Games Grown-Ups Play
Our editors pick the hottest titles around, from quiz shows to fantasy games, just in time for the holiday season.The Staff of PC World
The most interactive games in the world don't require a PC. When you play a board game or cards, you take turns with friends. You win. You lose. You chat. Maybe you even cheat. In contrast, computer gaming has gained a reputation for being a solitary, somewhat antisocial indulgence. But that's changing. So we at PC World took a breather from our busy workdays to try out some of the latest PC games and found ourselves glued to our screens--sometimes alone, but often in groups.
We delved into games in a variety of categories--action, puzzle, strategy, and sports, among others--and found a dozen that make great gifts for deserving folks of all types (including, of course, yourself). Some are simple quizzes; others, including various action and racing games, offer heightened realism and special effects that take advantage of the latest 3D technologies. Several titles allow multiple players to compete, either in person or over the Internet.
Think you need an ultrapotent PC to play great games? Well, you really don't. The majority of these packages can run on any system carrying at least a 266-MHz Pentium II processor, 32MB of RAM, a two-year-old or younger graphics card, and Windows 95 or later. Most are also notebook-friendly--good news for laptop-toting road warriors who could use a break from spreadsheets and presentations.
If you're looking for a truly immersive gaming experience, some upgrades may be in order. For super-realistic visuals, invest in a desktop PC with a solid 3D graphics card (see Top 10 Graphics Boards); a high-grade sound card like Creative Labs' Sound Blaster Live X-Gamer; stereo speakers like the ProMedia V.2-400 THX set from Klipsch; and--if the game you play supports it--a joystick from a vendor such as Logitech, Microsoft, or Thrustmaster. For online gaming, a fast, always-on cable modem or DSL connection works wonders.
One other thing: Nearly all the games here are sequels, spin-offs, or add-ons. We didn't plan it that way, but good new gaming ideas are in short supply. So while you await the next Tetris or Myst, keep yourself entertained with these amusing offshoots of proven winners. Let's play!
For Control Freaks
Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion
Warfaring Fun for Your Inner Attila: With Age of Empires II: The Conquerors, Microsoft revitalizes its real-time strategy game, challenging players to build an empire out of a budding medieval civilization. The original version had exceptional multiplayer features and was a longtime best-seller, so the expansion pack is not unexpected. (You need the original game to play Age of Empires II.) This update adds five new civilizations for players to control (including Aztec and Mayan) and lots of new troop units and technologies. Routine tasks like replanting farms are now automated, and all units gain an intelligence upgrade. Unfortunately, the original game's delicate game-play balance has been upset slightly by a powerful new unit that gives one civilization a bit of an edge. Even so, fans of the earlier game are sure to appreciate The Conquerors Expansion. And if you're a game player who's still stuck in the pre-Age of Empires dark ages, this add-on will give you one more reason to start laying your foundation for world domination. --Eric Dahl
| Buying Information |
$ 30 Publisher: Microsoft; Developer: Ensemble Studios 888/218-5617 http://www.microsoft.com/games/conquerors |
Lemmings Revolution
The Little Lemmings Are Back--In 3D: The last new PC puzzle game I loved was Microsoft's Pandora's Box, an assortment of 2D and 3D jigsaw puzzles created over a year ago by Alexey Pajitnov of Tetris fame. Of the new ones I tested, the only keeper was Lemmings Revolution, another sequel to a PC classic. Like its Lemmings predecessors, Revolution lets you give your hordes of automaton-like creatures the strategic skills they need to escape a mass march to extinction. Veteran Lemmings fans will recognize such talents as climbing and digging, but I don't remember ever seeing the Jesus Lemmings before (they can walk on water). This single-player game has been updated visually, too, so now you need a PC with decent 3D graphics capability. Although they weren't ready at press time, two other forthcoming 3D puzzlers should also find enthusiastic audiences: Mattel's RealMyst 3D Interactive Edition, an updated version of the surreal 1990s blockbuster Myst; and the 3D version of LucasArts' Escape from Monkey Island. --Yardena Arar
| Buying Information |
$ 20 Publisher: Take-Two Interactive; Developer: Psygnosis 800/211-6504 http://www.talonsoft.com |
Return of the Incredible Machine: Contraptions
