10/11/2000
Caesar's Palace is a decent casino game as far as these things go, but there nothing special about it. Its main strength lies in the number and variety of games, including six card games, roulette, keno, slots, and video poker machines. The graphics are attractive. In the card games, digitized hands deal the cards, and the dealer's voice lets you know what's happening. There's a nice variety of slot machines to choose from, including fruit, Halloween, Ancient Egypt, the Wild West, and baseball. You begin the game with $1000, and can save your place to a memory card at any time. Up to four people can play some of these games simultaneously if you have a multi-tap. A streamlined user-interface allows you to bet quickly to keep the games moving. My main beef is the lack of atmosphere. The game makes no attempt to create the feeling of being in an actual casino. There is some cheesy music and background voices, but you feel very alone playing this game. Everything is menu-driven, so you never see other people or view any kind of surroundings. Another complaint is that there is no in-game tutorial, so you'll need to read the manual to learn how to play the games. Oh well, at least they give you some hints. This probably wouldn't be a bad game to pick up before a trip to Vegas, just to get familiar with the game rules. Rating: Everyone
1 to 4 players
Check for Caesar's Palace on Ebay, Amazon
Konami has brought Castlevania back to the Playstation, this time in the form of a late-80's Japanese PC title. Compared to Symphony of the Night, Chronicles is simple and more old-school. There's no separate screen to juggle your items, and the sound effects are tinny, as you might expect from an old PC game. But the graphics are remarkably good, with high-resolution monsters and interesting background animations. The control is responsive but a little stiff. There are a few annoyances, like "instant death" falls and irritating bats. Still, Castlevania fans will appreciate this long-lost gem. An interview with the producer is also included.
Symphony is one of the most celebrated Playstation games of all time, appearing on most critics' top 10 lists. Sony had an ill-advised policy in the mid-90s to prohibit 2D games on their console, so it was quite a victory for gamers when Symphony was finally released. The production values are top-notch, and each room is painstakingly detailed with gorgeous gothic architecture. Foes come in all shapes and sizes, from simple skeletons, to tiny hunchbacks, to huge mythological creatures. The floating puppets are downright creepy! The lavish orchestrated background music is remarkable, and really contributes to the game's ominous atmosphere. The voice acting is somewhat over-the-top, but the sound effects are fantastic. The game's intricate storyline can be confusing, especially if you're new to the series. Symphony inexplicably begins with a boss battle, followed by some of the most gratuitous exposition I've ever seen in a video game. Once the action really gets underway, it's fun but very hard. There are plenty of bosses and few save points. Like previous installments, you can strike candles to reveal hearts and power-ups. There are a good number of weapons, items, and relics, but you'll need to juggle them to be effective. I especially like the weapon that "stops time", letting you hack away at paralyzed monsters. The castle is huge, and it's easy to get lost in its maze of platforms and corridors. But the challenge is relentless, and you'll never get bored.
This is Hasbro's second attempt to update a classic arcade game, and it's only slightly more successful than Frogger, which isn't saying much. The world of Centipede is now in 3D, with more enemies and a whole slew of powerups. The new levels are so large that you can only see a portion of them at a time, and the powerups do add variety. But how does it play? Well, it doesn't feel like the old Centipede. You can now rotate your ship and move anywhere on the screen, but the game is much slower and less exciting that the original. The analog control is reasonable, but the framerate is poor and the chunky graphics look sloppy. The original 2D arcade version of Centipede is also included, and playing that makes you wonder why this upgrade was even attempted. I suppose this disk would be of interest to Centipede fanatics, but for most people it's a below-average shooter.
Only the most ardent Intellivision fans will appreciate this collection of 30 old Intellivision games. Everyone else should avoid this disk like the plague. I was really disappointed with this one. First, the bloated user interface that lets you select games and variations is just as poor as the Activision Classics disk. There are numerous load screens, despite the fact that these games are so small they should load in a split second. Most of the games run agonizingly slow, and trying to emulate the Intellivision keypads with a Playstation controller results in some nightmarish control schemes. Finally, those sports games that Intellivision was so famous for are two-player only, so you'll need a friend to play most of these. A very, very good friend.
