin, with three scenarios and several configurations for play. While not in the same league as Three-Sixty Pacific's V for Victory operational games, D-Day is an enjoyable and well-featured computer wargame and a worthy addition to the wargamer's hard drive.

The main feature of D-day is its simulation of both strategic and tactical World War II warfare.  The campaign level is the more successful and entertaining of the two levels. The player chooses which side to play, and controls supply, movement, support, reinforcement, and organization. Supply is based on proximity and unobstructed access to supply units, which pass supplies further up the line. Movement can be done by stack or individual unit, with weather and terrain affecting the amount of movement allowed. Aircraft for both tactical and strategic strikes may also be plotted, as can naval support. Reinforcement allows a player to reinforce or create new divisions.  Divisions can also have supporting units, like artillery and armor, attached, or be themselves attached to armies. An advanced option activates the personalities of the army leaders, like Montgomery and Patton, which means orders may not be executed as given. These features work nicely, with left mouse clicks selecting a unit, allowing the user to move, alter, or issue commands to the unit.  Overall the campaign works well, and I found it very involving.  It is as good or better than other similar games done at this level, such as Third Reich by Avalon Hill.

The Micro-Miniatures level adds a unique dimension, but is not as successful as the campaign game. On each side, there are always between 125 and 250 units. There is no standard size of any single unit. Units can be placed, assigned orders, and moved individually, in groups, or all together.  The terrain nicely reflects the type of geography in the area being fought over. The graphics and the placement and maneuvering of units are very good as well. The Micro-Miniatures level is not without its flaws, however. While fun at first, a major meeting of armies can generate 10 or more combats over two turns, a day and a night. This can slow the game and become boring after a while. Also, the individual units represent arbitrary groups of men, rather than historical units. A unit can be any where from 50 to 3000 men, which means at the high end the fight should be an operational engagement, rather than a tactical one. All rivers can be forded, and, unless destroyed at the campaign level, bridges will not be blown or damaged in any tactical fight.

The V for Victory series is much better for operational sized engagements. (This may be a moot point, however, since Three-Sixty-Pacific recently went out of business.) Micro-Miniatures or like features work better in earlier eras of warfare, such as simulated by The Blue and the Gray, where a campaign often culminated in a single or small number of major battles.  You can, however, disable the Micro-Miniatures if you prefer, and let the computer determine outcomes by the numbers.

D-day: The Beginning of the End is a good World War II campaign game with a less realistic tactical feature.  It provides a healthy breadth of information on units, good graphics, and excellent features such as personalities and unit creation. On the con side, D-day is very simplistic in its tactical combat and has a less than intuitive interface.  If you want the wargamer's dream of blending different levels of combat in one system, you may want to wait for another game. But if you want a good strategic level West Front game to play by yourself, D-day should be among the first you consider.

Installation: 10     Graphics: 7     Music and Sound: 7     Historical Fidelity: 8     Playability: 8

Overall Rating: 8


D-Day:  The Beginning of the End

Published by:  Impressions Software Inc.

System Requirements:

286 or better

VGA

Mouse

Recomended:

386 or better

Sound Card


Impressions Software Inc.

222  Third Street, Suite 0234

Cambridge, MA   02142


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Comanche CD-ROM

by NovaLogic

Reviewed by Mark Johnson

Hardened helicopter flight sim junkies can now rest easy.  NovaLogic has released a new CD-ROM which bundles together all of its popular Comanche series of games onto one CD-ROM.  They've also added ten new missions to bring the total up to eighty.

For the uninitiated, Comanche is a multimedia helicopter flight simulator based on The RAH Boeing Sikorsky Comanche, the US Army's next generation light attack helicopter (a reasonable facsimile of which is pictured above).  Comanche uses NovaLogic's proprietary Voxel Space computer animation system, which performs up to a million calculations per second, to create amazing 3-D scenery.

The eighty missions ,which vary in degree of difficulty from "child's play" to "not in this lifetime", include both day and night sorties, and take place over a wide variety of terrain.   Battle narco terrorists in the jungles of South America.  Blow away separatist anarchists in Antarctica.  Take out the feared Hawaiian People's Army.  Then load up with Stinger missiles to charge into battle alone against thirty Soviet Hind helicopters.

The Comanche is equipped with a variety of weapons for your convenience.  The most potent of these are the AGM 114 Hellfire Laser-Guided Missiles.  With a standoff range greater than 8 km, they'll take care of even the most heavily armored vehicles.  You must maintain a TAS laser lock on your target through impact, however, so they can't be fired in rapid succession.  Less powerful, but more versatile are the fire and forget AIM-92 Stinger Missiles.  Although they can't take out a tank,  they'll do for just about anything else, especially those pesky enemy helicopters.

Once you have exhausted your Hellfire's and Stingers, you'll be down to a choice of either the 20mm Gatling Vulcan II Canons, or the 70mm Rockets.  Let's just say that you had better have completed most of your mission by this time.  You don't want to have to take on a battery of tanks with only Rockets and Cannons.

For those interested in the subject, the user manual includes a longish article on the Boeing Sikorsky Comanche, with specs for both it and the enemy vehicles in Comanche.

Mark Says:  The graphics in Comanche are amazing!  Flying through the canyons you get a feeling of three dimensional space that very few other games have been able to produce.  Hard-core flight sim addicts may be disappointed by the simplicity of the controls, but for the rest of us it's a blessing.  My biggest complaint is that many of the missions are just too hard.  In some of them you're lucky to survive for more than a minute or two.  Also, the game is a RAM hog.  Anyone with only 4 MG of RAM (like most of us mere mortals) will have to create a boot disk to play the game.  Still, all in all, this is about as good as flight sims get.

Installation: 3     Graphics: 9     Music and Sound: 8     Playability: 8     Overall Rating: 8.5

Brian Says:  Flight sims usually hurt my brain.  They're like reading a book about the life of an average guy.  I know how boring that is.  I live it.  I don't want to read about it in my spare time.  Flight sims are usually these detail-plagued collections of impossible commands and bewildering situations for anal-retentives.  Comanche is different.  Comanche is fun, and lots of it.  The commands are easy, the missions are interesting, and the 3-D terrain-mapping is the best I've seen.  But what really matters is this:  I blew away loads of baddies.  I like that.  So if you're heavily into flight sims, don't buy Comanche.  But if you're looking for a satisfying (and very challenging) death-from-the-air game, this is for you.

