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 THE BEST (AND NOT-SO-BEST) GAMES OF 1990

 For a look back at the games of '90, TEG is pleased to offer you the
authoritative opinions of Charles Miles (IBM), Fleeting Thought (Amiga), The
Doctor's Office (Atari ST, Commodore 64/128), Flying Gerbil (Macintosh), and
Randy Snow (cartridge games). Without further ado, here they are:

 CHARLES'S IBM GAMES OF 1990

 In some ways, 1990 was a dull year for the MS-DOS world. There were no game
concepts as innovative as those of SIMCITY or POPULOUS last year, and no new
technology as innovative as sound cards were a couple of years ago. The MS-DOS
game industry continues to be dominated by well-established companies -- Sierra
and Origin celebrated their tenth anniversaries this year -- and many of the
best-selling games were sequels.

 Beneath this calm surface, however, a lot was going on. Perhaps the biggest
change was the adoption of 256-color VGA as a new graphics standard. Although
VGA cards had been available for a couple of years, at the start of 1990 it was
hard to find games that supported 256-color VGA mode; by the end of 1990, it was
hard to find new games that didn't. Other technological changes crept in during
1990 as well: Many games began requiring hard drives, high density diskette
drives, and '286 or faster chips. One game (WING COMMANDER) requires expanded
memory for the game to operate with all of its bells and whistles.

 The other major innovation is the widespread adoption of Graphical User
Interfaces. GUIs are typically mouse-driven, and use icons and menus instead of
keyboard commands or parsers. The introduction of GUIs into the MS-DOS gaming
world has been variously attributed to the influence of the Mac, WINDOWS, or
cartridge games. In fact, the GUI owes its popularity in games to that Atari ST
classic, DUNGEON MASTER (which once again failed to appear for MS-DOS machines
in 1990). This year, GUIs appeared in such games as ULTIMA VI, RAILROAD TYCOON,
and KING'S QUEST V, with varying success. (Some GUIs are clumsier than the
keyboard commands they replace -- KNIGHTS OF LEGEND being one example.) GUIs are
here to stay, however, and when implemented correctly (as in ULTIMA VI), they
make games much more fun to play.

 The following lists are my personal rankings of 1990's games, so it might help
you to know that I'm a fan of CRPGs and adventures who dabbles in strategy
games. If I've slighted some outstanding action games or vehicle simulators, my
apologies! (Thanks to Hercules and Tsunami for their help in compiling these
lists.)

 THUMBS UP: THE BEST OF 1990

 THE SECRET OF MONKEY ISLAND (Lucasfilm) -- MONKEY ISLAND is a rarity among
games, an adventure that seasoned players and beginners alike can enjoy. MONKEY
ISLAND has loads of puzzles, fine EGA graphics, and a perfectly balanced
interface. The outstanding feature of MONKEY ISLAND, though, is its humor. The
game is nominally about young Guybrush Threepwood's attempts to become a pirate,
but the real purpose of the game is to find as many ways to include jokes, puns,
and silliness as possible. Highlights of MONKEY ISLAND include vegetarian
cannibals, pirates who duel with one-liners instead of swords ("You, sir, fight
like a dairy farmer." "How appropriate. You fight like a cow!"), and the
funniest fight scene ever put on diskette. MONKEY ISLAND is like a Warner
Brothers cartoon transformed into a game -- highly reccommended to all.

 RAILROAD TYCOON (MicroProse) -- Everyone likes trains. RAILROAD TYCOON not only
allows players to run their own railroads, it allows train fanciers to
concentrate on the aspect of railroading that most appeals to them. You can try
to run the most efficient railroad, or become involved in takeover wars with
other tycoons, or just sit back and watch your trains steam down the track.
RAILROAD TYCOON's different historical scenarios and difficulty levels give it
outstanding depth of play, and make it the best economic simulator since
SIMCITY.

 ULTIMA VI (Origin) -- ULTIMA VI combines slick technology with good
storytelling to make a great game. It features an improved combat system, better
game balance, and the best storyline so far of the ULTIMA series. In ULTIMA VI,
it's not clear who the good guys and the bad guys are: a refreshing change from
other CRPGs. The game also features wonderful VGA graphics, an extremely
detailed game world, and the best user interface of any MS-DOS CRPG. Various
parts of the ULTIMA VI interface were taken from other games (notably DUNGEON
MASTER), but ULTIMA VI represents the most user-friendly GUI in a game so far.

 KING'S QUEST V (Sierra On-Line) -- In many respects, KING'S QUEST V is a
standard fantasy adventure. There's an evil wizard to kill, a princess to free,
a lost temple to find, and so on. What sets KING'S QUEST V apart is its truly
stunning 256-color graphics and wonderful animation. If MONKEY ISLAND is like a
Warner Brothers cartoon, KING'S QUEST V is like one of the classic Disney
features, with beautiful digitized backgrounds and smoothly animated characters.
This is the game to show off what your VGA card can do. The forthcoming CD-ROM
version of KING'S QUEST V, which will feature a digitized soundtrack, promises
to be the first game where the quality of the graphics and sound are high enough
to earn the title "interactive movie." It's a good game, too, although shorter
than recent KING'S QUESTs.

 LOOM (Lucasfilm) -- LOOM is a fantasy adventure featuring elegant EGA graphics,
a dark and witty storyline courtesy of Infocom veteran Brian Moriarty, and an
innovative interface. Most of the player's interaction with the game takes place
by selecting patterns of musical notes in order to cast spells. The usual
complaint about LOOM is that it is too short and too easy, but that overlooks
the fact that LOOM has one of the best storylines of any adventure game. The
story is presented to the player in a 30-minute audio drama, the manual, and the
game itself, and the plot takes many twists and turns before reaching its
unexpected and ambiguous conclusion. LOOM is one of the very few adventures that
works as a story as well as a collection of puzzles, and for that it deserves
recognition.

 WIZARDRY VI (Sir-Tech) -- I've only played the demo of this game, but if the
full game is anything like the demo, this could be one of the all-time fantasy
RPG classics. WIZARDRY VI retains the traditional assets of the WIZARDRY series
-- clever mazes and puzzles -- but gets rid of WIZARDRY's traditional
liabilities, namely, primitive graphics and a clunky interface. WIZ VI features
sharp graphics, nice animation, and digitized sound effects. Most importantly,
WIZ VI features a complex and subtle skills system that makes combat a true
tactical challenge, instead of just mindless hacking.

