DOOM 3

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : id Software , Splash Damage And Vicarious Visions

Publisher : Activision

Engine : id Tech 4

Genre : Sci-Fi First-Person Shooter

Release Date : August 3 , 2004

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows 2000 / Windows XP

CPU : AMD Athlon 2600+ / Intel Pentium 4 Processor

Memory (RAM) : 512 MB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 9.0b Compatible Video Card with Memory 64 MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce FX 5800 Series
ATI : Radeon X700 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 2 GB

GAME FEATURES :-

Doom 3 is essentially a remake of the original Doom, though series fans will find reimagined versions of almost every monster from both Doom and Doom II in the new sequel. You play as a nameless, voiceless 22nd-century space marine called by the Union Aerospace Corporation to its Mars research facility beset with mysterious problems--the forces of hell, to be exact. You'll end up single-handedly fighting back legions of hellspawn using weapons like shotguns, machine guns, and rocket launchers. As in the classic Doom games, your foes here are liable to strike at any time--often just as you round a corner, grab a much-needed power-up, or set foot into a new area. So, while your enemies will materialize without notice, and may occasionally startle you as they leap out of the darkness. Over the course of the game, you'll fight your way through a series of linear levels filled with locked doors, and you'll gradually find new weapons and occasionally meet new types of monsters. Early on, your apparent goal is to meet up with your squad, but as you might expect, you'll never actually get to fight alongside any human forces. For what it's worth, the game's premise seems very fleshed out, and the game gives an amazing first impression. As you explore the UAC base, eavesdropping on various conversations and observing great, little details here and there, you'll get the impression that Doom 3 takes place in a fully realized world. Meanwhile, the game's few melee weapons are mostly useless. The grenades and the rocket launcher are liable to damage you just as much as they will damage your foes, since most of the game's battles occur at close range. Most modern shooters now seek to balance their weapons such that different tactical circumstances call for different measures. Also, the stifling darkness of the game does work to good effect during most of the battles. As you explore with your flashlight in hand, you'll suddenly hear the chilling groans and growls of nearby foes, so you'll switch to your weapon of choice and whirl about trying to find signs of movement. The action unfolds quickly and violently.

Doom 3 has some other great details. You'll frequently be able to manipulate computers and other terminals, and you'll do so just by walking right up to them and using your mouse to click on them. It's a subtle yet impressive touch. The text on these terminals is clearly legible when you're standing near them, whereas other games in the past have required you to switch to a separate screen to read these types of messages. Doom 3 also sports some realistic physics, though many other action games have already done this in the past year or so. In the end, Doom 3's single-player portion is well worth the exertion necessary to get through it from start to finish. At this point, there's no clear-cut reason to revisit the campaign, since the action itself will have practically outlived its welcome by the bitter end of your first time through. This leaves you with Doom 3's threadbare multiplayer features to consider. Unfortunately, most of the multiplayer matches that we tried were quite prone to lag, making the game's projectile-based weapons frustrating to use. The multiplayer maps themselves are dimly lit much like the rest of the game, but the lack of lighting isn't really conducive to the relatively faster-paced deathmatch modes; the maps themselves are interesting enough otherwise, and are basically well suited to four-player close-quarters bloodbaths. Nevertheless, the multiplayer action generally lacks much of the visceral and even the visual thrills of the single-player mode, since players are limited to choosing from four colors of just one generic marine player model. Again, though, in spite of its shortcomings, Doom 3 certainly is a beautiful-looking game, so much so that simply running around in the environments becomes a pleasurable experience in and of itself. The environments offer little interactivity; you can knock over certain boxes and, as mentioned, use certain computers, but you can't damage most objects you see and you can't manipulate them in any way. But they're all really, really pretty. The game's character models look about as outstanding as everything else, though the awesome-looking monsters really outdo the human characters. As for Doom 3's audio, it's also quite impressive overall, but not nearly like the graphics. For one thing, Doom 3 has no soundtrack, apart from a heavy metal tune that plays at the title screen and a few rhythmic ambient tracks. weapons sound disappointingly underpowered. On the other hand, most of the monsters' shrieks and roars are just as menacing as their looks, and the voice acting that can be heard throughout the game is of generally high quality. For good measure, if you happen to have a 5.1 surround sound speaker system for your computer, you'll enjoy the audio that much more while gaining a tactical advantage against all those imps spawning behind you. Doom 3 is a spectacular game in the purest sense, and it is therefore by all means worth experiencing by those with an interest in witnessing just how far the technology of gaming has come along. Fortunately, the actual game itself--while not as remarkable as the technology that fuels it--is put together well enough to make Doom 3 legitimately great, all things considered.

