Blue Byte 1997
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 5/6
Language: Deutsch, English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

1997? Yes, I know what you're thinking: So he is playing new games after all. That's right - there are a few good ones. The more current the year, the bigger the exception, though, making it even more noteworthy if a good game turns up in such a year. Considering its age, Incubation is like a flower growing from bowl of pus. Growing from such an unpleasant surrounding, it has to be spoiled in some way.

Lucas Arts 1996
Genre: Adventure, Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: English, Deutsch
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

The daily life of Dr. Henry Jones Jr. Somewhere in Central America, he's carrying out his archeological duties. It all starts with his colleague Marcus Brody giving him his latest assignment. It usually concerns finding an artifact before a competing archeologist does, freeing someone from the clutches of the nazis or something similar. The best thing about it: every time you start the game, you get a different adventure to play. Or at least that's what the advertisement says.

Lucas Arts 1992
Genre: Adventure
Rating: 6/6
Language: English, Deutsch, Francais, Castellano
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

Indiana Jones - George Lucas' and Steven Spielberg's tribute to old 'pulp' adventure stories. Or is it the pure commercialism re-using old ideas? Hyper-mega-commercial of course. One thing is for sure though: the movies are highly entertaining, not a very deep story or multi-dimensional characters, but archetype villains fighting against a lone hero who is everything but perfect on the surface, but has a heart of gold and of course the athletic skills necessary to deliver a punch or two.

Lucasfilm Games 1990
Genre: Adventure
Rating: 4/6
Language: English, Français, Deutsch, Castellano, Italiano
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - the last of the movies (well, at least they said it then), and the first Indiana Jones movie to become an Adventure game (the second time Lucasfilm used its software branch to make an Adventure game of any movie). Huge expectations, because in an Adventure, storytelling has to be a little better than in a simple action game throwing a few snakes at a whip-wielding hero sprite.

True Emotions 1993
Genre: Sport
Rating: 1/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Who does not know the classic shaking sports games on the C-64 or the Amiga? They were as good to get cramps as they were Joystick killers. But this game is different! It leaves out the hectic movement of the input device and replaces it with...NOTHING.

System 3 1986
Genre: Sport
Rating: 4/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: C64

Fighting games are all the same. As soon as you've found out how to activate the killer-special-mega-move of the character you've chosen, you're practically unbeatable. To still make the 'playability' last a bit, these special moves are usually either completely impossible to figure out (because they are undocumented on purpose) or impossible to activate (because they usually require the player to hit the 8 fire buttons in a certain combination and order along with movements of the joystick/joypad into certain directions - never less than 10 complicated steps). Usually both.

Archer McLean 1988
Genre: Sport, Action
Rating: 5/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

How can one improve International Karate? Hard question. Most changes and additions would just screw the concept up. Everybody knows examples of great first parts of a series which got spoiled completely in the sequel.

Cinemaware 1990
Genre: Adventure, Strategy
Rating: 5/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

Lizard Breath, a small desert town in 1951. A meteor has just crashed down here. This is your chance to do some research! So you head over there and start working.

Suddenly, unusual things happen in and around the village. Animals are behaving strangely. On a nearby farm, a cow's head is bitten off and all the guts have disappeared. You examine some rock samples found near the crash site and discover one glowing piece of rock you've never seen before! Are there any links?

U.S. Gold 1990
Genre: Sport, Action
Rating: 2/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

Just like movie tie-ins, 'official' games of major sport events are crap in most cases. After paying for the expensive licence, little money seems to be left to make a decent game. Or, maybe the companies think it won't be important anyway, because fans will buy the game just because of the name.

Ocean 1990
Genre: Action
Rating: 5/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

You walk from left to right and kill a few enemies. Sounds like Super Mario World? Maybe, but it's not! And it's not even something similar! It's Ivanhoe!

The 'story' is quite simple: King Richard has been captured by the French and you have to rescue him. Alone. You start your quest in England. There you have to get to the port. Unfortunately, a forest full of villains lies in the way. So you have no other choice but to fight your way through. You draw your sword and show them what you're made of! These weak peasants are no match for you! Some hits with your blade and they fall to the ground dead. Also those cowards hiding in the trees won't escape you!