This cult classic is truly one of the most terrifying video games ever made. Playing Clock Tower is like watching an intense slasher film, with one heart-stopping sequence after the next. The villain is a short, ugly, limping monstrosity armed with a huge pair of scissors - that's right - SCISSORS (scared yet?). You can always tell he's coming by the clanking of his scissors, accompanied by some rather alarming music. You control multiple characters in Clock Tower, and spend a lot of time going from place to place, talking to people and gathering clues. Scrolling through the bad dialogue is admittedly tiresome, and I really wish they had used real audio for that. Clock Tower plays more like a PC adventure than a console game. An arrow cursor is used to move and examine items, and the PS mouse is also supported. Using the digital pad to move the cursor is clumsy at best. The real action occurs in "scenarios", which are frightening encounters with Scissorman. Typically you'll find yourself locked in a building or house with him, and you'll have to find a way to escape. Your heart will race as you dash from room to room, frantically searching for a way to subdue this slow but dangerous fiend. There's even a "panic button" you can use to make a last-ditch effort to escape his clutches! Like any bad horror movie, the characters will do dumb things like go back inside a house after escaping. Likewise, the dialogue is predictable and often idiotic. Helen: "I'm going downstairs to have a nap. What are you going to do now, Harris?" Harris: "We'll all be going home soon." Helen: "Okay, well, no need to lock up then." The graphics do the job, but the people look rough and the animation is lacking. Scissorman looks quite intimidating though, and some of the gore is shocking. As chilling as Clock Tower is, the gameplay can also be frustrating. Sometimes you'll discover something useful like mace, but inexplicably won't be able to pick it up! At other times, the actions you need to take to defeat Scissorman seem to defy logic. But in terms of pure horror, Clock Tower is a classic.
Here's a survival horror game with blocky graphics, laughable dialogue, and a storyline that will have you rolling your eyes. So why am I shaking? You play Alyssa Hale, the schoolgirl who's out for revenge after being buried alive. She's pursued by possessed beings, primarily a lunatic in a devil mask. Did I mention she has a split personality? Man, it sure is tough being a kid in this day and age! Clock Tower 2 has an archaic point-and-click cursor interface that takes some getting used to. Most of the time you just move your arrow over everything in sight until it changes shape, indicating something you can examine. The rough, pixelated graphics make Alyssa look awful - her legs look like toothpicks! The monsters don't look bad though - pretty scary actually. Alyssa begins her journey locked in a house where her relatives have been brutally murdered and mutilated. Despite its mediocre graphics, Clock Tower 2 actually scared the heck out of me quite a few times. The sound effects and music alone are enough to freak you out. Sometime you'll be pursued from room to room until you find a good hiding spot. Get too close to a monster and you'll trigger "panic mode", forcing you to tap the square button like crazy to escape! One aspect I didn't care for was the whole split personality thing. You sometimes have to be a certain personality to do different things, and it's a pain to switch between them, which is done by wearing an amulet. Clock Tower 2 boasts 13 (!) different endings, but are these really necessary? Do they really expect anyone to finish the game 13 times? Still, Clock Tower 2 succeeds despite its flaws. If you enjoyed the first game, you'll probably like this one too.
As a fan of just about anything snow-related, I've always enjoyed the Cool Boarders series on the Playstation. The first Cool Boarders does a fair job of capturing the general "feel" of snowboarding, but in retrospect, it's surprisingly minimal. You can race down five different hills and perform a few stunts, but there are no competitors - it's just you against the clock! Fortunately your best runs are saved to a high scoreboard and memory card. I really like the simple controls, which are limited jump, tight turn (carve), and grab. The only tricks available are simple rotations and grabs, but they're remarkable tough to execute. One aspect of Cool Boarders you'll either love or hate is the narrowness of its trails. It's a challenge to avoid hitting the "walls", although the tight turn button makes it possible to navigate them with precision. Novice players however may find themselves bouncing from side to side like a pinball. There's a decent sense of speed, which is far more evident in the first-person view. You have two characters to select from (a guy or girl), but they both look like complete dorks. The trails have a "winter wonderland" quality that's appealing, but the general graphic quality is rough. Ugly seams are clearly visible in the angular hills, and it's sometimes difficult to see upcoming portions of the course. There's very little scenery except for a few castle-like walls. Digitized mountains are visible in the background, but these are so grainy you probably won't even notice them. Cool Boarder's guitar-driven soundtrack is surprisingly good. Unlike the music in most modern snowboarding games, it's edgy but not headache inducing. There's also a "totally rad" teenage commentator who spews all sorts of repetitive and annoying comments. Cool Boarders is definitely weak in some regards, but if you're looking for a "back to the basics" snowboarding title, this should do the trick.
