Amazon.com Review

The Diablo Battle Chest is the complete Diablo saga in one box. Itincludes Diablo, Diablo II (the fastest-selling PC game of alltime), the Diablo II: Lord of Destruction expansion pack, and theofficial Diablo II strategy guide from BradyGames. The combined retailvalue of everything in the Diablo Battle Chest is more than $70.

The Diablo Battle Chest makes the perfect gift for someone new to the action-RPGphenomenon, or for the hard-core Diablo fan that wants the complete series inone big collectible box. ... Read more

Reviews (105)

THIS IS FUN
I was struck dumb with awe when i friend showed me this game. IT is the koolest game i have ever played on the computer. You are a hero who tries to defeat the ultimate evil Diablo. You can choose from 7 classes in the expainsion. Assisain, druid, amazon, barbarian, padilin, and my fav sorceress. When you first start out u have no armor and weak weapons but when u kill monsters you will gain exp and sometimes they drop weapons or armor. This is a 3rd person game and its real time. The animations are wonderful and the cutseens are really well done. The cap lv is 99 and when u lv up u can choose to up str or def or something else. You can also get speical attacks or magic. Like leap attack if ur a barbarin or something like nova which is an attack that realeses energy and goes out of u in the form of a cricle. This is the best game i have played in a long time i it has a high replay rating since u can play online and theres so many iteams to collect. The secret cow lv is really fun and funny. I hope u enjoy this as much as i did

Back in my buddy's Rec Room
Firing up Diablo II takes me back to my early days of D&D. I recently recevied the game from my cousin who has been a hardcore Diablo fan since Day One.

The Battle Chest is a great value. Although I've been slashing my way through D2, I just found out that a friend plays D1 online at BattleNet. Lucky for me, and others who've discovered the Battle Chest, I've got both games.

As many others have pointed out, the interface is rather intuitive. I've played D2 online for the most part. Starting out is a real challenge. If you're killed with no backup weapons back in town, you need to trudge out and reclaim your posessions barehanded. And the fiends who inhabit the Diablo landscape aren't going to make it easy for you.

As characters develop, they really do take on their own personality. As you "level up" you decide where skill points will be distributed. Will you focus on lightning skills, or become the master of two handed axe wielding ? Its up to you. Lots of todays teens will easily get drawn into the adventuring, to be sure. But for for the old-school adventurers who yearn to dig out their 20-sided die one more time, give Diablo a whirl.

Award Winning Action Packed Gift Set!
This my friend, is an award winning gift set collection for any hardcore gamer. Novice or expert, with Diablo and it's following titles this is a great buy for your money's worth! You get the first-ever action-packed Diablo game, it's following ancestors, Diablo II and Diablo II:Lord of Destruction, and you also get Diablo II and Lord of Destruction Strategy Guide, and a cool poster all for currently twenty dollars! Don't miss out on this awesome gift set collection. In Diablo, you are destined to slaughter the lord of terror, Diablo. You get lots of fun filled quests with an epic story line, challenging bosses, great weapons, lovely items, and good graphics. In Diablo II, the lord of terror returns and again, you must go out and hunt Diablo. Diablo II has more items, weapons, better graphics, four acts, and great new challenging monsters and bosses that will keep you playing. Then, after you beat Diablo II, you must install Diablo II:Lord of Destruction. Diablo II:Lord of Destruction is the expansion pack for Diablo II. In Lord of Destruction the lord of terror doesn't return, but you must seek and destroy a new enemy, Baal. Baal is the big boss, the lord of destruction people say. In Diablo II:Lord of Destruction you get thousands, not hundreds but thousands, of new items, lovelier weapons, lots of new monsters, tons of great big bad bosses, and a brand new act to complete, to seek and destroy the lord of terror, Baal. If you have trouble you can always turn to the Diablo II Strategy Guide that comes along with this great gift collection, and who knows, you may learn something new. Diablo Battle Chest is a great gift collection for anyone who loves Blizzard's other award-winning titles, novice or expert, all non or current Diablo fans will love this gift collection. Why? Because it has the first award-winning title that started it all, Diablo, then Diablo II and Diablo II:Lord of Destruction, two manuals, one big fat Diablo II Strategy Guide, a cool poster, and most important of all, addictive hot sweet sweet sizzling non-stop action that will keep you riveted. So for your average gaming buck, it's not a bad deal, so I say buy this item now, or you'll regret it! :)

Lost in transit
I loaned this game to a friend before summer of '03 when his brother loaned it out to someone who left the state. He is just now recieving my game after it was ordered around January and is going to give it to me tommorrow (May 18 2004). This was a wait of 5 months to recieve this product. but having played it before I am very pleased with this game. I find such a wait worth it.

One of the greatest games ever made. Period.
I cant even estimate how many hours Ive spent playing this game on Battle.net over the last few years. It is just that good.

Logging onto Bnet and playing this game with tens of thousands of people, 4 years after its release, shows you just how great the game is. If any game can put up these numbers years after its release then its got to be doing something right.

Pick up this game now if you havent already. Youll be hooked for a long time... ... Read more

Features

• Provide covering fire, provide assistance when a teammate is pinned, and find the right strategy for the urban combat you'll face
• Call in the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) -- get air support for Cobra helicopters and ground support for M1 Abrams tanks
• Make sure you follow all rules of engagement -- the biggest challenge any Marine can face
• For added challenge, you'll have to manage the psychology of your teammates - make sure confidence stays high and avoid giving orders that are questionable
• Two very different modes of play -More casual, traditional shooter action in Normal Mode or try Simulation Mode - where enemies are more precise, teammates will take on more damage

Amazon.com Review

This fantastic program will have your brain working as hard as a mandrill on a conveyer belt with bananas dangling in front of it. Don't worry, we'll explain. The Incredible Machine: Even More Contraptions gives players dozens of tools that perform an action: balls that bounce, cats that chase (and don't bounce), pulleys, ropes, generators, and yes, mandrill baboons on conveyer belts, bananas a-dangle in front of them. Then players are given a problem to solve with all of this crazy energy. Here's an example: in one puzzle called "Wood is Good," players must get three balls into a box, make wooden toast, and wood-smoke a hunk of gouda cheese for a mouse. Among the tools available to accomplish this task are a bike pump and an antigravity pad. And this is one of the easy puzzles.

There are 250 gizmos to build here, some designed for single players and some designed for head-to-head puzzling competition. There is also a field where players can design their own Rube Goldberg Machine from scratch. The vast amount of projects and their complexity make this a program with staying power. Mercifully, there is a tutorial that takes rookies and right-brainers in hand. Players can choose four levels of difficulty: easy, which is quite challenging; to expert, which is insane. Mitigating the challenge factor is a function that turns the cursor into a question mark, and allows players to inspect gadget elements and get in-depth information about what each object and surface does.