 REVOLUTION '76 (Britannica Software) -- You probably won't find this one in the
games section of your local software store. You'll have to go over to the
education section, since REVOLUTION '76 is being sold as a tool to help
high-schoolers learn history. This is a pity, because REVOLUTION '76 is really a
fun, fast-paced, grand strategy game that also happens to be historically
correct. In REVOLUTION '76 you manage the American colonies' struggle to gain
independence from Britain. Success depends on a delicate balance of military,
political, and economic maneuvers. Games take only an hour or so, and a since
wide variety of outcomes are possible, the game is fun to replay.

 ISHIDO: THE WAY OF THE STONES (Accolade) -- This is an apparently simple game:
All you have to do is to place tiles on a grid according to a few rules.
Appearances are deceiving, though. ISHIDO is actually a complex strategy game,
requiring planning and concentration. The format of the game suggests a
similarity to GO or OTHELLO, but oddly enough, the game is more like TETRIS. As
in TETRIS, the goal is to create winning patterns, and as in TETRIS, you're not
sure what the next piece you play will be. ISHIDO comes with lots of options and
variants to enhance gameplay, and it has nice VGA graphics, too.

 SILENT SERVICE II (MicroProse) -- I remember playing the original version of
this WWII submarine simulator several years back. This new version adds the
obvious things -- improved graphics and better sound -- but also incorporates
more complex scenarios and more accurate modeling of the subs. You can play just
one battle, or engage in a full war career, retiring covered in medals (assuming
you survive, that is). The digitized VGA graphics are spectacular and, as with
all MicroProse products, the documentation is superb. SILENT SERVICE II is both
an excellent game and an excellent historical simulation.

 DRAKKHEN (Data East) -- This fantasy RPG has a few problems. The plot is very
linear and hard to follow, and the computer-controlled combat is boring. The
main reason DRAKKHEN is on this list is its unique interface. For outdoor
sequences, DRAKKHEN applies techniques used in flight simulators to create a
startlingly realistic world. Instead of the grids used in other RPGs that allow
you to move only in the primary compass directions, DRAKKHEN allows the player
to rotate 360 degrees. Players can wander down polygon-fill paths, or past
bit-mapped forests, buildings, and rocks. To navigate, the player must note the
positions of the sun, the moon, and the stars. Five years from now, we may look
back at DRAKKHEN as the beginning of a whole new way of designing CRPGs and
adventures.

 HONORABLE MENTIONS

 WING COMMANDER (Origin) -- This is a space-combat simulator with fantastic VGA
graphics, an innovative soundtrack, and a complex role-playing scenario. If I
were an action/arcade expert instead of a fumble-fingered adventurer, this would
be on the "Best" list above.

 COMMAND HQ (MicroProse) -- At last, a successor to EMPIRE! COMMAND HQ is an
easy to learn, grand-strategic wargame that comes with scenarios for WWI, WWII,
and various futuristic conflicts. Best of all, it can be played by modem so that
when you've conquered the computer opponent, you can take on your friends.

 QUEST FOR GLORY II: TRIAL BY FIRE (Sierra On-Line) -- The sequel to last year's
HERO'S QUEST, TRIAL BY FIRE has better combat, a longer story line, and more
emphasis on role-playing. It's a unique combination of RPG and adventure, and
because puzzle solutions depend on which character class you play, it's one of
the few adventures to have real replay value.

 SPELLCASTING 101: SORCERERS GET ALL THE GIRLS (Legend) -- A text adventure with
graphics, SPELLCASTING offers a point-and-click parser, hi-res EGA graphics,
digitized sound effects, and lots of low humor. Best of all, it features the
talents of former Infocom author Steve Meretzky. The text adventure lives!

 THUMBS DOWN: THE MOST DISAPPOINTING GAMES OF 1990

 It's easy to find truly terrible games. Dozens of uninspired, unplayable games
are cranked out every year. There's no real point in talking about those
products, though, since the rotten ones attract little attention and quickly
disappear from sight. Instead, here's a list of promising games that never lived
up to their potential. The following are the biggest letdowns of 1990:

 ULTIMA VI (Origin) -- It was the best of games, it was the worst of games. The
initial release of ULTIMA VI was riddled with bugs. Most were small, but one
particular bug not only locked up the game, but corrupted your saved game. Since
ULTIMA only allows one saved game, those who were hit by the bug had to start
over. Far worse than the bug was Origin's reaction to it. They went from denying
it existed to denying that it affected many customers (despite a flood of
complaints). Eventually they stopped talking about it altogether. To this date,
I've never heard a clear explanation about the bug from Origin, or an apology
for the inconvience it caused. Origin's customer service record regarding this
problem was dismal. Fortunately, Origin seems to have learned its lesson. No
major problems were reported with SAVAGE EMPIRE, and complaints to Origin
customer service about problems with WING COMMANDER have been handled much more
gracefully.

 CODENAME: ICEMAN (Sierra On-Line) -- It ought to have been perfect: Mix an
adventure game with a submarine simulator, and get the best of both worlds. In
fact, the "simulator" part of ICEMAN consists of a few arcade sequences, while
the adventure part of the game is absurdly linear. The game that should have
pleased everyone turned out to be the game that turned everyone off.

 CENTURION (Electronic Arts) -- "As great as [my earlier games] _looked_, they
lacked the addictive involvement and interactive levels of great computer
games.... It's all there [in CENTURION]: great graphics, ...strategy, and depth
of gameplay...." So wrote designer Kellyn Beck in an ad for his Roman Empire
game, CENTURION. He's half right: CENTURION does feature terrific graphics, but
in terms of depth of gameplay, it's just as shallow as DEFENDER OF THE CROWN or
ROCKET RANGER. The opportunity to create a good Roman military simulation was
discarded in favor of including still more boring arcade sequences.

 SECRET OF THE SILVER BLADES (SSI) -- "The largest 3-D adventuring expanse ever
in an AD&D computer game!" That's what the ads for SILVER BLADES claimed. What
they neglected to say is that most of that expanse was a big, empty maze filled
with uninteresting encounters. SILVER BLADES isn't a bad CRPG -- just a very,
very boring one.

 STARFLIGHT II (Electronic Arts) -- The original STARFLIGHT is a classic, but
this sequel is a disaster. If you can get past the ugly graphics,
slow-as-molasses interface, silly saved-game format, and impossible
copy-protection scheme, you'll find a good game underneath. Most players never
made it that far.