Installation: 5     Graphics: 8.5     Music and Sound: 6     Playability: 9     Overall Rating: 8


Comanche CD-ROM

Published by NovaLogic

System Requirements:

386 SX or better

4 MB RAM

CD-ROM drive

MS-DOS 3.3 or above

Recommended:

Joystick and Soundboard

Supports:

Sound Blaster and compatibles

Thrustmaster Flight Control System

Thrustmaster Weapons Control System

CH FlightStick Pro


NovaLogic

19510 Ventura Blvd., Suite 200

Tarzana, CA   91356


What's Your Favorite Game?
Celebrity Favorites

The life of a writer can be a lonely one.  It should come as no surprise, then, that many writers like to unwind with a good computer game.  We asked a few of our favorites (writers, that is, not games) what their favorite games are.  Their replies appear below.

Roger Ebert, film critic:

My favorite game at the moment is Cosmology of Kyoto, which is a work of

art and imagination, underpinned with scholarship. I have the impression I will

never exhaust the riches of the medieval city, and I like the way the game

does not have conventional rules or objectives, but allows you to figure them out.

Raymond E. Feist, author, "The Riftwar Saga"

Let's see, favorite game?

That's tough.  I guess it's a function of what I'm most wasting time on instead

of working.  I would have to say that number one is probably Spaceward Ho! by

Delta Tau Software.  Simple, but addictive.  After that, Railroad Tycoon is a

fave, and I'm looking forward to Pirate Gold! by Microprose as well, as I used

to love Pirate! on my old Mac Plus.

* * *


Shadow of the Comet

by I-Motion

Reviewed by John D. Nichols

Editor's Note:  The following review is based on a playable demo provided to RePlay by I-Motion.  Although the demo encompassed only about 30% of the actual game, it was sufficiently large to give us a strong feel for what the finished product will be like.  Readers should be warned, however, that the demo featured only those parts of the game which take place in the town of Illsmouth and its immediate environs.  We have only seen screen shots of the latter stages of the game.

Something's rotten in the state of Massachusetts, and it isn't just the Red Sox.  In 1824, a Scottish scientist named Lord Boleskine traveled to the sleepy little sea-town of Illsmouth, where, it was rumored, the stars appeared to be closer than at any other place on earth.  He came in anticipation of the appearance of Halley's Comet, and found, to his astonishment, that the rumors were indeed true - he saw sights that no man had seen before.  There was, alas, one small snag:  When he returned to Scotland, he was as mad as a Hatter, and spent the rest of his days in St. Andrew's Hospital for the insane.  An unhappy fate to be sure, although I understand that the food was good.

The year is now 1910, Halley's Comet approaches once again, and you, a brilliant young scientist named Parker, have convinced W.B. Griffith, the publisher of the British Scientific News, to fund your expedition to Illsmouth, where you will follow in Boleskine's footsteps, attempting to discover what happened that fateful night, 76 years ago.  Armed with Boleskine's diary and his original drawings,  you hope to avoid sharing his fate.

Such is the premise of Shadow of the Comet, the new CD-ROM game from I-Motion and Chaosium, the makers of the Alone in the Dark games.  Shadow of the Comet is rather loosely based upon horror writer H.P. Lovecraft's "Call of Cthulhu" stories, the basic premise of which was that this planet we call Earth was previously inhabited by a powerful race of Great Ancients, some of whom never quite left.

Upon arriving in Illsmouth, you'll be greeted by your host, Dr. Cobble, and the town's mayor Andrew Arlington.  Using your room at Dr. Cobble's house as a base, you'll explore the town, looking for clues to unravel the mystery that hangs over the aptly named Illsmouth.  Since you arrive in Illsmouth only three days before Halley's comet is due to appear in the night sky, you have little time for mistakes.  Your fist clue:  Boleskine's diary, which describes the remarkable twelve-year-old boy who , seventy-six years ago, served as his guide to the Cavalry where the stars looked as close as to be determined.  He'd be eighty-eight now, if he were still alive.  Can that be possible?  Take a guess.

In essence, the play of the game consists of wandering around Illsmouth and the neighboring forest, talking to the people you encounter.  From time to time, you'll be given a choice of responses to questions they might pose.  How you answer will determine the subsequent course of the game.  Occasionally, you'll have the chance to act, as, for instance, when a local boy is being given the beating of his life by a couple of ruffians.  Can you overcome the ill will of the local inhabitants, a motley assortment of creeps and cretins if ever there was one, and discover the secrets of the Great Ancients?  Only the Shadow knows (and he's not telling).

As a special bonus, I-Motion has included a sort of museum of the macabre.  It's a collection of strange and horrible artifacts, purportedly the sort of stuff H.P. Lovecraft would have been interested in,  narrated by a creepy Englishman.

John Says:  The Shadow Of The Comet demo that we saw suffered from the sort of general bugginess one would expect from a beta version.  The digital speech was often out of sync with the words that appeared on the screen, and the player's character, Mr. Parker was once referred to as Mr. Carter.  (The name given to the character in the promotional literature is John T. Carter.  One assumes they changed it to Parker when someone at I-Motion realized that this was an H.P. Lovecraft story, not an Edgar Rice Burroughs one).  Presumably these bugs will be fixed by the time the game is released to the public.  Overall, I have to admit that Shadow Of The Comet piqued my interest.  The graphics and sound were good, if not groundbreaking, and although there's altogether too much aimless wandering around for my taste, the mystery, or at least the promise of one, pulled me forward and left me wanting more.

Ratings:  Incomplete

Roxanne Says:  I'm not sure what this is.  From the 30% I saw, it's not a game.   Whatever it is, it's got great production values:  looks beautiful, fantastic sound (if you ignore the out-of-synch lip movement), easy interface and gripping plot.  But absolutely no gameplay.  There's nothing to do.  You just sort of poke around, chatting with a bunch of folks, trying first one option, then another.  It's not a multi-media game, it's just multi-media.  Is it interesting?  Yes, almost as interesting as a fairly good book.  Challenging?  No.  If you can keep your butt connected to your chair for long enough, you'll finish.  I can only hope that I-Motion will embarrass me by finishing this thing with a miraculous injection of gameplay.  If so, it'll be terrific.  If not, it's just a long screen saver with a soundtrack.