This game does a great job graphically. The well-rendered objects all perform as they ought, and form never hinders function. A thoughtful extra is a place where mad scientists can mess with their invention's appearance and background music: nice final touches for folks who want to take their custom-built games online to challenge others who are addicted to The Incredible Machine. This program's biggest strength is that it manages to put a humorous and creative spin on physics and engineering. They're not just giving you levers and weights to work with, they're giving you bottle rockets and alligators. A final wonderful point: there is no "right way" to build your contraption. If you scrabble something together that achieves the goal, it's right, no matter if you used the antigravity pad on the cat or on the bowling ball. No age rating given; we recommend ages 8 and up. --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Reviews (9)

I love it! It's a great thinking game!
This game is soooooooo 3D!
You won't find silly cartoons stick poeple etc in this game!
I love making my own contraptions and letting my mom play!
If you want your kid to now a lot about physics then this is a great game!
It has a lot of new stuff like a monkey and a jack in the box.
It keeps all the old contraptions the same so don't worry about losing contraptions in the old game that you liked.
The gears are made easyer so you don't need to take them out then put them back to get them working unlike in the first game.
It is very compatiple with most computers I heard it works on Mac and I had a Windows me wich it worked on and now I have a XP and it works even better on that.
This game is not like most games that you complete in weeks, months, days, or even one day this game takes years!
But it's not too hard so you won't need to wory about not beeing able to complete one contraption.
The tutorial level is to get started and to learn the basics.
The easy level is to get you to understand the controls and to get your brain runing and any other stuff it also gets you better at reading the real hints and knowing those things that might trick you like extra parts.
This game is a great buy!
But there is some things like harming animals but what I do is say thay are just robots.

5 Year Old Loves it!
We got this game for my five year old son thinking it would be a great game to do together. That is an understatement! He is actually spending hours doing and completing contraptions on his own and is up to the harder levels. Definitely not a game for the mechanically uninclined but not as difficult as a previous review stated. My son is actually helping ME complete them. Tons of fun and learning!

Great program and runs on Mac!
It's a very fun game for kids or adults. It allows you to build Rube Goldberg-like contraptions on your computer, and then watch them in action. You can also "solve" existing (partially built) contraptions by figuring out what pieces to put where to make it accomplish a specified goal. And you can build contraptions for other people to solve. Very cool!

There's little to criticize about it. The directions aren't as clear as they could be (typical: they describe how to do things instead of *showing* you) but you'll catch on quickly, since its very simple, and anyone who has used a computer will understand their cartoon-like interface (take normal computer widgets and make them big and cartoon-like and colorful: take a look at the screen shots to see what I mean). So if you have very young kids who haven't used the computer before, you might want to play it and let them watch: they'll catch on quickly. My first kid is still 4 weeks away, but I still can't wait to play this with him: we'll both enjoy it.

Another criticism is that you have a very small space in which to build the contraptions, so they can't be as big as your screen (unless I just didn't find this option). That is annoying and limiting, but it's still lots of fun.

The level of reality is cartoon-like, fitting the Rube Goldberg theme (many of Rube's contraptions wouldn't actually work because everything wouldn't fall perfectly into place) but that's good, of course.

Save your money
This game is very difficult (even the easy level.) It has a lot of bugs. Clicking Help on the main screen freezes my computer. The objects are difficult to manipulate when they overlap anything. Everything has to be in perfect alignment for the puzzle to be solved, which is very difficult to do. I am returning it to Sierra for a refund.

Excellent thinking game
This is a good, clean game that will provide hours upon hours of entertainment. It has a lot of puzzles at various difficulty levels that make it fun for beginners and those looking for a challenge. The game is very addicting, guaranteeing that you'll get your money's worth out of it. An excellent way to exercise your brain and have fun at the same time. ... Read more

Features

• Comprehensive and powerful flight simulator
• 29 aircraft spanning the aviation industry and history
• Scenery spans the globe; easily customize your own airplanes
• Variable weather; fly actual current conditions with Internet downloads
• 35 systems can be failed manually or randomly

Product Description

Includes: The Sims, The Sims Livin' Large, Sims House Party, and The Sims Hot Date.

In The Sims create a one-room bachelor pad or a 40-room mansion with easy-to-use house design tools. Choose from hundreds of items to keep your Sims happy, including swimming pools, giant-screen TVs, and even a hot tub!

With The Sims Livin' Large put your Sims into the most outrageous situations imaginable. With a wide range of wild and crazy objects, careers, and building styles, add even more zaniness to your Sims' lives.

In the Sims House Party make The Sims one big party! From luaus to raves, host parties that will drive the neighborhood crazy! Build the ultimate theme party with unique party items, party with cool new characters and mix and mingle your Sims in new group activities.

Rock the house! The Sims Hot Date you can play matchmaker to your Sims! Wine and dine or crash and burn! See how well you can play Don Juan with your Sims. With brand new characters to meet and date, over 40 new one-on-one interactions and over 125 new items, the stage is set for the ultimate romantic interlude!

Features:

• Over 600 items to furnish your home and make your Sims happy!
• Choose a career for your Sims, an astronaut, an award-winning actor, or even an international spy
• Build a tacky little loveshack, a creepy castle, or a high-tech "home of the future"
• Rock the house with a variety of music and dance styles
• Enjoy a passionate picnic in the park or try your luck on the cuddle couch

Features

• Use the game's powerful architectural design tool to build dream homes for your Sims
• 4-pack includes The Sims, Sims House Party, Sims Livin' Large, and Sims Hot Date.
• Build a simulated neighborhood and run--or ruin--the lives of the people that live there
• Unlimited open-ended game play allows you to help your Sims develop and mature
• Let your Sims pursue any of 10 possible career paths

Reviews (2)

Great Buy!
As you have probably read, the Sims is one of the best games ever made! When I saw this pop up as I was ordering Hot Date, my heart jumped. Bad for me, lucky for you- I've spent almost 100 bucks on all of these games buying them separately. This is a bargain! Of course, the Sims is so much more fun with these expansions. It just stinks that this wasn't out yet when I purchased the Sims 5 months ago... :-)

Bargain
I didn't get this case of games, but the sims is a great game, and buying all 4 games for 50 bucks is a bargain. Each game is about 20-30 dollars, get the party pack for more the fun and less the money ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

The full versions of StarCraft and the acclaimed expansion pack Brood War, as well as complete strategy guides for each, make StarCraft: Battle Chest a treasure chest for real-time strategy fans.

Instead of two similarly powered enemies facing off, the three distinct races in StarCraft have unique capabilities and strategies. Everyone still competes in the RTS genre's typical race for resources, but that's the only shared trait. Terrans can move their bulky mechanized bases as necessary, while the reptilian Zerg grow their colonies and warriors from mutating larvae. Meanwhile, the noble Protoss warp in equipment from their home world using psionic powers.

Not only does game maker Blizzard juggle the races' playability and match it with superb art and sound effects, it also weaves together an engrossing three-act plot. Early on, as a Terran magistrate, you spend a breathtaking 30 minutes defending against a Zerg onslaught. As the story unfolds around you, you'll experience the Zerg's hive mentality and decipher the mysterious Protoss by the game's dramatic conclusion.

