Johnny "ThunderPeel2001" Walker
Reviews
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Windows)
By Johnny "ThunderPeel2001" Walker on February 24, 2005
Syberia: Adventure Game of the Year (Windows)
By Johnny "ThunderPeel2001" Walker on February 19, 2005
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (Game Boy Advance)
By Johnny "ThunderPeel2001" Walker on February 8, 2005
Skool Daze (ZX Spectrum)
Fantastic retro fun!
The Good
There's something about Skool Daze that just draws you in. It's hard to put your finger on exactly what makes this game so wonderfully playable, but something does and it has teeth! The wonderful open ended gameplay, the simplicity of the objectives, it all seems so close to completion, and yet so far away! You can choose to attend classes or skip them in order to try and complete the game, it's a brilliant example of an 8-bit classic that has yet to be equalled on 16-bit or 32-bit machines!
The Bad
The most annoying thing about this game is the fiddlyness, it often is incredibly hard to knock teachers down with your catapult and get your next shot to bounce of their heads at just the right spot. It's also very hard to tell where you should knock down a fellow student to be able to jump on them to reach the right spot! Oddly enough, despite this the game is still very addictive.
Also, if there was just a little more interactivity in this game it would be fantastic. For example, how about the ability to raise your hand and answer questions in class. Get them right and lessen the number of lines you have!
The Bottom Line
Wonderful and unique, yet to be rivalled on more recent machines. Play a classic game and learn why 8-bit machines could be so much fun!
By Johnny "ThunderPeel2001" Walker on December 7, 2004
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure (DOS)
By Johnny "ThunderPeel2001" Walker on December 7, 2004
D/Generation (DOS)
Compelling, simple and wonderful!
The Good
The best parts of this game is the simple gameplay style. Each room in the office building is a simple, unique puzzle, yet there are different routes through the building and excellent background stories to learn about on the way. If you like your brain-teasers mixed with a little action then this game is for you!
The Bad
I suppose the first thing someone might complain about when seeing this game is the graphics. They do tend to look very '8-bitty', but to me they simply add to the retro-ambiance of the game! Also if you don't like puzzles and would rather go around shooting everything, then this game isn't for you!
The Bottom Line
A wonderful mix of puzzles, action and storyline, but mainly puzzles. If you feel like playing something retro, then this is a great example of older style gameplay. Something you might imagine your Dad playing! :)
By Johnny "ThunderPeel2001" Walker on December 7, 2004
Out of This World (Amiga)
Brilliant, but still highly overrated
The Good
The best things about this game is its super-slick presentation; beautiful graphics, haunting music and stunning cut-scenes. The way it mixed these jaw-dropping cut-scenes with its gameplay sections was the most unique thing of all. Half-Life is praised for its sublime storytelling abilities, but Another World (aka Out Of This World) made the first step in creating the first fully cinematic, but still gripping and engrossing, game. Eric Chahi should be praised for making the leap from gameplay to storytelling seem so smooth to the player. Truly a milestone in gaming history for being the first game to manage to mix story and gameplay so effortlessly.
The Bad
Sadly the gameplay sections themselves are not that much fun to play. Each section is really nothing more than a basic sub-game and are often extremely annoying and fiddly. The mid-section of the game (where the hero must navigate catacombs) is so incredibly frustrating that I imagine most players gave up or simply cheated. The worst aspects of the gameplay have you repeating the same task over and over until you manage to pull it off perfectly.
The Bottom Line
Thankfully, through its poor gameplay and level design, Another World still manages to satisfy and frustrate is just enough equal measures to keep you coming back for more. The later sections of the game are particularly satisfying. In all, Another World might not be the most fun game to play, but it's certainly one you should experience!
By Johnny "ThunderPeel2001" Walker on December 7, 2004
Ivan 'Ironman' Stewart's Super Off Road (Amiga)
By Johnny "ThunderPeel2001" Walker on December 7, 2004
Ivan 'Ironman' Stewart's Super Off Road (DOS)
By Johnny "ThunderPeel2001" Walker on December 7, 2004
Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe (Amiga)
Yet to be bettered
The Good
An outrageously superb game, even now. Fast, furious and most importantly, fun! The most amazing thing about this game is that you REALLY can just pick it up again and enjoy it the same way you did when you first played it. The playability and difficulty curve are THAT good.
This game single-handedly cemented the Bitmaps Bros fame for all time (even if their other games didn't deserve it) and Eric Matthews is a sorely missed genius!
(I would LOVE to see this game updated, while NOT changing a single thing about the gameplay... just more beautiful graphics and sound.)
The Bad
Multi-player league and knockout are bizarrely missing and there's no good reason why! (Even the 256 color AGA 'Update' didn't include it!) If they'd had this then it would probably be still being played today!
The Bottom Line
Completely, truly and utterly perfect.
By Johnny "ThunderPeel2001" Walker on February 2, 2004