Ratings:  Incomplete


Flame That Game!
On the Internet, flaming is a blood sport.  Woe betide the unlucky soul who posts something foolish, or, worse yet, intelligent, on the Net.  Within minutes, the human cockroaches of Cyberspace will have scuttled from beneath the digital baseboards to make their opinions known.  Still, with the right equipment, and suitable protective clothing, one may brave the wilds of Cyberspace in relative safety.  We at RePlay did , and lived to tell the tale.  Our stated purpose:  To discover the worst computer games ever created.  We asked the denizens of the Internet and America Online for their worst-ever gaming experiences.  Yes, we were ourselves flamed in the process, but we wear the scars like a badge of honor.  The best responses appear below.

AirBucks

Ken Fishkin forwarded Troy English's fond recollections:

I hated this game.  I bought this game.  I hate myself for buying this game.  If I didn't believe that suicide was a sin and that I would burn in hell for eternity I would kill myself for buying this game.  Still might. In short, it sucked.  You might as well save the 50 bucks for when the local community clinic is offering specials on enemas, it would be more fun.

Pacific Strike

Rich La Porte is not a satisfied customer:

Origin has hidden behind terms like "State of the Art" and "Pushing the Envelope," claiming that they develop games that "exploit the full capabilities of high end computers."  Well, this time there's nowhere to hide.  If it's computer power that's to blame, then these programmers are extremely impressive, because the computer that can run Pacific Strike smoothly, and in full detail, just doesn't exist yet.  Even owners of Pentiums are complaining.

The "first" patch for this game came out the week after it was released!  More than a few eyebrows were raised  at how fast it was released.  There were accusations that Origin was working on a patch while the game was in duplication.  Hmmm.... PS seemed to be doomed before we even got it.  The complaints on PS must be hot and heavy, as the games producer, Eric Hyman, has released a public letter to owners of PS. In it, he cites some of the problems, and assures owners that they are being worked on. He concludes by saying "Your patience and understanding is all we ask." Hey, Eric, what about my 70 bucks?  You asked for that too!

Patience and understanding?  Sure, but how about sending me interest on my money while I wait for a completed product?  With difficult installation, third rate graphics, terrible game play, and thin documentation, this game is one of the worst I've seen. PS must be on Origin's "I wish it would go away" list. Well guys, it's on mine too.

Escape From Hell

Ashley resorts to poetry to express her feelings:

Beyond any shadow of a doubt, there is more than enough evidence to try  and convict Escape from Hell as the WORST game ever spewed forth onto the  shelves of software stores.

It has been yeas since I...I...

You'll have to excuse me, my therapist says it is not good to think such  thoughts without careful supervision...

How on Earth could a company possibly release a game that could not be  finished?  THAT is what THEY did!  Toward the end of the game, the player  was supposed to take Hitler, and throw him into a gas chamber.

No can do.

Frustration.

Anger.

Throwing things.  Big things.  Sharp things.

Give up and call company.

"Yeah, we had to take that out...There were some people who were offended  by that..."

And they still sold it.

I'm pushing for the Death Penalty.

What's the worst game you've ever played?  Send your flames to RePlay Digizine.  If we use your entry, you'll receive a free subscriber's issue of RePlay (subscribers will have their subscription extended by one issue).

* * *


Rampage
Terminator:  Rampage

by Bethesda Softworks

Reviewed by Joel Ross

You've seen the movies.  You've bought the action figures.  You wrote fan letters to Linda Hamilton.  Now play the computer game.

You're a Resistance fighter sent back in time to destroy the Meta-Node before it gets hooked up to the Cyberdyne central computer.  Unfortunately, due to a misalignment of the Time Distortion Device, you show up late.  Instead of facing a pushover, unprepared enemy (which you expected, you hero), you find a SKYNET that makes the LAPD look like a Bridge Club.  Luckily, you show up in the right place, buckle up your ACE Battle Armor, and are ready (with the help of the neurolinks embedded in your cerebral cortex) to find the Variable Tectronics Phased Plasma Cannon (or V-Tec PPC), the only weapon that can destroy the Meta-Node.

What the hell am I talking about?  Why would you want to call your Variable Tectronics Phased Plasma Cannon a V-Tec PPC?  What does SKYNET stand for?  Who cares?

All you care about is this:  You got sent back from the year 2029 with a 9mm Beretta, for Heaven's sake (you'll just have to poke around and see if anyone's misplaced an UZI, M-16, AK-47, Shotgun, Mini-Canon, or Grenade Launcher - not to mentions the parts for a V-Tec PPC).    If you're really lucky, you'll find slugs, shells, and grenades lying about, too.  Other objects include three types of medi-kit, three types of repair pack (for your ACE armor, of course), and access cards for the elevators.

With these tools, you blast your way through seven kinds of nasties -- ranging from the deadly-as-a-hummingbird Skimmers to the one-of-a-kind Meta-Node -- on the thirty-two levels of the Cyberdyne complex.

You also get glass walls so tough they can withstand the blast from a V-Tec PPC, a proximity map (which - thank you, Bethesda - actually shows you which way you're facing), and a Target ID box that shows up when the enemy is, ostensibly, within your sights.

John Says:  First things first:  Installation was a bloody nightmare!   Because Rampage needs both 2MB of expanded memory and 580K of free base memory, I was forced into a Catch-22 situation where I could get enough EMS or enough base mem, but never enough of both.  Naturally the boot disk didn't work.  I finally had to create a bare-bones config.sys file that left out SmartDrive.  Unfortunately, things didn't get any better from there.  The copy protection was without exception the most annoying and confusing I've ever encountered.    After all that, I was finally able to play the game.  I'll be blunt:  It's a stinker.  In comparison with others of the genre, Doom, Blake Stone, Corridor 7, even the venerable Wolfenstein, Rampage comes up short in almost every department.  On my 486DX-33, it ran unacceptably slow; forget about running it on a 386.  The graphics had a washed-out look that made it hard to discern ammo refills (which, by the way, are in short supply), and sometimes even monsters.  I could go on, but why bother?  I don't want to turn this into a candidate for Flame That Game.  In short, if you need a Wolfenstein fix, buy Corridor 7 instead.