Missions vary in scope and are effectively framed with dialogue, chapter screens, and in-mission exposition. Multiplayer games are also very well represented by Blizzard's own free Battle.net service. If you'd rather play over a local area network, StarCraft will generously "spawn" up to seven copies so your friends can join in.

In keeping with StarCraft's groundbreaking design, Brood War presents you with three sides of a galactic conflict. Scheming humans, insidious Zerg, and proud Protoss collide again, with stunning new cinematics setting the stage. Old friends and foes and ominous new arrivals give the story a breakneck pace, while a handful of additions to each race's arsenal makes for tense battles. Brood War also features stellar new environments and ambient art, as well as more than 100 additional multiplayer maps.

Some missions require a bit of finesse, breaking the resource-gathering routine while making good use of the new units. Humans now have Valkyrie missile frigates as well as medics who automatically try to heal your grunts. New for the Zerg air force is the acid-spewing Devourer; the new Lurker unit provides heavy-duty (under)ground support. Along with the Corsair fighter, the Protoss reenter the fray with Dark Templar, which can merge to form the devastating Dark Archon. Unfortunately, units old and new still suffer from weak artificial intelligence in path finding.

Real-time strategy games don't get any more epic or any more satisfying. --Jack Gardiner ... Read more

Reviews (201)

Still a great game
I took a several year break from computer gaming until I recently bought myself a PowerBook. With my new machine I decided to try out StarCraft because the Battlechest was cheap. Even years after it's release, StarCraft is still a great game. The three races (Terrans, Protoss, and Zerg) have such different play styles it's like having three games in one. The storyline does a great job of keeping the gameplay fresh; otherwise, it would be another game of "build up your forces and rush your opponent."

I recommend the Battlechest for another reason: the two hint books that come with the bundle. If you're in school, you may have time to burn playing the scenarios two or three times until you get it right, but I have to hold down a full time job. I usually play until I've figured out the gimmick for each scenario, then I check the hint book because I can't waste a lot of time getting to the next mission (I told you the storyline was good). This goes doubly for any married StarCraft player: unless you're spending quality time with your kids playing this game, you'll jeopardize your marraige by spending hours in front of the computer trying to finish this game. The hint books make it possible to have some fun and still get on with life.

Get the Battlechest: you won't be disappointed.

all your needs in one box
The battle chest is a great way to get both Starcraft and it's expansion BroodWar, together the make one of the best combat / strategy games. If you don't own Starcraft buy the battle chest and get all the extras. They will help you enjoy the game fully. If you already own Starcraft unless you really want the two strategy guides just buy the expansion pack Broodwar instead. Starcraft really needs to be played with the expansion; it adds more depth to both the game and tactics with new missions and new units. The basic game play is pretty easy to pick up and if you play the single player missions in order you'll quickly learn the strengths and weaknesses of each troop type. Then the fun really begins when you battle against real opponents across the Internet. After you have played the single player missions you'll have your favorite race either Terran, Protos or Zerg. You'll come up with your own tactics on how to deal with your opponents There is a huge on-line community out there defending the 'Honor' of each respective race. Buy the game and come play. This game came out back in 1998 and it is still being played now. Few games can say they have that lasting appeal. The battle Chest is 100% value for money

Great Game!
I borrowed Starcraft from a friend and after a few hours of playing knew that I had to get it. So, I went out and bought the Battle Chest. This comes with both Starcraft and the Starcraft: Brood War expansion pack, plus guides for each game and a technology tree map (shows which buildings are needed in order to build more advanced buildings). This is the perfect way to get started playing Starcraft. The game itself is excellent. My friends and I have spent many hours playing and plan on playing it for many years to come. Blizzard hit it right on the head with this game. If you don't have it get it right now. This truly is the standard to which all real-time strategy games are compared to.

I give it 5+stars
This game is great, and cheap! When u buy this u will be getting the original Starcraft, The expansion Starcraft Broodwar, and both stratigy guides. The stratigy guides show how to play the game and each charictor and how to use them. I have been playing this game for about 2 yrs and I still love it. Blizzard has made the BEST selection of games I have ever played. If u get this and like it you might want to look into buying any of these great games Diablo Battle Chest, Diablo, Diablo2, Diablo2 The expansion, Warcraft Battle Chest, Warcraft, Warcraft2, Warcraft3, and Frozen Throne, Starcraft Ghosts.

Another thing to add..
Everything about this game has generally been summed up in the other reviews, yes, this is a TRULY AMAZING game even since it came out. It is still one of the most popular strategy games for the PC and you shouldn't worry too much about finding another multiplayer opponent.

About the campaigns: When first purchasing this game it might be instinct to go ahead and install Brood War right away and start playing it, but it is CRUCIAL that you do NOT play the Brood War campaigns until you finish the original game. Why?

1.) It will spoil some of the storyline from the first game.
2.) You will get your butt whooped.

There is a reason they label the first Brood War campaign Episode IV! ... Read more

Features

• Play as part of a well-trained squad in this first-person, action game
• Delivers the gritty realism and cinematic intensity of WW II's epic battlefield
• Experienced through the eyes of citizen soldiers and unsung heroes
• Authentic squad movements and tactics
• Each soldier's distinct personality and training comes out on the battlefield

Reviews (6)

Medal of Honor spanker!
1. I love first person shooters...
2. The setting takes place when our country entered into war for more credible reasons (we were still the "good guys")... takes less toll on the slightly more "consciencious" players/potential buyers.
3. The single player in this title is definitely better than Medal of Honor's single player- and don't get me wrong, Medal of Honor was/is a really good game- Call of Duty just happens to be a really nice leap foward!
4. Multiplayer in Call of Duty is rock solid and hella fun (cable modem connect)!

Here's my system specs: MDD G4/1GHz/1GB RAM/OS X 10.3.4/Radeon 9800 Pro (I can play Unreal Tournament 2004 at 1600x1200 SMOOTHLY on this card!) Hint: This game is a lot more payable if you disable FSAA in the INI file if you've a less powerful card... this option isn't directly editable in the main game [interface's] setup.

Better than MOHAA!
I absolutly love CoD!!! It kicks MOHAA's ass in SP and esspecialy MP! The only complaint I have is that the single player campaign, to me at least, seemed rather short, but the amazing MP aspect easily makes up for this.

Great game... better than MOHAA!
Smarter AI, excellent graphics, exciting game play. I can feel that I'm "in" the war and not just playing a game. It runs pretty decent on my TiBook G4/1Ghz/1GB RAM.

Great Game!
Highly recommended, I prefer this game over MOHAA. Single player is better and Multiplayer is really nice as well.

