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Conflict: Desert Storm (沙漠風暴)
Type: First Person Shooter
Distributor: Info Games Taiwan
Platform: English for PC
Release: Currently available
The clock is turned back to 1991 and the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The forces led by the US embark on Desert Storm with massive air and ground forces. Amid the chaos of this conflict, the gamer leads Special Forces to complete a number of missions.

The game is divided into three sections: tutorial, individual and multi-person online gaming. Although primarily a FPS (First Person Shooter), Conflict has the facility to include computer-generated characters under the command of the player.

"The tutorial section is necessary because although primarily a FPS, it also has strategy elements, so the player needs to position troops as well as command his own unit," said John Chiang (蔣鏡明), chief editor of Netgame Biweekly (網路遊戲雙週刊).

Players can select from US Delta Force or British SAS units, and will command troops with a variety of special capabilities. As with many recent FTPs, role-playing elements have been included, so the gamer's character can acquire new skills and rise in rank depending on the performance of various missions. "It is important to keep your character alive from mission to mission, as these get increasingly difficult, and the accumulated experience is necessary to complete them," Chiang said.

Delta Force : Black Hawk Down
(三角洲部隊:黑鷹計畫)
Type: First Person Shooter
Platform: English for PC (Chinese handbook)
International Distributor: Novalogic
Local Distributor: Interwise Multimedia Corp (台灣英特衛)
Taiwan release: Late April
With the release of the film Black Hawk Down last year, the events that engulfed units of the 75th Rangers and elements of Delta Force in Somalia in 1993 were brought vividly before the public's eyes. With the release of the game version, you now have the opportunity to fight your way out of the debacle.

Novalogic is known for its close reliance on actual combat situations in the development of its Delta Force series, a realism that comes through in its latest release, Black Hawk Down.

This game achieves a high degree of realism in the FPS format, simulating the teamwork and viciousness of small unit urban combat. At the 2002 E3 exposition, it was selected as the best FPS game on the market.

The game includes a number of scenarios including storming positions, taking hostages, providing covering fire and, of course, the day-long retreat after the Black Hawk helicopter crashed. The "Med-Evac" option provides players with the chance to hold a position until evacuation becomes an option -- bringing alive the dictum of "Leave no man behind" which was made so much of in the film.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance
International distributor: Konami
Local distributor: Interwise Multimedia
Platform: English for PC
Taiwan release: currently available
The Metal Gear series has already provided action game addicts using the PS2 and Xbox platform with plenty of opportunities to kill the enemy to their heart's content. This March, the PC version has finally come out, and after fierce competition for local distribution rights, was taken up by Interwise, which has formally been focused in role playing games (RPG).

In addition to everything offered by the PS2 version, the PC version has much additional material, made possible by its DVD format. Three-dimensional graphics and over 500 missions and the chance to play different characters are all new.

In the huge range of missions, there are both serious battle sequences and others designed for pure comedy.

"The `variety mode' gave designers a chance to show their comic potential, presenting gamers with all kinds of absurdities," said Dell Yu (余如山) of Interwise.

Anno1503: The New World
(1503美麗新世界)
Type: Real Time Strategy and City Building
Distributor: EA Taiwan (美商藝電)
Platform: English or Chinese for PC
Taiwan release: April 5
As we might expect, Anno1503 takes players back rather further in history than Dessert Storm or Somalia. Here, gamers find themselves involved in creating a New World.

The adventure of discovery provides the basic structure of this game -- find resources, build a power base and ultimately establish an empire.

The game world is divided into four climatic regions and has nine ethnic groups who strive for dominance. "The different races must adapt to the world that they find themselves in, making the best use of their own unique qualities.

They must understand not just themselves, but also the other races, so that they can establish mutually advantageous relationships and trade links.

Conflict takes place both on land and sea. One of the most important objectives is to keep trading convoys or caravans protected from other groups who want to cut into the trade. "Much of the combat procedure is taken care of automatically so that players are able to manage extremely complex strategies quickly and simply, at the same time learning something of some major land and sea battles of that period," said Antonio Lu (呂維振), senior editor of the Gamebase Web site.

There is also a visual feedback system in which the computer automatically provides suggestions to the player as to how best to manage his empire. "This takes place automatically, working through the images and the music that is presented to the gamer," said Jack Lin, general manager of EA Taiwan. "For example, if the food supply falls short, you will see on screen people gathering at the markets, and the sound effects will also emphasize the unrest among the community."
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