This snowboarding sequel is a substantial improvement over the original, with more challenges, better graphics, nine courses, and a much-needed two-player split-screen mode. I was pleased by the wide selection of customization options, letting you adjust playing modes, boarders, gear, and background music. At the heart of Cool Boarders 2 lies its "tour competition" mode, where you challenge seven opponents in a series of downhill and stunt/jumping events. This mode also unlocks new courses, so be sure to turn enable the "auto save" option before starting it. And while you're on the options screen, do yourself a favor and turn the voices and background music off. The muffled commentator and grinding guitar music are an unbearable assault on the eardrums. The only thing you need to hear is the sound of crisp snow beneath your board - very relaxing. The stunts are much easier to execute this time around, although the poor instruction manual never sufficiently explains how to perform them. The exciting downhill races feature ample scenery, including quaint resorts and death-defying cliffs. Despite the substantially improved visuals however, there are still far too many unsightly seams. The split screen mode divides the screen down the center, and while it's certainly playable, the fact that you're only racing against one opponent means you'll rarely see anyone else on the course. Cool Boarders 2 was a major step up for the franchise, but the best was still yet to come.
With this outstanding third edition, the Cool Boarders franchise really hit its stride. Intuitive controls, realistic courses, and crisp graphics elevate Cool Board 3 (CB3) to one of my all-time favorite snowboarding games. The scope of CB3 is much expanded from previous editions. You can participate in a wide variety of individual events, including big air, half pipe, slalom, and downhill. You'll face three competitors in the single-player mode, but alas, there are still no CPU opponents in the split-screen contest. The refined graphics feature smooth, rounded hills, which are a welcome sight after carving the angular slopes of the first two Cool Boarder games. The characters are less blocky and come in an assortment of fashionable models. While the back of the box boasts about 34 courses, don't believe it. In fact there are six locations, and there's little to see besides trees and mountains. That's fine with me however, because I prefer my courses to be realistic. The trails are strewn with rocks to jump over, pipes to grind, and ugly, pixilated trees to swerve around. The final trail puts you in a race against an avalanche, which is usually futile but always exciting. CB3's control scheme has been overhauled to finally support analog steering, and the difference is dramatic. Thanks to the vibration feedback function, you can even feel your board carving into the icy snow. Navigating the courses is a pleasure, and even performing tricks seems effortless at times. The game automatically seems to help re-orient your character as he's about to land, which helps immensely. The music is generic guitar noise, and you should turn it down in favor of the excellent whooshing and crunching of snow. Bonus features include multi-angle replays and the ability to punch your opponents. If you're a fan of snowboarding games, you owe it to yourself to track down this oldie-but-goodie.
Cool Boarders 4 is okay, but it failed to advance the series as previous Cool Boarder games did. Of the many "enhancements", some are unwelcome and a few are downright annoying! The graphic engine has been tweaked, so the courses look slightly sharper than those in Cool Boarders 3. The smooth gameplay features plenty of "big air", but the sense of speed and momentum is diminished. Some courses are overly long and so wide open that it's hard to determine which direction to head! Unlike previous games, you rarely need to use the tight turn button. I actually found myself getting bored at times, which is never a good sign! I also dislike the "deep snow" areas. Not only do these slow you down, but it looks ridiculous as the snow can sometimes reach shoulder height! And while the box brags about supporting up to four players, in fact only two can play simultaneously. On the bright side, the impressive locales include Vermont, Colorado, Alaska, France, and Japan. There's not much to see alongside the trails, but Cool Boarders 4 does make excellent use of digitized background graphics. Whether you're looking down on a snowy French village or up at a huge mountain range, the looming scenery in the distance looks spectacular. I also noticed that the trees are more varied in appearance and less of a hazard than those in Cool Boarders 3. The Tournament mode is largely unchanged, except annoying cheering sound effects have been added. Sony actually licensed professional snowboarders for this game, so your opponents have real names. The controls are extremely responsive, letting you dodge trees and pull off tricks on the half-pipe with ease. Cool Boarders 4 is a respectable snowboarding title, but clearly the series had peaked with Cool Boarders 3.