Best War game...Ever.
This is simply a fantastic game. It is incredibly realistic, and it has killer single and multiplayer components. A great addition for any Action gamer. ... Read more

Features

• A massive conflict between Jedi & Sith has left the Republic weakened. Into this chaos steps a young Jedi on a mission. His mission will determine the outcome of this colossal galactic war - and your destiny as a Jedi
• Lead your group of freedom fighters across the galaxy -- you can choose from humans, droids, Twi'leks, Wookies and more
• Recruit other to your cause & train them in exciting mini-games like racing swoop bikes or manning turret guns
• Travel to ten unique world in the Star Wars galaxy, from the Jedi Academy on Dantooine to the Sith homeworld of Korriban
• Customizable and evolving characters keep the story fresh and the gameplay interesting -- especially when you have to choose between the Light & Dark Sides of The Force

Features

• All-new arenas and battlefields -- choose to play in planet-bound mayhem, or shoot up the cold vacuum of space
• New land, air and space vehicles - from lightweight attack craft to behemoth tanks, for more and better destruction
• Live chat over LAN and Internet with 3D audio (on supported cards), using a microphone and headset (not incl.)
• Fast-paced sports-style combat
• The powerful Skaarj return as a playable race for better, crazier combat

Reviews (5)

Just Amazing
As a HUGE ut2k zealot, I have always loved the games. With the latest installment, they one-up the previous with the amazing vehicles. The new arenas are pure joy,, and the mods make it worth every penny.

This game Destroys Halo Online
Okay the only FPS that can compare to UT 2004 is Halo. Heres how UT 2004 stacks up: Halo takes the single player catagory barley because in halo theres an actual story line UT is more just levels in a tourney. Halo takes a less powerful computer to run but if u want halo in all its glory u should probabley use a 1ghz processer same for UT 2004. The graphics are pretty much equal. The guns and vehicles are better in UT and there are more guns and vehicles. UT destroys Halo online, UT has better games u can play,more of them,less lag,more players per game. I vote UT over Halo. Also even though UT requires a better sustem i found that UT ran better on my eMac G4 1.25 GHZ 1 mb of RAM 140 GB and a ATI Radeon 9200

It's a DVD
Unreal has always been my favorite of all the 1st person frag fests. This game has everything that was good about about the previous games like the pumped up announcer and varied weapons each with 2 different modes. And it adds on even more incredible features like vehical combat, adrenaline combos, an a really fun basketball type game. It plays great with all features turned on with a Radeon 9800 - the best card available on Macs.

Also, unlike the PC version which is like 6 CD-ROM's, this is a single DVD. It makes for a very convenient install and storage.

very very fun to frag- compliments of UT2k4!
It took this game to pull me off of Halo multiplayer! Sure it looks better than Halo (on my setup), but, to my surprise, it looks and plays better than UT2003 as well. Its obvious that all of the original maps were redone for 2k4- especially my old UT fav- Facing Worlds... shweeet (I believe it's called CTF-FaceWorlds Classic)! Really, when I first joined a game with this map I spent the first moments looking around like a tourist in Times Square for the first time- sometimes you guys look too easy to rob! lol Actually, it's not funny, I've seen tourists get mugged for not paying attention.

Anyway. My setup is a single CPU FW800 MDD 1GHz G4/1GB RAM/OS X.3.3/Radeon9000Pro OEM/64MB VRAM (yes, I'm one of the few buyers of this model) and I must admit that this game performs quite admirably on this system. I'm running at 800x600@32bit color/textures and all other options turned on and set to Normal (textures/details, etc.- except for Coronas that, although they look nice, they ultimately obstruct one's view when encountered). Don't underestimate the Normal settings, either, this game is beautiful at these settings! I find this a perfect balance of performance and real time graphical beauty although we all love to play at as high a resolution as possible- I'll readdress this after I get my tax refund because I KNOW I'm going to get an ATi Radeon9800- even though I shouldn't (Amazon should sell these...).

One of the only caveats I have is questioning the option of enabling dynamic net speeds. For awhile I thought my firewall (I use Firewalk X if anyone cares to know) was slowing things down and pressing F1 (which reports scores, info, pings, etc.) would show that I'd a disgustingly high ping- deselecting 'dynamic netspeed' dropped me back down to my regular cable modem pings. I can only imagine that this would only benefit modem users (if it's intended for that so be it- we don't need no steenkin manual!), aka "HPBs" from the QuakeIII days. Another small caveat would be that the game requires the game disc be in the drive- no biggie, we all have to get used to this one.

Although I happily accept the inclusion and heavy utilization of vehicles I kind of wish Epic had borrowed from Bungie as far as their control- but I'm sure its just something we have to accustom ourselves, to- especially as this setup is more useful (again, AFAIK) with using the gun turrets which are on most vehicles.

I also adore the novel idea of getting $10 for buying this if you already own UT2003 (if it's not novel in the game software world please feel free to correct me)- and it's a really good price even if you're just buying into Unreal Tournament, AFAIK.

Well... frag ya L8R!

Mental note: Don't end posts with a cornball remark...

Great game with a few tech problems.
Oh, how I was hyped for this game. I waited and waited for it. I couldn't wait to rip open the package and pop it in my iMac. And you know what? (Now at this point, I'm sure you're expecting me to say "Well it sucked" or something like that. Not quite.) UT2k4 lives up to the hype!

This game is fast online FPS fun at its finest! Not only do you get all the UT2k3 maps, you get the official bonus maps and 45+ plus new maps as well! Naturally, servers only put a few in rotation, but you'll still find a great variety. Even better, if you enter a server using a new Windows-only official map, you download it automatically. In addition to new maps, you get all those great vehicles in Onslaught mod. If you liked the first two UT games, you'll freak over this one.

UT2k4 runs fairly well on my standard 17-inch iMac. Lag spurts are few and far between and occur mainly on overcrowded onsluaght maps. However, you'll definitely want to upgrade your RAM (or do whatever you need to for making your comp faster) if you're into Assault mode. Most Assault maps are completely unplayable, and the Single Player FMVs are a little jittery when played on "normal" settings.

Yeah... and then there are some negatives. Guess what? Whenever you try to use a microphone (built into iMac or plugged into G4/G5 port) the game freezes. Whoops! Macsoft screwed up big time. Hopefully, they'll release a patch. Hopefully. Until then, you have a keyboard. But what kept me from giving this exhilerating game a solid five stars is the fact that Macsoft neglected to tell first-time UT buyers (like me) that THE UNREAL EDITOR IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE MAC VERSION OF UT2K4!!! Got it? Well, I certainly didn't. I shouldn't have to do research to find out Macsoft didn't even attempt to put it in their port. C'mon Macsoft! At least give us an editing pack or something!