GAME REVIEW :-

8.5/10

Doom 3 Trailer :-

PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : Ubisoft Montreal

Publisher : Ubisoft And SCEJ

Engine : Jade

Genre : Fantasy Action Adventure

Release Date : November 30 , 2003

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows 2000 / Windows XP

CPU : AMD Athlon XP 1800+ / Intel Pentium 3 Processor

Memory (RAM) : 256 MB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 9.0 Compatible Video Card with Memory 64 MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce 3 Series
ATI : Radeon 8500 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 1.5 GB

GAME FEATURES :-

In Azad, the Vizier of the Maharajah tricks the Prince into releasing the Sands of Time contained inside the Hourglass of Time, using the Dagger of Time. The Sands wash over the kingdom, turning all living beings into monsters. The Prince, Farah, and the Vizier remain unchanged due to their possessions; a dagger, a medallion, and a staff, respectively. On a journey to repair the damage he has caused, the Prince teams with Farah to return the Sands of Time to the hourglass, using the Dagger of Time. Throughout the journey, the Prince and Farah begin to grow closer. As they make their way to the Hourglass of Time, the Prince hesitates, and the Vizier uses magic to throw him and Farah into a tomb. Inside the tomb, the Prince and Farah find baths, which they use and show affection for each other. The Prince awakens, and the Dagger and his weapon have been stolen by Farah, who left him with her medallion so that he would not be affected by the Sands of Time. The Prince pursues and catches her, but she falls to her death. Driven by grief, the Prince stabs the top of the hourglass with the Dagger of Time, locking the Sands of Time back into the hourglass, reversing the events of the game to the point before the invasion of the fortress ever took place. The Prince awakens in a camp, still with the Dagger of Time, and makes his way to Farah's bedroom. He tells her a story about the events of the game, because she does not remember due to the time reversal, but the Vizier shows up, and attempts to kill the Prince. The Vizier reveals his intended betrayal during their battle but the Prince emerges victorious and slays the Vizier. He gives the Dagger of Time back to Farah and prepares to leave. When she asks his name, he asks her to call him "Kakalukia," a word of familiar significance to Farah that she told him of on their adventures in the previous timeline. Despite the convincing look of its huge environments, the game is completely linear, and the prince's course tends to be very clear. Doors will slam shut behind him, forcing him to press onward, and each time you enter a new area, you'll see a quick fly-through showing where it is you're trying to go and what it is that stands between you and that goal. Additionally, at each of the game's frequent save points, you'll see a "vision" of what lies ahead--a quick sepia-toned montage of the trials and tribulations to come in the next area. The prince has a great variety of really impressive moves at his disposal. Like a Mid-Eastern Spider-Man, he can defy gravity to a certain extent, by triangle-jumping from wall to wall, running horizontally along vertical surfaces, balancing on narrow ledges, swinging wildly from ropes or horizontal bars, jumping from pillar to pillar, and more.