Installation: 1   Graphics: 4   Music and Sound: 5    Playability: 5   Overall Rating: 3.5

Mark Says:  John can't open the fridge without editing his config.sys file.  No one wants to hear about it.  But the copy protection is imbecilic and intrusive, especially for those of us who aren't quite sure what makes a paragraph.  Otherwise, Rampage was OK.  It gets off to a slow start, but once you get a few levels under your ACE belt, the violence picks up to an acceptable level.  The Cyberdyne complex is well done, as are most of the weapons and the more advanced enemies.  The Target ID is almost as intrusive as the copy protection, though - completely counter-intuitive.  It's not C7 (much less Doom), but it's better than working.

Installation: 4     Graphics: 6     Music and Sound: 6     Playability: 7     Overall Rating: 6


Terminator:  Rampage

Published by: Bethesda Softworks

System Requirements

386/25 (a likely story)

2 MB EMS

18 MB Hard Disk Space


Smaug's Den
A Questing We Shall Go

by Lawrence G. Szydlowski  a.k.a. The Old Smaug Himself

 The joy of last summer's flurry of good Computer Role Playing Games (CRPGs) was unfortunately followed by what was for me a winter of discontent  I tried and discarded three CRPGs, two of which (Realms of Arkania, and Shadowcaster) had looked to be quasi-sequels to games that I had previously enjoyed very much. Therefore, this spring I vowed to employ the resources of the Info Highway before investing any more personal money in ignoble experiments. For example, my curiosity had been piqued by preliminary articles about The Elder Scrolls: Arena from Bethesda Softworks, but I was still cautioned by my recent experiences.

Initially my caution appeared to be have been rewarded, as early complaints of Arena's bugginess in the initially released version  buzzed across the e-ther. However, the admirable efforts of Bethesda Softworks to support its product, combined with the enthusiasm of the players attempting the game itself, caused me to plunge into Arena anyway. I am pleased that I did, but would like to append a thought: This may be the way of things in the mid-'90s for computer games. That is, a contact point with the Info Highway (in my case, CompuServe) may nowadays be a virtual necessity, as post-release "bug fixes" and "patches" become a standard part of the development process.

Getting Started

The first and most significant decision for an Arena game is the character class that you'll be playing. I suggest that this portion of the manual be carefully studied - note the differing amounts of base magic ability and also the restrictions on weapon and armor use. In broad terms the more magic ability for a class, the easier it will be to win the game. I chose a Bard, which has about the least magic of the magic using group. As a result, the game was a challenge for me, but wasn't overly difficult - I suggest that you choose your own class accordingly. The next step is to select a race that is well suited for your class. Once again the manual should provide sufficient guidance in this regard. Finally, roll up your actual character and provide the initial details that make it your own.

The actual game play begins with your character marooned in a classic dungeon cell in the bowels of the Imperial Palace (no, the game doesn't take place in Las Vegas). You receive the first of a set of messages from your guardian angel, Ria Silmane, who is also mentioned in the beginning of the manual. Be attentive to each of these messages, since they embody the Main Plot of the game. Make a Save Game of your initial character, and then get into the habit of Saving very regularly - this policy can definitely be a life-saver at times throughout the entire game.

The first order of business is to get out of the Imperial Dungeon and back to the outside world; Ria helps with a key and some information. This first dungeon is a fairly easy starter dungeon and you should use it to build up your character's experience and equipment. Sleep as required to restore your hit and magic points (if applicable) - try to sleep on the little platforms, and return to a cleared-out area before attempting an uninterrupted sleep. Make sure to leave the dungeon carrying as many extra items as is possible - their sale will generate a grub-stake of gold to boost your character development.

What to do in Tamriel

Upon exiting the dungeon you'll be ported you to a town in your home province - e.g. my Argonian Bard went to a town in Black Marsh. After arrival, use your Automap and question the NPCs (be sure to sheathe your weapon first) to determine the locations of the Mage's Guild (one per locale) and some Shops and Inns. Next, go shopping - as a general rule, the magic items from the starter dungeon (even if unidentified) are worth more than mundane items, and the more useful weapons and armor sell for more gold than the less useful ones. Be sure to haggle to get better prices when buying and selling. Exactly what to sell or retain will depend on personal preferences and the chosen character class, but all classes should get the best available set of the arms and armor as soon as possible. Be careful to purchase and retain only items that your character is eligible to equip and employ.

You are now at the point in the game where I feel that Arena is the most outstanding, because there are a huge variety of options to pursue, all of which have some useful function. Ria already has hinted at the next step in the Main Plot (i.e. finding Fang Lair), but your character is probably too under-developed at this point. When I played, I essentially bummed around town, getting a feel for the game and talking to the NPCs - ask about Rumors and then Work to find out about the money-making errands that become available. Once my character had some spare gold and was decently equipped, I found a Town Gate and exited into The Wilderness.

The Wilderness is a mind-boggling attempt to present the entirety of the surface of Tamriel as a walkable playing surface, populated with inns, farms, more NPCs, and also "random" crypts, dungeons and towers that make excellent little "post-starter" dungeons for gaining experience and loot. Use your Automap to keep oriented, and head for the blocky structures that represent buildings of one sort or another. Be sure to go out to the Wilderness at least once when you play, just to experience it. Returning to town is easily done, by using the Province Map and just Traveling to the town that you just left (ergo, you really can't get lost).

After an initial period of errand running and Wildernessing, I had built up my reputation (i.e. levels - I was about level 7 or 8) sufficiently to start trying for Noble or Artifact quests. I switched to Rumors and then General when talking to the NPCs, and then tried to keep moving and talking until I got a nibble and then a bite. The payoff for a Noble quest eventually became fairly trivial as my stockpile of gold began to grow, but the Artifact quests are useful throughout the game.

Finding Fang Lair

At about level 10, I also started asking the NPCs about Fang Lair using Where Is - this is the first Main Plot dungeon. From this point onward, I essentially mixed pursuing the Main Plot with Artifact quests and Wilderness romps (for variety) for the remainder of the game. I thought that the Main Plot dungeons were exceptionally well-done, although the Artifact quest dungeons got monotonous at times. I was about level 20 when I found the last piece to the Elder Scrolls Staff - ironically, I made a level about 15 minutes before The Big Moment. One is allowed to play on after "winning" if one desires to - instead, I'm choosing to make a new character and start again.

