PC GAMES ROUNDUP OF 2000
Date: 1/17/01
By Rice

#3
NO ONE LIVES FOREVER
Developer: Monolith
Publisher: Fox Interactive

The Incomparable Cate Archer

When this game first came out, I read the review of it on Old Man Murray titled "No One Makes Crappy Games Forever". Heh heh. If you ever feel like reading something totally offbeat, those guys over there rule. Anyways, their words ring true. Monolith ain't exactly a game company that make my ears perk whenever I hear they're developing a game, but I think from now on, it'll be different. No One Lives Forever may be the most surprising game of the year because it's so good... yet the hype behind it was nearly non-existent. You're basically Miss James Bond in the 60's, equipped with a ton of neat gadgets and a head full of witty quips. The gameplay's engaging, the storyline's hilarious, and it has absolutely nothing to do with Half-Life!! (Don't know what I'm talking about? Click!)

#2
THE SIMS
Developer: Maxis
Publisher: Electronic Arts

The Sims: architecture for dummies.

GameSpot recently published their massive games of the year article on both the PC and console front. When I say massive, I mean massive. It's annoying as heck to click through the nominee's first before we find out the winner. Then it makes us trudge through categories like "Best Sound Effect" or something like that. What is this, the MTV Movie Awards? Anyways, to save everyone the trouble of going through that cesspool, especially you poor dialup peons, I'll just reveal that their ultimate game of the year winner was The Sims.

While I don't quite agree with their verdict, I whole heartedly agree with the fact that The Sims is one of the most phenomenal games ever developed. Its premise is perhaps the blandest of any game on this list: you play Tamagotchi with a little computer person. You basically control his life, telling him when to eat, sleep, deposit waste, socialize, and work. There are meters on the screen that indicate how much of each he has and wants. Sounds simple, but it's surprisingly complex and... ahem... addicting. Earlier this year (last school year) my roommate and I routinely "forgot" to attend classes thanks to this little gem right here.

Back off fireman. I'll do it myself.

Still doesn't sound very appealing, I bet. That's what makes The Sims so fascinating. When you're asked by someone to describe the game to you, they'll probably yawn and ask what's so good about it. But when they sit down and start playing for a while, they'll be glued to their seats for hours on end. It's not... fun as in making you want to keep playing for a storyline. It's more like you want to keep playing so you can experiment with your little characters. It's like a freaking drug. You don't quite know why you keep doing it, but you don't quite know how to stop, either. And that, my friends, is an accomplishment no other game has ever achieved before.

By the way, did I mention it's been on PCData's best seller's list ever since it was released (back in February 2000)?

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