Monthly Archives: January 2018

Blue Sky Productions, Electronic Arts, gog.com, Looking Glass Technologies, MS-DOS, Origin Systems, PC

Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds, PC

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The second of two ground-breaking Ultima Underworld games made by Blue Sky Productions (later to become Looking Glass Technologies) and Origin Systems.

Labyrinth of Worlds, first released in 1993, again features a very early (and successful) attempt to create a Role-Playing Game with a fully-explorable 3D environment. Both this – and its predecessor, The Stygian Abyss – were developed concurrently, and were a significant leap forward in terms of software technology at the time.

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Electronic Arts, gog.com, Looking Glass Technologies, MS-DOS, Origin Systems, PC

Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss, PC

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The first of two ground-breaking Ultima Underworld games made by Looking Glass Technologies (formerly known as Blue Sky Productions) and Origin Systems.

The Stygian Abyss, first released in 1992, is one of the first Role-Playing Games to feature first-person action in a 3D environment.

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Amiga, Ocean Software, Taito

Parasol Stars, Amiga

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Parasol Stars is a wonderful sequel to Taito‘s classic Rainbow Islands, although it was never released in arcades.

The game was initially developed exclusively for the NEC PC Engine in 1991, and later released on other formats by Ocean Software. The brilliant Amiga version was released in 1992 and remains a firm favourite among Bubble Bobble series fans.

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Bethesda, MS-DOS, PC, US Gold

The Elder Scrolls: Arena, PC

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The first game in the famous Elder Scrolls series (Oblivion; Skyrim) was first released by Bethesda Softworks for PC MS-DOS in 1994.

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Bethesda, MS-DOS, PC, US Gold

Daggerfall, PC

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The second game in the famous Elder Scrolls series, this one called The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall.

Daggerfall is a sprawling MS-DOS-based RPG, full of monsters and magic (and fun), and was first released by Bethesda (and US Gold, in the UK anyway), back in 1996.

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Eidos Interactive, gog.com, Ion Storm, PC, Steam, Windows

Deus Ex, PC

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A game close to my heart, as I was the first person in the world to review Ion Storm‘s brilliant Deus Ex, for PC Zone magazine in 2000. Click here for the review.

Deus Ex (pronounced Day-Us-Ex – NOT Deuce-Ex) is a classic first-person, futuristic action game with stealth overtones, although you can choose whether to blast your way through it or not.

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About Grabbing, History, PC, PC Zone

System Shock 2, PC Zone Review

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This is the world exclusive first review I did of System Shock 2 for PC Zone magazine back in 1999, showing the original grabs.

I knew I was down to review it, but hadn’t seen the game moving until I got the review copy. I sat in a darkened room for five days, shitting myself, playing the game, grabbing it and writing the review.

Back in the office the editor asked me for a coverline. “A masterpiece unveiled?” I suggested. It stuck.

System Shock 2 IS a masterpiece!

Cover for PC Zone issue 80, September 1999. System Shock 2 world exclusive review.
The opening double page spread of my System Shock 2 review.
The continuation of my System Shock 2 review in PC Zone magazine, September 1999.
The final spread of my six-page, world exclusive review of System Shock 2 in PC Zone magazine, September 1999.