Author: admin
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One Step Beyond
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Red Rat GAME PUBLISHER:OCEAN Copyright 1993, Red Rat Pushover and One Step Beyond are two quirky little gems from British publisher Ocean, who take the concept of traditional parlor games and turn them into addictive puzzle games that are reminiscent of Lemmings in style,…
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Oo-Topos
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Michael Berlyn GAME DEVELOPER:Polarware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1986, Polarware IMHO the best Polarware game ever and definitely Mike Berlyn’s masterpiece, this is a great sci-fi story that opens with you, as a human explorer, captured in the alien land of the Oo-Topos. You must escape the…
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Ooze: Creepy Nites
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Guido Henkel & H. J. Braendle GAME DEVELOPER:Dragonware Games GAME PUBLISHER:Attic Entertainment Copyright 1989, Attic Entertainment In a setting familiar to most horror fans, you must negotiate a variety of creepy events while exploring Carfax Abbey, an ancient dilapidated house that’s become your new home. The…
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Operation Europe
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:KOEI GAME PUBLISHER:KOEI Copyright 1989, KOEI KOEI’s first foray into the wargame arena is a worthy attempt, but ultimately unrewarding. The game engine which has proven effective for KOEI’s strategy games is woefully inadequate to handle the nuances of World War II combat, where…
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Operation Market Garden
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:David Landrey & Chuck Kroegel GAME DEVELOPER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) GAME PUBLISHER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Copyright 1988, Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) The massive Allied airborne assault to capture the bridges of Holland in 1944. In the words of wargame veteran M. Evan Brooks, this is “a…
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Orbiter
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:John Polaseck GAME DEVELOPER:Spectrum Holobyte GAME PUBLISHER:Spectrum Holobyte Copyright 1988, Spectrum Holobyte Predating Virgin Interactive’s underrated Shuttle by several years, Orbiter is a decent space shuttle simulation that unfortunately is bogged down with too much “realism” to be fun. As commander of a space shuttle, you…
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Orbits: Voyage through The Solar System
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:WinterTech GAME PUBLISHER:WinterTech Copyright 1991, WinterTech Orbits is a surprisingly comprehensive database about the solar system that’s presented in well-written and concise articles accompanied by clear illustrations. Navigation among the wealth of information is easy with the program’s excellent interface, and information contained here…
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Origamo
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Michael Hiebert GAME DEVELOPER:Destiny Software Productions GAME PUBLISHER:Quantum Quality Productions (QQP) Copyright 1994, Quantum Quality Productions (QQP) Origamo is a refreshing and fun puzzle game that is essentially Tetris meets the ancient Chinese game Tangram. Here the Tangram pieces come on the conveyor belt, and you…
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Osborne 3 MS-DOS v2.11
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Bill Gates GAME DEVELOPER:Microsoft GAME PUBLISHER:Microsoft Copyright 1983, Microsoft This version of MS-DOS is tailored for Osborne 3 IBM-compatible BIOS only. Therefore, it will not boot under other systems. It should come in handy to anyone who has an Osborne 3 computer but lacks a boot…
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Over The Reich
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Charles Moylan GAME DEVELOPER:Big Time Software GAME PUBLISHER:Avalon Hill Copyright 1996, Avalon Hill Excerpt from Games Domain review: “Over the Reich (OtR) is a simulation of the air war over Europe late in WWII. But it’s not your traditional joy-stick-driven flight simulator. The “sequel” to Big…
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P.H.M. Pegasus
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Noah Falstein GAME DEVELOPER:LucasFilm Games GAME PUBLISHER:Electronic Arts Copyright 1986, LucasFilm Games The first and perhaps the only hydrofoil simulation, P.H.M. Pegasus has great graphics and gameplay for its time, although the scenarios were less interesting than the much-improved sequel Strike Fleet. Its emphasis on fun…
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Pacific Strike
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Chris Roberts GAME DEVELOPER:Origin Systems GAME PUBLISHER:Origin Systems Copyright 1994, Origin Systems Pacific Strike is based on a similar engine as Strike Commander. In this game, you play a naval aviator during WWII in the Pacific Theater of Operations. You begin your career during the surprise…
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Paladin 1
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Omnitrend GAME PUBLISHER:Omnitrend Copyright 1990, Omnitrend Paladin 1 and 2 are Omnitrend’s application of the complex tactical engine that underlies its underrated Breach games to the fantasy universe of knights, monsters, and damsels in distress. The result is a unique blend of RPG and…
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Paladin 2
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Impressions GAME PUBLISHER:Impressions Copyright 1991, Impressions Paladin 1 and 2 are Omnitrend’s application of the complex tactical engine that underlies its underrated Breach games to the fantasy universe of knights, monsters, and damsels in distress. The result is a unique blend of RPG and…
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Panda Dodgeball
