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Week Ending September 27, 1999

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THE BIG 8: HOT FALL GAMES

The leaves are falling, the kids are back at school, and game companies are revving up for the Fall season of gaming. Although there appear to be less high-profile releases due this fall than in previous years – most of the big guns, like The Sims, Starlancer, and Anachronox have all slipped to 2000 – the season still ushers in a slew of hot 3D action with a little real-time strategy and adventure thrown in for good measure.

One note: This list of the hot eight games looks at titles due out between now and US Thanksgiving time. Games such as Diablo II and Vampire: The Masquerade are considered Holiday/Winter releases, so take your trigger-finger off that "Send Angry E-Mail" button and wait for our hot Holiday list on November 15^th. With that in mind, here are the Big Eight, in random order:

1. Soldier of Fortune

View the Exclusive Screenshots

Although Soldier of Fortune got off to a rocky start at E3 this year, hidden behind a curtain because of post-Columbine concerns, the gaming press has still embraced Raven Software's gritty realistic action game that looks like the perfect melding of Goldeneye with Half-Life. Although Raven and publisher Activision have kept the lid on most of game's plot, we do know the action is going to be front and center here with an array of menacing weapons and the ability to do things like blow off an enemy's head (see the screenshots). Although it remains to be seen how the public reacts to the game especially given its similarities to Kingpin in terms of excess violence, it looks like Soldier of Fortune's plot and spy-themed covert missions will help alleviate concerns.

View Three New Exclusive Screenshots
View My Interview with the Designers of Soldier of Fortune

2. Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine

View the Screenshots

Although it has been long in development, Fall appears to be the season Indiana Jones will return in LucasArt's hybrid action/adventure game The Infernal Machine…and yes, LucasArts is doing games other than Episode I titlesI. If the latest screenshots are any indication (check out the new Next Generation magazine for a great preview), Indy3D has a lot going for it visually. In addition, players will be able to control a mine car, jeep, and even a whitewater raft in action sequences. With Indiana Jones front and center on the box you can definitely expect a lot of excitement about the game as it reaches store shelves. The one lingering question is the playability, and it will indeed be interesting to see exactly how this game plays – In other words, we're all wondering how much different this is than Jedi Knight retrofitted with earth-tone textures and a fedora. We should know in a few short weeks.

View the Screenshots

View my interview with the Project Leader, Hal Barwood

Continue to the next two games on the list >>>