This fantastic 3D action/platform game really showcases the Playstation's graphical capabilities. When this was released in 1996, nothing else could touch it. From the shimmering water stages, to Indiana Jones-inspired rolling rock stage, the remarkable stages are awe-inspiring. The beautiful graphics feature smooth textures, lush environments, and fluid animation. The audio is also first-rate, with excellent bongo drum music adding to the jungle atmosphere. Crash Bandicoot is a psuedo-3D game, meaning you can move on all axis but are generally restricted to a path (although some stages do branch). Crash must reach the end of each stage while collecting items and avoiding dangerous animals, and the game retains a nice sense of humor. Each stage is full of surprises, and several different perspectives are used to add variety. If this isn't a Playstation classic, what is?
This is more of the same stellar gameplay from Crash with additional moves and interesting new stages. Crash can now slide, crawl, and body-slam. Innovative new stages include jet skis (fun) and jet packs (less fun). Crash 2 also introduced the "warp zone" concept which allows you to choose which stage you want to play next. The main problem with Crash 2 is the difficulty. Not only is the basic gameplay more challenging, but in order to complete the game you need to locate secret areas so elusive you'll need a cheat book to find them.
In Warped, noticeable improvements have been made to the graphics and gameplay. The motorcycle, jet ski, and airplane bonus levels are brilliantly executed, and could easily pass as games in of themselves. New moves include the ability to fire a bazooka, which is awesome and adds a terrific new element of play. The difficulty level is reasonable, and although there are some really tough puzzles, you don't need to solve them all to finish the game. Believe it or not, the completion percentage actually goes up to 104% (maybe higher!). Crash 3 is a real gem. It has much more depth and variety than the first game, without the frustration of the second. 
Once Mario Party (N64) caught on, each of the mascots from the other major video game companies had to have their own "party" game as well. Sony's entry is Crash Bash, which offers a collection of minigames made with the Bandicoot's distinct style. When I first watched the intro to Crash Bash, I was reminded just how great the Crash games of the past have been. The graphics were always colorful and clean, and the music and sound effects had a distinct personality of their own. There are plenty of familiar sights and sounds in Crash Bash, but gameplay isn't so hot. Unlike most party games that feature 50 or more unique "mini-games", Bash only has six basic games, with several variations on each. One of the games is a cross between Warlords and Hungry Hungry Hippo (remember that one?), in which you need to deflect metal balls away from your goal. Another is a blatant rip-off of Poy Poy (Playstation), where you throw boxes at other players. Another event lets the players knock each other off a floating island, which is taken straight from Mario Party. The contests are okay, but tend to run too long. This is especially the case in the adventure mode, which lets you open up new levels. At least you have the option of playing the adventure mode alone or with a friend. Crash Bash is high quality, but it's largely uninspired.