Clearly, I enjoyed Arena and have become a big fan of both the game and Bethesda Softworks. On the down side, the releases prior to version 1.05 were "buggy", and gamers still report occasional glitches. However, a reboot and reload have often allowed play to resume for all of the versions. The game design itself has weak spots: in particular the imbalance in favor of the magic versus non-magic using characters, the NPC interactions, the un-Grand Finale and the unoriginal Main Plot. On the up side: the scope of the game is awesome, the design was sound, and the richness of the game play is a diametric opposite to the Mario the Avatar trend. This was an exceptional first effort in the CRPG genre by Bethesda Softworks.  It remains to be seen if they can sustain or improve on it, but I eagerly await the next installment in the Elder Scrolls saga, The Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall.

Lawrence G. Szydlowski may be reached on CompuServe at 73112,2216

* * *


Corridor 7:  Alien Invasion

by Capstone Entertainment

Reviewed by Joel Ross

Corridor 7 is one of the recently released Wolfenstein 3D look-alikes.  And there's a good reason for that -- Capstone has licensed the Wolfie Engine from id Software.   But not, explains Leigh Rothschild, President and Publisher of IntraCorp, Inc.(Capstone's parent company), without changes:  "Our in-house development team has enhanced the 3D engine and created a compelling, futuristic mythos of alien life-forms.  The finished product is the pulse-pounding, nonstop action of Corridor 7."  (Not many people can use the word "mythos" in a sentence, but that's how you become both President and Publisher -- ed)

     The plot, such as it is, is as follows:  In the year 2012, a team of U.S. scientists return from Mars with a small, metallic object.  They immediately bring it to the thirtieth level of a top-secret military base generously peppered with ammo packs and medi-kits, whereupon it explodes into a radiating gateway, linking our world with another.  An army of creatures, who apparently felt that leaving a toaster-oven on Mars would be the logical first step toward invading Earth, emerge from the pulsating vortex, and oooooh! are they ugly.

You're a Special Forces Agent.  Your job is to massacre every man, woman, child, and potted plant among the aliens, to blast your way down thirty levels of alien-infested military-industrial office building.  This is why you joined up in the first place.

Corridor 7, despite it's extremely lame name, has a number of advantages over Wolfie 3D.  Notably, it's got diminished lighting effects, mapping, infra-red and night vision, and animated and transparent walls.  These are all well and good.  It's also got morphing aliens and extended death scenes.  These are better than well and good.  Aliens appear as ferns or chairs (or don't appear at all -- there being a species of invisible alien), waiting to ambush you.  Blood and guts splatter, skin shrivels off.

The gameplay is fast and furious.  The variety of weapons and aliens will keep you interested, while the sound and diminished lighting effects will keep you on the edge of your seat.  Corridor 7 is just the thing for that romantic rainy afternoon.

Joel Says:  Better than Wolfenstein.  The enemies are extremely cool, the death scenes are just what the doctor ordered, and the morphing (and invisible) aliens makes it oh-so-suspenseful (as long as you're not a map-watching weenie).  The lighting effects are good, though the night-vision and infrared get old quick -- as do the Vincent-Price-from-Planet-R sound effects.  Other little touches - like the transparent walls - are well done, and it even installed easy (which must have been dumb luck).  If you liked blasting your way through Wolfenstein 3D, you'll love C7.

Installation: 9     Graphics: 7.5     Sound and Music: 6     Playability: 8.5     Monsters: 6.5

Overall Rating: 7.5

John Says:	With games that use the now ubiquitous Wolfenstein 3D Engine, you know what you're getting, it's just a matter of whether the current offering is up to snuff.  Well, Corridor 7 delivers the goods.  Don't be fooled by the rather lame demo that Capstone put out, C7 has plenty to offer.  Like, for instance, lightning quick speed (on my 486, anyway),  a variety of cool monsters, nifty extended death scenes, various levels of mapping, and, in the latter levels of the game, Capstone's own addition to the Wolfie Engine:  throbbing, pulsating walls.  For those who don't like things too easy, setting C7 to colonel level provides plenty of challenge (though I myself prefer weenie level).  Although not quite up to the lofty standards set by Doom, C7 beats all the rest.

Installation: 9     Graphics: 7     Sound and Music: 5     Playability: 8     Monsters: 7.5

Overall Rating: 8


Corridor 7:  Alien Invasion

Published by: Capstone

System Requirements:

386 or better

2MB RAM

Supports:

Soundblaster and Compatibles


Capstone - a Division of IntraCorp Inc.

Airport Corporate Center

7200 Corporate Center Dr., Suite 500

Miami FL,   33126


Lethal Tender

by Froggman Software

Reviewed by Brian Chang

Lethal Tender is one of Froggman Software's new 3D adventures.  Because Froggman's games are affordable (read "cheap" -- this one's MSRP is under $15), I wasn't expecting much.  I was pleasantly surprised.

High in the Sierra mountains, criminal mastermind Thorne Devereaux has established an underground manufacturing plant to produce stuffed Barney toys ... er, that is, an incredibly explosive substance called PAID.  Only a thin protective coating prevents it from exploding on contact with air.  This compound is so powerful  that an amount the size of a silver dollar could reduce a city block to smoldering ashes in seconds.  An amount the size of a nickel would do for a metropolitan library.  An amount the size of a breadbox would put a smallish dent in Ollie North's ego.

Anyway, Devereaux's evil plan is to circulate PAID-impregnated money, creating millions of monetary time bombs.  When the coating wears off, innocent citizens everywhere will be blasted into McNuggets.

You're Nick Hunter.  You're job is to infiltrate Devereaux's underground complex.  You must locate and disable the main processing machine.  Blowing away all of Devereaux's men is optional, but loads of fun.  In addition to a pistol and automatic weapon, you also have access to grenades, mines, and bombs.  You've got to find keys, solve puzzles, and decipher not-so-cryptic notes.

You (that is, you, not Nick Hunter), also get a warm feeling inside from knowing that Froggman donates a portion of the proceeds to the Herpetologist League.  So if you want to help our scaly friends while playing a watered-down 3D deathmaze game (which may be appropriate for the younger crowd who haven't watched enough TV to be truly bloodthirsty), Lethal Tender is worth the money, especially since you should be able to find it for less than $10.

