Thief II: The Metal Age PC-CD-Rom £34.99
When it first manifested itself a couple of years ago, Thief created a new genre in gameplaying. Unlike the very popular first-person-shooter games such as Quake, it encouraged the player to use a more methodical approach.
Going out with all guns blazing was not an option, and thus it was aptly described as a first-person-sneaker. Thief II is very similar, and sneak you will: it is far better to pick the enemy off from a distance than to have to battle face to face. Your strength lies in your ability to move stealthily around the levels.
On screen there is a meter that gauges the level of noise you are creating; walking is quieter than running, and it is preferable to sneak up on enemies while walking on carpet than on loud tiles. Thief II isn't radically different from its predecessor - sequels rarely are - but is a welcome alternative to triggerhappy games and one that rewards brains above brawn.
Rating: 90%
Recommended: Pentium 400mhz/64MB/3D card/ Win 9x/
Tachyon: The Fringe PC-CD-Rom £34.99
X-Wing, Wing Commander, Starlancer and Privateer are among the best space simulation games around. Tachyon has cleverly taken certain aspects of all these games and produced a mix of its own.
The plot is quite familiar: you are a renowned pilot who is contracted by mega-corporations, you complete your missions; get more cash, buy better equipment etc.
Tachyon is a solid game with few flaws, and while it won't set the world alight, it delivers a highly enjoyable romp in the stars.
Rating: 88%
Recommended: Pentium 266mhz/64MB/Win 9x/
The PlayStation 2 is already available in Japan, but Sony has announced that it will release another PlayStation onto the Japanese market: The PSone. It isn't a bigger or better console, but it is almost one-third the size and is aimed at the portable gaming market.
It will have an LCD screen (sold separately) and although it doesn't run on batteries (unlike Nintendo's smaller Gameboy) it can, for example, be powered via the car cigarette lighter. A special adapter will also be made available to enable it (and the PlayStation and PlayStation 2) to be connected to mobile phones.
With this connection, users will be able to download information, entertainment content and software programs, in addition to exchanging data with other users. Sony has yet to confirm the price of the PSone but somewhere around £150 seems likely.