Realistic racing games are fine, but for pure fun (especially multi-player), you can't beat a good kart game. Kart racers have been with us since Super Mario Kart on the Super Nintendo, but the Playstation didn't get its first one until now. CTR was worth the wait, because it's just fantastic! This game blows all the other kart games out of the water (including Mario Kart 64). The comical characters introduced in the first three Crash games make for a perfect set of racers, each with their own distinct look and feel. The tracks have a rougher look than those in Mario Kart, but are also much more interesting and imaginative. The backgrounds appear to be inspired from past Crash games, including jungles, snow, temples, and sewers. The tracks feature ramps, shortcuts, and numerous powerups. In terms of control, Naughty Dog succeeded where others have failed. Your kart is easy to control, so you spend less time trying to stay on the track and more time racing. Naughty Dog also recognized that jumping ramps is fun, so they reward players who catch the best air with a speed boost when they land. There are several play modes including adventure, arcade, versus, time trial, and battle modes. The adventure mode challenges one player to beat each track and collect special items, and advancing through this mode opens up new racers and tracks. It's addicting and not overly difficult. The versus mode allows up to four players go against each other via split-screen, and it's a blast. CTR's frame rate remains consistently high, even in the four player mode. The battle mode is just okay, and didn't hold my interest. With so many racers speeding around the large playing field, it was hard to target anyone in particular. Overall, CTR may be the best kart game of all time.
This light gun game got trashed by the critics when it came out, probably because it looks so awful. Crypt Killer takes you through heavily-pixilated dungeons, swamps, and forests where you blast monsters that come out of the woodwork. Enemies include sword-swinging skeletons, zombies that rise from the ground, swamp creatures, and gargoyles. While they may look okay from a distance, when they jump up right in front of you they are hideously pixilated. At least they explode into nice meaty chunks when you shoot them. The pixilation problem is even worse during the boss stages, and the scenery isn't very impressive either - there are seams all over the polygon backdrops. You can choose from six stages, and can even select different routes within each level. Your gun can be powered-up and grenades are also available. It may not be the best looking game in the world, but if you enjoy occult themes and fast shooting action (like me), Crypt Killer might be worth your time. Note: This game is NOT compatible with Namco's Guncon. It only works with the older models such as Konami's Justifier.
Despite the fact that I'm a heterosexual male, I'm still a big fan of music and dancing games. I think Bust a Groove (PS) and Samba De Amigo (DC) are two of the best party games of all time, and Dance Dance Revolution is along those same lines. Gameplay involves pressing buttons in rhythm with the music, and like Samba De Amigo, there's a special "dance mat" controller you can buy separately. The buttons are laid out on the mat, and you need to step on them in rhythm to the beat. The game has literally dozens of songs, but you probably won't recognize any of them. For the most part, you can't even tell the song titles from the artist names. As far as the quality of the music goes, it's a real mixed bag. Most of these up tempo tunes are fairly good, but a few are almost unbearable. Playing with the dance mat is a tough, but at least you'll get a good workout. It's hard to stay in the middle on the thing, and it can slide around. And don't expect to learn how to dance playing this game, because you'll be looking pretty ridiculous. I found the difficulty much too harsh for beginners like me. Playing with the normal controller is much easier, but it sort of defeats the purpose of the game, doesn't it? 
If there ever was a fighting game that valued style over substance, it's Darkstalkers. Basically it's Street Fighter II with monsters, including a vampire, a werewolf, a mummy, and a sexy cat-woman. Darkstalkers is full of funny animations, gorgeous backgrounds, over-the-top moves, and scantily clad women. Each of the ten characters has their own arsenal of attacks and super moves, and the ladies are quite easy on the eyes. What more could you ask for? Well, better gameplay, for one thing. Darkstalkers is very shallow, and the shape-shifting moves are hard to follow and encourage button mashing. The action gets particularly confusing with faster characters like the hyperactive werewolf. The load time is also a bit extreme, and the title sequence is idiotic. But if 2D fighters are your thing, Darkstalkers should keep you entertained for a while. It's only an average fighter, but at least there's plenty of eye candy.
In case you're wondering what happened to Darkstalkers 2, that game was called Night Warriors only released on the Saturn. Compared to the first Darkstalkers, Darkstalkers 3 is a noticeable improvement. There a lot more characters, and they tend to be larger and better animated. The game plays like Street Fighter 2, but it's humor and unique style gives it a different flavor. The fun, sometimes nightmarish backgrounds are highly detailed and a feast for the eyes. It's not the deepest fighter in the world, but if you like fighting games and occult themes, you should get a kick out of Darkstalkers 3.
