Metal Gear Solid, Sony PlayStation, £44.99
Fighting alone and advancing while hiding from the enemy does not make a great game. That was the philosophy for the first Metal Gear game, which appeared 12 years ago. The same philosophy applies in Metal Gear Solid, a highly ambitious game which PlayStation owners have been looking forward to for some time.
The level of expectation surrounding its release was so high that it seemed it was destined only to disappoint. Fortunately, this is one of those rare games which more than matches its pre-release hype. Before going in with guns blazing, players are recommended to take up the optional training to become familiar with controlling the character, Solid Snake. Snake has been called out of retirement to infiltrate an Alaskan nuclear weapons disposal base which has been captured by Next Generation special forces. If their demands, including the return of the remains of their leader, are not met within 24 hours they will launch a nuclear weapon.
That story line may not sound too compelling, but the game is. Like all great games, it is often its details that make it special; things such as guards being able to track Snake's footsteps in the snow or to see his breath in the cold. There is much more besides, and only playing it will give a true appreciation of this exceptional game.
Brian Lara Cricket, Sony PlayStation, £44.99
UNLIKE soccer, cricket does not have many games available on the PlayStation, or any other format for that matter. It may not be the most popular sport in the world, but it has more than enough fans to warrant more than the odd game or two currently available.
The real reason for the shortage, may be that the sport doesn't really lend itself well to video game format. The slow pace of a test match is almost the opposite of the action in most video games. Nevertheless, cricket fans would be hard-pressed to find a better attempt at recreating it than this Brian Lara-endorsed product.
In game modes, Brian Lara Cricket has everything a cricket fan could ask for. There are world cup competitions, test series and seasons, knockout test seasons and competitions, friendlies and practice matches to choose from.
The graphics are well up to scratch and Geoff Boycott and Jonathan Agnew commentate on proceedings. The most impressive attribute of this game is that it is intuitive and, unlike most cricket games, it is easy to bat, bowl, run and field. Splendid stuff for connoisseurs of the crease.
WHILE the world is still feeling the aftershocks from Quake II, Id software has been busy creating the sequel Quake III Arena. Quake III will be predominately a multiplayer game, with a single-player game included, but only as a side-show. This side-show will probably contain computer-controlled "bots" to simulate other players, providing training for the multiplayer game.
It will require a graphics card, such as the Voodoo 2, and a highspec Pentium to run smoothly. Id has incorporated things such as fog and mirrors to spice up the gameplay. There will be a mixture of old and new weapons, with a flame-thrower as the most exciting addition. The speed of the game is important in death matches and ladders often slow it down, so don't expect to see many of them in Quake III. The most intriguing aspect of Quake III is that players may be able to impose photos of their faces onto their characters. For the first time, enemies would be instantly recognisable - unless, of course, they used fake photos.
Expectations of the new game are coming to the boil, with a quaking good summer in prospect.
games@irish-times.ie