Croc 2, Sony PlayStation, £39.99
When Croc first appeared for the PlayStation it was warmly received. The main character of this 3D platformer was a cute crocodile on a mission to save the even cuter Gobbos from the evil Baron Dante. The gameplay was a bit repetitive, though, and since it gave no control over camera angles players often lost a life or two because they couldn't view the action from a better perspective.
The emphasis, however, was on fun, and this is the case for Croc 2 also. There are lots of improvements, including the ability to complete levels out of sequence. Instead of getting stuck trying to complete one particular level you can go and try another before returning to the problem one.
Croc 2 is also a much bigger game. The hero has new moves and an inventory of interesting items to control, including planes, hang-gliders, karts, boats, snowballs and hot air balloons.
There is lots of variety in gameplay, and if some of the mini-games are so simple that they will appeal only to the youngest of gameplayers that's not a problem, as that is the target audience for the game. It's a single player game, but a clever feature called OmniPlay allows two players to control various elements of Croc. It's a nice idea, but it could cause minor arguments in the playroom. Croc 2 is very enjoyable, with good sound and more than adequate graphics, but at times it will frustrate gameplayers of all ages because controlling the character is not always a precise affair, and the camera angles can still be annoying. Games like Spryo the Dragon and Ape Escape are two examples of how this sort of problem can be tackled. It's a pity this problem wasn't rectified, as it mars an otherwise excellent game.
Civilization II: Test of Time, PC CD-Rom, £34.99
Civilisation is one of the best strategy games ever. The player must manage a civilisation through the ages, building and maintaining cities, keeping the labour force happy, trading with or demolishing other nations and deciding what to spend money on. The list is endless.
On each "turn" the player gets to move all units (ships, soldiers, etc) and the other nations then get to take a turn. It is better played than explained, and once played it is highly addictive. Players can spend countless hours saying, "I'll just play one more turn."
For those who have never played Civilisation, Test of Time is a great way to begin. It is essentially three games in one. An extended version of Civilisation II begins where the original would have ended, and for those who manage to launch a spaceship to Centaurus a whole new game starts up on that planet.
The World of Midgrad is a fantasy-based game with characters like elf warriors and sorcerers, while the Universe of Lalande 21185 is set in a future galaxy. These are essentially add-ons to the original game, as the underlying principle is not changed dramatically. Test of Time may be an ideal way for newcomers to start, but it's likely that its biggest appeal will be to enthusiasts looking for another "rush".
Recommended: 200mhz/32MB//Win 9x
Electronic Arts is working on a game which mixes Alice in Wonderland with Quake. It is the brainchild of American McGee, formerly of iD Software. Visitors to the website alice.ea.com can solve riddles to unveil game features.
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