Brian Says:	It's impossible not to compare Lethal Tender with Wolfenstein 3D and its offspring.  As far as gleeful carnage goes, Lethal Tender is not even in the same league as the other 3D kill-fests.  The graphics and sound are only adequate, the enemies are not nearly as fearsome, and your choice of weapons is limited.  It's just not a sweaty-palm, testosterone pumping Rambo-in-a-Maze game.  But it does have some neat features.  It's got mines, bombs, and grenades.  It's got puzzles of a sort, which actually liven things up considerably.   And if you get shot in the leg, you have trouble walking straight (imagine that).  Even more outrageous, if you get shot in the head, you don't see so good.  Lethal Tender's main drawback is its size -- too small.  If it had 10 more scenarios, and maybe a dash of mindless violence, it might be able to compete with the big boys.

Installation: 9     Graphics: 4     Music and Sound: 3     Playability: 6     Monsters: What Monsters?

Overall Rating: 4.5

Mark Says:	If you're looking for awesome raster-based 3D action, look elsewhere.  But if you're looking for good, bloody entertainment, without a lot of overhead, Lethal Tender shows that a game doesn't need high-budget production values to be a lot of fun to play.  There's no music, and the bad guys don't dissolve into a pile of sludge when you kill them, but, miribale dictu, Lethal Tender still delivers better shoot-em-up action than many games that sell for five times its price.  As we all know, the only good villain is a dead villain, and in Lethal Tender, there's ample opportunity to pile up the body count.  Even the simplicity of the graphics and sound effects somehow add to this game's considerable charm.  Next time you're in the mood for cheap thrills, drop by the local software store and pick up a copy of Lethal Tender.

Installation: 8     Graphics: 4     Music and Sound: 4     Playability: 8     Monsters: 3.5

Overall Rating: 6


Lethal Tender

Published by: Expert Software

System Requirements:

If you're running RePlay,

you can run Lethal Tender


Wolfpack CD-ROM

by NovaLogic

Reviewed by Mark Johnson

NovaLogic's submarine simulation, Wolfpack, is the Energizer Bunny of computer games:  it keeps going, and going, and going.  First released in 1990 under a distribution agreement with Broderbund, Wolfpack has now been released in a CD-ROM edition, and will soon be released in Macintosh and Amiga versions.  Despite its age, Wolfpack, continues to be a best seller. The CD-ROM incarnation of Wolfpack includes 58 new missions (bringing the total to seventy), and some lengthy animation sequences.

Set in World War II, Wolfpack, allows you to take the side of either the German U-boat Wolfpacks or the Allied surface vessels who are their quarry.  As the German commander, you'll be able to individually control each member of your Wolfpack as you pursue your prey.  Wolfpack gives you full control over such matters as speed, depth, direction, and weapons capabilities.  Your job is to dispatch any Allied transport ships before their escorts can get to you.

You'll want to poke your periscope up only briefly to ascertain the position of enemy ships before you're spotted and pursued.  You can hug the bottom as you elude Allied destroyers, and then come to periscope depth to discharge your torpedoes.  As a last resort, you can surface to fire your deck gun, exposing yourself to Allied gunfire.

If you chose to play on the Allied side, your mission will be to protect transport convoys from German U-boats.  Wolfpack follows a historical scenario whereby the technology available to Allied destroyers increases as the war progresses.  In missions taking place after 1941, Allied ships come equipped with Radar, which becomes progressively more effective in later years.  For weapons, you can chose among Depth Charges, Hedgehogs (after 1940), and an assortment of deck guns.  The Depth charges must be set to detonate at a certain depth, while the more advanced Hedgehogs explode on impact.

If you manage to make your way through all eighty missions, you can create your own with the scenario construction set.  This tool allows you to choose  from a variety of geographical settings for your mission, and to create missions for both the Allied and German sides.

Mark Says:  Wolfpack holds up pretty well after all this time.  The spectacular animation sequences that NovaLogic has added to this CD-ROM version are almost worth the price of the game in and of themselves (almost).  It's in the game itself, however, that Wolfpack begins to show its age.  It's regrettable, but true, that we've become spoiled by the caliber of the graphics to be found in the best of today's games.  A game like Wolfpack, which was first released in 1990, can't help but look dated.  Still, with its well-designed interface and challenging missions, it's not hard to see why Wolfpack continues to sell.  There is, somehow, a certain roguish satisfaction to  be gained from being in charge of one's own U-boat Wolfpack (much more fun, of course, than commanding the surface vessels). While you might want to wait for Aces of the Deep, Wolfpack is still reasonably entertaining.


WolfPack CD-ROM

Published by:

System Requirements:

If you can run RePlay,

you can run Wolfpack.


Armored Fist

by NovaLogic

Armored Fist is a modern tank simulation which utilizes NovaLogic's proprietary Voxel Space 3D terrain mapping.  This state-of-the-art tank simulation plunges you into battle where you command a company of armored units.

Take control of American units or switch sides and experience the thrill of Russian hardware.  You can take your choice of the American built M1A2 Abrams and M3 Bradley IFV, or the Russian built T-80 and BMP.  As commander, you can dictate strategy for up to four platoons from the Command and Control Vehicles, or hunker down and fight with the men in the tanks.

Realistic combat missions allow you to feel the terrain and weaponry as you plan your mode of attack.  As your skills increase, construct your own missions and set your individual battlefield warfare to encompass all possible game-play elements.

Scan the landscape with the revolutionary in-tank imaging and strategic displays which enable complete battlefield awareness.  Night vision optics increase your ability to track and destroy the enemy.  Call on remote artillery or air support when the chances for victory are narrow.

Multi-channel digital sound puts you in the center of the firestorm.  Hear explosions and weaponry hit the enemy and surrounding terrain as the tank engine roars when you accelerate to meet your challenge.

Advanced graphic techniques will amaze you as translucent smoke and explosions billow across the terrain.  Armored Fist - strap on your helmet, you're in for a bumpy ride

Armored Fist

Publisher:  Novalogic

Distributor:  Electronic Arts

Available:  September


novalogic


Tuneland Staring Howie Mandel
Hollywood is coming!  Hollywood is coming!  The sleeply little backwater of computer entertainment is about to be invaded by the resources and "talents" of  the entertainment industry.  Riding in the vanguard is 7th Level Inc., which has already signed up the Monty Python gang for its next foray into multimedia.  Its first is Tuneland starring Howie Mandel, an interactive cartoon for children featuring abundant sound, music, and animation.