He's truly the most acrobatic character in a game, to date, and executing his moves is simple and even intuitive. The prince can't be made to accidentally fall; he'll automatically grab the ledge if you walk him off of one, and you can hang on indefinitely. Prince of Persia's Farah isn't a complete liability in battle. Armed with a bow and arrows, she'll help you pick off the droves of sand creatures that you'll occasionally encounter. Just be sure to stay out of her way. Make no mistake, though, the prince will still do most of the work when confronted by enemies. The prince can use his blades to deflect his opponents' attacks and can then quickly counter either with the scimitar or dagger. There's no lock-on targeting system, but just by moving in the direction of an opponent, the prince will automatically attack that target. You can use this to effectively battle groups of enemies, which will have the prince dancing and somersaulting around while kicking and slashing at all nearby foes, like a kung fu action hero. He can also stab his enemies with the dagger to freeze them in place, setting them up for a cool-looking finishing move. Late in the game, you'll acquire a sword that obliterates any sand creatures it touches, and, by then, it makes for a very refreshing change of pace from the rather drawn-out fight sequences that have come before. Nevertheless, it's worth reiterating that, like all other aspects of the game, combat in Prince of Persia controls very well and looks terrific. Excellent audio rounds out this altogether impressive game. The actor who provides the prince's voice fits the role perfectly, creating a likable yet brash personality for the character that's the perfect foil to Farah's cool-headed determination. The banter exchanged between the two characters can be very amusing, and though the two really don't have time for their relationship to develop, it's still plausible that one does. The ambient sounds in Prince of Persia, from the sound of the prince's footsteps on various surfaces to the rush of wind when he's outdoors, are also completely believable. One fairly clever puzzle late in the game completely depends on your ability to hear the game's clear, realistic audio. The original game presents a stark contrast with the new installment of the series in just how punishing it was. On the other hand, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a game that can be recommended wholeheartedly. It looks fantastic and features responsive controls, some original play mechanics, a good story, and plenty of thrilling adventure. In the simplest terms: Do not miss out on this game. It's fairly short, and it's missing the console versions' bonus features, but Prince of Persia is a truly excellent action adventure game for as long as it lasts.

GAME REVIEW :-

9/10

Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time Trailer :-

TOM CLANCY'S SPLINTER CELL PANDORA TOMORROW

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : Ubisoft Shanghai , Ubisoft Annecy And Babaroga

Publisher : Ubisoft

Engine : Unreal Engine 2.0 With RenderWare Physics

Genre : Modern Action Adventure

Release Date : March 23 , 2004

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows 2000 / Windows XP

CPU : AMD Athlon XP 2100+ / Intel Pentium 4 Processor

Memory (RAM) : 256 MB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 8.1 Compatible Video Card with Memory 64 MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce 4 Series
ATI : Radeon 8500 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 3 GB

GAME FEATURES :-

The main plot of Pandora Tomorrow takes place in Indonesia, in the spring of 2006, where the United States has established a military presence in the newly independent nation of East Timor to train that country's military forces in their fight against anti-separatist Indonesian guerrilla militias. Foremost among these Indonesian militias is the Darah Dan Doa, led by Suhadi Sadono. Charismatic militia leader Sadono, once trained by the CIA to help fight Communist influences in the region, has grown resentful of the United States' support of East Timor and its supposed interference with his country's sovereignty. Sadono initiates a suicide bombing and follow up attack on the U.S. Embassy in Dili, capturing a number of U.S. Military and diplomatic personnel including Douglas Shetland, an old friend and comrade of Splinter Cell Sam Fisher. Fisher is sent to infiltrate the embassy and gather intelligence on the Darah Dan Doa. Fisher succeeds in his mission, and the U.S. Embassy is retaken by the U.S. Army Delta Force. Sadono escapes, and the U.S. launches a military campaign on Indonesian soil in an attempt to hunt him down, much to the protests of the Indonesian government. Fisher learns that Sadono has masterminded a scheme known as "Pandora Tomorrow", by placing a series of biological bombs equipped with the smallpox virus on American soil. Every 24 hours, Sadono makes encrypted phone calls to each of the bomb carriers to delay the release of the virus. If he is killed or detained, the virus is released and millions of Americans will die. Because Sadono is fighting on the front lines in the conflict, the U.S. cannot risk killing him, and is forced to withdraw its forces. Fisher is sent to infiltrate Darah Dan Doa strongholds in order to learn the location of the smallpox bombs. He is assisted in this endeavor by Shetland and his Private military contractor, Displace International. Fisher ultimately learns the location of the bombs, and Shadownet spies are sent in to neutralize them, bringing an end to Sadono's threat against the United States. Third Echelon decides to capture Sadono alive instead of merely assassinating him, due to the problems created when Sam Fisher assassinated former Georgian President Kombayn Nikoladze in the fall of 2004. Although Fisher manages to capture Sadono, Third Echelon learns that a rogue CIA agent, Norman Soth has acquired the last smallpox-armed ND133, and intends to detonate it inside Los Angeles International Airport. Soth cares nothing for Indonesia, but intends to get revenge on the United States for a perceived betrayal which cost him a leg years earlier. Fisher infiltrates LAX, kills Soth and his group of terrorists, and prevents the detonation of the last smallpox-armed ND133 by disguising himself as a maintenance worker and setting the ND133 down behind two police officers, who notice the device almost immediately, and have the airport evacuated. The Los Angeles Police Department's Bomb Squad is then called in to perform a controlled explosion of the device, which is done by an unmanned vehicle using reinforced steel.