 FLEETING THOUGHT'S AMIGA GAMES OF 1990

 Users of other platforms seem continually eager to predict the inevitable
decline of the Amiga. This year proved them all dead wrong (for the fifth year
in a row...when will they ever learn?), as it was a banner year for Amiga game
releases with much more yet to come. What improved most was emphasis on the
quality of gameplay, rather than on flashy graphics and sound (though there was
plenty of that). Computer games in general are getting more and more
sophisticated in terms of interface and sheer imaginative opportunity, and this
enrichment of the actual gaming experience, rather than any technical wizardry,
is the basis of my selection criteria this year.

 It was difficult to pick the ten best for 1990: I started with a "30 best" list
and whittled down, with great regret in some instances.

 THE TOP TEN

 IMPERIUM (Electronic Arts) -- Matthew Stibbe has come up with my gaming heart's
ultimate desire in this one: a grand strategy outer-space world-conquering game
in the REACH FOR THE STARS tradition, with a system so complex yet so rational
that it provides food for thought many months after initial contact. Others may
want to "go to the movies" in a 13-inch box; me, I want endlessly amusing
gameplay. IMPERIUM certainly has that: It requires lots of skill, patience, and
imagination. The design makes the inter-relationship between economics,
diplomacy, internal politics, foreign policy, and military capability quite
clear, and provides a dynamic model for the almost endless testing of these
inter-relationships in a continually changing context. The fact that there are
three brilliantly designed yet configurable computer opponents, and a
well-defined series of goals in the game, is just gravy.

 MIDWINTER (MicroProse) -- Mike Singleton, another British game designer, has
been involved in gaming for years and years. MIDWINTER is the culmination of his
depth of game design experience, and is a showcase for the kinds of things a
computer strategy game can do that a boardgame can't. The games mixes a series
of solid-fill graphics simulations (skiing, hang-gliding, snowmobiling) with a
kind of adventure game (find the right equipment and people at the right places
at the right time and combine them in the right ways to win); it also includes
role-playing elements (skills and strength and other characteristics of your
ever-increasing "party" are determinants of success or failure, and can be
gained or lost), and never obscures the fact that the main thrill of MIDWINTER
is in the strategic and tactical decision-making. (Should I climb a tree to
snipe at the bomber? Should we attempt to encircle the enemy, flank him to the
right or left, come swooping down out of the mountains or sneak up on him from
the valleys?) Such a combination of genres and elements could easily turn into a
botch. Here, it all integrates wonderfully into a seamless whole.

 M-1 TANK PLATOON (MicroProse) -- Surprisingly similar to MIDWINTER in a number
of ways, this IBM-original tank simulation has everything else in the genre beat
cold. It's a wargame, it's a simulation, it's almost introductory training for
the real thing. MicroProse has surpassed even itself in the design of M1, and
given us a game that could literally last for years. The 200-page manual
introduces the player to the complexities of equipment and platoon management
with great acumen, and the Amiga version contains improvements (in the way of
control) over the original that really add to the feel of the simulation.

 SUPREMACY (Virgin-Mastertronic) -- An IMPERIUM-like design for gamers who
really want all the splash, color, and sound, SUPREMACY is a surprisingly
cheerful planet-busting strategy game. Nowhere near as complex as IMPERIUM,
SUPREMACY nevertheless has plenty to recommend it in the way of gameplay, and
proves challenging, as well as attractive. The graphics, sound, and control
system are all intent on giving the player a "you are there" experience. They
succeed admirably.  (Note: SUPREMACY will soon be marketed in the U.S. as
OVERLORD.)

 DRAKKHEN (Data East) -- This computer role-playing game puts everything else in
the genre to shame in terms of sheer gameworld simulation. It's one small step
for humankind toward that ultimate dream of a Holodeck system, as in "Star Trek:
The Next Generation." And it's a wonderful CRPG to boot: All that flash would be
meaningless without any game behind it, and DRAKKHEN delivers as much in the
arena of gameplay as it does in graphics and sound. In the sequel, no doubt, the
onscreen party will turn suddenly towards the gamer and ask "What are you doing
here?!" -- it's that real.

 BANDIT KINGS OF ANCIENT CHINA (Koei) -- Koei has been carefully designing and
redesigning what is essentially one kind of game engine for all their games, and
I think it reaches its current perfection in BANDIT KINGS. The Amiga version has
a very handy mouse, menu bar, and windows interface, which really facilitates
the flow of gameplay, and shows real understanding of the Amiga's multitasking
abilities. The game is a beautiful historical simulation (a genre we're going to
see a lot more of in the future), and is as absorbing as any epic novel. Take a
trip to the past and don't forget to bring your imagination.

 WINGS (Cinemaware) -- One year ago, Cinemaware would have won the top place on
the list hands down with this game. It's a sign of how far things have come that
WINGS is in seventh place instead. It's still an excellent combination of arcade
game, WWI flight simulation, and ace biplane pilot role-playing game, all
integrated nicely with a personalized historical narrative as the background
thread against which the 230 missions in the game take place. Superficial
attention to what's going on in the game might lead you to believe there's a
certain sameness about the various missions, but in fact, the course of your
experience throughout WWI (from 1916-1918) is quite varied, and the differences
in difficulty, type of mission flown, and sequence of missions are all
determined by the effectiveness of your pilot. An increasing variety of
scenarios is introduced as things progress, and the game remains full of
surprises all the way to the end of the war. If you're sensitive to the
subtleties of flight simulation, character effectiveness, mood, and situation,
you'll find plenty here to chew on.

 DAMOCLES (Novagen/Bethesda Softworks) -- Paul Woakes, the designer of
MERCENARY, has come up with another classic here, in the STARGLIDER
II/FEDERATION/INFESTATION mold. Really more of a solid-fill 3-D exploration and
adventure game than a spaceflight simulation, DAMOCLES nevertheless does an
excellent job of providing a range of interesting and different vehicles to
operate; even more importantly, it's uniquely gamer-friendly: The player never
dies (true in WINGS as well, by the way). There's nothing in the design to break
you out of the metaphors of the gameworld, and the solid-fill animation's so
fast, original, and varied that you'll find yourself dizzied by the
possibilities. Much to explore, much to do, and the built-in adventure goals of
the game are just one option to choose, among many others. Truly an original
design.