The Family That Tinkers Together: There's something fundamentally and deeply satisfying about building things, whether you're producing a flashy, multipurpose contraption or a simple one-trick doohickey. Return of the Incredible Machine: Contraptions, a follow-up to the original Incredible Machine CD-ROM game, tests your ability to construct ingenious gizmos out of various components--ranging from ropes to conveyor belts to mouse motors--so that you can achieve a trickier-than-it-sounds goal such as dropping a ball into a basket or lighting fireworks. Either one or two players can work at a single computer, solving puzzles that range from reasonably simple to ultra-challenging; the game's varying levels of difficulty make it suitable for kids and grown-ups alike. Inspired by the fanciful creations of cartoonist Rube Goldberg, this inventive puzzler does a great job of combining humor, entertaining background music, and a bright, cartoonlike look.--Grace Aquino
| Buying Information |
$ 30 Publisher: Sierra; Developer: Dynamix 800/757-7707 http://www.nowthisisfun.com/contraptions |
RollerCoaster Tycoon: Loopy Landscapes Expansion Pack
A Theme Park of Your Own: One of last year's greatest hits, RollerCoaster Tycoon, has just spawned another expansion pack: Loopy Landscapes. Corkscrew Follies, an earlier expansion package, comes bundled in the Loopy Landscapes box. (Investment note: You must have RollerCoaster Tycoon to play either of these add-ons.) Loopy Landscapes offers quirky new roller-coaster rides (like the jet ski), park shops (including T-shirt and doughnut stands), and park themes (such as urban and winter landscapes). You can play in 30 different settings, including the arctic, the desert, medieval castles, and even actual English amusement parks. So hop aboard, remain seated, and secure your personal belongings. --GA
| Buying Information |
$ 30 Publisher: Hasbro Interactive; Developer: Chris Sawyer/MicroProse 800/400-1352 http://www.hasbrointeractive.com |
The Sims: Livin' Large Expansion Pack
Playing God Just Got a Little Weirder: Satisfy your urge to meddle (without calling up your relatives) and your appetite for the absurd (without reading the newspaper) by spending some quality time with Livin' Large, Maxis's latest expansion pack to supplement its popular single-player game, The Sims. As in the original game (which you must have in order to play this version), your task is to control the everyday lives of your Sims citizens--only this time the scenarios have grown even kookier, from alien abductions to roach infestations. Among the strange new objects are such potentially havoc-inducing set pieces as a personality-altering chemistry set and an exploding garden gnome. Strike a blow for nurture over nature by selecting any of five new career tracks and 50 new job options designed to help you prepare your character for life as a hard-core hacker, an eagle-eyed journalist, or many other plum vocations. You can also choose from an array of offbeat new architectural settings, including a cheesy Vegas theme and an appropriately psychedelic 1960s look. All in all, this is one virtual dollhouse you don't want to miss. --GA
| Buying Information |
$ 30 Publisher: Electronic Arts; Developer: Maxis 877/324-2637 http://www.thesims.com |
Race for the Gold
Links 2001
Your Chance to Putt With the Pros: Short of an enormously expensive road trip or a full-fledged holodeck, Microsoft's Links 2001 is as close as you can get to playing golf at St. Andrews, Whistler, and Westfield. This latest version of Links permits multiple players to compete head-to-head (online or through a LAN), and it delivers the best graphics I've ever seen in a golf game--six challenging world-class courses are rendered in photo-realistic detail. Game play features realistic ball physics and accurate greens based on GPS surveys. You can tap any of 15 golfers, including Arnold Palmer and Annika Sorenstam, to join you for a round, and individual players can tweak the game's club distances to reflect their own. Links 2001 also provides a fine course designer so you can re-create your favorite home course or construct the most outlandish layout imaginable. If your tastes run more to contact sports, EA Sports' Madden NFL 2001 has you covered.--ED
| Buying Information |
$ 55 Publisher: Microsoft; Developer: Microsoft 888/218-5617 http://www.microsoft.com/games/links2001 |
Midtown Madness 2