On the PC, standard shooter-style mouse-and-keyboard controls let you easily maneuver around, and the mousewheel controls how quickly you move. This more-precise control scheme works well--arguably, better--but the analog control and the context-sensitive force feedback provided by the Xbox controller make that version of Pandora Tomorrow a much more tactile experience. Multiplayer Pandora Tomorrow is based on a key plot point in the game, which is alluded to peripherally. Basically, a group called Shadownet--consisting of stealthy guys very much like Sam Fisher, only their faces are completely covered--is charged with sneaking into key areas to dispose of biological weapons in the vicinity. An opposing mercenary force, ARGUS Corp., is commissioned to prevent Shadownet from succeeding. The big twist is that mercenary players view the action from a first-person perspective--and control the action just like in a conventional first-person shooter. Beautiful lighting effects and excellent animation make this one of the better-looking games out there. Sam Fisher and his foes mostly recycle all the same animations from the original Splinter Cell, so the visuals won't necessarily be as breathtaking as when you saw them the first time. On the other hand, some of the new environments are extremely impressive. Also, some of the new graphical effects for the multiplayer mode are very nice, such as how the ARGUS mercs' vision gets distorted with static when they take a hit. This is an altogether visually stunning game, though it does have a few graphical shortcomings that mar the presentation a bit. The characters who aren't Sam Fisher look much less remarkable both in detail and in motion than he does. The game's frame rate is pretty smooth most of the time, but in certain areas it noticeably bogs down, which can be distracting. Most of the audio in Pandora Tomorrow is also excellent, especially Sam Fisher's gravelly voice-over, again provided by career tough-guy actor Michael Ironside. There's some pretty great, dry banter between Fisher and his commanding officer during the course of the game, which helps flesh out these characters a bit more. However, a lot of the voice-over for the game's secondary characters is surprisingly bad--and not only is it amateurish, but it just doesn't fit. Judged solely on its single-player offering, Pandora Tomorrow would still be a great follow-up to its predecessor. Its missions are even more densely packed with action, stealth, and intrigue, and its set pieces are even more impressive, though marginally so--Splinter Cell was quite impressive to begin with.

GAME REVIEW :-

9/10

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow Trailer :-

VIETCONG

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : Pterodon And Illusion Softworks

Publisher : Gathering Of Developers

Engine : Ptero-Engine II

Genre : Tactical First-Person Shooter

Release Date : March 26 , 2003

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows 98 / Windows 2000

CPU : Intel Pentium III Processor / AMD Athlon XP 1800+

Memory (RAM) : 256 MB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 9.0 Compatible Video Card with Memory MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce 4 Series
ATI : Radeon X300 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 1.8 GB