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Panda Software GAME PUBLISHER:Panda Software Copyright 1993, Panda Software Panda Entertainment’s Dodgeball parodies Panda’s own Sango Fighter and other Chinese legends. This game dodgeball – a rough game where the object is to hit the players on the opposite team – with 3 players…
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Pandora’s Box
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Alexei Pajitnov GAME DEVELOPER:Microsoft GAME PUBLISHER:Microsoft Copyright 1999, Microsoft Tetris creator Alexei Pajitnov’s latest creation is a wonderful compilation of puzzles with jaw-dropping graphics and wonderful music culled from around the world. Most puzzles are clever jigsaw variants made possible only with today’s technology. It’s also…
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Panzer Battles
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Roger Keating GAME DEVELOPER:Strategic Studies Group (SSG) GAME PUBLISHER:Strategic Studies Group (SSG) Copyright 1990, Strategic Studies Group (SSG) Panzer Battles is a great World War II wargame that is up to the normal high standards of wargaming legends Roger Keating and Ian Trout. It originally included…
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Passengers on The Wind
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Infogrames GAME PUBLISHER:Infogrames Copyright 1989, Infogrames Two curious “interactive novels” from Infogrames that are long on story but short on gameplay, Passengers on the Wind 1 and 2 are romance stories set in the high-romantic era of the 18th century, similar to Infocom’s Plundered…
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Passengers on The Wind 2
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Infogrames GAME PUBLISHER:Infogrames Copyright 1990, Infogrames Two curious “interactive novels” from Infogrames that are long on story but short on gameplay, Passengers on the Wind 1 and 2 are romance stories set in the high-romantic era of the 18th century, similar to Infocom’s Plundered…
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Patriot
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Rich Banks & Frank Chadwick GAME DEVELOPER:Artech GAME PUBLISHER:Three-Sixty Pacific Copyright 1991, Artech No doubt the most obscure and buggy Three-Sixty game ever made, Patriot is an excellent (and perhaps the only realistic) modern wargame based on the 1991 Gulf War… but only after it’s patched…
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Patton Strikes Back
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Chris Crawford GAME DEVELOPER:Chris Crawford GAME PUBLISHER:Brderbund Copyright 1990, Chris Crawford Although Patton Strikes Back is unarguably the worst game of Crawford’s career, it was a novel (and noble) attempt to attract non-wargamers to the fray through simplified combat, colorful animations, and excellent help functions and…
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Patton vs. Rommel
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Chris Crawford GAME DEVELOPER:Chris Crawford GAME PUBLISHER:Electronic Arts Copyright 1986, Chris Crawford A fun turn-based wargame set in the World War II. Although the game is a bit too “simplistic” in that it only has two basic army types: infantry and tanks, it was one of…
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Pepper’s Adventures in Time
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Sierra On-Line GAME PUBLISHER:Sierra On-Line Copyright 1993, Sierra On-Line One of the most underrated Sierra games, Pepper’s Adventures is educational game at its best. Help the inquisitive Pepper undo the damage caused by Dr. Fred’s time machine. Innovations abound, from the fun and logical…
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Perfect General 1, The
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Mark Baldwin GAME DEVELOPER:White Wolf Productions GAME PUBLISHER:Quantum Quality Productions (QQP) Copyright 1991, Killer Bee Software The Perfect General 1 rocketed QQP to fame when it was released in 1990. The game offers a complete player history, an elaborate scoring system, and good AI. The Perfect…
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Perfect General 2, The
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Quantum Quality Productions (QQP) GAME PUBLISHER:Quantum Quality Productions (QQP) Copyright 1994, Quantum Quality Productions (QQP) The Perfect General 1 rocketed QQP to fame when it was released in 1990. The game offers a complete player history, an elaborate scoring system, and good AI. The…
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Perry Mason: Case of The Mandarin Murder
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Erle Gardner GAME DEVELOPER:Telarium GAME PUBLISHER:Telarium Copyright 1986, Telarium One of my most favorite IF ever, Perry Mason: Case of The Mandarin Murder is so well-designed and entertaining that, for once, I gleefully put up with Telarium’s limited parser. As the shrewd defense attorney Perry Mason,…
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Personal Deskmate
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Tandy Corporation GAME PUBLISHER:Tandy Corporation Copyright 1986, Tandy Corporation One of the most underrated OS’s ever made, Personal Deskmate is a “GUI” operating system for the Tandy 1000+ personal computers. It uses Tandy graphics display, so it must be used with a Tandy or…
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Phantom’s Revenge, The
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Temple Software GAME PUBLISHER:Temple Software Copyright 1982, Temple Software The Phantom’s Revenge and Castle Elsinore are two early piece of IF that are of very little value except for its age . The Phantom’s Revenge is riddled with below-average writing, inane puzzles, and inflexible…
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Pharaoh’s Tomb
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Apogee GAME PUBLISHER:Apogee Copyright 1990, Apogee Just looking at this game will make you realize how far Apogee has come from a little-known shareware company 🙂 This game is reminiscent of Montezuma’s Revenge— basically you jump, run, and dodge to collect treasures from the…
