Computer Gaming World Issue 54

Features:

• Don't Tread On Me! Accolade's "Steel Thunder"--Modern Armor (Wyatt Lee offers his thoughts on this modern-day American tank battle sim)
  
• Everything You've Always Wanted to Know About Empire: "Wargame of the Century" (Mark Lewis Baldwin, co-developer of Empire, shares his personal strategies and tactics for CGW's 1988 Game of the Year)
  
• Stealth Mission: Sublogic Unveils their "Stealth" Simulator (Brad Bombardiere reviews the new flight sim on the block)
  
• King's Quest IV: Hints and Harangues For "Rosella" (Scorpia plays through the fourth installment of Roberta Williams' popular King's Quest series, offering her usual smattering of tips and hints)
  
• Interview With Roberta Williams (Now you're talking! CGW chats up the game design queen herself in a one-page interview)
  
• Scorpion's Tale: Manhunter: New York (If a few hints and spoilers are your bag, why not sit down in Scorpia's tavern and learn what it takes to conquer Sierra's futuristic adventure)
  
• Point and Counterpoint: Mirror Images in a "Pool of Radiance" (There are always two sides to every story, or so the saying goes. Here, veteran game designer Ken St. Andre of Tunnels & Trolls fame explains why he loves the first official AD&D licensed title, and long-time adventure gamer Tracie Foreman Hines explains why she found it severely lacking)
  
• Starglider II (Frank Eva reviews the sequel to Rainbird's original game of 3D-style space combat)
  
• Banzai Strike Line: Pacific Theater Combat in "Typhoon of Steel" (Coming fast on the heels of SSI's Panzer Strike, M. Evan Brooks reviews this follow-up which focuses on the fight to occupy the Pacific during World War II)
  
• Magical, Mystery Future: Electronic Arts Conjures "Future Magic" (Scorpia's third feature for this issue sees her reviewing Sentinel Worlds I: Future Magic for the IBM)
  
• Avoiding "The Longest Day": Strategic Notes For SSG's "Battles In Normandy" (Joe Sherfy offers tips for maximizing your enjoyment of this World War II combat sim)
  
• The Role of Leaders in SSI's Civil War Series (Major David S. Stevens, an active duty officer in the US Army, provides background on how the presence of officers in the field changed the face of battles during the Civil War and explains how this information is translated and adaptable to games like Rebel Charge At Chickamauga and Shiloh)
  
• Decisive Battles of the American Civil War, Volume II: Grant's Mill to Chattanooga (Jay C. Selover finds the second game in SSG's Civil War series the polar opposite of 'fun' and 'engaging')
  
• Heroes and Heavies of the Lance (David M. Wilson reviews Heroes of the Lance, the first AD&D DragonLance game, for the Atari ST)
  
• Scavengers of Significa! (CGW announces the winners of their 50th issue trivia contest):
  • William M. Moes, Defiance, OH ($100)
    
  • Alan Mandell, DeSoto, TX ($100)
    
  • Kenneth Helms, Fort Wayne, IN (2-year subscription)
    
  • Steve Wadsten, Livonia, MI (1-year subscription)
    

Departments:

• Taking a Peek:
  • Heavy Metal (C64/128)
    
  • Rack 'Em (IBM/Tandy/C64/128)
    
  • Grand Prix Circuit (IBM/Tandy/C64/128)
    
  • Crossword Puzzle Generator (IBM)
    
  • Alien Destruction Set (C64/128)
    
  • Black Shadow (Amiga)
    
  • Desert Rats (IBM)
    
  • Neuromancer (Apple II/C64/128)
    
  • Under the Ice (Atari ST/IBM)
    
  • Skychase (Atari ST/Amiga)
    
  • Visions of Aftermath: The Boomtown (IBM/Tandy)
    
  • Chrono Quest (Atari ST/Amiga)
    
  • Off Shore Warrior (Amiga/Atari ST/IBM)
    
  • Tracon (IBM)
    

  [*]Letters

  [*]Video Gaming World:

  • Power Pad (NES)
    
  • Bases Loaded (NES)
    
  • R.C. Pro-Am (NES)
    

  [*]Reader Input Device

  [*]CGW Hall of Fame

  • Kampfgruppe
    
  • Gettysburg
    
  • M.U.L.E.
    
  • Mech Brigade
    
  • Chessmaster 2000
    
  • War in Russia
    
  • Ultima IV
    
  • Wizardry
    
  • Starflight
    
  • Gunship
    
  • Ultima III
    
  • Might & Magic
    
  • The Bard's Tale
    

  [*]Game Ratings

Notable Stuff:

• The reference to Psalm 9:1-2 appears on the masthead.
  
• Alien Destruction Set's documentation comes on a cassette tape that gives the background for each of the four scenarios, and tips for how to win. A neat idea, but a nightmare if you're trying to remind yourself which button shoots.
  
• Same with Black Shadow for the Amiga. Hmmm...
  
• The preview for Tracon in Taking a Peek includes the phrase, "You win by not losing!" Which is about as useful as telling something they live by not dying. I never would have guessed, you wily editor, you!
  
• Notable letters in this issue include one from designer Norman Koger explaining decisions he made while developing Stellar Crusade, and one from Infocom's Steve Meretzky taking Alan Roberts to task over his review of Cliff Johnson's The Fool's Errand.
  
• I love the idea of the Point and Counterpoint reviews, and I hope they make a return in later issues.
  
• How EA avoided half a million lawsuits over Sentinel Worlds I: Future Magic I will never know. The game cheerfully and shamelessly rips off iconic images and character designs from Buck Rogers, Star Trek, Star Wars, Alien, Predator, and probably half a dozen more franchises that I don't recognize. When your pre-generated crew consists of Arnold Schwarzeneggar, Sigourney Weaver and Billy Dee Williams, somebody's got some explaining to do.
  
• Joe Sherfy in his article on Battles In Normandy offered readers the opportunity to get a custom-designed scenario from him revolving around the Allies' invasion of Sicily. I wonder how many CGW readers took him up on that offer?
  
• Starting this issue, CGW's reader input device review system changes from a 10-point scale to a letter grade, A through F system.
  
• No new additions to the Hall of Fame this issue.