Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix
Unalis Entertainment Corp.
Interface: Chinese/English
Already available
Soldier of Fortune follows a more traditional FPS format that emphasizes individual survival and actually utilizes the same game engine that powered Quake III with which it achieves impressive results in realism and atmosphere.
In this second edition, we again play John Mullins, an undercover agent engaged in recon and espionage assignments. This time, a terrorist organization is planning to use biological weapons: who is behind the plot? Where are the weapons stored? These are questions that players must answer before the terrorists achieve their goal.
The game, as with Battlefield 1942 and Team Factor also incorporates controlling mechanized units, so you are able to strafe enemy positions from a helicopter, for example. Another development is the simulation of injuries. This is based on a system developed by Raven Software for Ghoul II, and by providing 36 injury zones, where hits have different effects, greatly enhances the realism of the game.
A hit to the arm doesn't produce the usual splat of blood from the body, but the arm bleeds. The character's arm also becomes useless. If hit in the foot, the character falls, but is able to crawl and still fire a weapon. "The bodies response to the hits is actually registered," Chiang emphasized.
Medieval: Total War
Unalis Entertainment Corp.
Interface: Chinese/English
Release: Oct. 10
As the name suggests, Medieval: Total War brings combatants back in time. This is a development on the highly successful Shogun: Total War released two years ago, except this game is set in Europe rather than Japan, covering a time span from 1095 to 1450. In addition to battle, players build up power through trade and diplomacy.
The game's international distributor Activision and developer Creative Assembly both emphasize the upgraded 3D environment made possible by the game engine. In addition, siege warfare is incorporated into the play environment, allowing for volleys of arrows from protected positions or cannonades against castle walls.
"History is also an important part of this game," said Antonio Lu (呂維振), chief editor of Gamebase Website. "You have crusades, the 100 years war and 200 major characters of the period, ranging from Richard the Lion Hearted to Joan of Arc. The game map is twice the size of that in Shogun.
Lu added that the 3D has made the battle sequences even more exciting than those in Shogun, and with the ability to control up to 15,000 military units all displayed in 3D graphic, the game offers great complexity, but also has an artificial intelligence function that can take over large areas of game management.
Because of its setting in medieval Europe and the involvement of numerous "Christian" armies, Medieval: Total War is also being promoted by organizations such as Studio Classroom and other church organizations as a way of fostering knowledge about Chistianity.
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