games@list.co.uk
PC
FROM DUSK TILL DAWN (Acclaim) 229.99
CO
Tarantino's From Dusk Till Dawn was always a strange movie. Alth0ugh directed by the talented Robert Rodriquez, it never felt like more than a gangster and horror fan's wet dream. Still. there was a lot in it that could be utilised by an imaginative computer game designer. Unfortunately. imagination has been replaced by laziness resulting in a game that lacks almost everything. At some point after the movie. Clooney's character is trying to escape from a prison ship that. due to a hoary old plot device. is controlled by the undead.
A choice of first or third- person does not hide a dull game that is hard to control. infuriatingly limited and ultimately unsatisfying. The two redeeming features are some fun weapons and a wicked sense of humour. fresh from the mind of Alone In The Dark's Hubert Chardot. As confusing as its source material. From Dusk Till Dawn will struggle to find a comparative cult audience.
Ultimately unsatisfying: From Dusk Till Dawn
The geek wars: MechCommander 2
PC ' MECH-
COMMANDER 2
(Microsoft) £29.99
Gargantuan humanoid
war machines have
always been big sellers
: in the gaming world and
it is not hard to see why. From the very first time one of yOur perambulating tanks brushes a 200-year-old oak tree to the ground. these lumbering hulks become personalised. no longer weapons but characters in their own right.
MechCommander 2 challenges you with mission after mission of real-time strategy involving your own army of metal colossuses. The gametime graphics are detailed and realistic. if a little uninspiring, and commanding your troops is simple and immediate. But the real fun comes when equipping yOur Mechs. Do you want a lot of small and fast machines or a few weapon-laden behemoths? Do you want to stand toe-to-toe with the enemy or lob death at them from afar? The equipment Pick ‘n' Mix can take hours and constant development ensures that it never becomes
tiresome. Geeky. but well worth the effort.
PS2
RESIDENT EVIL: CODE VERONICA X (Capcom) £39.99 0...
Who says the PS2 is not difficult to write code for’? It has taken over a year since the system's launch for the PS2 to get its first Resident Evil title and even then. Code Veronica X has been available on the Dreamcast for many a month now. Not to mention that the Dreamcast version runs full screen whereas the PS2 has nasty looking borders top and bottom.
Which all kind of takes the shine off what is actually a very enjoyable game. There are no radical alterations to the Resident Evil oeuvre. playing in exactly the same fashion as the very first title. but it looks better than any of its predecessors. And fans of the complicated stery arc will enjoy the new revelations as Claire Redfield tries to rescue her brother from the evil clutches of the Umbrella Corporation. A long time coming but Code Veronica X is still the best of the series.
PSX
ROSWELL CONSPIRACIES (UbiSoft) £29.99 0000
Ever since that ‘weather balloon‘ fell to the ground in Roswell. New Mexico in the late 40s. all manner of myths and conspiracies have been created concerning alien visitors. cattle mutilations and secret government plots to enslave humanity. But now the legend has gained the ultimate validation: a kids‘ TV show.
Roswell Conspiracies is the game of this animated show. allowing you to play the part of hero Nick Logan as he combats all manner of aliens. demons and conspirators. The game is consistent with the style of the show. the graphics identical to the animation and the dialogue as over-written. But this all helps the
game‘s enjoyment and
the five locations. various monsters and
fantastic array of
futuristic weaponry are a joy to interact with. As
. with all the best kids‘ stuff. Roswell
Conspiracies can be enjoyed by all. whether watched on a rainy Saturday morning or
played on a rainy ‘ Saturday afternoon.
PS2
TWISTED METAL: BLACK (Sony) iii-39.99 W V
The Twisted Metal series
seems to have been running forever. Then again, the opportunity to drive outrageous vehicles. weighed down with highly illegal weaponry and raise hell against a slew of similarly deadly adversaries is very appealing. The latest in the series. Black, is more of the same and. unfortunately. both shines and suffers because of it. The vehicles are more ridiculous. the arsenal is more vicious and the graphics are much more impressive. There are more cleverly designed levels and the up-front humour is as black and nasty as before.
But. as with all other car combat titles. the actual manoeuvring of your vehicle is sloppy and soon descends into driving in tight circles. searching for that killer shot. In multiplayer this is forgiven as yOu laugh at your friend's incompetence but against the computer. it quickly bores. Fun with friends. Twisted Metal.- Black should be avoided by Norman and Norma No-Mates.
(lain Davidson)
ALSO AVAILABLE
Mystery Of The Druids (PC CDV $29.99) Like why did they wear white dresses?
Commandos 2 (PC Eidos $29.99) If they don't delay it again! Project Eden (PC/P82 Eidos €29.99) Adam V Eve the rematch. Millionaire 2 (PSXl PC Eidos £29.99) But we don‘t want to give you that.
Thunderhawk (PSQ Eidos $39.99) Try and avoid the big chopper jokes.
Internet
internet@list.co.uk
FEAR OF PHYSICS
www.fearofphysics.com
It‘s a subject that still brings beads of sweat out in some people. This site attempts to alleviate the cause of sweat by explaining very complicated things in a very easy way. A bit simplistic for some. but for others it does a great job of explaining why stuff happens. It's not rocket science. Except it IS.
DR GRAMMAR
www.drgrammar.org
No. not Frasier Crane. but a kind man at the University of Northern Iowa who will attempt to put you right in the grammar department. A wealth of resources are at your disposal here from asking a question to etymological archives and common rnistooks in English. To split infinitives or to not split infinitives? That is the question.
SD PONG www.liquid.se/pong.html
Everyone remembers Pong. don't they? Back in the days when computers were the size of rooms and had the memory of a goldfish. this simple tennis game revolutionised recreation time. It was basic. it was fun. But now it has been brought right up to date. set in (3D and you play the computer down one end of a mirrored corridor. Better still. it runs as an applet in your browser and requires no significant download. As
Frank Black once screamed. ‘Whatever happened to Pong?‘ Here it is.
GREEK FOOD
www.greecefoods.com
They warn you not to visit this site on an empty stomach and it's really good advice. Mediterranean cravings hit me straight away and had me reaching for the nearest tzatziki (three miles away in a Greek deli). A substantive guide to Greek cuisine. a few personal restaurant recommendations. restaurant etiquette and photo guided tours that will have you heading off to the travel agents.
WHAT SHALL I PUT ON THE FENCE? whatshouldiputonthe fence.com
Testament to the fact that you can get away with any old nonsense on the web and still become a phenomenon. One disgruntled London cyclist has started a one-man war against the owners of a fence in Marylebone that he used to park his bike against. The authorities clamped down on him and he's getting his own back by attaching objects other than his bike to the fence. Surreal? Yes. but actually quite interesting in a weird kind of way. You can Submit suggestions or physically go there and do it.
VISIT ARRAN
www.visitarran.net
No more need be said. Go to Arran, it's a lovely place. This is a complete guide. (Steve Blair)
2t) Sop—4 Oct 2001 THE LIST 105