GAME FEATURES :-

Vietcong features a complete single-player campaign, a single-player quick-mission mode that throws you into an enemy-infested area per your specification, and a fully featured multiplayer mode with a built-in server browser for finding open game sessions online. The quick-mission and multiplayer modes let you play as either the Americans or the Vietcong, but in the campaign, you'll assume the role of Sergeant First Class Steve Hawkins, who is transferred to a Special Forces unit based in Nui Pek Camp at the start of the game. Here Hawkins will meet his other squadmates, including Vietnamese point man Le Duy Nhut and loudmouthed machine gunner C.J. Hornster. Clearly, Vietnam War movies like Platoon and Full Metal Jacket informed and inspired Vietcong as much as any history books did, but in any case, the character-driven plot works well to make the campaign more engaging. The events of the campaign are predictable enough in and of themselves, but they may take you by surprise as they come up, and they're the sorts of experiences you'd probably hope to get out of a first-person shooter set during the Vietnam War. Between creeping through the foliage with your squad, hoping to spot any camouflaged VC before they spot you, and lurking all alone through the VC's elaborate tunnel networks, wondering if you'll ever see the light of day again, Vietcong's campaign by and large hits the right notes. Enemy forces, meanwhile, will always fight from behind cover, and they do a fine job of making themselves difficult to spot. They are tenacious and tend to have superior numbers, and they seem more brave than foolhardy. They'll retreat if injured and will keep their heads down when under fire. Realistic tactics work against them. When the rest of your squad is pinned down by embedded VC forces, often you can take the initiative and flank the enemy, catching them completely off guard for a satisfying victory. At other times, you'll be caught off guard yourself, either by enemy fire or by booby traps. Vietcong uses a combination of sporadic autosave checkpoints and a limited save system to strike a good balance between letting you save your progress as necessary but not allowing you to abuse a save-anywhere feature, which would make the shooting sequences trivial. A good variety of realistically modeled weapons are available in the game, including mainstays such as the M16 and AK-47, the classic M1 Garand, the M60 machine gun, and the Dragunov sniper rifle. Plenty of side arms, submachine guns, and explosives can also be picked up and used, though you're restricted to carrying only one weapon of each type at a time, so you'll need to choose wisely and often salvage weapons from fallen foes.

As you play through the campaign, you'll unlock new weapons and scenarios for use in the quick-mission mode. You'll also be able to play through the campaign missions as stand-alone scenarios at varying difficulty settings, the hardest of which takes away all your graphical indicators, like your health and ammo displays. The single-player game has good replay value, but of course there's the online multiplayer mode, too. Seven different multiplayer variants are available, including the standard deathmatch, team deathmatch, and capture the flag modes. These problems with the visuals detract from an otherwise convincing graphical presentation. The game's character models can look odd from certain angles, but they're rendered with impressive detail, down to the whites of their eyes. Their camouflage looks just right and actually helps them blend in with their surroundings. The various weapon models look authentic, and the ability to raise all the guns to eye level helps make them seem more real. The game's environments look best from medium distance--up close, the vegetation gets blocky and ugly, while from far away, things can look a little sparse. Vietcong's audio is well done, thanks largely to a fine selection of '60s and '70s rock that can be heard during certain moments in the game, such as when Steve is in his bunk between missions, listening to his radio and taking a breather. The voice acting in the game is ham-fisted--overenthusiastic Steve sounds like a superhero's sidekick rather than a hardened soldier--though the game deserves credit for having the Vietnamese characters speak either in their native language or in English with an authentic accent. Audio is also used to further create the impression that you're actually in a jungle, with realistic footstep sounds and ambient noise. And the report of each of the game's firearms is distinctly different. Bullets can be heard whizzing right past you or thudding hard into nearby objects, which adds a lot to the sense that you're in serious danger during a firefight. Vietcong has a lot of fine details such as that one, but they don't change or hide the fact that the game has some obvious rough edges. It's really too bad that the game isn't more polished out of the box. Its technical issues are going to get in the way of some players' enjoyment of an otherwise solid and relatively original first-person shooter, and they'll likely convince other players to avoid the game altogether. Vietcong is still a very good game, however. Vietcong has a lot of great qualities, so it's unfortunate that some technical issues detract both from its performance and its presentation.