It's difficult to remember the last time I enjoyed a game LESS than Dead In The Water. The premise of the game, Twisted Metal with boats, certainly has potential. The boats are imaginative and detailed, and you can even soup them up with the money you win from races. The sea looks like a huge vat of Jello, and the gameplay itself is hopeless. Unresponsive controls and poor track design make navigation difficult to say the least. The weapons don't do nearly enough damage, so the battles just go on forever. That sissy machine gun isn't even worth messing with! And neither is this game. Despite a boatload of options and features, Dead In The Water is a disaster of titanic proportions.
Today, Dead or Alive is well-respected series of fighting games, but when this came out, it was somewhat of a joke. All anyone could talk about is how the female fighter's huge breasts bounce around in such a hilarious manner. Still, Dead Or Alive is probably the best looking fighter on the Playstation, with far better visuals than any of the Tekkens. The characters have smooth, well-rounded bodies - particularly the women. In fact, the female fighter Kasumi looks unbelievably hot for a Playstation character. It's a shame that of the eight fighters, only three are female, because the male characters are boring in comparison. But the graphics notwithstanding, Dead or Alive one is of the better fighters you can get for the system. Each character has literally dozens of moves (listed in the manual), and the silky-smooth animations make the bouts entertaining to watch. The gameplay is solid but a step down from Tekken 3. I do like how you can stomp on a fighter who's down, but a side-step move is badly needed. Dead or Alive rewards aggressive behavior, so don't be shy about pounding the buttons. The breathtaking background graphics feature photo realistic city skylights, tropical islands, and industrial areas at sunset. The music is equally good, and it varies greatly from stage to stage. Playing modes include training, team battle, survival, time attack, versus, and tournament, but my favorite is the "Kumite Mode", which pits you against a series of computer opponents. Since the minimum number of battles in Kumite mode is 30, you may want to set the match point to one round before undertaking this.
When it comes to single-player racing action on the Playstation, it's hard to beat the original Destruction Derby. This oldie provides more visceral thrills, intense competition, and out-of-control mayhem than any other Playstation racer. There are two types of contests: smash up derby and stockcar racing. The smash up derby mode places you into a circular arena with 19 (!) other cars. The boxy-looking cars do incur damage to an extent, and it's quite a thrill to plow into a group of vehicles. Destruction Derby's graphics are modest, but the flying polygons and smoke effects combined with digitized sounds make for satisfying collisions. While the gameplay seems mindless at first, to maximize your score you want to hit opponents in the side-rear, sending them into 360-degree spins. The stockcar racing modes are even better, taking place on narrow, enclosed tracks. Just the fact that you're racing against 19 other cars is pretty cool, but the multi-car jams that litter the track ratchet up the excitement dramatically. The best tracks are the ones that intersect themselves, maximizing the collision potential. I don't know what's more fun - narrowly slicing through cross-traffic or plowing into the side of a speeding car. It's a challenge just to complete the race, since your car will eventually break down after sustaining enough damage. A diagram in the lower corner of the screen indicates what parts of your car are most vulnerable, and it's suspenseful when your car is on the brink and you're trying to complete that last lap! I noticed a bit of slowdown in the framerate on occasion, but nothing objectionable. Despite its digital-only control scheme, your car handles exceptionally well. The link cable is supported for two-player action, but that device isn't useful unless you have a friend who also owns this game. The worst aspect of Destruction Derby is its music - if you can even call the random samples over generic beats "music". Otherwise, I love this game and highly recommend it to gamers looking for some excitement.
The first Destruction Derby was awesome, but this one is a piece of [expletive]. In theory, Destruction Derby 2 (DD2) has a lot going for it, with improved graphics, faster gameplay, and more interesting tracks. Unlike the first game, cars can flip over and get knocked high into the air, resulting in more spectacular wrecks. But DD2's gameplay positively stinks! The circular smash-up-derby arena from the previous game is back, but this time it's virtually unplayable. As soon as your car gets hit, it goes sailing into the air. Then you find yourself getting gangbanged against a side wall as cars relentlessly plow into you. You can never seem to regain control, and it feels frustrating and pointless. The racing modes are better, but still not great. The tracks are wider this time around, minimizing the congestion and pileups that made the first game such a hoot. Although there are some exciting jumps, some ramps are crooked, causing your car to inconveniently flip over. Your vehicle handles poorly. Each time your car bangs into something, you end up facing the wrong direction. Consequently, a tedious three-point turn is required to get back on track. There's a pit stop available, but just like so many other racing games, it's not very useful. Perhaps the most shocking aspect of DD2 is that it contains no two-player options at all! I highly recommend the original Destruction Derby, but steer clear of this lackluster sequel.