Tuneland is a freeform cartoon controlled by the user through a point and click interface so simple that, well, a child could use it.  Clicking on various objects causes them to spring to life, or burst into song.  Click on a broom, and it gets up and dances around the room.  Click on a hammer, and it leaps up to drive a nail into the wall.  Be careful, though - you never know when someone or something will burst into song.  Click on that mangy old horse in the barn, for instance, and it breaks into a rousing edition of, naturally enough, "The Old Gray Mare".

Tuneland includes over  forty "live" songs in a variety of styles that range from Country and Western to Rap.  Indeed, it seems as though 7th Level has included every English language children's song ever written, from "Baa Baa Black Sheep" to "Three Blind Mice" (although, to our disappointment, the farmers wife in the Tuneland didn't actually cut off their tails).   For the masochistically inclined they've even included a "Tuneland Jukebox" so that you can play the songs without having to seek them out in the cartoon.

Comedian Howie Mandel stars as Little Howie (that's him below), an oh-so-cute little bear who crops up from time to time to provide allegedly comic relief.  You'll find him, Where's Waldo style, in each of the eight different scenes:   the barnyard, the farmhouse, the barn,  the woods, the mountain, the train station, the valley,  and the pond.  Each scene features several different songs and animated sequences, calculated to provide hours of entertainment for your son or daughter.  You can even play along (we won't tell).

Screen shots are available in the subscriber's edition of RePlay.

John Says:  In the bad old days, children used to while away the hours in front of the television set, transfixed by the mindless fare of afternoon TV.  Now we're in the computer age, and kids can while away the hours in front of the computer screen, transfixed by mindless fare with astonishingly good production values.  Ah, progress.  Actually, Tuneland is anything but mindless.  It's clever, entertaining, fun, sprightly, humorous, in a word, delightful.  Even Howie Mandel is less obnoxious than usual.  Unfortunately, it's also completely devoid of any educational value whatsoever.  The only thing kids will learn from Tuneland is how to use a mouse.    An important skill for the 21st Century, no doubt, but hardly one that fulfills the expectations most parents have for their children's education.  As a testament to the possibilities of multimedia, Tuneland is groundbreaking, far and away the best animated title yet created; as an educational tool, it's a dud.

Installation: 10   Graphics: 9   Sound and Music: 10   Educational Value: 2     Playability: 8

Overall Rating: 9


Tuneland starring Howie Mandel

Published by:  7th Level, Inc.

System Requirements

IBM Compatible 386 25 MHz or better

4 MB RAM

SVGA

CD-ROM drive

Sound Card

Windows 3.1 or later


7th Level, Inc.

5225 San Fernando Road West

Los Angeles, CA   90039

Phone: 818 (547-1955)


Jagged Alliance

by Sir Tech Software

Metavira, a remote island in the South Atlantic, was once used as a controlled nuclear testing site.  Today, it's a scientific research center and the only known source of a toxic sap used to fight a degenerative children's disease.  Unfortunately, the sap is the product of a seedless tree which cannot reproduce.  Brenda Richards, a researcher , and her father Jack have dedicated their lives to the delicate process of harvesting the sap.  Lucas Santino, a fellow researcher, has his own agenda.  Motivated by greed and inspired by resentment, he seeks to control the only supply of the much needed medicine.

 	 In desperation, Brenda and Jack turn to you, banking on your connections to the AIM (the Association of International Mercenaries) to help them regain control of the island.  You'll choose your mercenary team from AIM's files, but your choices will be limited by your available resources.  Each mercenary has his or her own unique blend of talents, and it will be up to you to mold your team into a cohesive fighting unit.

Once you've assembled your team, you'll assign individual missions to team members every day.  You may choose to send out only a few of your team members into hostile territory, while others stay behind to repair weapons and supplies, or to receive medical treatment.  Some team members may be too fatigued from prior days' action, and others may benefit from additional training.

You'll need to strategically plan your approach to your ultimate goal of restoring the safety of the island.  Will you secure the island piece by piece, protecting your back as you advance towards your goal?  Of will you send your mercenaries in a headlong charge toward the main compound of Lucas Santino?  Your strategy will dictate your  mission objectives, making for unlimited replayability.

Jagged Alliance

Publisher:  Sir-Tech

Suggested Retail Price: $69.95

Available:  September

System Requirements


Sir-Tech Software, Inc.

P.O. Box 245

Ogdensburg, NY   13669


System Requirements

386 or better PC

2 MB expanded memory

6 MB hard disk space

Supports

Soundblaster and compatibles


Delta V
Delta-V

By Bethesda Softworks

"...You wanna know about Runnin', kid?  The Net's where you make the score, huggin' the Lattice like a Regulan lungworm on a Borian Air-grazer.  You only get one shot.  The speed will leave ya higher than a 'ject of Cephiline Blue, but one mistake and you're deader than a jacked out flatliner.  Trust me, kid, the Sense-Net is no place for a cherry like you.  Jack into your TourSim at home and relax.  Leave the runnin' to real pilots..."

--- Daener Quade

    Netrunner

We're not entirely sure what the above quote means, but we do know that it signifies that Bethesda Softworks is set to make an entry into the flight sim business with Delta-V, its long-hyped virtual reality cyber-space simulation.  Delta-V welcomes you to the virtual world of the Netrunner.  Genetically enhanced humans interface with the cyber-reality of the Net.  They race their fast-as-light thought vehicles down a virtual "trench" against other Netrunners in the deadliest business in the galaxy.

As the Netrunner, you control what Bethesda claims is the most agile craft ever designed as you fly down the 256-color, 3D-texture mapped landscape at speeds where thought and action are one and mistakes are paid for in blood!  If you and your Trace vehicle survive, use your bonus points to modify its armor, firepower or speed to suit your style.  Then jack back into the Net for another run!  The graphics in this one look quite spectacular; we've reproduced a screen-shot above, in dithered 16 colors.  The subscriber's version of RePlay includes several 256-color screen shots from Delta-V.

Delta-V

Publisher: Bethesda Softworks

Suggested Retail Price: $69.95

In Stores:  Late June

System Requirements


Bethesda Softworks

1370 Piccard Drive

Rockville, MD   20850

Phone: (301) 926-8300


System Requirements

386 or better PC

2 MB expanded memory

Joystick or Mouse

Supports:

Soundblaster and compatibles


Ask Doctor Replay
The Doctor Is In

Dear Doctor RePlay,

I've heard rumors that it's possible to add sound to Minesweeper.  Can this be true?

