Classic Personal Computer (PC) Games

Author: admin

  • Drakkhen

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Draconian GAME PUBLISHER:Infogrames Copyright 1990, Draconian Betrayal at Krondor is usually credited as the first RPG to use first-person, 3D landscape. But as you can see here that’s definitely not the case: Drakkhen, released in the U.S. by MicroProse, was way ahead of its…

  • Dream Zone

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jason Rubin & Andy Gavin GAME DEVELOPER:Naughty Dog GAME PUBLISHER:Baudville Copyright 1987, Naughty Dog Essentially a “one hit wonder” company, Baudville released many sub-par adventure games in mid 80s, except this game which turns out to be a surprisingly interesting adventure about the influences of dreams…

  • Dreamweb

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Creative Reality GAME PUBLISHER:GameTek Copyright 1991, Creative Reality Dreamweb: a dark, brooding game set in a dystopian near-future. It is not a game for pacifists or vegetarians. Nor is it a game for those who value deep and intricate plots, characters with depth, or…

  • Driller

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Incentive GAME PUBLISHER:Epyx Copyright 1990, Incentive After releasing many solid 3D action/adventure games, Incentive broke new ground with this, the first game developed using its revolutionary Freescape? engine that may well be the very first *patented* 3D engine. Now, in addition to the standard…

  • Duck Tales: Quest for the Gold

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:David Mullich & R. Scott Morrison GAME DEVELOPER:Disney GAME PUBLISHER:Disney Copyright 1988, Disney Although not commonly regarded as a formidable software developer, Disney nevertheless scores big with this game, an entertaining mixture of platform and arcade, with a bit of strategy thrown in (you can buy/sell…

  • Dune

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:R?mi Herbulot GAME DEVELOPER:Cryo Interactive GAME PUBLISHER:Virgin Interactive Copyright 1990, Virgin Interactive A neat adventure/strategy hybrid from Cryo, this game casts you as Paul Atreides, the protagonist in the classic Dune series by Frank Herbert. Although the game is fairly linear, there’s enough strategy elements to…

  • Dungeon Hack

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Dreamforge Intertainment GAME PUBLISHER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Copyright 1993, Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) In a departure from EH’s normal adventure/RPG norm, Dungeon Hack is a straightforward hack-n-slash dungeon crawl that is best described as a modern version of ASCII classic Rogue. Randomly-generated dungeons, with…

  • Dusk of the Gods

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Event Horizon GAME PUBLISHER:Interstel Copyright 1990, Interstel This is the forerunner to classic The Summoning. I actually like the plot of this game more than its descendant’s, even though it has more outdated graphics, small figures that are hard to see, and repetitive puzzles…

  • Dylan Dog: The Murderers

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Simulmondo GAME PUBLISHER:Simulmondo Copyright 1992, Simulmondo Among other, more conventional features, Dylan Dog features the most bizarre gameplay in any game to date. This game is just so weird, whoever thought of it should be commited ASAP to the madhouse. From a gamer’s point…

  • Eagle Eye Mysteries

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Sarah Stocker GAME DEVELOPER:Stormfront Studios GAME PUBLISHER:Electronic Arts Copyright 1993, Stormfront Studios One of the best edutainment titles ever that both kids and adults will enjoy, Eagle Eye Mysteries is a fun detective game released under the now-defunct “EA*Kids” label. The game stars young detectives Jake…

  • Eagle Eye Mysteries in London

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Sarah Stocker GAME DEVELOPER:Stormfront Studios GAME PUBLISHER:Electronic Arts Copyright 1994, Stormfront Studios Kids of all ages rejoice! Jake and Jennifer Eagle from Stormfront’s excellent Eagle Eye Mysteries are back, and better than ever with over 50 all-new cases, all set in historic England. As with the…

  • Earth Quest

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Earth Quest GAME PUBLISHER:Earth Quest Copyright 1990, Earth Quest Part of the aborted Quest series, Earth Quest is not really a game but a very well-done reference program that packs an incredibly *huge* amount of information on a few 3.5″ disks. It’s one of…