 INDIANAPOLIS 500 (Electronic Arts) -- Introduced not long ago on the IBM to
universal acclaim among serious racing simulation fans, INDY 500 takes over in
areas where FERRARI FORMULA ONE left off. The graphics animation speed is
incredibly fast and fluid, even at the highest selectable density and on the
minimal Amiga hardware, and the details of the actual simulation, complete with
analog control (a MouseStick is a must for INDY 500, though simple mouse control
is surprisingly easy), must be seen to be believed. No racing fan will want to
be without this one; it does for racing games what FALCON has done for air
combat simulation.

 HARPOON (Three-Sixty Pacific) -- Amazing how many good games on this list are
available across a number of systems, equally effective on all of them, isn't
it? HARPOON is a realistic wargamer's dream come true, as deep and as
challenging and as satisfying as IMPERIUM in a number of ways. HARPOON is a
thinking person's game and a reading person's game. It rewards those willing to
study its massive equipment database carefully, as well as those willing to
master a wide range of systems and group combinations over a relatively long
period of time. Like M1 TANK PLATOON, it's really a companion piece to a larger
study of the subject, though it stands admirably on its own.

 PROBABLY JUST AS GOOD: HONORABLE MENTIONS

 For the sake of space, I'll list briefly another ten games I think equally
worthy of the year's accolades:

 FULL METAL PLANET (Data East) -- Just out, this is an excellent small-scale
boardgame-style strategy game. Fast, timed-move play, in some ways a little bit
like playing speed chess (though a very different kind of game).

 CHECKMATE (Interplay) -- Touted as one of the best new chess simulations to
appear, CHECKMATE provides many useful options for the professional chessplayer,
and is practically all anyone could want in the genre.

 WATERLOO (SSI) -- A unique, UMS-style overhead solid-fill view of the
historical battle, with an equally unique text-oriented command interface. Best
Napoleonic wargame on the Amiga. (_Only_ Napoleonic wargame on the Amiga, as a
matter of fact.)

 RED STORM RISING (MicroProse) -- An exciting, excellent simulation with plenty
to do and think about. Nice companion to HARPOON, in many ways.

 TV SPORTS: BASKETBALL (Cinemaware) -- A successful mix of arcade-style and
stats-oriented basketball gaming, with the usual high-quality combination of
Cinemaware graphics and sound. Great introduction to sports gaming for newcomers
to the genre.

 GOLD OF THE AMERICAS (SSG) -- It's a shame we haven't seen more from SSG this
year; this is simply one of the fastest, most attractive small-scale historical
strategy games available. If you don't have months to complete a wargame
scenario, boot GOLD up for a few hours of addictive challenge.

 PRINCE OF PERSIA (Broderbund) -- Along with TYPHOON THOMPSON, this game's a
reaffirmation of the possibilities of arcade adventure design. The animation of
the main figure is a special treat.

 THE IMMORTAL (Electronic Arts) -- Except for a somewhat repetitive soundtrack,
this is simply the most _beautiful_ game to show up on the Amiga this year.
Proof that high-quality graphics and animation are the result of careful
artistry more than anything else. Gameplay is wonderful, too, if you can handle
the arcade side of it.

 THEIR FINEST HOUR (Lucasfilm Games) -- Excellent value for money spent on this
one; it's been one of the most popular air combat simulations of all time, and
despite the port of 16-color EGA graphics and needlessly slow solid-fill
animation at full complexity, it's eminently playable.

 CONQUESTS OF CAMELOT (Sierra On-Line) -- Sierra games are always a delight to
play, and remain unequalled in the area of adventure design. The graphics on the
Amiga conversions have improved considerably in 1990, and we can expect even
better further down the road. Consider this a stand-in recommendation for all
the Sierra games for the Amiga released this year. In my opinion, it's the best
of the lot, but aside from MANHUNTER: SAN FRANCISCO, none of the rest should be
missed.

 THEY FELL ON THEIR FACES, THEY DID, THEY DID

 This last list mentions games which, for one reason or another, proved a
disappointment on the Amiga. Many of them in fact remain desirable games, if you
can get past the disappointments; I'm spending much of my time playing a couple
of these and enjoying them immensely.

 CHRONO QUEST II (Psygnosis) -- Given what Psygnosis can do, this French import
seems a mild stain on their reputation (a wine stain, perhaps?). It can prove
intriguing, but as an adventure game it's stripped down to the barest basics of
a point- (at a particular pixel onscreen) and-click interface. Give me any
Sierra or Lucasfilm game over CHRONO II.

 IRON LORD (UbiSoft/Electronic Arts) -- Again, there's much in the way of
potential here, disabled only by a few excessively difficult arcade sequences
that lock the player out of big portions of the game. An adventure in the
Cinemaware style, character interaction is interspersed with arcade sub-games.

 THE THIRD COURIER (Accolade) -- Accolade's actually done quite well by the
Amiga this year, and a number of their games just missed my top-ten list. This
one's a disappointment mainly in the graphics arena; for people used to the
minimalist style of the 8-bit CRPG games, there's a great _game_ here. No flash,
but worth the cash if you want to play an interesting (and difficult) espionage
CRPG.

 MANHUNTER: SAN FRANCISCO (Sierra On-Line) -- Unfortunately this game has
started to show its age, and isn't particularly appealing either visually or in
gameplay. In days when there were periods of game drought, MH:SF could certainly
fill a gap, but there's just too much better stuff going on now for it to serve
that purpose any more.

 SHADOW OF THE BEAST II (Psygnosis) -- The new Beast's a disappointment mainly
because he could have been so much more than he actually proved to be. People
frustrated by the tough challenge of SHADOW OF THE BEAST (my last year's number
one pick) will find BEAST II even more infuriating. I _have_ seen one complete
walkthrough, though, so there's proof somewhere that someone actually got past
the first three screens.

 POOL OF RADIANCE (SSI) -- Portions contracted out to UbiSoft apparently locked
this one up for a long time, and stemmed the tide of new CRPG releases from SSI
for the Amiga. POOL OF RADIANCE is a classic, and certainly plenty of fun in its
Amiga incarnation, but after all this time, more could have been done with the
interface, graphics, and sound.

 A-10 TANK KILLER (Dynamix/Sierra On-Line) -- On stock A500s and A2000s (i.e.,
on the main games platforms for the Amiga), this one wins the prize for the
slowest solid-fill animation ever to show in an Amiga game. Nevertheless, once
again, the game itself is just fine if you can get past the slide-show effect.