Well, with all of that said, I really enjoyed UT2k4. Long story short: Like FPSs? Have a Mac? Buy this. ... Read more

Features

• Dungeons and Dragon-based Internet-enabled fantasy role-playing game
• Set in D and D's-based Forgotten Realms world
• Choose what skills and abilities you will develop as you voyage though Forgotten Realms
• DM Client allows nearly unlimited control for running your own adventures
• For 1 to 64 players (multiplayer requires Internet connection)

Reviews (9)

adicting
This is the first game I bought for my Power Book and I love it. After finding out the only game that comes on a Mac is Chess I decided I needed to get a real game. My brother sugested Neverwinter to me and so I got it. Since then I have hardly been able to set it down. A I play, I find that as I achive one goal all of a sudden a different chain of events happen. I knew there was a lot of playing time but I never imagened to get so much of my moneys worth out of it. That may be bothersome to some people but the box does say that it has 60+ hours of game time.Before I bought this game I was not familar with the rules of D&D, I don't think I quite still understand all of it. I find it rather relaxing to be able to leave my computer to fight with it's self. I have to admit that at sometimes I wish I could contol my character to be able to decapitate my averitary's head.

excellent engine for endless gameplay!
Overview: Don't think of NWN as a single game, but as an engine that allows you to play graphical role-playing games by yourself and with others. It's your way to access thousands of modules written by other NWN fans, each one a separate adventure. It's easy to find these modules online at the BioWare website. (You can download whatever style module pleases you -- from ones that emphasize roleplay to ones that are pure hack-and-slash.) It's also very easy to join multiplayer games online. (Mixed results with these. If you adventure with a standard group of people that you know, it feels like an intimate pen-and-paper role-playing session. If you join a random game and hang out with random people, it feels much more like a MU*.) The game ships with a single long campaign, which is well-written and enjoyable.

Of course, I'm just repeating what hundreds of PC players of the game have said -- go and read their reviews for that version of the game.

For Mac users: In my experience, NWN runs without a problem on an 800 MHz G4 iBook with 640 MB of RAM and 32MB of VRAM. It opened but ran unbearably slowly on a 500 MHz G3 iBook with 576 MB of RAM and 16MB of VRAM.

As is often the game, Mac gamers are treated as second-class citizens -- although it's not too bad in this case. Here are some specifics:

* We don't get the toolbox that allows us to write and customize modules, which is the biggest disappointment for me.

* The expansions (which are necessary for many of the downloaded modules) haven't been released for the Mac, and won't be anytime soon. [Edit, 7/5/2004: the expansions have now been released, finally! I'm leaving this part of the review in, because it illustrates how Mac users haven't been a top priority. Then I'm going to go order the expansions!]

* BioWare claims that MacSoft is responsible for providing support for the Mac version of NWN. MacSoft's attitude toward support is minimalist.

Bottom line: Five stars for the concept and the game. Minus one star for the Mac adaptation of it.

HUGE DISSAPOINTMENT
I Had never played a D&D computer game before...hell i had never even played D&Ds hell i hardley knew anything about it but this game really wasnt what i expected...maybe i was expecting more of D2 game
Cons:
Too many sides quest which made that game too long.
I HATE the hole thing where it takes like 5 seconds to hit an enemy
The Graphics arent that good
The storyline kinda blows

Pros:
not worth listing
DONT BUY THIS GAME IT SUCKS

Do Not Bother - Worse Than Terrible
Do yourself a favor - play Diablo 2 instead of wasting your money on this absolutely worthless, frustrating, terrible game. Yes, it may be 3D, but the character control is show-stopper terrible - unplayable - especially in combat.

Also, regardless of how many people are playing together, there is only ONE main prize-weapon. This has two game-ruining effects - first, only ONE player in the team gets rewarded FOR THE ENTIRE QUEST!!!! Second, because everyone knows this, at the End-Main-Battle, no one is trying to defeat the boss, but rather are all fighting each other for the main prize weapon.

Stupid story, blah 3D graphics, show-stopping game quirks, horrible interface. Gaming does not get any worse than this - avoid at all costs!!!

Doesn't live up to it's billing......Yet
The game has received rave reviews and I bought it based on experience with Baldur's Gate I and and II. THe game is much to linear with the built in storyline. Not nearly as challenging as the prior games. A major problem is that it follows the newest Ad&D rules and they are just a little to wierd for someone who started with the first edition and only grudgingly moved to the 2nd ed. I quickly lost interest in the built in scenario and have not gone back to try out any custom games.
This game runs fine on a G4 400mHz with 896MB RAM and 64MB ATI video card. ... Read more

Features

• It has many different options that will appeal to players of all skill levels
• For the novice, it has a tutorial that covers every aspect of the game
• They can also use the Hand Editor features to practice bidding with specific hands
• Deal yourself millions of hands for practice or just for fun
• If you're ever confused about what to bid, check out the Hint Mode to help you decide

Features

• An award-winning, twisted, sci-fi story, filled with complex characters and cunning enemies
• Fight on foot, in vehicles, in the air, and beneath the surface of an orbiting alien ring
• Intense 16-player, online PC/Mac battles; new weapons, maps, and vehicles
• Increased precision of obliterating the Covenant swarms with a mouse and keyboard
• Play as a single-player or take the battle online with gamers all over the world

Reviews (27)

Mediocre
With all the praise that preceded the Mac release of Halo, and having only very briefly played with the Xbox version, I eagerly awaited my chance to see what all the fuss was about. Sadly, my only reaction has been one of disappointment.

Once the technical novelty wore off, the single player missions quickly became tedious and repetitive, the plot - supposedly a highlight - unengaging and banal (even by game standards). I could barely bring myself to finish the game once, let alone consider playing it over again.

Multiplayer fares slightly better - vehicles in particular are a novel and welcome addition, creating an interesting multiplayer dynamic. However, at the time of writing I've stuggled to find a decent server playing something other than boring 'Slayer' deathmatches.

Performance wise, Halo is reasonably playable at 896x600 with medium detail on my 1.25GHz PowerBook G4 (1GB RAM, Radeon 9600), but is nevertheless somewhat sluggish compared to other similar Mac games such as UT2K3 and America's Army.

Good and Bad
Well, I was quite honestly expecting more. But then again, it is Microsoft... The story mode is fun for awhile, but the multiplayer never gets old, that is if you actually find a good server that does lag too much and doesn't have too many 13-year-old kids shooting teammates. On my dual 1.42GHz MDD G4 with 512 and an ATI Radeon 9000 Pro card, the framerate still dips down to unplayable levels. Unreal 2003 looks much more detailed and I have never had the framerate slow down, even online. It's still fun to play though. If you're a Halo fan and don't have an XBOX, think about the purchase, but only if you have a FAST Mac.

I can run it on my iBook
I don't get why everyone can't seem to run Halo very well on all these high end machines. I can run the single player without lag on low/medium graphics on my 800MHz G3 640MB RAM. I can even run the multiplayer on medium/high graphics. I can run it better than my roomates 2GHz pc. I guess you just have to fool around with the settings and find the one that works.

You do need a fast connection to play the multiplayer though.

