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Review: New games keep fans fired up
By Marc Saltzman
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of Marc Saltzman, a freelance technology journalist whose reviews also appear on the Gannett News Service. (CNN) -- Don't succumb to the winter blues. Take refuge with two new -- albeit very different -- computer games. The first up is Command & Conquer: Generals from Electronic Arts, the latest installment in the best-selling strategy series, which includes Command & Conquer: Red Alert and Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun. This version is a must for folks who enjoy micromanaging every aspect of a game. But if that's not your thing, then maybe you can check out a dark murder mystery which is expected creep onto retail shelves Friday. DreamCatcher Games' Post Mortem is an adventure game that challenges players to solve a murder. Here is a quick look at each title. Both games have fairly sophisticated hardware requirements, so check the packaging to make sure your PC has the required horsepower. 'Command & Conquer: Generals'
Armchair generals glued to CNN, it's time to put your mouse where your mouth is with the new Command & Conquer. Now in true 3-D, and with plenty of solo and multiplayer options, Generals puts players in charge of one of three warring factions: the high-tech U.S. military, the relentless Chinese or the resourceful (and fictitious) terrorist organization known as the Global Liberation Army. The game takes place about 15 to 20 years in the future. Generals plays out in real-time which adds an extra element of tension and suspense not usually found in turn-based games. The single-player campaign is spread across 23 missions. Those who prefer "live" opponents instead of the game's artificial intelligence can log onto the Net. Objectives vary from mission to mission in the solo game, but the gameplay usually involves building structures (command centers, factories, barracks, for example), creating units (specialized soldiers, weapons and "super weapons") and traversing the map to find and attack the enemy. Despite the game's stunning, high-end graphics, Generals loads quickly and plays smoothly -- even online with multiple players. 'Post Mortem'
Had enough of cute video game characters and predictable plots? Step into Post Mortem, a classic point-and-click adventure game with a macabre twist. Set in Paris in the 1920s, players assume the role of an American ex-private eye who comes out of retirement to help a mysterious woman investigate the gruesome murder of her sister and brother-in-law. It turns out this ritualistic execution, which includes beheading, is part of a serial killing rooted in ancestral mystic beliefs. The opening movie sets the disturbing tone for the 15-hour thriller. As in most adventure games, Gus MacPherson, the protagonist, must search various locations to discover clues, collect items to solve puzzles and chat with two dozen or so colorful characters. The game features about 6,000 lines of dialogue. But this atmospheric whodunit differs from others thanks to its moody film noir-style tone, not to mention MacPherson's psychic and artistic abilities that ultimately help solve this unsettling case.
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