 BATMAN: THE MOVIE (Data East) -- Once upon a time this kind of arcade platform
game was the hottest thing going. Much has changed in this genre, and BATMAN:
THE MOVIE, for all its professional and intelligent design, has been left in the
dust. Plenty of fun if you're a Batman fan, though.

 F29 RETALIATOR (Ocean Software) -- Available intermittently as an import, F29
proved a real bust in some ways. The flight simulation is essentially
non-existent, and the game is hilariously buggy. Due for official release in the
U.S. soon, I hope something will be done about both aspects in the new version.
Great solid-fill graphics demo, though.

 SPACE ROGUE (Origin) -- Origin's apparently working on improving its Amiga
releases, but this one's just not there yet. The graphics and sound represent
the least amount of effort ever put into a conversion, and are in fact
improvable with any good Amiga paint and sampling utility. Should have been
released as shareware.

 DOC'S COMMODORE 64/128 AND ATARI ST GAMES OF 1990

 The usual state of gaming can most charitably be described as mediocre: Some
games are plain great, others are flat-out horrible, but most are poor clones
and translations, boring sequels, and uninspired variations of the same old
dungeon and cockpit ideas. In 1990, however, more games than ever had something
to recommend them. Of the handful of Top Ten lists that I've compiled for TEG,
this was the toughest: A preliminary list comprised twenty possibilities for the
ST alone, and at that point, I hadn't even thought about the Commodore 64. In
addition to those that all but automatically landed on the list, many games just
came and went quietly, when maybe they should have been greeted with more
fanfare.

 This "Best of 1990" collection is an obviously one-sided attempt to select
those Atari ST and Commodore 64 games that most smoothly blended entertainment
and playability, the two main reasons to buy a game that costs $30, $40, or $50.
While the order is arbitrary and each is first-rate, the ST versions of SIMCITY
and THE FOOL'S ERRAND, and the C64 versions of MEGAPACK and WHERE IN TIME IS
CARMEN SANDIEGO?, deserve special acknowledgement (which is not meant to take
anything away from the others). The Honorable Mentions, which could easily have
been listed with the Best, deserve places in your software library, as well.

 THE TOP TEN

 THE FOOL'S ERRAND (ST) (Miles Computing) -- The only thing about THE FOOL'S
ERRAND that I didn't like was that ERRAND II, III, and IV didn't come with it.
Writer Cliff Johnson should be given lots of money (not by me, of course) just
for thinking it up. Great graphics, 80 mind-blowing puzzles, a sense of humor,
and a complex story (with animated Prologue and Finale) based on Tarot cards
make this one of the best computer games ever invented.

 SIMCITY (ST) (Broderbund) -- After languishing for three years on the shelf
(not gamey enough), Will Wright's SIMCITY, released in 1989, became an
"overnight sensation." After another year of development in Europe, SIMCITY
finally made it to the ST. Simplistic in terms of city planning -- which deals
with real people (most of them crooked) instead of computer "sims" (which can be
tricked) -- SIMCITY nevertheless did more to educate and illuminate real-life
city problems than any politician ever did. Apart from the absence of digitized
voices, the ST version was equal, in graphics and playability, to all other
versions. (Actually, the C64 version was the only one that suffered, and not all
that much, either, due to file format incompatibility.) Now, not only does just
about everyone have a version, but Ancient, Future, and Designer city disks are
available, and SIMEARTH is out there somewhere. (What next? SIMUNIVERSE?
SIMBLACK HOLE?) Like THE FOOL'S ERRAND, SIMCITY is one of the best computer
packages ever made.

 MEAN STREETS (C64) (Access) -- I had seen ads for the IBM version of STREETS,
and while drooling over the promises of digitized and animated color graphics,
flight simulation, and adult story line, it never occurred to me that it'd be
ported to the Commodore 64. I mean, "advanced coding techniques" are usually
misguided attempts to cram too much game into too small a machine, and if ever
there was a ported-from-the-IBM-to-the-C64 game that screamed out for advanced
coding, MEAN STREETS was it. Right? So much for that theory: Slick coding tricks
might actually have been used to translate STREETS to the C64, but the program
exhibited no signs of it. STREETS was not perfect: There was lots of
disk-swapping and file access (eased by the built-in fastloader); the speeder
craft was lethargic at best; and the game overall wasn't even close to the IBM
version. Nevertheless, STREETS on the C64 had excellent graphics, digitized and
animated images, a host of believable characters, and a complex, violent, and
adult story that was well-written and humorous.

 FUTURE WARS: ADVENTURES IN TIME (ST) (Interplay) -- NEUROMANCER, DRAGON WARS,
BATTLE CHESS, CHECKMATE: Interplay has yet to release a bad game, and even
though FUTURE WARS came from France (Delphine Software), all it proves is that
Interplay knows good stuff. Each of FW's single scenes was wonderfully drawn and
animated, and accompanied by appropriate sound effects that were never overdone.
The point-amd-click interface worked without a problem, and the time-travel
story jumped from the ancient past to the distant future. Other than its
inability to run from a hard drive (which wasn't a necessity), FUTURE WARS was a
perfect game.

 MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (C64) (Data East) -- Most football fans I know make it a
point to turn off the volume on Monday nights when ABC's loudmouths come on
(John Elway and Laurence Taylor are "magnificent athletes"; everyone else is a
jerk). Still, it was amusing to hear digitized voices ("I'm Frank Gifford,
Welcome to Monday Night Football!" and "Let's go down on the field") spill out
of a Commodore 64. MNF not only looked and sounded great, it played great, far
better than Cinemaware's TV SPORTS FOOTBALL, which was supposed to capture the
excitement of television crunch time, but didn't (it seemed to operate by
itself). MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL did, and most entertainingly.

 THE IMMORTAL (ST) (Electronic Arts) -- THE IMMORTAL was written by the same
Will Harvey/Sandcastle team that wrote ZANY GOLF, a ponderous, self-indulgent,
and overrated exercise in graphics and animation. A visual DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
arcade epic, IMMORTAL had the look and feel of GOLF, but moved more smoothly and
played more easily. Character and creature movement was lifelike, and the many
small, hyper-realistic details (such as splattering blood, flickering torches,
and fleeting spirit forms) brought amazement and delight. THE IMMORTAL makes
true the claim by Electronic Arts that it is "an association of electronic
artists," something that many EA games of late do not.