One if the Best
When I heard Halo was coming out for Mac i was syched, this was going to be one of the biggest releases for the Mac ever,and i was right Halo is One of the best Mac titles ever released. Story plot is excellent graphics are great the game is fun the multiplayer is good but there is a lot of lag. I run it on a G4 1.25 GHZ 140 gb HD with a ATI Radeon 9200 and it works fine. And i dont know what some people are talking about with problems with game requirments..i just bought a 1.25GHz PowerPC G4 256MB DDR333 SDRAM 80GB Ultra ATA driveSuperDrive ATI Radeon 9200 i souped it up thought with a 140 GB HD and 1 GB DDR333 SDRAM. I already had halo before i got my computer...i popped that game in before any thing else and it worked smoother that any game before. I'v used about 40 gb of psace on my hd and it still runs like magic. The person with the G5 2 ghz i dont no what the problem is.

whoops...
In reference to my review posted earlier today: That's a 1.25GHz G4 processor, folks. The "1.25MHz" spec that I gave for my computer was, obviously, a typo. My apologies... ... Read more

Features

• You are the commanding general in this strategic realtime game of modern day warfare
• 3 sides to choose from: USA, China, or the GLA terrorist group
• Tons of modern warfare vehicles, equipment and weapons
• Each side has unique characters, weapons, and vehicles
• For 1 player, or multi-player over Internet

Reviews (5)

runs ok for me
Bought it after playing the demo. it runs well even on my eMac 700, but i do have it maxed out. 160GB Hard Drive and a Gig of memory. note to anyone with same type of machine/processor who wants to buy this game, set all the graphics to the lowest settings. you still get decent eye candy, but i did notice that with the factory setting, the building construction seems cooler on highest and lowest settings. also, when you use the ultimate weapon for either team, you don't see the Big explosion, but for me on loss. I bought it for the amount of thinking you need to do.

Way too High!
Well... while C&CG is a solid game... it has major faults, the first being the requirments being far too high. My 800 Mhz can barely run it (yes, technicly the game needs 1 Ghz.. but that is insane, as the 800 i have is still a top notch machine), and my dads 1 Ghz machine is not much better (and is less than a month or two old).
As for the game itself... while the graphics are nice, gameplay solid, the AI sucks... not even providing a challange for me on the highest settings. However, multiplayer is a redeming factor, saving the game.

Demo review, be warned
Might be slow. Be warned, I played the Demo on my Power book G4 12 inch (with 1Ghz processor and 1.25GB RAM). It ran fine, just slow. Also, the graphics aren't as good as Warcraft III. I think you would need a G5 to play this and enjoy it, so perhaps this is one for the Hard Core C&C fans out there.

"The Best Game Ever"
This game is the best game I have ever played. I played it on the PC and It is great. I can't wait for this game to come to the mac. I love war games and I played a lot of war games and this is my favorite war game ever.

Should be called "Age of Generals"
First off, the reason it should be called "Age Of Generals". The older Command and Conquer games, for the PC, had a very unique gameplay type and interface that is hard to explain, while Generals is more like your average strategy game, such as Age Of Empires or Warcraft. Also, the money system has changed from the older games.

Now, to the reviewing. WHile it is different from the older Command and COnquers which i lvoe so much, IT IS BETTER THAN ALL OF THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've played it for PC and it may turn out a bit different for the Mac, but it would probably only be visually different. Choose form 3 unigue armies; The United States of America, The People's Republic of China, and, my favorite, The Global Liberation Army.
the GLA is my fav because I love their cheap disposable units ((i like big armies :) )) and the fact that they don't need power for the buildings.
Another new feature introduced in Command and Conquer: Generals; general abilities. Similar to the God Powers in Age of Mythology, each army has a different set of unique abilities; these abilities can upgrade or battle-harden units,give you new types of units, give you special super weapons, and special sneaky attacks((like China's artillery strike or GLA's Ambush)). Here is 1 example of a General ability from each army:
-USA: A-10 Strike; Up to 3 A-10 THunderbolt II fighters unload their air-to-ground missiles on a target area, devastating everything in that area.
-China: The Red Guard veteran ability gives all Red Guard units battle-hardeness, making all of those units produced start out with Veteran status.
-GLA: The Anthrax Bomb ability lets you send an old bomber to drop an anthrax-filled bomb on a large target area every 4 minutes. The bom does virtually nothing to medium-to-heavy armoured units, but instantly destroys and infanry units. It also leaves behind some disease for awhile.

Another new thing introduced is the Super weapons each side owns.
Multiple ones can be built and each fires the weapon in different amounts of time
USA: The Ion cannon is a classic of the Command and COnquer series. It is a concentrated laser beam that does damage to a small area and you can move around. Takes 2 minutes to charge.
CHINA: A nuclear missile. Thats all you need to know. Decimates everything in a large area and leaves behind a bit of radiation. Takes 5:00 to load a new missile
GLA: The SCUD storm. Fires several anthrax-loaded SCUD missiles at a target area and does medium damage to structures, kills most armoured units and all infantry. Leaves behind anthrax for a long time.
Takes 4 minutes to charge.

Command and COnquer will be the greatest thing to happen to Mac gaming ever. You guys won't know whats about to hit you. Can't wait until April 22. Peace out. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

One of the most heavily modified games around.
This game, along with being one of the greatest FPS death match games is also one of the most heavily modified games I have ever heard of. Not only is there about a billion new characters and such that have been made by various artists around the web but there are also dozens of total conversions, now if your not familiar with game modification let me explain it for you; People out there have great talent and abundant skill and make now characters for you to play as, and in most cases, play againts in bot matches. Now these people make anything from a giant snake creature to Zorak from Space Ghost: Ghost To Coast. Total conversions are completley new games that just use Quake 3 as a base to run off of. So basically you get this game and 20 others if you feel like downloading them. All mods (modifications) are free of charge, my personal fav is Bid For Power.

This bundle also includes the Q3 team arena game witch is pretty fun with multiplayer.

However, if you're looking for a really great bot match game then you would be better to get Unreal Tournament.

The multiplayer for this game is one of the most heavily populated around and you would look forward to a very long and healthy life of online fraging with this game.

Quake III Arena: AN Extreme Deathmatch
By JLOVE

When true gamers think of first-person shooters, id Software should immediately spring to mind. Who can forget classics like Castle Wolfenstein or Doom? Quake III is mainly a multiplayer deathmatch game like Unreal Tournament, but it still has a single-player mode. The single-player mode is entertaining for a little while, but the multiplayer mode is really what the game is all about. Quake III stands out from other deathmatch games for several reasons. For starters, the bots all have unique AI characteristics that cause the bots (computer players) to all behave differently. For example some bots will have better control over specific weapons or be prone to different defensive moves like ducking a lot. Another cool feature of Quake III Arena is the detailed textures of the level design. Simply put, the textures just look good. Especially outstanding are the animated curved surfaces. But this artwork is just eye candy for the careful planning that went into each level design. You'll probably develop your own favorite level that will eat hours away from your life (Deck 16 from Unreal Tournament is my weakness), but each level is fun to play. If you love deathmatch and have played Unreal Tournament one too many times, Quake III is the game for you...

