Commodore Amiga Retro

Through the Looking Glass

Where the girls at !!

Such promise from a simple racing game. How could anyone resist

So disappointing the first time I played Tomb Raider on the PC. All I got was a black
screen. I was so angry at the way the PC struggled with games I rushed out and purchased
a PlayStation 1. My goodness how that little grey console changed my life.

Each night I would rush home to plug the unit into the TV and then lose myself in
FIFA, Ridge Racer or more often Tomb Raider

The first Tomb Raider will live long in the memory because it was not just the joy
of solving puzzles but the amazing quality of mood and music. You really didn't
know what was going to happen next. And the deaths... she died way too many times
I would spend all night doing one thing and near give up. But I would do it in
the end and curse the woman. The saddest day would always be the day I beat the game

Playing games on the PlayStation was always the light relief between doing stuff on
the main computer. I would stop from what I was doing and load in the saved game and
I would again drop down the pit. I have seriously realised that it was midway through
night sometimes when playing games. There was one challenge in Tomb Raider where you
had to flick a switch, roll back, race down a corridor, jump two boxes across a burning
corridor and through a door before it closed. To this day I have done it only once

Following Lara I got hooked into Resident Evil, Parasite Eve and Silent Hill. The games
got darker and I realised the whole play style was evolving. I recall playing Silent Hill
and there was a light bulb go pop. I have never jumped out of my seat and scream to a game
before. I just needed to calm and relax playing games. But I couldn't stop

At least Regina in Dino Crisis had a bit of a sense of humour. The ending of both those
games left me breathless. The one ended with this massive dinosaur chasing the two in a
boat and you were very grateful that the computer took over and threw the hand grenade
for you. I was so relieved and in truth exhausted.... For days I would be sad and down

I was playing Koudelka and Fear Effect the months leading up to a hospital operation
The very morning I had to leave to go into hospital I was playing Fear Effect, and all
I could think about was how to finish a specifically difficult level. As you do.

I actually copied images of the Koudelka game and placed images on Amiga disks and icons

I treated myself to a Dreamcast, and in truth regretted it. All very lightweight and
a touch more juvenile. I know the more serious games were still there, but in truth
Lara and Regina and co only felt at home on the PlayStation. SpaceChannel5 became a
transporter dock on the PC for burning CDs. That is the only legacy of the Dreamcast

Never did understand the term 'damp'. Have a bad day at work, come home and play
Bloodrayne.... The reason was simple. Not only could you kill stuff but also smash
absolutely everything to pieces. She really took killing to a new level. Fun for a
while but not in truth a very lovable character

And now I had the added problem of XBOX or PS2. I decided to get both. In terms of the
specific consoles the PS2 won hands down, though there were some interesting titles
that only found their way onto the XBOX. The PS2 was dreadfully made. I stood mine on
its end and the CD would often near fall out as it trundled its way into the unit

I cannot recall a single thing about Sudeki... on the other hand I remember quite vividly
each and every zombie kill in Resident Evil. An incredible series that one

And so Lara came back with even more pixels and she really did not disappoint

I had to retire from Dead or Alive cus of injury to my thumbs, so it was a welcome
relief to go play some volleyball. I have to say, the girl issues and the nature of
their provocative form was starting to become more evident in games titles. I could
never get any of the girls to accept the Venus swimsuit. The aim of the game was to
get the girls to wear the most scanty outfits. Trouble was they had to be accepted as
a gift. And to do this you had to win them over. You gave the gift last thing at night
and in the morning you would be greeted with the rejection of the costume.

For a while I moved over to the XBOX playing Max Payne and Alias. I was watching the
series on the TV and was interested to see how the game transported over to the console
The game was actually very good, and the characters were realistically portrayed

Xenosaga heralded the end of the PS2 and Heavenly Sword trumpeted in the new era of
the PlayStation3. I had been waiting like forever for the next edition of Final Fantasy
and gave up in the end and bought the PS3 anyway and played Heavenly Sword. I was a touch
frustrated with the game because as hard as it was I just couldn't do the last challenge
And then I watched the end on the PC and she bloody died.... and worse they didn't make another

Final Fantasy did arrive and was a real disappointment. Square truthfully had disappeared
up their own backsides and left the playing punter high and dry. We didn't want the
linear boring story based drivel. The story is great but we need a deep game. Like before

And so I found my way into Timesplitters, Mercenaries, God of War and Bayonetta. My
goodness could that girl dance. And what an amazing attitude. So good I bought the game
for both the XBOX and the PS3.

I guess Time Splitters was the end for me in truth. By April 2008 I had moved over to
MMOs on the PC. My fascination for reality in games didn't wain. Though in truth you
found it more in interactive Japanese videos like N.U.D.E. which never found its way here.
I have the game but not playable. As for Yuki Terai... I sure would love to dive headlong
into the computer and meet up with her in her virtual world

Saying that, in truth there was only one woman in my life

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