 MEGAPACK (C64) (Mastertronic) -- With ten games in the package, the average
cost per game came to $3.50, even though some of the programs were duds. Two of
them, the frantic and unbelievable THING BOUNCES BACK and the fast-scrolling and
three-dimensional COSMIC CAUSEWAY, are definitely worth $17.50 each; and a
third, KRAKOUT, though another version of ARKANOID (itself a version of
BREAKOUT), could enjoy great popularity if only because ARKANOID does: Even
three good ones out of ten serves to bring down individual prices and raise the
overall value. TRAILBLAZER is a previous version of COSMIC CAUSEWAY, and who's
to say which one a user will prefer? FUTURE KNIGHT also came across well,
although screen breakup and flicker shortcircuited it. But who knows? Maybe
it'll work better on another C64. Most importantly, in spite of my theoretically
impartial and informed opinions, anyone could find any of the MEGAPACK games
appealing: If kids can enjoy DOUBLE DRAGON or PAPERBOY, they can enjoy anything,
no matter how dopey. The value/price ratio alone makes MEGAPACK one of the best
bargains of the year. The two or three (and maybe more) good games inside make
it one of the best products of the year.

 WHERE IN TIME IS CARMEN SANDIEGO? (C64) (Broderbund) -- If I'm not mistaken,
WHERE IN TIME IS CARMEN SANDIEGO? is the first and only package in the four-part
CARMEN series to be ported to the C64. Why is that? With its masterly blend of
education, mystery, and good humor, CARMEN has been a best-seller since its
inception. CARMEN is like SIMCITY: _Everyone_ should be able to have it.
50,000,000 people going ga-ga over Milli Vanilli (not anymore!) is no indication
that M-V are any good; to be fair, WHERE IN TIME's 100K sales is no indication
of anything, either: Hype will sell anything. In this case, however, 100,000
people weren't wrong: WHERE IN TIME IS CARMEN SANDIEGO? (and by default, the
previous three CARMENs) is equal in value, entertainment, and playability to THE
FOOL'S ERRAND, SIMCITY, and MEGAPACK. The C64 version's brilliant color graphics
and easy to use point-and-click interface are the perfect complement to the
brain workout Carmen and her band of zany thieves give you.

 HERO'S QUEST I: SO YOU WANT TO BE A HERO (ST) (Sierra) -- HERO'S QUEST I (now
called QUEST FOR GLORY) is the role-playing equivalent of the arcade-oriented
IMMORTAL. The basic elements were limited: one hero, one town, one quest, and a
limited assortment of objects and characters; but, thanks to Sierra's inspired
graphics and superb animation, HQ became greater than the sum of its parts. Too
many CRPGs create a fantasy world so huge and populated that any piece of our
reality, such as those accursed clocks, is an intrusion. HQ blended fantasy and
reality into a totally believable world, and even if this is due to the compact
and intimate nature of the game, well, that's fine. No, it's better than fine;
it's one of the best of the year.

 THE THIRD COURIER (ST) (Accolade) -- When THE THIRD COURIER came out in 1989,
most of us had no inkling that the Berlin Wall would soon crumble. When it did
crumble, it took much of the credibility of Cold War espionage with it. (Even
the film version of THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, made before the Wall's collapse,
had a disclaimer.) In addition to excellent graphics and a smooth
point-and-click mouse interface, COURIER offered a unique "Electronic Dossier,"
where selected personality traits went a long way toward vivifying Hit and
Health Point statistics into flesh and blood characters. True, we're the ones
who have to add imagination in order to identify. But it beats identifying with
any of the zillions of generic sword-swingers. A modern-day spy tale in a
perfect setting, characters with human qualities, excellent graphics and sound
effects, and a mouse interface that had none of the problems of the IBM and
Amiga versions make THE THIRD COURIER one outstanding piece of work.

 HONORABLE MENTIONS

 PIRATES! (ST) (MicroProse) -- One of the all-time greats made better by a
perfect translation.

 HARMONY (C64) (Accolade) -- Regardless of how you feel about HARMONY's New Age
hype, there's no denying its "obsess-ability." If you're really obsessed,
HARMONY can let you slip into the same dreamy altered state that Shirley
MacLaine enjoys.

 JIGSAW PUZZLEMANIA (ST) (Artworx) -- The family, that oft-neglected user group,
gets its due: Digitized images can be sliced into as few as 16 pieces, or as
many as 230, thus creating puzzles for all ages and eye strengths.

 DRAKKHEN (ST) (Data East) -- A sight and sound extravaganza that sets new
16-bit, CRPG game-playing standards.

 RED STORM RISING (ST) (MicroProse) -- A tense, exciting, and complex simulation
of World War III in Europe. Heavy-duty and high-tech.

 THE WORST

 The worst games of 1990 are Sega's ALTERED BEAST in both ST and C64 formats;
Titus's glitch-riddled and horrible-playing KNIGHT FORCE for the ST; and any
Run/Jump/Punch/Kick/Die/Restart game even remotely resembling DOUBLE DRAGON or
DOUBLE DRAGON 2 (also one of 1990's Worst, regardless pf which machine it played
on). The original DOUBLE DRAGON, of course, is the all-time leader of crummy
R/J/P/K/D/R games.

 A special hurrah of disgust goes out to Psygnosis, whose ST versions of ANARCHY
and SHADOW OF THE BEAST violated all principles of decency and good taste: These
two sank gaming to a new low by using copy-protection schemes so paranoid and
malicious that the games would not work. So far, of the five ANARCHY disks I've
seen -- three of them pre-tested by Psygnosis's U.S. technicians -- only the
first package worked...if you consider a single, full-screen, no-further-access
skull and crossbones as working.

 As for SHADOW OF THE BEAST, what I thought were copy protection noises actually
turned out to be the loading of megabytes of compressed sound and graphics data.
After multiple bumps and grinds of the drive head -- I counted 15, at least
seven of which repeat when you restart -- and less than five minutes of play
time, the program bombed; after the thousandth bomb-out, it became apparent that
"compressed data" is Psygnosis's current euphemism for copy protection. No
matter how great a game is, there's no way it can be worth the destruction of
your equipment. And I thought BARBARIAN and BALLISTIX were bad!