Driver's Miseducation at Its Finest: Does the horror of your daily rush-hour commute leave you daydreaming about a series of vengeful motoring acts that AAA would never approve of: blindsiding cars that cut you off and then evading the police by speeding down the nearest interstate in the wrong direction? Grab a copy of Microsoft's Midtown Madness 2, and you can run amok without damaging your driving record. This sequel improves on its predecessor by offering several new vehicles--including cars, trucks, buses, and even a light attack vehicle--and two world-famous cities rendered in wonderful detail to cruise, race, or crash your way through. Midtown Madness 2 meticulously re-creates San Francisco and London, from the signature landmarks and neighborhoods to the hapless pedestrians scrambling out of your way. You can battle up to seven other irresponsible motorists over a LAN or Internet connection (via MSN Gaming Zone). Oh, a word of advice on the locals: This ain't Carmageddon, so don't waste your time trying to run over any gawking tourists--the worst you can do is send them diving out of your path. --Matt Halloran
| Buying Information |
$ 45 Publisher: Microsoft; Developer: Angel Studios 888/218-5617 http://www.microsoft.com/games/midtown2 |
Full-Blown Fantasy
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
Wizards Do the Darndest Things: This worthy sequel to the highly acclaimed Baldur's Gate drops you right into the middle of an epic adventure story occurring in one of the most beautiful and detailed fantasy worlds this side of a Tolkien novel. As the action begins, your character is trapped in a dungeon, imprisoned by a powerful wizard. With the help of some friends from the original Baldur's Gate, you must fight your way out and embark on stirring adventures. Up to six players can compete via a LAN, Internet, modem, or serial connection. The lovely artwork, stunning spell effects, and gripping story of BGII are sure to keep role-playing game fans glued to their computer screen for days. You do, however, need a powerful PC to play the game in all its glory. Even my high-end Athlon-800 machine packed with 128MB of RAM choked on some of the battles. If Baldur's Gate II leaves you wanting more, Interplay's Icewind Dale and Blizzard's Diablo II are both good for hours of additional role-playing action. --ED
| Buying Information |
$ 50 Publisher: Interplay; Developer: Bioware 800/468-3775 http://www.interplay.com |
EverQuest: The Ruins of Kunark
Wanna Meet Some Trolls Online? One online game stands out from the crowd and continues to lure people in: EverQuest. Set in a fantasy world called Norrath, this game enjoys a huge cult following. Players design characters of various legendary races (such as dwarves, elves, and trolls) and types (magicians, warriors, and so on), and then send them roaming throughout the land to slay creatures and fulfill quests. The characters you create can also join guilds--a tactic that enables them to explore Norrath's more dangerous areas as part of a group. To play EverQuest online with other adventurers, you must fork over approximately $26 every three months, which poses a bit of a burden--especially if you are purchasing the CD-ROM ($40) as the gift and expecting the lucky recipient to come up with the recurring access fee. Its high price notwithstanding, the game continues to enjoy skyrocketing popularity. But EverQuest's success has not gone unnoticed by other game developers: It faces strong competition from such forthcoming rivals as Anarchy Online and Origin; Anarchy Online should be out by the time you read this, and Origin is slated to be released in March. (To find out more about the addictive world of Internet gaming, see "How It Works: Online Gaming.")--Richard Baguley
| Buying Information |
$ 40 Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America; Developer: Verant http://www.station.sony.com/everquest |
Tribes 2
Like Chess With an Adrenaline Rush: Tribes 2--a follow-up to the 1998 hit, Starsiege: Tribes--delivers the most immersive first-person experience currently available in an action game. Set in a bleak future in which a fractured humanity has raced to the stars and battled for control over livable planets, Tribes 2 builds on the original game with detailed landscapes, new types of vehicles and weapons, and a built-in online communication system that enables teams to form, meet, recruit, and create a community. This game is at its most captivating when played against human adversaries over an Internet connection in real time, but it also invites users to take a crack at its built-in capability that allows a single-player to compete against a software opponent. It's nice to have the option of playing Tribes 2 solo if the mood strikes, but you shouldn't mistake this pastime for a twitch game in the tradition of Quake. Success in Tribes 2 depends on teamwork. Players must work together to defeat other teams, though strong strategy and shooting skills come in handy as well. Ultimately, the game is so team-oriented that it's hard to enjoy if you don't join a group. And with the advent of aggregations such as the Online Gaming League, serious gamers have transformed Tribes into a semiprofessional sport. --Andrew Brandt
| Buying Information |
$ 50 Publisher: Sierra Studios; Developer: Dynamix 800/757-7707 http://www.tribes2.com |
The Trivial Pursuit of Happiness...
