 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 | ||||
Japanese schoolgirls driving the toy rev... Score on the field; rock the hous... Video game for next millennium ... Here's what you should ask Santa fo... New web site drives quick deals on wheel... Prune your backyard doodlings into shap... Bank from home and stay aliv... Mini notes break into the top of the mob... Rand's recovery cuts prices... |
best games of 1998IN 1998, for the first time, computer gamers were taken be yond the monitor screen. Gamers now have all the benefits of 3-D audio and visual effects, which take them deeper into games than ever before. Gaming has become more than just the game - the toys you use to play also contribute to realism. I have split up my top 10 into two sections, namely games and the toys you use to play them. Let's start with the toys:1The video card: This is what gives you that whole 3-D feel in a game, and my choice for the video card of the year has to be the Creative Voodoo 2 3D- Blaster. This took gaming to a whole new level, particularly games such as World Cup '98, which was nearly better than the real thing. 2The sound card: This might start to sound like a plug for Creative Labs, but it's just that it brought us all the best toys of the year, except, maybe, for the joystick. The Sound Blaster Live sound card brought us Environmental Audio. Instead of hearing the same old sounds, you get taken inside the game - bullets whizz past your ears and planes crash behind you. Ah, but there is a catch here - with standard little speakers, you aren't going to get this kind of 3-D audio. 3The speakers: Cambridge SoundWorks PCWorks Four Point surround-sound speakers, brought to you, once again, by Creative Labs. The name's a mouthful, but worth it. The speakers are set up around the gamer, two speakers in front, two behind and a bass speaker at the foot of the table. This envelopes the gamer in a totally new dimension. 4The joystick: The all-important tool that lets you take control. I must be honest - not being too enthusiastic about flight simulators, I've always relied on my trusty four-button game pad. But I have to say that the Microsoft Sidewinder Freestyle Pro is the best controller I have ever used. Now onto the games. This year was also the year of World Cup '98, which, for my money, was the game of the year. With all the excitement surrounding the real World Cup, this game just had to be a success. But let's get on to the 10 best games that came out before this month. Please note that this choice is my personal best-of list and does not reflect the choice of the editor or anyone else. You may agree or disagree with me but that's part of what makes gaming so much fun. 1World Cup '98: It's number one for many a good reason, but this is the ultimate football sim, bringing you 3D visuals and lifelike commentary. World Cup '98 takes you to the World Cup and beyond. Never before has a soccer game been so realistic that you don't care about the fact that you aren't watching the real thing. World Cup '98, released by Electronic Arts Africa, was the official game of the World Cup. 2Starcraft: Many have rated this as the best real-time strategy game ever, and I must say that, despite this being my first foray into strategy gaming, it didn't disappoint. 3Tomb Raider 2: Lara Croft rules! Need I say more? The follow-up to the original Tomb Raider doesn't disappoint. 4Riven: This is one of the finest games of 1998. The graphics are unbelievable and this is the one game I have continued to play nearly all year. Riven is the follow-up to Myst, one of the best games of 1997. 5Quake II: The ultimate action-packed shoot-'em-up game but Quake II really comes into its own when you use the multiplayer option. 6Tiger Woods '99: It was a close tussle between Links LS '98 and Tiger Woods '99 in the golfing sim arena, but the enjoyability of Tiger gave him the edge - as if he needs another edge. 7Unreal: Another shoot-'em-up. I must be honest, I'm not into death and destruction, but this is one of the best in the old shoot-and-destroy genre. 8FA Premier League Football Manager '99: The best football management sim to come out, this is a new game but deserves a place in the top 10. 9MS Flight Simulator '98: This game and its predecessors have always been rated as Microsoft's strong point when it comes to gaming, but I've never been into flight sims - probably because I keep crashing. 10The X-Files: Being a bit of a sci-fi buff, I really enjoyed this one. Special agents Mulder and Scully take you on a never-ending and imaginative joyride through the dark side. This year was also the year the Sony PlayStation really came to the fore in the gaming world, so here is a list of my top 10 PlayStation games for 1998: 1 World Cup '98 2 Tomb Raider 2 3 Gran Turismo 4 Diablo 5 Final Fantasy VII 6 Croc 7 Die Hard 8 Road Rash 3D 9 Need for Speed III 10 Knockout Kings 99
|