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This new addition to our E3 wrap-up is a testament to our humanity. Sometimes we were able to predict greatness; sometimes, well, we were wrong. Find out what we now think of the top ten games of E3 1999.
We selected Pandemic Studios' 3D real-time strategy game Dark Reign 2 as one of the ten best games shown at last year's E3, and it's really come along since then. In fact, the game is nearly finished, and should be on store shelves some time in the early summer. Best of all, it looks as if Dark Reign 2 made good on all its promises - it's got realistic 3D environments, intelligent interface design, units depicted to scale, in-engine cinematics and more. It's a traditional real-time strategy game with unconventional units and a beautiful graphics engine; it's also got naval combat, some really great special effects, and intuitive camera controls made simple thanks to your trusty mouse wheel. Dark Reign 2 is now undergoing extensive play-balance testing to ensure that the game's two rival factions, the JDA and the Sprawlers, play differently but are comparably powerful, to ensure the game's multiplayer longevity.
Last year, we thought Deus Ex was both innovative and beautiful, but graphics standards kept improving dramatically, and so we have to admit that Deus Ex just didn't have the same visual impact at this year's E3 as it did a year earlier. Similarly, its gameplay - which combines role-playing, action, stealth, and tactical elements - has already been seen in 1999's critically acclaimed System Shock 2. Ironically, System Shock 2 is the sequel to Deus Ex designer Warren Spector's most famous game. Nevertheless, although Deus Ex is now sharing the spotlight, it still looks promising: It's got an involving story and it'll let you play through the game in many different ways. Best of all, Deus Ex will be available very soon - we'll know how it finally turned out in just a few weeks.
Last year, the smooth-playing and slick-looking Oni made our top ten list. This year, we have bad news to report. Bungie didn't show the PC version of Oni but showed off the PlayStation 2 game instead, which didn't reveal anything new. We were disappointed that the PC version wasn't shown, because so many of us were looking forward to both the single-player and multiplayer game. What's worse is that Bungie announced at E3 that Oni's multiplayer component had been eliminated. This is clearly bad news since Bungie had only shown multiplayer game at previous shows. A new trailer showed new gameplay elements for the single-player game, but it was just a movie.
The Sims not only lived up to the hype, but it also proved all the skeptics and critics wrong. It became both a commercial and critical hit, which is rare. In fact, The Sims even dethroned Who Wants to Be a Millionaire on PC Data's charts. Even mainstream publications covered The Sims, while the public played on, downloading and uploading families and houses, reading family albums, and making new objects. Just recently, the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences awarded The Sims with Game of the Year. In addition, developer Maxis will offer an expansion pack, The Sims: Livin' Large, this year, and a new game, SimsVille, that combines the best of The Sims and SimCity.
Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor looks much improved over last year, and looks excellent overall. Though the game is currently still in its alpha stage, it looks perfectly playable. Each of the characters on display was fluidly animated and seemed to have most abilities and spells already implemented. As noted in last year's Best of E3 feature, Ruins of Myth Drannor will use a timed initiative system for its turn-based combat; however, all exploration will be done in real-time. In addition, last year's previously announced level cap of 13 has been raised to 16, which means that you'll be able to access eighth-level magic spells.
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