  • Earthly Delight

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Roger Webster GAME DEVELOPER:Datamost GAME PUBLISHER:Datamost Copyright 1983, Datamost Earthly Delight turns out to be a pleasant surprise when I first discovered it in March, 2000– mainly because it’s amazing that an interactive fiction game that is this innovative and well-written for its time could fade…

  • Earthrise

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Matt Gruson GAME DEVELOPER:Interstel GAME PUBLISHER:Interstel Copyright 1990, Interstel In Matt Gruson’s first adventure game, you play an astronaut / scientist who is rudely awaken from cryo sleep by the ship’s alarm. Explore a deserted space station overtaken by weird aliens and avert an asteroid’s crash…

  • Earthsiege 1

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Mark Crowe & David Selle GAME DEVELOPER:Dynamix GAME PUBLISHER:Sierra On-Line Copyright 1995, Dynamix Earthsiege is one of the best 3D giant-robot games ever released that sadly faded into oblivion beside the better-hyped and (deservedly) higher-rated Mechwarrior 2 from Activision. Still and even though it doesn’t feature…

  • Echelon

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Bruce Carver & Brent Erickson GAME DEVELOPER:Access Software GAME PUBLISHER:Access Software Copyright 1989, Access Software One of the best 3D spaceflight simulations ever made, Echelon goes beyond the typical shoot-everything-in-sight concept by integrating neat puzzles into gameplay. Your task as member of the Space Federation is…

  • Eco Quest 1: The Search for Cetus

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jane Jensen GAME DEVELOPER:Sierra On-Line GAME PUBLISHER:Sierra On-Line Copyright 1992, Sierra On-Line Jane Jansen’s (of Gabriel Knight fame) first game for Sierra is an excellent adventure game for any kid who’s old enough to type. As son of an ecologist Adam, you must help the dolphin…

  • Eco Quest 2: Lost Secrets of The Rainforest

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Gano Haine GAME DEVELOPER:Sierra On-Line GAME PUBLISHER:Sierra On-Line Copyright 1993, Sierra On-Line This follow-up to Eco Quest 1 is much longer and more difficult than the original (full score is over 1,000 points!). This time Adam must save the rainforest from destruction by helping the Forest…

  • Edifice, The

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Lucian P. Smith GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1997, Lucian P. Smith The Edifice is the worthy winner of the third Annual Interactive Fiction Competition, held in 1997. It’s one of the rare games that manage to integrate puzzles with plot seamlessly– as a caveman in…

  • Elder Scrolls: Arena, The

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:VJ Lakshman & Ted Peterson GAME DEVELOPER:Bethesda Softworks GAME PUBLISHER:Bethesda Softworks Copyright 1992, Bethesda Softworks One of the most all-encompassing RPGs ever created didn’t succeed commercially due to hefty hardware requirements for its time. Nine man years in the making, Arena heralds a new level of…

  • Electranoid

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Pixel Painters GAME PUBLISHER:Pixel Painters Copyright 1994, Pixel Painters A great Arkanoid clone that, true to its name, not only replicates that arcade/puzzle classic but also takes it to new heights with more blocks, rockets instead of balls, and enemy machines that shoot you…

  • Electronic Popple

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Byteshock GAME PUBLISHER:CAPCOM Copyright 1997, Byteshock Electronic Popple is a recent but sadly unknown platform game that puts you in a role of ROM or RAM, two memory chips that must journey through the insides of the computer to vanquish the evil electrical components.…

  • Elements

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Avery Pack GAME DEVELOPER:Pack Media GAME PUBLISHER:Villa Crespo Copyright 1994, Pack Media Elements is without a doubt one of the best and trickiest puzzle games I’ve played. The game unfortunately didn’t sell well despite rave reviews from every major magazine (CGW’s Johnny Wilson called it a…

  • El-Fish

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Alexei Pajitnov & Vladimir Pokhilko GAME DEVELOPER:AnimaTek GAME PUBLISHER:Maxis Copyright 1992, AnimaTek A unique and refreshing simulation, El Fish lets you breed — err– fish and watch them live in a virtual aquarium. Every aesthetic factor involved in aquarium design is at your disposal, including tank…

