PC Power (June 1994)

PC Power (June 1994)

PC Power is a PC gaming magazine that was published in the U.K. in the 1994-1997 time frame. In 1994, 486s were probably the most common gaming PCs around with a lot of 386s still around and the first wave of Pentiums being sold. By 1997, the first Pentium IIs were released. Pretty much all PC games in this time frame were DOS based. The June 1994 issue of PC Power includes:

Reviews

• Animation Workshop - Animation software meant for beginners featuring Hanna-Barbera characters including Scooby Doo and The Flintstones among others.


• The Blue and the Grey - A turn-based Civil War themed strategy game. Minimum requirements were a 386SX CPU, 640K RAM, 2.5MB of hard drive space, VGA graphics and a mouse.


• Carriers at War II - A World War II themed strategy game by SSG with both real and hypothetical scenarios. Minimum requirements were a 386 CPU, 640K plus 2 MB of RAM, VGA graphics and a mouse.


• Delta V - A 3rd person 3D sci-fi themed shooter by Bethesda. It gets good reviews here but somehow I completely missed this one. I never heard of it. Minimum requirements include a 33 MHz 386, 2.5MB RAM, hard drive, VGA graphics, DOS 5.0 or greater, VGA graphics and a mouse or joystick.


• Fleet Defender - An F-14 flight sim from MicroProse in which you must take off and land on aircraft carriers and you have a winman to command. Minimum requirements are a 386 SX (386-DX 33 recommended and the reviewer recommends no less than a 486-SX 25), VGA graphics, 12 MB of hard drive space, and 4MB RAM.


• Hell Cab - A 3D point and click adventure game involving time travel by Time Warner. It gets a pretty good review here but I have my doubts. Minimum requirements are a 386 CPU, 3MB of RAM, CD-ROM drive, Windows 3.1, and 256 color VGA graphics.


• In Extremis - This sci-fi themed first person shooter is one of a very many games that tried to capitalize on the trend that Doom created. Minimum requirements include a 386SX CPU, 15MB hard drive space, 2MB RAM, VGA graphics and a joystick.


• Myst - Published by Electronic Arts, Myst was one of the most popular point and click adventure games ever made. Either you love it or you hate it but I wasn't too fond of this type of game myself. Minimum requirements include a 386DX 33MHz CPU (486 recommended), MS-DOS 5.0 or higher, 4MB RAM, SVGA graphics, CD-ROM drive and a mouse.


• Ravenloft - Ravenloft was one of many D&D role-playing games that were released for home computers (where the hell are they now?). I played a couple of the games in the gold box series and loved them. This one is of a different style featuring real-time 3D movement but it's still one that's been on my to play list for a long, long time. Minimum requirements include a 386DX 33MHz CPU, 4MB RAM, VGA graphics, MS_DOS 5.0, mouse and 21MB of hard drive space.


• Red Hell - A horror themed futuristic graphic adventure from Cyberdreams. The graphics were somewhat dated for the time and it didn't get a terribly good review here. Minimum requirements include a 386 CPU, 2MB RAM, VGA graphics, 25MB hard drive space, and a mouse.

_{Table of Contents from the June 1994 issue of PC Power}

Regulars

• News - New releases upcoming for Dragon's Lair, Space Ace and Dragon's Lair II; Record sales for Ultima VII and VIII; Overdrive, a conversion from the Amiga coming to the PC; and more.


• Opinion - The insanity of gaming and the complexities of "modern" games.

Features

• The Brender & Argonaut Report - A brief history of the PC and why less powerful consoles often do a better job with games. The reason given is custom chips and some examples are given where this was tried with PCs (the 386 based FM Towns and Marty) with at least technical if not commercial success. Also some info about the upcoming 3DO, the so-called "VHS of videogaming" that was meant to be the standard. It didn't quite work out that way. Also some info about an add-in card that could turn your PC into a 3DO (vaporware as far as I know) as well as something called the BRender Board which sounds an awful lot like the precursor to modern 3D cards (also vaporware as far as I know).


• The ECTS Show Report - Not sure what ECTS stands for but it is (or was) some kind of trade show featuring computers/electronics/games. Apparently a rumor was circulating that Sega might buy Commodore. That would have been interesting. More concrete news includes the release of MechWarrior II, a new version of Return to Zork, Simon the Sorcerer II, Lords of Midnight, Bioforge, System Shock, Magic Carpet, paradox, Desert Strike, Lords of the REalm, Sim City 2000 expansions, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Bloodnet, Dragon Lore, Rise of the Robots, Discworld, Outpost, Cyberwar, Hell Cab, TIE Fighter (one of my favorite games)Lands of Lore II, Command and Conquer and much, much more.


• The Bethesda Interview - An interview with the developers at Bethesda. They talk a lot about future CD-ROM development along with a lot of their recent and upcoming games including Arena, Delta V, and more.


• Modem Guide - A general guide to using modems for various online services, multiplayer games, and BBSes with overviews of a bunch of modems including the US Robotics Sportster 14,400, Zoom 14,400, Lasat Unique 144, Zoom Pocket, pace Linnet FX32+, Pace Microlin FX32+, Quickcomm Spirit II, and SupraFax Modem 144LC.

_{Table of Contents from the June 1994 issue of PC Power (continued)}

Exposures

• Arcade Pool - Preview of this pool game by Team 17 which requires a 386 and VGA graphics.


• Outpost - A sci-fi themed strategy game by Sierra requiring a 386, 4MB of RAM and Windows 3.1.


• Pinball Dreams 2 - Four new pinball tables for your PC. Requirements include a 386 and VGA graphics.

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