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Photopia
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Adam Cadre GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1998, Adam Cadre I can’t think of a better way to describe this deserved winner of the 1998 IF Competition than Paul O’Brian’s review: “It’s just so patently clear that Photopia is not interested in puzzles, or score, or…
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Pilgrim’s Quest
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Decision Development Corp. GAME PUBLISHER:Decision Development Corp. Copyright 1991, Decision Development Corp. A small educational game similar to Br?derbund’s Galleons of Glory in concept if not the era, Pilgrim’s Quest puts you on the legendary Mayflower as she sails for the New World. Contend…
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Pinball Construction Set
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Bill Budge GAME DEVELOPER:Electronic Arts GAME PUBLISHER:Electronic Arts Copyright 1985, Bill Budge Based on the same engine as Music Construction Set, Pinball Construction Set is another original application that remain as fun and playable today as it was years ago. The program lets you construct a…
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Pipe Dreams
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:LucasFilm Games GAME PUBLISHER:LucasFilm Games Copyright 1989, LucasFilm Games This is a nice VGA update of the classic game of fast action and decision. Your goal as digital plumber is to connect fallen pipe pieces into a complete circuit before water leaks outside the…
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Pitstop 2
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Stephen H. Landrum & Dennis Caswell GAME DEVELOPER:Synergistic Software GAME PUBLISHER:Epyx Copyright 1984, Epyx A primitive but fun racing game. Race Formula-1 in several tracks while trying to beat a computer opponent. Albeit its primitive graphics and gameplay, Pitstop 2 does give a nod to realism:…
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Pizza Tycoon
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Stefan Kurth GAME DEVELOPER:Cybernetic Corporation GAME PUBLISHER:MicroProse Copyright 1994, Software 2000 In one of the most original strategy games, the premise of Pizza Tycoon is unique: you are a pizza guru/businessman/gangster who must build up a reputable chain of pizza restaurants while dealing with mafias, picky…
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Platoon
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Quicksilver GAME PUBLISHER:Data East Copyright 1985, Data East Another faithful coin-op conversion by Quicksilver that was published by Data East, Platoon is a side-scrolling action game based on the hit movie of the same name. Nothing fancy here: shoot everything in sight, and find…
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Pop-Up!
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Infogrames GAME PUBLISHER:Infogrames Copyright 1990, Infogrames Pop-Up! is a fun action/puzzle blend with an elegantly simple premise: bounce the ball around the screen to collect all the required items to expose the exit and progress to new levels. Gameplay is also deceptively simple: controlling…
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Populous II
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Peter Molyneux GAME DEVELOPER:Bullfrog GAME PUBLISHER:Electronic Arts Copyright 1992, Bullfrog Populous II: Trials of the Olympian Gods is a great sequel to one of the most unique computer games ever made. It was unfortunately not as successful, although every aspect of the game has been improved…
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Ports of Call
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Rolf-Dieter Klein & Martin Ulrich GAME DEVELOPER:Aegis International GAME PUBLISHER:Aegis International Copyright 1992, Aegis International One of the best and least known business sims ever, this game puts you in control of a shipping company. Entertaining choices abound, from choosing cargoliners to deciding whether or not…
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Power Politics
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Randy Chase GAME DEVELOPER:Cineplay Interactive GAME PUBLISHER:Cineplay Interactive Copyright 1992, Cineplay Interactive One of the most comprehensive political simulations ever released, Power Politics puts you in command of a US presidential campaign. In contrast to the realism of SSI’s excellent President Elect, here you can run…
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Powerhouse
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Impressions GAME PUBLISHER:Impressions Copyright 1995, Impressions After simulating the automobile industry with Detroit, Impressions turns its attention to the oft-neglected but imminently crucial energy sector. Here you must micro-manage power plants and lay power lines across the country. The game’s over-ambitious attempt to incorporate…
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Powermonger
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Peter Molyneux GAME DEVELOPER:Bullfrog GAME PUBLISHER:Bullfrog Copyright 1993, Bullfrog One of the most underrated Bullfrog games ever, this is an accessible wargame similar to its more popular cousin Populous, but this time you’re a military commander instead of a god, and therefore your “powers” are more…
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President Elect
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Nelson Hernandez GAME DEVELOPER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) GAME PUBLISHER:Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) Copyright 1988, Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) President Elect puts you in control of any US presidential campaign between 1960 – 1988, in either historical or ahistorical mode. The game is turn-based, and you must…