TWO million people loaded up Lionhead鈥檚 award-winning game Black & White,
the hit of the year. It鈥檚 visually stunning, a game of gods who shape the
culture they control in their own image. A mean god鈥檚 world darkens before your
eyes as its worshippers suffer from its wilful decisions. A benevolent god
brings happiness to all. Then the gods battle it out. A must-have for any power
hungry megalomaniacs, suitable for all ages.
Deus Ex: from Eidos Interactive is second only to B&W as our game of the
year. It gives you multiple methods of play and outcomes, guaranteed to keep you
playing this beautifully designed game again and again. Set in a dystopian
future where the gap between the rich and the poor is 鈥渁s wide as the Grand
Canyon鈥�, it鈥檚 a headlong chase to defeat a secret conspiracy aiming for world
domination.
While Deus Ex: has a bit of the look of Johnny Mnemonic, look no
further than Max Payne (3D Realms) if you want to play The Matrix. It鈥檚
a brilliant John Woo homage that breathes new life into 3D shooters, as you
dodge bullets and take on hordes of bad guys (and gals). Commandos 2 (Eidos)
takes you into a very detailed Second World War strategy game. Blessed with a
huge variety of ways in which to complete the game, you may find yourself
cursing the infuriating controls.
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But if bloodshed gets a bit boring, try Project Eden (Eidos) a fantastic 3D
puzzle game. Its blood-free combat will tax anyone鈥檚 brain. Great for kids.
New games have their charms, but it鈥檚 worth revisiting some modern classics.
Try The Sims (Electronic Arts), a novel twist on the familiar Simworlds. This
one allows you to build and control a person or family. Addictive play, so the
game will last and last.
For strategists there鈥檚 Shogun: Total War (Electronic Arts). Set in feudal
Japan, the large-scale battles are not to be missed. It鈥檚 recently been
re-released in a combined box set with expansion.