|
Civilization
IV
The Game of the Year
A lot of video games get produced in a
year's time. Some will be awful, most will be decent
but forgettable, and a few will be excellent. Every
year, though, there are a few titles that manage to
rise above the mile-high mass of shrink-wrapped boxes
to become one of the Top 10 Games of the Year. This
year, our top honor went to Firaxis Studios for its
brilliant updating of Sid Meier's classic Civilization
franchise. Civilization IV was everything a Game of
the Year should be, broadly appealing, incredibly
addictive, and insanely fun.
For those who
haven't played the game, Civilization IV is a strategy
title that lets players take a stone age tribe and
manage their evolution into a mighty, world-spanning
empire that might either conquer the globe or expand
its reach into space. That simple description, though,
doesn't even begin to hint at the depths that await
players who dive into Sid's world. Managing an entire
civilization's technological growth, economic
expansion, and military conquests is an amazingly
compelling experience. Even better, if fighting
against computer controlled civilizations gets old,
Civilization IV multiplayer portion provides endless
replayability against live opponents. You may be hot
stuff against the computer AI, but there are players
out there who make Genghis Khan look like Chaka Khan,
and they're waiting for you to join them.
We
recently got the opportunity to sit down with two of
the people responsible for our Game of The Year --
Barry Caudill, senior producer, and the game's lead
designer, Soren Johnson -- after they returned from a
well-deserved vacation. We discussed the team's
reaction to the praise heaped on the game, some
elements of the development process, and the problems
the game has experienced since launch. We also talked
a little bit about where the Civilization
franchise is, and where it's going.
Back
To Top
Enemy
Territory: Quake Wars
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars pits the armies of Earth
against the invading alien Strogg in an online
strategic shooter. Players choose to battle as one of
five unique classes in either the EDF (Earth Defense
Force -- humans) or the barbaric alien Strogg armies.
Troops use 40+ conventional and futuristic vehicles,
deployable structures, and defense systems like
quad-bikes, tanks, and alien walkers for epic ground
assaults; or helicopters and anti-gravity ships to
lend firepower from the air. Throughout each battle,
teams establish bases, deploy defense structures,
artillery, radar, and advanced forward-command systems
into enemy territory while constructing and
demolishing obstacles to speed progress and gain a
tactical advantage over the enemy.
Back
To Top
The
Sims 2 Open for Business
This expansion
for The Sims 2 lets you put your sims to work. Now
your Sims can create their own businesses. They can
design their own clothing boutique, beauty salon,
florist, high-end electronics shop, bustling
restaurant chain, or virtually any other type of
business. Hire your staff as the business grows and
put talented Sims to work making toys, running the
register, crafting floral bouquets, giving sales
pitches, or manufacturing robots. But watch out for
slacker employees and be prepared to fire them on the
spot. From clever tinkered to master craftsman,
develop your Sim's talents to best suit your business
needs. Will they build a thriving business empire or
become eccentric entrepreneurs designing the next big
thing?
Note: This expansion pack requires the full
version of The Sims 2 to play.
Back
To Top
|