Despite addressing most of the issues that plagued the ill-conceived Destruction Derby 2, Raw is still not very exciting. The reason is simple - the collisions are lame! The crashes in the original Destruction Derby were punctuated by flying debris, billowing smoke, and ear-crunching sound effects. In Destruction Derby Raw, you basically just bounce off the other cars, which is not satisfying at all. It's a shame, because this is an otherwise impressive effort. The dirt tracks have a gritty, industrial look and feature some interesting layouts. Unfortunately, they also tend to be pretty wide and long, so even though you're racing against 19 other cars, it's possible to go a whole lap or two without even seeing anybody else! In addition, you rarely witness any exciting wrecks or pile ups. The analog steering has a nice loose feel and the cars handle like a dream. As a one-player racing game, Destruction Derby Raw is more than respectable, but the split-screen action is a bore. The crash-em-derby arena is pretty lame too, but I do like the count-down display on the lower corner which lets you know how many cars remain. DDR's graphics are fine, and its grinding rock music isn't bad either. It's a decent racer, but it would benefit from more "Destruction" and less "Derby".
Here's a very nice adaptation of the popular PC action/adventure game. You control a warrior who must hack his way through 16 dungeon levels teeming with all kinds of creatures including goblins, spiders, and demons. And of course there's the obligatory village area where you can gather information and buy items. Although Diablo begins off as a slash-fest, you eventually gain the ability to cast powerful spells which brings more strategy into play. You outfit your warrior from head to toe, and there's an amazing variety of armor, weapons, scrolls and other items. We all know the computer version of this game is great, but how's the Playstation version? Well, the dark dungeon graphics look fine for the Playstation, but are a big step down from the PC. The creatures look fine but the small creatures are difficult to discern. The control scheme takes some getting used to, and you're likely to waste a few spells before you figure how the button combinations work. The audio is fantastic, with creepy sound effects and tense background music to set the mood. One major complaint I have is the excruciating load times between levels and during game saves. Still, this game is very enjoyable and features a nice two-player mode not available on the PC.
Die Hard Trilogy is an incredible value, considering you get three completely different games, including a third person shooter, a light gun shooter, and a driving game. And each of them are of exceptional quality, with top-notch graphics and exceptional control. The light gun shooter (based on Die Hard 2) is probably the best, boasting a level realism and gore unsurpassed in 1996. Blowing away terrorists in an airport has never been so much fun. Note: Namco's Guncon controller is NOT supported. The third person shooter lets you controlling a little Bruce Willis infiltrating a building, and it's pretty difficult. The driving game involves finding a time bomb in a city, and it features Sam Jackson's frantic yelling. No question about it, Die Hard Trilogy is a very impressive package.
The first Die Hard Trilogy game was a huge hit, but that was released when the Playstation was still fairly new. This game on the other hand, came out much later and didn't much media attention. Like the first Die Hard, it features three separate games: a third-person shooter, a light-gun shooter, and a car chase game. The arcade mode lets you choose which type of game you want to play, and a movie mode alternates between all three games, tying them together with full motion video cut-scenes. The third-person shooter is outstanding, with large characters and interesting levels. An auto-aiming feature makes it a pleasure to mow down the bad guys, and there's a LOT of blood-letting to be had. The light-gun game is also impressive, and it supports Namco's Guncon, the most accurate gun you can get for the Playstation. You'll need it because you'll have to shoot some very small targets, including knives in the air (a la Lethal Enforcers). In the third game, you drive around ramming cars to destroy them, and it's probably the weakest of the three. The scenery includes countrysides as well as downtown areas, but the steering is problematic. Even with the analog control, the turn radius is far too wide, making it difficult to turn around. Die Hard Trilogy 2 feels like a bit of a rehash, but it still delivers a lot of bang for the buck. 