  • Elite

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:David Braben & Ian Bell GAME DEVELOPER:Frontier Developments GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1987, David Braben & Ian Bell Here it is– the game that started a whole new genre of space trading games. Elite gives you complete freedom to find fame and fortune in a vast universe,…

  • Elite Plus

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:David Braben & Ian Bell GAME DEVELOPER:Frontier Developments GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1991, David Braben & Ian Bell Elite Plus is an excellent VGA update of the classic Elite, and is now commonly regarded as the best version of Elite. It provides excellent sounds, smooth animation, intensive…

  • Emmanuelle

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Coktel Vision GAME PUBLISHER:Coktel Vision Copyright 1989, Coktel Vision In this early Coktel Vision game, your play a smitten lad who’s desparately trying to find Emmanuelle, the girl of your dreams, in an island resort and make sure you can keep her satisfied with…

  • Emperor of The Fading Suns

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Andrew Greenberg & Ken Lighter GAME DEVELOPER:Holistic Design GAME PUBLISHER:Segasoft Copyright 1996, Holistic Design Holistic Design is one of the most overlooked developer ever– they never seemed to pick the right publishers that would promote the games for what they are: deep, solid, and wholly engrossing…

  • Empire

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Mark Baldwin GAME DEVELOPER:Interstel GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1987, Walter Bright Mark Baldwin and Walter Bright’s groundbreaking wargame deservedly received public acclaim over a decade ago, but it has sadly faded from the collective gaming memory to such a large extent that it’s more or less an…

  • Empire Deluxe for Windows

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Mark Baldwin GAME DEVELOPER:White Wolf Productions GAME PUBLISHER:New World Computing Copyright 1993, Killer Bee Software A great update of the classic Interstel game Empire, this version by New World Computing sports excellent map and scenario editors, sharp graphics, and the same attention to detail and great…

  • Encyclopedia of War: Ancient Battles

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:R. T. Smith GAME DEVELOPER:Cases Computer Simulations GAME PUBLISHER:Cases Computer Simulations Copyright 1988, Cases Computer Simulations This gem was supposed to be the first in a series by a small English company. The reviews at the time were glowing, but unfortunately the game didn’t sell well.…

  • Entity

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Loriciel GAME PUBLISHER:Loriciel Copyright 1994, Loriciel Ah, here’s a decent platformer game for PC. Fluid animation, and Whooo… girl in skimpy clothes . There’re few things I really really hated about Entity. First, why is it so hard just to perform vertical shoot? and…

  • Entombed Enhanced

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Beaucomm Interactive GAME PUBLISHER:Blue H20 Entertainment Copyright 1996, Beaucomm Interactive One of the rare adventure / puzzle games that boasts production value that rival big-budget games, Entombed is one of the better Myst-clones on the market (and yes, as diehard adventure gamer I refuse…

  • Entrepreneur

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Brad Wardell GAME DEVELOPER:Stardock Systems GAME PUBLISHER:Stardock Systems Copyright 1996, Stardock Systems This sleeper hit of 1997 is an excellent business simulation that, similar to Capitalism Plus, encompasses every aspect of business, from choosing what products to sell, to marketing it across countries. However, the game…

  • Epidemic!

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Steven Faber GAME DEVELOPER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) GAME PUBLISHER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Copyright 1983, Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) As officer of the United Nations World Health, your job is to respond quickly and effectively with nuclear strikes to stem a global epidemic. While gameplay is somewhat…

  • Eric The Unready

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Bob Bates GAME DEVELOPER:Legend Entertainment GAME PUBLISHER:Legend Entertainment Copyright 1993, Legend Entertainment In contrast to the heady Time Quest, Bob Bates lets loose his lighter side in this side-splitting medieval adventure starring the incredibly accident-prone knight Eric the Unready. Just about every famous person, things, or…

  • Escape from Delirium

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Virtual Xperience GAME PUBLISHER:Virtual Xperience Copyright 1996, Virtual Xperience Escape from Delirium is a fun shareware game by a small German company Virtual Xperience. The game’s plot sounds as if it were borrowed from one too many Indiana Jones movies, but with some neat…