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire 2nd Edition
Virtual Regis, Imaginary Millions: This entertaining but cheesy adaptation of the phenomenally successful TV game show (not entirely dairy-free itself) should appeal to all members of the family. The object of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, of course, is to answer 15 multiple-choice trivia and general-knowledge questions of mounting difficulty. Players may use three lifelines if they get stuck on a question along the way. Purists, however, may quibble with some of the new rules introduced here. For starters, unlike the television version, this game times your answers--there aren't any 5-minute pauses while contestants panic. And you can't choose to pocket all your winnings and quit while you're ahead: The CD-ROM version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire makes you keep answering questions until you blow one or win the whole pile. You do get talkative Regis Philbin to shepherd you along and offer some wry quips. Just don't expect him to ask, "Is that your final answer?" because in this version your first answer is your final answer. --Michael S. Lasky
| Buying Information |
$ 20 Publisher: Disney Interactive; Developer: Buena Vista Interactive 800/900-9234 http://www.bvinteractive.com |
You Don't Know Jack 5th Dementia
Jack Is Back--As Demented As Ever: If you're still unacquainted with Jack, get ready for a wild time. This obnoxious, nutty party game designed for one to three contestants--competing against each other on the same PC or online--parodies the standard TV game-show format. The latest entry in a long-running series, You Don't Know Jack 5th Dementia is unapologetically loud and rude, with questions that are so stupid ("Why did the chicken cross the silk road?") they're funny. Your host is a rah-rah, heavily caffeinated guy named Schmitty, who indulges in a constant rapid-fire deluge of lowbrow humor. As always, the game's multiple-choice questions are laced with attitude; and 5th Dementia also delivers a slew of anagrams, some gibberish translations, and a keyboard-intensive "Bug Out" round to keep you amused. To raise the hilarity quotient even higher, have all players squeeze together at the same keyboard to buzz in their answers. After just one round, everyone will know Jack.--MSL
| Buying Information |
$ 30 Publisher: Sierra Attractions; Developer: Jellyvision 800/757-7707 http://www.ydkj.com |
Pocket-Size Play: Games for the Palm
So you're buying someone a practical gift--a Palm-based organizer. Why not spice it up with some great (and free) downloadable games specially adapted for Palm play? And while you're at it, get a few of these nuggets for yourself. Thousands of Palm puzzle, action, text, and even board games are available. Some are freeware; others are inexpensive shareware. Then, next time you're waiting for a train, you can entertain yourself with unauthorized but accurate clones of such classics as Frogger (its PDA knockoff is called Froggy), PacMan, Pong, and Tron. Or play a game of backgammon, chess, or checkers against another Palm gamer via infrared link. If you like to play cards, check out SmallWare's Solitaire 2.1.8 pack, which includes three free card games: Klondike Deal 3, Demon, and Baker's Game. And don't miss Niggle 1.3 (think Scrabble), which lets you play against four other players via infrared. --Alexandra Krasne
An Online Doodle Dandy
Gaming ranks as one of the most popular of online activities. A quick search for online games yields a never-ending list of card, puzzle, simulation, and word games, among other types. Some are complete yawners, but others are thoroughly engaging, including my favorite, ISketch. Mimicking the board-game classic Pictionary, ISketch challenges players to draw stick-figure graphics on a virtual white board using simple draw and paint tools. Meanwhile, online participants take turns trying to figure out what the artist has drawn and typing in their guesses. Reading people's responses to the drawings is the best part of playing ISketch. There were times when I simply couldn't type in my own guesses because I was laughing so hard. You'll need Macromedia's Shockwave plug-in to play. --Felicia Williams
| Buying Information |
SP Production Free http://www.isketch.net |