GAME REVIEW :-

8/10

Vietcong Trailer :-

GRAND THEFT AUTO: III

GAME DETAILS :-

Developer : DMA Design And Rockstar Vienna

Publisher : Rockstar Games

Engine : RenderWare

Genre : Modern Action Adventure

Release Date : May 20 , 2002

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS :-

Operating System : Windows 98 / Windows 2000

CPU : AMD Athlon XP 1800+ / Intel Pentium III Processor

Memory (RAM) : 256 MB

Graphics Hardware : DirectX 8.1 Compatible Video Card with Memory 32 MB

[NVIDIA : GeForce 4 Series
ATI : Radeon 8500 Series]

Hard Disk Space : 700 MB

GAME FEATURES :-

The protagonist has robbed the Liberty City Bank with his girlfriend, Catalina , and a male accomplice. While running from the scene, Catalina turns to him and utters, "Sorry, babe, I'm an ambitious girl and you ... you're just small-time". She shoots him and leaves him to die in an alley; the accomplice is also seen lying nearby. It soon becomes apparent that the player character has survived but has been arrested and subsequently found guilty and sentenced to jail. While he is being transferred, an attack on the police convoy aimed at kidnapping an unrelated prisoner sets him free. With the help of fellow escaped prisoner 8-Ball, the player character then takes on work as a local thug and rises in power as he works for multiple rival crime gangs. In the process, Maria, the wife of a local Mafia boss, begins to take a liking to him. The Mafia leader, Salvatore, grows suspicious and lures the player to a death trap; but Maria saves him, remaining close to him throughout the storyline. He later goes to work for others, including the Liberty City Yakuza, a corrupt police officer and media mogul Donald Love. Eventually, his exploits attract the attention of Catalina, now affiliated with a Colombian drug cartel, resulting in the kidnapping of Maria. This gives him the opportunity to face Catalina once more, resulting in a large firefight and Catalina's death. While these 73 missions provide a proper plot and a beginning, middle, and end to the game, you can attempt them at your leisure. In between the missions, you're free to do whatever you want, either on foot or in any number of vehicles, most of which you can relinquish from their owners at the touch of a button. Other than the always satisfying manufacture of general chaos, there are plenty of more-structured tasks to undertake. For instance, if you steal a cab, you can begin accepting fares in what amounts to a nearly complete re-creation of Crazy Taxi. Police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances also each have timed subgames associated with them. In addition, there are 20 mass-destruction challenges (called "rampages"), 100 hidden packages to find, and 20 cinematic superjumps hidden throughout the city. Completing these side tasks grants you various bonuses, ranging from access to extra weapons to cash bonuses.

Sound remains excellent. For character voices, Rockstar managed to recruit some well-known actors, including Joe Pantoliano, Michael Madsen, Kyle McLachlan, and Robert Loggia. The nine radio stations from the original are all intact. They feature a mix of music, from rap to classical, and even include a legitimately funny talk radio station. An option has been added to program a 10th station with your own MP3s. However, one excellent new feature of the PC port makes up for the botched replay system: mouselook. The ability to freely look around improves every aspect on the on-foot controls. General exploration is easier, and aiming is no longer a chore. Judged solely as an enhanced port, Grand Theft Auto III is a little lacking. Other than the addition of mouselook--whose beneficial impact on gameplay cannot be understated--nothing much has been added. There's no new content, the replay feature is pretty bad, and by improving just some of the graphical elements, the overall visual effect has arguably gotten worse. But--and this is a big "but"--GTAIII is a faithful port of a truly exceptional game. As long as you have a PC an order of magnitude greater than publisher's recommended specs, then you'll find in Grand Theft Auto III one of the most inventive and satisfying action games of all time. Grand Theft Auto III is a faithful port of a truly exceptional game.

GAME REVIEW :-

9/10

Grand Theft Auto: III Trailer :-