 A FINAL NOTE

 A lot of ST and C64 games came and went without fanfare in 1990, and many of
them were, if not spectacular, solid pieces of work. Here are a few for the ST:
BALANCE OF POWER: 1990 EDITION; BREACH 2; SHARK ATTACK; MANHUNTER: SAN
FRANCISCO; CHAOS STRIKES BACK; SHUFFLEPUCK CAFE; and MANIAC MANSION. (Some of
these ST games probably should be in the Top Ten, or at least the Honorable
Mentions, but with the C64 to consider, the line had to be drawn somewhere.)
Here are a few for the Commodore 64: SECURITY ALERT; PICTIONARY; BUCK ROGERS:
COUNTDOWN TO DOOMSDAY; DRAGON WARS; F-16 COMBAT PILOT; and CURSE OF BABYLON.

 FLYING GERBIL'S MAC GAMES OF 1990

 I had expected to start this "Best of 1990" list grumbling about how bad the
Mac games were this year, what with the number of ports and new games falling
faster than a Gerbil off a van. But after pausing to think and review the Mac
year thoroughly, I realized that this was a better year for Mac games than I had
originally assumed. And there is a light on the horizon: Many new games are
coming out even as I type, some of which are extremely impressive.

 I must make an apology to the many companies who released Mac games in late
November and early December. Due to the fact that they were much better than I
had imagined, and because new games don't immediately arrive at the mail-order
houses (which is where Cape Codders are forced to buy games), I must omit them
from this review, even though they may deserve to be mentioned this year.

 The following games are listed in reverse alphabetical order, just to show that
I don't pick favorites.

 THE BEST!

 WELLTRIS (Spectrum Holobyte) -- It shows off what the Mac can really do.
Loosely based on its predecessor (TETRIS), the object of this addictive,
maddening game is to drop pieces down a well, arranging them in rows that
disappear, thus making more room for pieces. The superb graphics and sound
surpass TETRIS' sound and graphics: no mean feat. The color version is a
must-have for any color Mac gamer. You can only find fault with its rather
annoying copy protection.

 STARFLIGHT (Electronic Arts) -- This one combines the space combat of NETTREK,
the puzzles (and length) of an Infocom SF story, and a very good CRPG. Long
heralded as one of the great IBM CRPGs, STARFLIGHT for the Mac is one of the
best port jobs I've ever seen. The game lost nothing in translation, and took
advantage of the Mac interface well enough to keep it far away from the trash
can. This is also one of the most difficult CRPGs around.

 SOLARIAN II (Stick Software) -- This is a great shoot-'em-up. It has the look
of GALAXIAN, and vaguely reminds me of CRYSTAL QUEST. It also possesses a great
sense of humor, such as the Birds and the Fundie Option (if you lose, the
computer says "Praise Jesus!"). This is not, however, a game for the masses,
requiring 2Mb of RAM and 8-bit color. Considering that one person produced it
(it's shareware), this game will inspire awe.

 SKY SHADOW (Casady & Greene) -- SKY SHADOW was released by the same company
that gave us the Mac classic (game, not computer), CRYSTAL QUEST. Although this
is a shoot-'em-up, the relation stops there. SKY SHADOW has great detailed
graphics, small sounds that enhance the flavor of the game, and enough enemies
to keep the challenge going. The game is rather devoid of humor, but going into
MegaMode (twice the speed) makes up for that fact.

 PIPE DREAM (Lucasfilm Games) -- This is a game based on plumbing. The object is
to lay enough pipe (which you are given in a variety of shapes) to contain the
flooze, a pink fluid. The game has different modes, one of which is
(thankfully!) a training mode. There is even a two-player mode (keyboard and
mouse) that can breed teamwork, or a rather interesting plumbing system. Color
is marginal, but the sound quality is acceptable.

 PANZER BATTLES (Strategic Studies Group) -- This game uses the Battlefront
system of HALLS OF MONTEZUMA. This Battlefront system is advanced, and gives the
feel of a great war game. PANZER BATTLES is based on the massive tank combats
between the Allies and the Axis in WW II. The combat can become very complex,
although the color and sound cannot be considered so. There is, of course, an
opening tune appropriate to the game.

 MACSKI (XOR Corporation) -- The only humorous sports game I've ever seen. The
object is to ski, of course, but there are many twists beyond that object. You
must avoid obstacles ranging from skiers who are carried off screen, to rabbits
and ski bunnies (who insult you if you hit them). The game takes time to get
used to (falling down often is an common event), but if you fall down five
times, you get rescued by a Saint Bernard and his barrel. The color is not
mind-shattering, but it's attractive, and the sounds are superb.

 LEGENDS OF THE LOST REALM (Avalon Hill) -- This game doesn't get many points
for originality (you could just call it another WIZARDRY), and it's not in
color, but it's so great you won't mind. Because it's a Mac-only game, it uses
the Mac interface to the greatest advantage. This may only be a computerized
version of AD&D, but it's easy enough not to daunt you, and hard enough to make
its cost worthwhile.

 ISHIDO: THE WAY OF THE STONES (Accolade) -- ISHIDO is really a rather simple
strategy game. The object is to place stone runes on a board, matching pieces on
all four sides. Various enhancements, such as the wind chimes and oracle, add to
the Oriental atmosphere. The sounds are not disturbing, and the colors are
great. You can even design your own runes! What more could you want?

 BOMBER (Inline Design) -- This is a perfect example of the versatility of
HYPERCARD. Although black and white, the graphics are some of the best I've seen
in a game. You can take the job of four crewmen of a B-17 Bomber (pilot,
navigator, gunner, and bombardier). The stress level can change quickly, which
only enhances the feel of the game. Headphones are included, but they should
quickly be discarded when the drone of the airplane gets to you.

 HONORABLE MENTIONS

 WHERE IN TIME IS CARMEN SANDIEGO (Broderbund Software) -- This is the fourth in
the CARMEN SANDIEGO series. It tries to pass itself off as an educational game,
but it's really an adventure game with some educational facts. (We all know that
a game this good can't actually teach us!) You must wend your way through space
_and_ time to find the agents of Vile, all the while learning about historical
events. Color is great, but sound is pitiful.

 DARWIN'S DILEMMA (Inline Design) -- This program is based on Darwin's Theory of
Evolution. You must push single and multi-celled creatures against each other to
form higher life forms. This can become difficult, so you are allowed to
TeleSwap pieces around. The color is fantastic, and the sound is acceptable. The
only feature that could improve the game is the ability to customize it easily.