The first Dino Crisis was like Resident Evil with dinosaurs. It was a slow, deliberate game with more puzzle-solving than action. But Dino Crisis 2 takes the opposite approach. In Dino Crisis 2, the dinosaurs just keep coming, turning this into an intense shooter with plenty of exciting Jurassic Park-inspired scenes. In many areas you literally have to run for your life. The control has been improved so you can run-and-gun, and a clever aiming system makes it easy to pick off raptors as they come out of the woodwork. The creatures look incredibly lifelike. The raptors are ruthless, but the T-Rex is surprisingly dumb - you can run circles around him! Killing dinosaurs earns you points which you can use to purchase weapons, items, and tools. The graphics are Resident Evil-quality, which is to say, excellent. A ridiculous storyline threatens to spoil the game, but the frantic action overcomes that. Once I started playing, it was difficult to stop. Dino Crisis 2 is one of the most exciting adventure games ever made for the Playstation!
Just like the classic Disney games on the 16-bit systems, Hercules combines high quality cartoon graphics with fun platform action. All the characters from the movie are here, and they are exceptionally well animated. The colorful, multi-tiered backgrounds are brightly detailed and fun to look at. Although most of the action is 2D, there are some 3D levels, including the amazing "Cyclops Attack" level, where you run down the street of a crumbing city, while a giant cyclops looms in the distance. Hercules generally follows the storyline of the movie, and even contains video clips between levels. Comical voice samples and background music is also taken straight from the movie, and there's even a music video thrown in! The game itself is fun to play, with plenty of moves, secret areas, bosses, and power-ups. This is a very entertaining title for anyone who enjoyed the film, and who didn't?
This is an excellent port of the PC classic that popularized the first-person shooter genre in the first place. This disk contains all of the levels from the original Doom and Doom II, and there's even a special Playstation-only cheat mode included. The graphics no longer impress, but Doom is still a very fun game to play. A few classic stages, like the "cat and mouse" stage, can be incredibly intense. Others, like "tricks and traps", require some quick thinking. The control is tight, and the sound effects are downright terrifying. This is a nice piece of history.
In Driver, you play a criminal driving freely around a realistic city with traffic and pedestrians. Exciting missions send you careening through the streets while eluding cops that try to run you off the road. The graphics are superb and the frame rate is silky smooth, giving the game the look and feel of a Starsky and Hutch car chase! It's quite a rush to run over curbs and side-swipe cars in a desperate attempt to flee from the cops. The one-player story mode is set in the 70's, complete with afros and jive talking. My friends prefer the "survival mode", where you see how long you can last against a squad of kamikaze police cars (no one could beat one minute!). After each game you can watch an instant replay, which tends to be hilarious. The game's four locations include Miami, San Francisco (big air), Los Angeles, and New York. Although the cities do contain familiar landmarks, they are not laid out like the actual places, and although the city graphics are attractive and detailed, they suffer from a bad case of "draw-in". In other words, entire buildings suddenly appear a block away as you approach, and it looks bad. In addition, some slowdown does occur when the action gets hectic. But these are relatively minor issues that should not keep you away from this action-packed adventure. 
This side-scrolling shooter is graphically stunning. The layered 3D backdrops, changing viewpoints, large objects, and realistic explosions make Einhander a feast for the eyes. There are a variety of weapons which you can aim in different directions. Einhander is great fun, but you must always start at stage one, and advancing to the later stages can be a real chore. Also, since your ship is large and so are the bosses, sometimes there's not enough room on the screen to maneuver around. But for fans of the shooter genre, this is an old favorite.
This is a refreshing light-gun shooter with attractive 3D, anime-style graphics. The story line is like an RPG, but the gameplay is pure arcade. The first-person graphics move smoothly, often giving you the feeling of flying or running. The scenery is spectacular, and two players can play at once. Elemental Gearbolt is also compatible with Namco's Guncon controller.