Star Fox 64

There are many space shooter video games. Nintendo was able to make a 3D shooter and it turned out good. This is a review for the second Star Fox (Lylat Wars) game for the Nintendo 64. Peppy, Slippy and Falco are back and it's time to travel to the different space levels to fight Andross; an evil scientist that looks like a monkey.

To begin, it took some time getting a good grip on the controls. There is a training mode in that game that will help with learning the flying ability and the different moves Fox can make. That can help. After I had that down I was able to play this game with a decent amount of skill. The game-play is very fun. The game control is very well done and it really makes this game fun to play. There is usually always something on screen to shoot. You play as Fox and he always seems to save the day. Peppy, Slippy or Falco might have a fighter on them and Fox can shoot the bad guys down. They will say "Thanks!" unless it is Falco talking. The graphics are nothing amazing but they do look good on the 64. At the end of the game you will get a ranking that has something to do with the number of enemies shot down.

A few things that could cause some problems for the player. As Fox, you can change the camera angle to first-person view or outside-of-the-ship view. Some levels are easier to play in first-person view. The perception of depth is always tricky in 3D games. It can also be tricky in this game. This game is kind of short too. Seven levels. More levels would be great but I don't think it will hurt this game too much. The replay value is high on this game, simply because it is a fun game to play. I recommend this game to anyone with a Nintendo 64. A great space-shooter game in my opinion.

Graphics: 7.5 out of 10

Music and sound: 8 out of 10

Game-play: 9 out of 10

Presentation: 6.8 out of 10

Overall: 8.9 out of 10

HeXen

Here is a fist-person-shooter game from the same company that made Doom. This game is a sequel to the game Heretic.

The setting appears to be the Middle Ages. Monsters and creatures roam around the land as if it was some kind of ancient nightmare. You can pick your character: Fighter, Cleric or Mage. The Cleric seems to be the strongest out of the three. There are five different difficulty settings ranging from Squire (easiest) to Titan (most difficult). The game play is not that great. It is very much like Doom but more confusing. Many times I was unable to find the button/switch to open the door. The graphics are okay, but I think there are some problems with the texture maps and level designs. The buttons do not stand out in the game and for the most part they blend into the environments making them harder to find. Same with the doors. The levels consist of finding an item (fire key) and then finding the correct portal to continue. The music is a mixture of synthesizers notes and percussion. It does not stand out very much.

At the beginning this game is fun. Later, the game-play is tiresome. The levels are a maze and it will eat up a lot of time just to complete one area. I don't recommend spending a strong amount of cash on HeXen for the Nintendo 64.

Graphics: 6 out of 10

Music and sound: 6.2 out of 10

Game-play: 5 out of 10

Presentation: 4.3 out of 10

Overall: 4.5 out of 10

Shadow Man

This is a review for the 1999 Acclaim video game Shadow Man for the Nintendo 64.

The story is based loosely on the comic book Shadowman. You play as Michael LeRoi a voodoo warrior. The story also involves Jack The Ripper and a talking skull face snake with a top hat named Jaunty. Many evil and dark elements are involved in this game. Your character must do what is expected from him in the dead side. The game-play is third-person view. A shooter/action platform game. The levels consist of finding items and opening doors. The graphics are dark and basic. The large environments help with the game-play but are also confusing. It is difficult to know where to go and what to do in this game. The music is a bit haunting and quiet. The control seems to be off. I don't know if it is the controller I am using or the actual movement in the game. The main character seems to move slow and turns like a car.

Overall, if you like horror games with a little bit of humor and magic then you will not be surprised. This was a hard game to play because of the various difficulties. Be aware that this game contains evil/magic/dark content. I do not recommend it.

Graphics: 6 out of 10

Music and sound: 5 out of 10

Game play: 5 out of 10

Presentation: 4 out of 10

Overall: 3 out of 10

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter

This game can be traced back to the comic book "Turok". This game came out in 1997 for the Nintendo 64 and the PC (from Acclaim and Iguana). This game is a first-person shooter.

Turok is a Native American (part of the Fireseed family) and he is fighting dinosaurs and aliens. The story of Turok in this video game is that he must protect the barrier from Earth and the Lost Land. An evil overlord is seeking the Chronoscepter; a weapon broken down into eight pieces. Turok is on a quest. Turok must collect the Chronoscepter pieces to stop the evil overlord.

The game play is a difficult to understand at the beginning. I had to get use to the controller setup which took some time. The levels are spread out. I have to find all of the keys if I want to advance to the next level/area. This can take some time. The levels cover a large area with transportation portals too. Some of the areas look the same. Jumping on tall pillars can also cause problems, it can be difficult to see the correct jumping distance. The music is great. It really has a nice jungle sound and beat with the sounds of animals. The music and sound effects will keep you on edge. The graphics are good. This was considered are very good looking game when it was released back in 1997. The boss with the two jeeps has way too much skill. It is possible to beat him but you must use the environment to your advantage. Overall, I like this game but the game controls can be frustrating. This is a fun first-person shooter but it is lacking a few things.

Graphics: 7.8 out of 10
Music and sound: 9 out of 10
Game play: 7 out of 10
Presentation: 7.7 out of 10

Overall: 7.7 out of 10