 CITADEL (Postcraft) -- Here's another WIZARDRY look-alike. It's not in color,
but the great sounds make up for it. The size of the game is rather limited, but
tactical combat is great. The object is to rescue the Princess (who joins your
party), then seek and slay the evil wizard. You can see that originality isn't
this game's strong suit, either. The least enjoyable aspect of this game is the
number of bugs, which have been known to take out entire parties before a spell
can be cast.

 Thankfully, there are no "Worst Games of the Year." Happy gaming, and wait for
next year's great Mac games!

 RANDY SNOW'S CARTDRIGE GAMES OF 1990

 Here is a list of my top ten 1990 picks. It's based on comments from players,
sales of games, and my own personal opinion (as you will very well notice).

 POPULOUS (Electronic Arts) -- This is the most intriguing war/strategy game on
any cartridge-based or computer-based system. Originally written for the
personal computer, this translation can hold its own against any of the computer
counterparts. There is nothing like POPULOUS on the market, and I doubt there
will be for quite sometime. POPULOUS sets a new standard in war/strategy gaming,
regardless of the system it's played on. POPULOUS is available for the Sega
Genesis and well worth the money.

 HERZOG ZWEI (Sega) -- This is one of my personal favorites. The game mixes
arcade and strategy skills in a very unique way. The sound and and graphics are
wonderful. I especially enjoy the two-player mode, which makes this game a rival
for the number one position on my list. Just like POPULOUS, HERZOG ZWEI is an
orginal game design that I have never seen before. Not one game that I know of
comes close to resembling the graphics or gameplay of HERZOG. HERZOG ZWEI is
available on the Sega Genesis, and is an orginal cartridge game. I doubt that a
computer translation could do it justice.

 NINJA SPIRIT (NEC) -- I can't ignore the glowing reviews that this game has
received: super graphics, excellent sound. NINJA SPIRIT reminds me a bit of some
of the martial arts games on the Nintendo (only in gameplay, mind you). The
graphics and sound in NINJA SPIRIT are far beyond anything I have seen lately.
NINJA SPIRIT is a game that shows off the Turbografx-16's ablities and (as far
as I know) is available for the Turbografx-16 only.

 BONK'S ADVENTURE (NEC) -- Yes, this is a cute game, but also a very challenging
one. You will find yourself guiding prehistoric Bonk through many levels. BONK
is the TG-16's answer to SUPER MARIO BROTHERS. The nifty power-ups and unusual
attack method give BONK a unique look and feel. Graphics are great, sound is
super. Another Turbografx wonder.

 GOLDEN AXE (Sega) -- This is another personal favorite. GOLDEN AXE has
wonderful graphics and good sound. In my opinion, it is one of the best
side-scrollers. The only problem is the length of play: It should be longer.
Sega brought GOLDEN AXE to the Genesis from the arcades, and the Genesis version
is very similar. It's almost like having the arcade version in your home. A
worthy addition to any Genesis collection.

 GHOULS 'N GHOSTS (Sega) -- A classic. For almost a year, this game has been the
showpiece for the Sega Genesis, offering lovely graphics and superb sound. It's
a bit difficult to master, but that just adds to the play value. Like GOLDEN
AXE, GHOULS 'N GHOSTS was ported to the Genesis from the arcades. There is a
Nintendo version, but it doesn't do the game justice.

 BLAZING LAZERS (NEC) -- This fast-paced arcade game is very diffcult and will
keep a TG-16 owner busy for quite some time. The graphics and sound work well.
BLAZING LAZERS can only be found on the Turbografx-16, but is similar to a few
other shooters. I hear that CYBERCORE (also for the TG-16) is somewhat
comparable.

 R-TYPE (NEC) -- Another arcade-style game for the TG-16, R-TYPE has wonderful
graphics and is a showpiece for this machine. The occasional flickering is a
drawback, but R-TYPE is still a pleasure to play.

 DEVIL'S CRUSH (NEC) -- With this program, pinball fanatics can play pinball in
a completely different way. The graphics are excellent, and the sound is
wonderful. A definite TG-16 addition. Another game that is _very_ similar is
ALIEN CRUSH, also for the TG-16.

 LEGENDARY AXE (NEC) -- This luscious side-scrolling TG-16 favorite looks like
it will be around for quite some time. Graphics? Wonderful! Sound? Terrific!!
You might want to pick up a copy of LENGENDARY AXE II, too (also for the TG-16).

 And a game that I especially enjoy and would like to give an Honorable Mention
to:

 BUDOKAN (Electronic Arts) -- From what I've heard and read, BUDOKAN didn't earn
many rave reviews. Nevertheless, I like it a lot. Based on comments in The
Gamers' Forum, I decided to buy BUDOKAN, and I'm really enjoying it. Mastering
all the complex moves in this martial arts game will challenge and entertain
you.

 THE WORST

 Here are few games that did not really agree with me, or that I thought were a
complete waste of money:

 BRAVOMAN (NEC) -- One of the worst TG-16 games that I have played in a while.
The graphics are okay, but the speech synthesis is terrible. Every time Bravoman
attacks an opponent, he says "Bravo." You can barely understand him, and that
becomes annoying after a while. If you like playing cartoon games that look all
right, and you don't mind repetitive gameplay and sound effects, then maybe this
game is for you. It just did not appeal to me at all.

 KEITH COURAGE IN ALPHA ZONES (NEC) -- Sorry for slamming two TG-16 games in a
row, but I just can't help it. KEITH COURAGE, the product that NEC packaged with
the TG-16, is one of the lamest games I have ever played! For a while, this
program made me wonder why I purchased the TG-16. The graphics are so-so and
gameplay is very boring. Big mistake, NEC. NEC now lets you choose your own free
game when you purchase the TG-16; I guess they're trying to make up for this
idiotic excuse for a game. Some of you may enjoy KEITH, but it just didn't do a
thing for me, except make me ill.

 SPACE HARRIER II (Sega) -- I don't remember exactly when this game was released
for the Sega Genesis, but I didn't do a list last year so I am allowed some
leeway! All in all, SPACE HARRIER II is not too bad, but it is just boring. I
never could get very interested in it, no matter how long I tried playing the
game. The sound and graphics are fine, but it's way too dull.

 LAST BATTLE (Sega) -- The graphics are great, the sound is fine, but the
gameplay is well-nigh impossible. I couldn't get anywhere in this game. (Several
friends tried to play it, too, and they couldn't get very far, either.) Some
difficulty is necessary in order to make a game enjoyable and worth the money,
but too much difficulty just turns me off.