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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(un)reason" data-source="post: 5073404" data-attributes="member: 27780">Dragon Magazine Issue 168: April 1991part 4/6The role of computers: Bane of the Cosmic Forge is one of those RPG's where you generate characters from a whole bunch of typical races and classes, and a few quirky ones. The general options have been expanded upon, as is standard with a continuing series, and you should save often as you quest to save the world. The visuals still aren't brilliant, and this is probably what keeps it from getting 5 stars, but  it's still another solid attempt to emulate D&D style gaming. Powermonger is another of those games where you get to play ruler, build your settlements and armies, and conquer other lands. It also has diplomacy options, and online multiplayer, giving it extra depth. Since the world are pretty big, mastering the zoom function is important. (just like using the real google maps) The Secret of Monkey Island, like Loom, shows Lucasfilm's continued success is not a fluke, or dependent on the Star Wars name. Another cool adventure game with tons of attention to detail, and a multitude of inventive puzzles to solve, this may well have you tearing your hair out at some of the trickier puzzles. Faces is the latest puzzle game from the creators of Tetris. This gets a rather more negative review, as it is rather more frustrating than that game, with a bad run of pieces virtually guaranteeing defeat no matter how good you are. Obviously they haven't got the right balance of skill and luck going this time. Harpoon is a submarine wargame. It's in black and white, but that doesn't hurt it too much. Not a bad simulation at all. Mega Man III welcomes Rush to his side, and starts the process that would gradually result in the series picking up RPG elements and growing into a multigenre franchise where many of the the supporting characters are as popular as the main one. It doesn't actually get a brilliant review in itself, curiously. Well, technically, it does have it's flaws, and fighting the bosses can be a frustrating process. (I always had to save up tons of energy tanks to get through quite a few of them.) I suppose it's another case of critical and commercial success diverging. Highly amusingly, Curse of the Azure Bonds gets put in the buggies this month, as it's mac version crashed whenever they tried to run it in colour. This does not stop them from putting more hints for it in the clue corner. Oh, the constant hassles of upgrading and compatibility. One reason consoles continue to be popular, despite frequently being several years behind computers in terms of raw power and sophistication. Bane of the cosmic forge also gets advertised immediately after the column. With a topless female demon, (nipples strategically obscured, of course) no less. Surprised they can get away with that, really. Guess it is sticking to the letter of their code. And what the executives don't know can't hurt them. Sage advice claws back another 2/3rds of a page. Skip is tougher than the naysayers think. You'll see. How much weight can you carry while flying (As much as normal. Your definition of normal may vary) Your statement in issue 157 contradicts the DMG (Not really. It's the same difference) How does invisibilty work. Why isn't it an alteration. (it bends light. If you used that criteria all spells would be alterations. It's already the overpowered catchall school. We won't put spells in it unless we really can't justify it being somwhere else. )Why can't psionicists be chaotic (their minds go off on a tangent before they can actually do anything significant )Do druids have to be completely neutral, or just one component (Completely! We will not budge on this, just as we will not budge on the paladin's lawful goodness!) Alignment sucks! Druids have to oppose their party at every turn to preserve the balance! This makes no sense! (No, You make no sense! Preserving the cosmic balance does not involve doing one chaotic evil deed per lawful good one. The cycle of the universe can absorb minor shifts anyway. Druids just prevent permanent ascendancy by any one side. Also, don't confuse lawful pompous busybody with lawful good. Blah blah blah blah, proper way to do things, sense of perspective blah blah blah.) Fiction: Thor goes fishing by Lois Tilton. Moderately in theme here, with a rather humorous little mythical tale. Loki's up to his usual trickery, sending Thor off to make an idiot of himself with a few well placed jibes, which he then takes full advantage of. The epic effects gods can have on the world, even without thinking about it, are played up for laughs, and the whole thing seems like good inspiration for a more lighthearted Nobilis game. Cosmic power doesn't have to mean constantly battling epic foes, maintaining a tedious policy of noninterference in the lives of mortals you could squash like bugs and worrying about the balance of the universe. It can mean doing 7 impossible things before breakfast, creating a universe in the morning, then revamping another one by siring a messiah on a nice virgin (while leaving her physically intact of course) in the evening. And that does sound like a good deal more fun. So this is another piece that's both entertaining and moderately thought provoking. Sometimes, you've just gotta cut loose.</blockquote>

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