  • Escape from Hell

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Richard Seaborne & Alan Murphy GAME DEVELOPER:Electronic Arts GAME PUBLISHER:Electronic Arts Copyright 1990, Electronic Arts A “light” RPG with a healthy dose of humor, Escape from Hell is based on an interesting premise: you are a typical guy who’s one day mysteriously “zapped” into Hell. And…

  • Escape from The Planet of Robot Monsters

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Tengen GAME PUBLISHER:Domark Copyright 1991, Domark A fun action game with a zany sci-fi plot that recalls 40’s “B” campy sci-fi flicks, this game from Tangen has a huge dose of action interspersed with colorful comic-book style cutscenes and animations. The plot is a…

  • Essex

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Bill Darrah GAME DEVELOPER:Synapse Software GAME PUBLISHER:Brderbund Copyright 1985, Brderbund Essex is the second, and probably worst, game in Synapse’s promising but short-lived “interactive novel” series. The game follows the real-time format of Mindwheel, but with a much-improved parser. The premise is simple: your pleasant sightseeing…

  • Eternam

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Infogrames GAME PUBLISHER:Infogrames Copyright 1992, Infogrames Eternam is a tongue-in-cheek sci-fi game featuring a confusing pastiche of a plot (explore the wonders of pleasure planet Eternam) and graphics style, illogical puzzles, and annoying combat. Its only saving grace is probably the game’s wacky sense…

  • Even More Incredible Machine, The

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jeff Tunnell GAME DEVELOPER:Jeff Tunnell Productions GAME PUBLISHER:Sierra On-Line Copyright 1991, Sierra On-Line This is best described as an “add-on” pack for The Incredible Machine 1: it contains more levels, more parts, and more flexibility of controls than the original, even though it does not require…

  • Everybody Loves a Parade

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Cody Sandifer GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1997, Cody Sandifer Definitely one of the most atmospheric IF games you’ll ever come across,Everybody Loves a Parade is humorous, light-hearted adventure full of easter eggs, optional puzzles, and well-written characters. You are a hapless average Joe (or Jane?)…

  • Executioners

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Bloodlust Software GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1992, Bloodlust Software Bloodlust Software’s first game is a violent side-scrolling fighting game with a twist– you are a bloodthirsty executioner out for –surprise– blood in the villains’ home turf. Punch, smash, and kick your way through level after…

  • Executive Suite

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Armonk Corporation GAME PUBLISHER:Armonk Corporation Copyright 1982, Armonk Corporation Executive Suite is an excellent (and perhaps only) simulation of office life. Your goal is a typical white-collar one: climb up the corporate ladder to become CEO. What sets this game apart from other business…

  • Exhibition

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Ian Finley GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1999, Ian Finley Paul O’Brian said it best in his review: “[Exhibition‘s] story takes place at an art exhibition, the final show of a painter named Anatoly Domokov, who committed suicide shortly before the show opened. The only thing…

  • Extreme Pinball

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Digital Extremes GAME PUBLISHER:Epic Megagames Copyright 1995, Epic Megagames A worthy follow-up to best-selling Epic Pinball, Extreme Pinball is a fantastic pinball simulator for the PC. Featuring excellent gameplay with flawless table physics, includes 4 tables (Rock Fantasy, Medieval Knights, Monkey Mayhem, and Urban…

  • Eye of The Beholder 1

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Paul S. Mudra & Philip W. Gorrow GAME DEVELOPER:Westwood Studios GAME PUBLISHER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Copyright 1991, Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Westwood’s Eye of the Beholder 1 and 2 remain today two of the best real-time RPGs ever produced. They feature great graphics for their time,…

  • Eye of The Beholder 2

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Paul S. Mudra & Brett W. Sperry GAME DEVELOPER:Westwood Studios GAME PUBLISHER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Copyright 1992, Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Westwood’s Eye of the Beholder 1 and 2 remain today two of the best real-time RPGs ever produced. They feature great graphics for their time,…

  • Eye of Horus

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    From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Denton Designs GAME PUBLISHER:Mindscape Copyright 1989, Mindscape Eye of Horus is a neat platform game set in ancient Egypt– you must venture into the depths of the pyramid to find the magical Eye of Horus. The best thing about this game is that as…