Asheron's Call, published by Microsoft for PC

SPECS: P166, 32MB RAM, 270MB hard drive space, 4xCD-ROM, 28.8kbps modem, internet access, $9.95/month

ULTIMA Online, the king of online roleplaying games, has a rival at last.

Asheron's Call easily cruises past the weak opposition provided by Everquest to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ultima.

It is a game set in a land of fantasy that involves combat, much as almost any other computer game, but which also encourages the development of a whole social pyramid, and which actively rewards players for getting on well with other players.

While your characters may lack the variety and versatility of those created in Ultima, Asheron's Call boasts vastly improved graphics. The best touch, though, is the way your characters become more powerful for each person who swears allegiance to them. In addition, your followers gain benefits by your ever-improving level.

A variety of cultures are in place, and a wide range of character types are there to choose from, although you can customise your starting character to your heart's content.

Be warned, though, Asheron's Call can be life-consuming, and is not for the impatient. Those looking for a quick fix are best advised to look elsewhere, as it took my initial character over a week just to reach Level 6.

Balance isn't all it should be, with magic users seemingly progressing in leaps and bounds faster than vagabonds, who often find themselves with nothing to hone their particularly sneaky skills on.

Still, the good thing about an internet game like Asheron's Call is that it is always developing, and problems encountered now may well be rectified in the future.

For roleplaying game fans, Ultima has long been the benchmark. For Asheron's Call to have risen so high as to be considered Ultima's equal is a high accolade, and one it well deserves.

Graphics 4/5

Sound 4/5

Gameplay 5/5

Gamespan 5/5

Overall 5/5

Stephen Hunt

Might and Magic VII: For Blood And Honour, published by 3DO for PC

SPECS: P133, 32MB RAM, 600MB hard disk space, 4xCD-ROM

IF you want to buy just one game that lasts forever, this is for you.

You start by creating your characters, taking time to choose their attributes carefully, as this will have a significant influence on your progress later in the game.

Each of the four characters can be named with a portrait and voice assigned together with class and ethnic origin, ie, Knight, Thief, Sorcerer and Human, Goblin, Dwarf, etc. Some combinations cannot become proficient in certain skills, so pre-planning is essential.

Happy with your creations? OK, you're off. Walk the mystical land of Erathia, meeting the locals, some of whom will offer to join your party. Hired party members bring their own specialist skills, but don't be shy about sacking them if you find someone better.

Some doors lead to special locations within the game, often stacked with treasures and possibly solutions to quests. Beware, though, as there are usually dozens of bad guys on guard, often far more powerful than your party. Death comes very quickly and the only way is to take some hits, stab, or shoot arrows from a distance, then run like fun away.

There are dozens of quests and side projects all going on at once all over the land, only a small part of which you can view at once. There is an automatic journal you can record your quests in, but it needs more detail if you don't have a photographic memory.

For those with time and patience, Might and Magic could be for you.

Graphics 3/5

Sound 3/5

Gameplay 3/5

Gamespan 5/5

Overall 3/5

Richard Sparnenn

Resident Evil: Survivor, published by Eidos for PlayStation

ALTOGETHER now, cross your arms, give Resident Evil: Survivor a stern look, and say hmmm.....

A great idea, turning the excellent Resident Evil series into a lightgun-based shooting game, has been badly executed simply because of two flaws.

Firstly, the game's far too short, and can be completed in just a couple of hours. Secondly, and perhaps this was done deliberately to disguise the game's shortness, there's no save mode, so if you want to sit down with this game, you'd better be prepared to play it until completion, and not for a quick ten minutes before heading off to bed.

For those without lightguns, a dual shock controller will do just as fine, but really this game could have been so much more.

Overall 2/5

Stephen Hunt

Asheron's Call, published by Microsoft for PC

SPECS: P166, 32MB RAM, 270MB hard drive space, 4xCD-ROM, 28.8kbps modem, internet access, $9.95/month

ULTIMA Online, the king of online roleplaying games, has a rival at last.

Asheron's Call easily cruises past the weak opposition provided by Everquest to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ultima.

It is a game set in a land of fantasy that involves combat, much as almost any other computer game, but which also encourages the development of a whole social pyramid, and which actively rewards players for getting on well with other players.

While your characters may lack the variety and versatility of those created in Ultima, Asheron's Call boasts vastly improved graphics. The best touch, though, is the way your characters become more powerful for each person who swears allegiance to them. In addition, your followers gain benefits by your ever-improving level.

A variety of cultures are in place, and a wide range of character types are there to choose from, although you can customise your starting character to your heart's content.

Be warned, though, Asheron's Call can be life-consuming, and is not for the impatient. Those looking for a quick fix are best advised to look elsewhere, as it took my initial character over a week just to reach Level 6.

Balance isn't all it should be, with magic users seemingly progressing in leaps and bounds faster than vagabonds, who often find themselves with nothing to hone their particularly sneaky skills on.

Still, the good thing about an internet game like Asheron's Call is that it is always developing, and problems encountered now may well be rectified in the future.

For roleplaying game fans, Ultima has long been the benchmark. For Asheron's Call to have risen so high as to be considered Ultima's equal is a high accolade, and one it well deserves.

Graphics 4/5

Sound 4/5

Gameplay 5/5

Gamespan 5/5

Overall 5/5

Stephen Hunt

Might and Magic VII: For Blood And Honour, published by 3DO for PC

SPECS: P133, 32MB RAM, 600MB hard disk space, 4xCD-ROM

IF you want to buy just one game that lasts forever, this is for you.

You start by creating your characters, taking time to choose their attributes carefully, as this will have a significant influence on your progress later in the game.

Each of the four characters can be named with a portrait and voice assigned together with class and ethnic origin, ie, Knight, Thief, Sorcerer and Human, Goblin, Dwarf, etc. Some combinations cannot become proficient in certain skills, so pre-planning is essential.

Happy with your creations? OK, you're off. Walk the mystical land of Erathia, meeting the locals, some of whom will offer to join your party. Hired party members bring their own specialist skills, but don't be shy about sacking them if you find someone better.

Some doors lead to special locations within the game, often stacked with treasures and possibly solutions to quests. Beware, though, as there are usually dozens of bad guys on guard, often far more powerful than your party. Death comes very quickly and the only way is to take some hits, stab, or shoot arrows from a distance, then run like fun away.

There are dozens of quests and side projects all going on at once all over the land, only a small part of which you can view at once. There is an automatic journal you can record your quests in, but it needs more detail if you don't have a photographic memory.

For those with time and patience, Might and Magic could be for you.

Graphics 3/5

Sound 3/5

Gameplay 3/5

Gamespan 5/5

Overall 3/5

Richard Sparnenn

Resident Evil: Survivor, published by Eidos for PlayStation

ALTOGETHER now, cross your arms, give Resident Evil: Survivor a stern look, and say hmmm.....

A great idea, turning the excellent Resident Evil series into a lightgun-based shooting game, has been badly executed simply because of two flaws.

Firstly, the game's far too short, and can be completed in just a couple of hours. Secondly, and perhaps this was done deliberately to disguise the game's shortness, there's no save mode, so if you want to sit down with this game, you'd better be prepared to play it until completion, and not for a quick ten minutes before heading off to bed.

For those without lightguns, a dual shock controller will do just as fine, but really this game could have been so much more.

Overall 2/5

Stephen Hunt