The BEST FPS game EVER!!
I've played lots of FPS games: Counter-Strike, Half-Life, Quake I & II, the DOOM series, Unreal, the AvP series(which is awesome), Wolfenstein, Deus Ex(also awesome), etc. You name it, I've probably played it...but QUAKE III wears the crown for most badass straight-up FPS game. Very intense and lots of fun. And the online Capture the Flag games are highly addicting. This game is about 3 years old and I'm still waiting for someone to top it! DEFINATELY WORTH THE MONEY!!

plz ship one game to germany!!!
Hi,
I know this game and I'm 25 years old. It is not offered at german amazon or ebay. So, I even will fax a copy of my pass and drivers license if its necessary. Above that I will pay the full according shipping taxes of course. My E-Mail-Adress is A.Paus@gmx.de. Please contace me !!
mfG Alexander Paus

Quake 3 is still the best!
Quake 3's DeathMatch and CTF cannot be compared. It's got the best graphics and physics of any FPS - much better than recent games like UT2K3 and BF:1942. If you want extremely intense action with superb physics and perfectly balanced weapons, Quake 3 is for you. It has tons of mods, tons of servers, and a huge community. It's easily the best first person shooter in the history of gaming and still remains the king.

Read the FiringSquad review - which covers the game best - in summary:

"So what does Quake 3 give you? It's quite simple: the utter refinement of deathmatch, and the ultimate multiplayer shooter experience - nothing more, nothing less. " -- Dennis "Thresh" Fong

... ... Read more

Features

• Explore the kingdom and discover 7 arcade-style games
• Explanations on everything from chess basics to master strategies
• Experience the Intelligym, a training ground for future chess pros
• Designed with highly-rated chess software
• Suitable for players of all levels

Product Description

Homeworld 2 ... Read more

Features

• Online and LAN multiplayer option for up to 6 players
• Sequel to the groundbreaking 3-D real-time space strategy game Homeworld
• Enhanced visuals, richer tactics and strategic gameplay
• Fight amongst nebulas, dust clouds, drifting space hulks, asteroids, and debris
• Build your fleet and engage in 3-D space combat

Reviews (4)

Plot is Weak, But Gameplay Is Unique
I'm an RTS (Real-Time-Strategy) fan, and am quickly getting bored of the same old games being rehashed as either a StarCraft or Age of Empires clone.But to my delight I found Homeworld 2 a very unique gaming experience: 3-D!I downloaded the anemic demo, and was surprised to find that the game is more extensive, although not extremely hard.The hot-key and mouse (my best purchase for my Mac was a two key mouse--you should get one anyway!) input has a high learning curve, but once you get it, you'll find it was worth the wait.
The disadvantage is that there are few HW2 games posted on GameRanger...I hope to see that change once the word gets out that Homeworld 2 is a refreshing game in a genre that is full of "copycats."

Does not work on Mac OS X 10.4
Great game! Unfortunately it does not work on Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger and there are no patches available from Aspyr yet (as of May 2005). I had to set up a second partition on which I installed Mac OS X 10.3 just to play this game. However, HW2 is totally worth it. I played the original Homeworld back in 1999 and also Homeworld Catalyst. Homeworld 2 boasts a new in-game menu interface which does not look as nice as I would have expected from Relic but is easier to use and more effective than the menus in the original Homeworld. Missions are more difficult now. This can be frustrating at times but also makes sure you play the game for a long time.

Good Port Solid Game
I would first like to commend ASPYR for their awsome port over to Mac, with some of their games I find they didn't do a good jo or left things out, not in this case. The graphics are top notch and the enviroments are absolutly gourgeous. As for the story it could do better and the gameplay does get a little repetetive but the way the engine works is absolutley awsome. Another problem with the gameplay is(and I know making a 3D universe for a RTS is difficult) I found the camera angles to sometimes get a bit annoying and often made me use the sensors to play the game (sensors are kinda like the mega map). Overall though it's a top notch title and a top notch port.

Review for the Alaska Apple Users Group
Homeworld 2 is sequel to PC Gamer's 1999 Game of the Year, which was never officially released on the Macintosh (...). Like it's predecessor, Homeworld 2 is a stunningly beautiful strategy game driven by an enthralling and moving story. The innovative 3D approach inspired a series of similar games for Windows, but this is, fittingly, the first to make it to the Mac.

Long after the events of the first game, the Hiigaran people find themselves once again in a prophetic war of galactic-scale. The plot is captivating and does a phenomenal job of tying the individual missions together. The story unfolds through smoothly integrated scripted action with in-game dialog and complementary cut scenes between missions. The latter do not detract from the atmosphere either - they are uniquely artistic with simply animated grayscale visuals.

There is no overstating it: this game is stunning. The nebular backgrounds are lit by nearby stars, fighters leave elegant trails as they maneuver, engines glow ominously, and stylish ship hulls are dramatically lit. Even the violence of weapons, fire, and explosions are stunning.

It even sounds as good as it looks. Homeworld had an award-winning soundtrack and the sequel has a great one too. Sound effects are high quality and active stereo makes you really feel a part of the action. Orders from fleet intelligence and fleet command are well acted and the responses from your ships are varied enough to prevent annoyance.

You command the fleet to victory from the mothership with few allies and a determined foe. The basic mechanics of the game are like most strategy games. You have to harvest resources in order to research new technologies and build more ships to help you achieve victory. The sci-fi environment and plot tie-ins even make that model seem more natural and less tedious than in most strategy titles.

Unlike other games in the genre, the action unfolds in true 3D space. You can - and must - maneuver vertically as well as laterally. This makes battles much more interesting. There is still "terrain" to be exploited in the form meteors that can provide cover and clouds that can be harmful or hide from the enemy. All of this makes the tactical play very unique.

As difficult as the number of units and 3D environment could be to control, Homeworld's approach made it pretty simple and the sequel is even more so. By automatically forming squadrons of fighters, for example, you don't have to worry about banding dozens of individual units. The interface makes selecting ships, assigning formations, and issuing move and attack orders easy. A tactical view makes seeing the big picture a snap and moving vertically is as simple as holding a single key.

There is a bit of a learning curve, but once you get started you're likely to be hooked for a while. Even after completing the single player missions (which should take some time) you can replay them to improve your fleet or try a different tactic.

Though multiplayer games are a lot of fun, they are restricted to other Mac users only, since the Windows version uses GameSpy. That also leaves the Mac version without a built-in game browser. Though supported by GameRanger (...), not a lot of people are playing online yet. You also have the option of playing multiplayer games against one or several computer controlled fleets just to test yourself. Realistically though, most of the replay value comes from repeating the campaign missions.

Homeworld 2 is an impressive game. Missions load very quickly and performance is great even near the low-end. Despite it's level of detail I was able to turn the graphics all the way up on a machine that drags Halo and Battlefield 1942 through the dirt without suffering a performance hit until literally hundreds of spacecraft were visible.

