Dommelsch 1999
Genre: Sport, Simulation
Rating: 2/6
Language: English
Licence: Freeware
System: PC

Every sport has been converted into a computer game already. Football, basketball, ice hockey and so on. Then there are some 'sports' which aren't really sports at all! Like for example motor racing, fishing, chess or...... darts. All these have one thing in common: no athletic ability is needed. So why call them sports then? Well, maybe so that the people doing it can proudly say I'm doing sports ;)

Three Sixty 1990
Genre: Simulation
Rating: 2/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Unlike the highly realistic 'Aces of the Deep' 'Das Boot' takes more emphasis on action elements then on tactical planning. This becomes obvious in several aspects which are discussed later. Graphics are quite ok for 1990 whereas the sound is minimalistic.

Attic 1992
Genre: RPG
Rating: 4/6
Language: Deutsch, English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Das Schwarze Auge (The Dark Eye) is the most popular role playing game in Germany, and everybody even only remotely interested in this topic has heard of it. Controversial (sometimes even borderline funny) magic spells are guaranteed to break the ice and create an athmosphere. The detailed character system offers unequalled opportunities and the lovingly designed game world - the continent of Aventuria (called Arkania in this computer game) under the constant threat of the Orcs, the tough Thorwalians - a people reminding of the Vikings - everything required for a good old-fashioned role-playing game is there.

Millenium 1992
Genre: Adventure
Rating: 2/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Egypt in 1920. A mysterious artifact found on the black market. Inside: a scroll containing a mysterious prophecy. The perfect prerequisites for the followup of the excellent Hound of Shadow? Yes. A worthy followup? No.

Lucas Arts 1993
Genre: Adventure
Rating: 5/6
Language: English, Deutsch, Français, Castellano, Italiano
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Look, behind you, a three-headed monkey! Wrong game, wood-lover. Anyway, you know, in spite of Monkey Island, it was Maniac Mansion which catapulted Lucasfilm Games to fame. Fast forward a few years. The company is now called Lucas Arts, and the lead designer of Maniac Mansion (as well as Monkey Island) has left. Time for the long-awaited sequel.

Infocom 1982
Genre: Adventure
Rating: 6/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Industrialist Marshall Robner has been found dead in his library. The room had been locked from the inside, and an overdose of the anti-depressants he had been taking has been found in his blood. A clear case of suicide? The responsible inspector seems to think so. The deceased's lawyer provides you with an interesting piece of informaton: Only days earlier, Robner said he wanted to change his will. It never came to that. How does that fit into the suicide theory? You're asked to investigate once again to see if your colleague was right about what he found.

Legend Entertainment 1994
Genre: Adventure
Rating: 6/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

The Fantasy genre. Not exactly a haven for innovation. Ever since Tolkien's Lord of the Rings has been released in 1954, most authors have tried to imitate his style. Standards are set, the fans can't seem to get enough of these stereotype stories and characters.

Empire 1991
Genre: Action
Rating: 0/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

There are only so many ways to make a game belonging to the hack'n'slash genre interesting. Deathbringer actually tries to bring in some welcome innovation.

The player takes control of some muscle-heavy barbarian armed with an oversized sword cutting his way through hordes of ugly monsters (or, basically, everything in his path). So far, so non-innovative. The sword actually has a name, because it has a life of its own (actually, it's a wizard who has transformed himself into a sword, but let's not get further into this...). The catch: The sword demands to be 'fed' with blood. So you have to keep killing, because if the piece of metal remains dry for too long, it'll start feeding on the player's character, draining his own life away. Very good idea.

Cinemaware 1987
Genre: Strategy, Action
Rating: 5/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Cinemaware was always known for producing very unique games, merging strategy, adventure and action. One of its first game, Defender of the Crown, has set this trend, which has proven to be the winning combination for years to come. The game was also the first designer work of Kellyn Beck, who while later designing such great games as S.D.I., Rocket Ranger and Centurion, will always be remembered for his best game, Defender of the Crown.

Icom Simulations 1989
Genre: Adventure
Rating: 5/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

This time, the player indeed gets a deja vu: This sequel is so similar to its predecessor that it's hard not to get some flashbacks. You're even going to visit some of the old locations and meet some of the old people again! That doesn't mean it's a useless game only to make profit off its 'good name', but without anything new. It is just a sequel in a very strict sense: it picks up right after the first part.