Mini-Review
Emergency: Fighters for Life
PC	From: ASCII

This should have been oh so much better. We played an early preview version of this and though it wasn't the easiest piece of software to work with, we were kinda hoping it would've been sorted out before the review code was released. It wasn't. Organising fire engines, ambulances and doctors to get to various car crashes and fires would have been a whole lot more fun if the designers had come up with an interface and control system that wasn't just so damned awkward as to make the game almost unplayable - especially on levels when you're got a really tight time limit. Sadly, an opportunity missed.

FG verdict

40%

Mini-Review
Pandora's Box
PC	From: Microsoft

Alexey Pajitnov has been dabbling with puzzle games ever since releasing the classic Tetris, but none have managed to capture the sublime gameplay of his first game. And neither does this. It's pleasant enough, with the emphasis on the puzzles being more cerebral than dextrous, but it just won't get you fired up. The early puzzles are mostly to do with rearranging bits of pictures and it doesn't get much more exciting than that. The game's got a nice soundtrack that's very mellow, but the gameplay never gets above gentle. Not one for those who like seriously addictive puzzle games like Bust-A-Move.

FG verdict

65%

King of Fighters R2 / Neo Cup 98 Plus