A - Long Term Shelf Life
B - Deserves Another Play
C - Once Should Suffice

Any game with Murray Walker doing the commentary has to be the real thing. Here you get to race all the top drivers, cars and courses from around the world. One annoying bit when you're playing 2P is the resetting of the screen to horizontal split (vertical being virtually impossible to see the track properly). The surface sound could've changed if you go from tar to grass or gravel - I know, it's a small gripe, but these little perfections are the things setting games apart nowadays. Detail - you can never have too much. If you own a steering wheel & pedal control for your game, strap on some headphones and crank up the volume, that authentic F1 screeching engines enough to get your adrenaline racing as you gun down courses from Japan to Canada & Australia to Germany.

4 / A
- PB

F1 CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON 2000

All the top drivers and their cars & sponsors hit accurate tracks from all over the world. get into the real thing with realistic control and wonderful gameplay.

5 / A
- PB

FINAL FANTASY VII

Hold onto your seats (and the seat of your pants!) partners, because here is the PlayStation game to end all - well, for the time being, until the next masterpiece, anyway. This epic adventure role playing game is pretty much a 100 hour movie (total game playing time which can even escalate), the outcome depending on your skill. The mind-blowing capacity of this best seller needs a whopping 3, yes THREE discs to hold this complex piece of work, ladies and gentlemen. The elaborate story places you in the shoes of Cloud, an ex-soldier (who's name you can alter to suit you), joining a rebel resistance force out to fight an evil power saturating your planet. As to be expected, you're a hard-ass with your own agenda. Interacting with your fellow rebels shouldn't be skipped, as important information can be lost. You make your way through the beautifully rendered scenery of futuristic locations, encountering baddies along the way. These fight sequences will take a bit of getting used to as it doesn't conform to your Mortal Kombat fighting style. In stead with the turn-based system you have to "attack", "defend" and use "special" functions that don't exactly react with split second timing. It's a sort of one-for-one exchange that diminishes its excitement factor a tad. You also get assistance from your bad-assed compadre, Barrett (who's name you can also change to whatever amusing or rude one you feel like). His helping hand prevents losing too much power. When you're up against large, villainous machines, your special items will need utilization, big time. You collect this wide variety of special powers throughout the game, so merely running to get to the next spot won't be to your advantage. Check out every little nook and cranny. Savouring the backgrounds and scenery with it's jaw dropping smooth detail makes this timely exploration worthwhile. You are also supplied with an easily accessible spreadsheet of your status, be it power, weaponry, special abilities etc. The opening- and link-up scenes are absolutely fantastic, almost surpassing live images of movies like Bladerunner. This is hardly a mindless fast-fly & fire game, so just take your time and let this incredible world open up to you. Its intricacies will stun you. The popularity of Final Fantasy VII in Japan have reached alarming proportions with everything from action figures and stationary to a planned live action motion picture. It goes without saying that you shouldn't even attempt this baby without a memory card. If you're lucky you'll still find a choice of 2 Playstation magazines in the Kilo Shops, each with extensive step-by-step companion booklets to take you through this enormously complex and BIG gaming experience. Good luck, you'll need it !

4 / C
- PB

...The 2nd Opinion...

FINAL FANTASY VII
This vast adventure game is probably the largest ever to hit the PlayStation market. A mixture of a 3-D platform adventure, interactive tale & action/battle game, it takes no less than 3 discs to hold this baby ! One of the many stars in this game is definitely the amazing graphics of the futuristic locations. The detail and quality is truly mind-blowing. The various characters available seem a little squared, sometimes pixilated as compared to their pre-rendered surroundings, but that's understandable, as they have to move wherever you command them. Their movements are smooth and stylish, though. But, now, the basic plot: You need to save the universe (obviously) from an energy draining power by infiltration and annihilation. The magnitude of this game will make mince meat of anyone who doesn't have a memory card. Make sure you insert that sucker! What I don't really like are the in between battle sequences. It's a little too stagnant for my liking as you don't have first hand involvement, no tactical control - you merely select "attack" or "defend" and the game does it for you. But, it moves the story along (unless the huge machines squash you like the bug you are!). With a shit-load of statistics ranging from your status to available weaponry & magic, you can check out how you're doing at your own leisure. If nothing else, this game is something to look at, I mean REALLY look at. With about 3 parts Bladerunner, 2 parts Manga and a truckload of imaginative creativity, what you have here is an epic like none before. Although the music is atmospheric and wide in scope as well as its execution, I feel that sometimes it is a little too midi-induced (in a Casio keyboard sort of way) where it could've been more grandiose to add to the visual flair. But, less fussy players won't give a hoot about something as minor. Once you get tucked into this sucker it'll be weeks before you clock it...if not more !

5 / C
- PP

FINAL FANTASY VIII

One of the most popular games series are back with another four discs of in depth time consumption. This time round the characters and link-up sequences are more human in appearance than the previous blocky cartoon-like figures. Finding yourself as a student in a special futuristic school, the elaborate story unfolds as you explore your surroundings and get taught all you need to know, ultimately leading to battles and your destiny. Smaller segments like card games get thrown in while as usual you can chat to whomever you encounter. Another 4 discs of long nights and memory card saving space.

5 / B
- PB

FINAL FANTASY IX

Usually when movies hit a high sequel count like this, it is expected that the quality will be crappy crap and then some. Here it can get better and as soon as SKi supplies me with a game, I'll let you know just how marvellous it is.

? / ?

FLUID

Another chill-out title with a difference is this baby. No kicks, no gunshots, no blood, gore or explosions. In stead you are the creator of mellow or energetic, hypnotic tunes. This is one of the easiest ways anyone can become a maestro. Instead of the 600 sampled sounds merely listed for your use, the introduced game element involves a dolphin gliding around a dozen tranquil areas where these sounds are "picked up". Once you have enough, you return to an 8 track sequencer. There you have bass- & snare drum patterns, basslines, melodies, harmonies, high hats and other rhythmic patterns. You can change the sounds and manipulate them in a variety of ways to make them your own (well almost, copyright prevents you from releasing it as your debut CD). Saving songs to your memory card is essential, because you'll be mighty pissed off once you switch off and realise all of your patience in constructing your masterpiece has dissolved into thin air! The cherry on top is a spaced out graphics function that allows you to create live, colourful graphic patterns to enhance your audio creation with some cool visuals.

5 / B
- PB