- Soundless in Seattle

Dear Soundless,

Why, yes, now that you mention it, it is possible to add sound to Minesweeper.  It seems that when Minesweeper was first designed it was intended to have sound effects, but they were so obnoxious that they were left out in the final version.  You can amaze (and annoy) your friends by restoring them in the following manner.  Open the file called Winmine.ini, which is in your Windows directory, using any text editor (double clicking on the file name in File Manager should do the trick).  Then, add the following lines:

Tick = 3 (makes an annoying ticking sound while you play)

Sound = 3 (gives you an electronic cheer when you win, a raspberry when you lose)

Now, save the file and prepare to be amazed.  For more on Minesweeper, read on.

Dear Doctor RePlay,

Beating Minesweeper when it's set to beginner level is but the work of a moment,  and intermediate level, though more difficult, is still within my powers.  But I've never been able to complete the game when it's set to expert level.  Any suggestions?

-Stumped in Secaucus

Dear Stumped,

While Doctor RePlay naturally doesn't share your problem, he does sympathize with those of lesser intelligence.  Here's a little trick that you might try:  After you've started Minesweeper, type XYZZY (all capitals) and press Enter.  Now when you hold down the Control key while you move the cursor over the playing field, a single pixel in the upper left corner of the screen will keep changing from black to white.  When it's black, you're over a mine; white, you're safe.

Dear Doctor RePlay,

Doom is a great game, but it would  be even better if I didn't die every five minutes.  What can I do to last longer?

-Doomed in Des Moines

Dear Doomed,

"What can I do to last longer than five minutes?" is a question that has plagued mankind since the stone age.  Fortunately, in this case Doctor RePlay has a solution (and it doesn't involve creams or ointments).   Here are some cheat codes that will keep those Doom bullies from kicking sand in your face.  Type them in while the game is running.

IDKFA - gives you all weapons, keys, and ammo

IDBEHOLD(+L,R,S,V) - gives you, respectively, Night Goggles, Radiation Suit, Strength, and Invisibility

IDCHOPPERS - makes the chainsaw your weapon

IDDSPISPOPD- puts you in ghost mode

IDDQD- puts you in god mode

If you have a question for Doctor RePlay, or a hint or hack for the doctor to pass on, write Doctor RePlay care of RePlay Digizine.   If we use your question, you'll get a free issue of RePlay (subscribers will have their subscriptions extended by one month).

* * *


Flights of 13MIKE

A Companion Book For Microsoft Flight Simulator

Reviewed by Bruce E. Butts

Flights of 13 MIKE is a Microsoft Flight Simulator companion book for version 4.0 or 5.0.  This book bills itself as the answer to those wondering what to do after they've mastered the art of staying up and coming down.

 	Flights of 13 MIKE contains twelve instructional flights of increasing difficulty to challenge and instruct the sim pilot. The pilot is coached by Professors Califor and Miller (both instructors at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University) in the art and science of precision flying.

If you've ever wondered what pilots are so busy with while flying, you'll understand after flying your first scenario with 13 MIKE.  The sim pilot is coached through the process of pre-flight planning and led through the flight by Miller and Califor.  The first flight is Visual Flight Rules (VFR), but flown with the aid of VOR navigation that will serve the pilot well in learning Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) techniques.  We start with the flight plan we plot on the map in Appendix A.  Our flight will take us from RAL to POC. We will be flying VFR on a course of 256 at an altitude of 4500 feet.  We choose 4500 to comply with VFR requirements of altitude of even thousands + 500 feet for headings of 181 degrees to 360 degrees.

Okay, lets do our preflight and get in the air!  Our COM should be set to 128.8 for ATIS - listen to get the latest weather conditions and winds aloft prior to take off.  After setting up  NAV1 and NAV2, verifying that carb heat is off and strobe is on, contact ground control to get permission to taxi.  Taxi to runway 9 and hold short to do your run up.  The run up is the last check to ensure that the engine is running as expected, all gauges are in the green and the magnetos check out.  This is standard procedure for all aircraft, as it really ruins your day when an engine quits on take-off.   Activating our flight plan with Riverside is next, then set flaps, taxi onto runway  9 and firewall the throttle.

Following your flight plan, you will be intercepting the 164 radial from Pomona VOR.  As one who has not learned to fly with this amount of precision before, I felt like I was trying to follow a course as narrow as a flashlight beam as I weaved and overcorrected left and right many times.  Nevertheless, I felt as if  I were flying 13 MIKE and the flight was well planned and charted in the book, even if the flight was not executed with the utmost precision.  Next, we overfly the runway and enter the pattern at 2500 over POC.  Make sure you set carb heat on (ice in the carburetor is bad), reduce throttle, and set up for a landing on 26R.  26R has 3661 feet, more than enough for our Cessna, but don't get sloppy! Contact Brackett when you slow down enough to exit the active runway and request taxi instructions.

The authors do encourage pilots to practice each scenario until they have mastered it before moving on to the next one.  I definitely will be spending more time flying this scenario before I feel I have mastered it.

This book is a good addition to your Microsoft Flight Simulator portfolio if you are interested in learning precision flying.  A criticism of the first scenario is that the destination is referred to as La Verne, the airport is actually Brackett field.  I searched the sectional map in Appendix B for a few minutes before I went back to the instructions and read them again to find the real name of the airport.  The instructions are clear otherwise, the flights well planned and definitely not boring!  The authors' way of referring to themselves as Professor Califor and Professor Miller was a distraction for me, it felt a bit pompous and not in the character of a good flight instructor who would be sitting at your elbow.  Overall, I enjoyed being challenged to fly better, with sweaty palms, and elevated blood pressure and heart rate!

Bruce E. Butts has been a pilot wannabe since he was about 5 or 6.  He's been flying and crashing Flight Simulator since he had a Commodore 64.  He's currently running a 386DX-33 that is adequate for FS4 but drags on FS5.  He uses a Maxx Two yoke and rudder pedals plugged into the Sound Blaster joystick port.  He's had a small amount of time as a student pilot in a Cessna 152.

How to order "Flights of 13MIKE"


ordermike
Flights of 13MIKE is available directly from:

CalMil Publishing

2224 Katahn Drive

Prescott, AZ   86301-3976

Phone and Fax: (602)778-1245

Cost is 19.95 + 3.99 S&H

(Arizona Residents include 5% sales tax)