Homeworld 2 is a must have for any strategy gamers out there. I highly recommend it for anyone with an attention span longer than ten minutes and an interest in space, science fiction, or who just wants to see something beautiful on their screen. But as Lavar Burton says, "you don't have to take my word for it." (...) ... Read more

Features

• Smart, popular chess software
• Learn how to play like a master
• Incredible 3-D sets, boards, and backgrounds
• Tons of features to improve learning
• For 1 or 2 players

Amazon.com Review

The idea behind The Sims is this: the ultimate goal of life is to achieve happiness, and the way to achieve happiness is to satisfy your Sims' needs. That's right, The Sims allows you to create, direct, and manage the lives of SimCity's residents. Each need (Hunger, Comfort, Hygiene, Bladder, Energy, Fun, Social, and Room) can be met by interaction with other Sims or objects: throw a party with the help of a rockin' stereo system, and watch your Sims' Social and Fun ratings improve. Have one of your Sims whip up some food from the refrigerator, and you'll satisfy the Hunger needs of your guests. Or have your Sim engage another Sim in a game of chess: not only will their Fun and Social moods improve, both Sims will gain some points in their Logic skill rating--which might help on the job.

Mismanage your new, simulated family, and you'll be faced with the worst of MTV's The Real World--with a touch of teenage angst drama thrown in for good measure: jealousies will ignite, fights will break out, jobs will be lost, and the house will fall apart. Bringing about such a calamity is almost as much fun as guiding these Sims to material paradise, and takes considerably less time.

A good general rule is that the more expensive the object, the better its ability to satisfy Sim needs. One gameplay goal is to improve your Sim so he or she can climb the career ladder, which nets him or her more money, which allows the purchase of higher quality stuff, which lets you improve your Sim even more. Eventually, your Sim will have a mate, kids, and a mansion with an indoor pool.

Before you decide how to fix your Sims' health and happiness, you need to craft each of your simulated people: pick a name and a gender, decide on personality/astrological sign, and then choose a look from a variety of heads, bodies, and skin tones.After the creation, the next step is to find a place to live. Again, the player can choose from among the empty houses in the neighborhood or decide to buy some land and design a dream house. Building houses is a blast, and the easy-to-use house design interface could almost be its own game: players design the floor plan, put up walls, pick carpet, wallpaper, and siding, and fill the house with furniture, decorations, fixtures, and appliances. You're limited only by your imagination--and your Sims' pocketbook. But the choices you make in designing and decorating your Sims' house are vital.

Triumph or tragedy, each significant event in a Sim's life is captured in a snapshot and saved in a photo album for later viewing. Players can also take photos any time they wish. The photo album feature is cool by itself, but the best part is that you can upload the album to www.thesims.com and share your Sims' sagas with the world. Entire families can also be uploaded and downloaded, as can houses. Want to re-create and manage your own version of Friends? Download the free face and body editor and make Sim clones of Ross, Rachel, and the rest. Want to go really crazy and perfectly re-create the set? Snag the free wall and floor texture editor. With The Sims, you can create whatever--and whomever--you desire.

Toying with the lives, successes, and emotional states of dozens of little Sims is undeniably fun. In the same way that SimCity players develop a condescending attitude toward real-world city planners, The Sims players will begin to see life as a series of needs-satisfying challenges; the game gets in your head. But that's OK: limitless gameplay, endless variety, cool Internet features, and the ability to play matchmaker/landlord/counselor/God makes The Sims a great way to increase your own Fun score. --Mike Fehlauer

Pros:

• Unique, addictive, fun gameplay
• Included photo album feature records triumphs and tragedies
• Free uploads and downloads expand the game and allow swapping with other players
• Sims are smart--it's sometimes best to just let them act on their own

• Addictive gameplay may cause loss of sleep, job
• Complex behavioral modeling program--requires serious computing power
• No pets other than fish

Reviews (91)

Addictive fun for a wide range of ages
I bought the Sims for my 16-year-old daughter for Christmas. Both she and my 20-year-old son home from college for the holidays have had a blast with it. They've both played it individually for so many hours that it's already paid for itself. When they sit down together with it, the comments and laughter that flow from them are a delight. I have spent a bit of time with it, mostly creating and recreating a house (I made it so big the first time that I had no money left over to buy a toilet - my Sim would not have lasted long, I think....). You buy or create your own house and furnish it; create your character(s) [physical aspects, personality]; see to their needs, have them do all sorts of things from dance to tickle to take a shower and get a job. In addition, the computer generates random events (burglars, for example, and visits by other Sim characters). It's a pretty complex and involving game. In fact, be sure that you have enough RAM to play it properly (it works smoothly on my PowerPC 8600 and my son's G3 powerbook, but I'm having to buy additional memory for my daughter's iMac). My one complaint is that you have to have the CD in your machine in order to play, which means only one person can use the game at a time; I assume this is essesntially copy-protection, but does the manufacturer really expect you to buy the game separately for eachperson in a single family? I do highly recommend the game.

No Downloads Available
This game has been a hit seller with the PC and it is a truely fun game for all ages. Ive been playing the PC version and there are a lot of fan sites/third party sites where you can download new clothing for your sims, new furniture, new floors and wall paper designs all created by people and third parties. Its amazing what people can come up with! The only downside to this Mac version is that all these things you can download for your game, are only available for the PC version. I tried downloading some on my iMac, but they are simply PC files and will not work with the Mac version. Because of this you are stuck with the clothes and floors that come with the game. Im not saying there is anything wrong with the games included furniture, clothes and wallpaper, its just that you could expand the games possibilities more with these downloads. Even the "official" downloadable objects from Maxis are not even available yet. Maxis and Aspyr are currently working on this.

So this is not to stop you from buying the game, it is just to inform you that the Mac version of the Sims may not be as expandible as the PC version.

Depressing game
Yes, the Sims can be pretty addictive. You're trapped in suburbia, with all the daily concerns that go with that: you have to remember to take the trash out, go to work, clear up, take a shower, network with the neighbours, and pee. It's impossible, once you've created these people, not to mind what happens to them -- I felt pretty awful when they threatened to take my Sims baby into care. But on another level, it all seems deeply trivial. In that sense, it's like the worst of real life -- not really what I want from a fantasy game. I like games which have a bit of glamour, and which offer me the chance of something I don't have in real life -- like World Domination, for instance. I'm also too ambitious for the purposelessness of the Sims: I want to be able to make progress and eventually win -- there's no such thing as winning in this game. If the idea of controlling people on the most microscopic level is enough for you, you may find the Sims fun. If you want to control people, but you also want to dream of a different kind of life, and if you're interested in politics and town planning as well as the domestic/suburban idyll, you're better off with Age of Empires, Caesar III (if only they made Caesar IV), Tropico, or Civilization.

The sims is an excellent game
The sims is a unique and fun game which you would probanly love.You can create a person and move them into a house.This game allows you to control the lives of a number of Sims and direct their daily interactions down to very minute detail.This is a really great game and you'll have hours and hours of fun.I have some other sim games and I love them all! The sims is such a fun game to play. You can't lose or win. It's like real life. You get to choose what your sims moods are and what they're appearance will look like. You can even create a sim that looks like yourself and control your own life in the sims. This game is the coolest game I have ever boughten.

A Great Computer Game
The Sims is a great computer game, but it does not suffice for all your computer-gaming needs. You'll need another game to switch off with it when it gets old. I have Age of Empires II to play when I get sick of it, and then when I'm sick of Age of Empires I switch back to The Sims! ... Read more