Games developed by Tsunami Media, Inc.
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Free Enterprise
Free Enterprise, released in 1996, is a captivating business simulation game that immerses players into the dynamic world of technology startups. Developed by the now-defunct company Crave Entertainment, this title offers a unique blend of strategy and economic management, allowing players to experience the challenges and triumphs of building a tech empire from the ground up. Set against the backdrop of the rapidly evolving tech landscape of the 1990s, Free Enterprise combines engaging gameplay with a dash of humor, making it a notable entry in the genre.
In Free Enterprise, players are tasked with creating and managing their own software company. The primary goal is to develop innovative products, compete against rival companies, and ultimately grow a successful business. Players begin with limited resources and must navigate various challenges such as hiring the right employees, investing in research and development, and ensuring efficient marketing strategies. The game's humorous tone is evidenced in its quirky characters and comical scenarios, which add a layer of charm to the otherwise serious topic of business management.
One of the standout features of Free Enterprise is its intricate gameplay mechanics, which require players to make strategic decisions at every turn. The interactions between different departments, such as engineering, sales, and marketing, create a complex web of operations that players must manage to achieve success. This depth encourages players to think critically about their choices, as each decision has repercussions that can either propel the company forward or lead to its downfall. Moreover, players encounter various events and challenges inspired by actual happenings in the tech industry, offering a sense of realism amidst the humor.
The game's graphics, while not groundbreaking compared to contemporary titles, effectively capture the essence of the 90s tech boom. The interface is user-friendly, allowing even novice players to navigate through the various aspects of their company with ease. Sound effects and music contribute to an engaging atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience. These elements work in tandem to immerse players in a world where they have the power to shape their tech destiny.
Free Enterprise stands out for its unique approach to combining fun and educational elements within a gaming framework. It not only teaches valuable lessons about entrepreneurship and business management but also entertains with its witty dialogue and amusing character interactions. Despite being released over two decades ago, the game holds a nostalgic charm that resonates with players who appreciate its blend of strategy and humor. For those seeking a thoughtful simulation experience that captures the zeitgeist of the tech revolution, Free Enterprise remains a hidden gem in the world of video games.
Return to Ringworld
A much better game than its awful predecessor, Return to Ringworld is a fun adventure still based on Larry Niven's best-selling science fiction series.
While the plot will be familiar to Niven fans and the puzzles still border on easy, Return to Ringworld is much more game this time around, with some engaging puzzles and good plot development. The game starts right where the first Ringworld: Revenge of The Patriach game left off. You are Quinn, a fugitive from the 29th century, hunted by every society in known space. It's a strange reward for preventing a genocide of the puppeteers and avoiding another interstellar war between men and kzin.
There is a computer aboard his ship that contains a lot of information about the races, planets and artifacts that populate Niven's Known Space. This is an excellent idea because it quickly introduces players unfamiliar with Niven's books to a universe rich in content and detail. However, it places a heavy reading burden on the player early in the game. Since there are clues to several puzzles later in the game buried in the database, it is advisable to dedicate a save slot to the point before leaving the ship.
The gameplay is much improved over the first game, though not perfectly implemented. You can now switch between the three characters (Quinn, and his companions Seeker and Miranda) at will, and solutions to various puzzles require you to play with the correct character, or coordinate actions between them. While the character switching is fun and adds to the game's appeal, it's not well managed. Many times, it will seem like all three characters are stuck, when in reality you just need to perform some action you did earlier in the game that failed because the other two characters didn't do something else earlier.
It's not always clear that actions should wait, and redoing everything you did before can wear on your patience. Fortunately, most of the game's puzzles are logical and have only one solution. The worst, unfortunately, are some of the game's huge mazes. While some of them are quite ingenious (one of them requires you to think in three dimensions), many of them don't make sense. The game designers decided to give the player an idea of the size of Ringworld by showing screen after screen of similar or identical graphics. This means that you will have to cross ten or more screens just to get to a monorail car, for example. This is very annoying, because it makes you unsure if you're walking in the right direction or not, and going back somewhere to try something else can be very frustrating.
However, despite all its weaknesses, Return to Ringworld is a satisfying game that should please all science fiction fans. Its depiction of Niven's complex political drama is more faithful this time around, and coordinating the actions between the three characters and listening to them tease each other is a lot of fun. Recommended for anyone interested in the genre, although expert players will find it an easy challenge.
Ringworld: Revenge of the Patriarch
Tsunami Media's first release is a very disappointing adventure despite having a powerful license behind it.
Based on Larry Niven's Hugo and Nebula award-winning novel, Ringworld dispenses with the book's plot and puts you in the shoes of Quinn, a human 'troubleshooter' who has to deliver an infodisc to Louis Wu, hero of the novel. The premise is quite intriguing: the infodisc said you had to deliver a warning. Unfortunately for you, it never mentioned an insane Patriarch, Kzinti assassins or the genocide of the Puppeteers. A tangled web of intrigue leads you to form an unlikely team with Seeker, a vengeful Kzin, and Miranda, a kidnapped engineer. The Kzinti are on the warpath, the Puppeteers claim innocence, and the vast and mysterious Ringworld holds the answer.
Despite this promising start, Ringworld degenerates into a poor 'click and wait' type of game: puzzles are sparse and the player will sit back and watch Quinn solve most of the interesting obstacles on his own, without his involvement. What's worse, most of the puzzles, when they do appear, range from boring to outright pointless. After watching the heroes search for their own meaningless belongings one too many times, you'll wonder why it's worthy of Louis Wu's mission.
The non-interactive sequences can last minutes or more, and while they're generally well scripted, they'll make you wonder if you're watching a poor Ringworld movie instead of a game.
Not recommended for anyone except diehard Niven fans, or adventure game newbies who want a game they can easily complete in one sitting. Anyone interested in a good game based on Niven's novel should play the much better sequel Return to Ringworld.
Silent Steel
Silent Steel, first released in 1995, is an action/strategy game available on the Windows 3.x platform. Set in the cold war era, the player takes command of a US nuclear submarine and is tasked with protecting the Atlantic Ocean from a hostile enemy.
The game is reasonably challenging, as it requires thoughtful strategic planning and precise navigation in order to succeed. Despite its complexity, its developers made sure to make the game simple enough that it could be enjoyed by all skill levels.
The primary aim of the game is to complete missions and increase the player's rank. The missions vary from patrolling a certain area, to attacking enemy ships and avoiding detection from mine fields. The player should also keep an eye for repairs, as the ship slowly deteriorates at sea, due to the wear of action. Additionally, the game also rewards the player for completing objectives quickly and safely.
The game is known for its detailed graphics and realistic sound effects. From viewing a fully detailed torpedo in all its glory to experiencing its actual firing sequence, Silent Steel wasn’t shying away from detail. This further enhances the feeling that the player is actually part of a real battle. As for the sound, the game takes you back to the cold war era with its eerie music tracks that are complemented with the different sounds of the ocean - from ships passing by to submarines coming in contact.
Playing Silent Steel is a truly unique experience, as it entails excitement and suspense typical to a submarine thriller. It does have one caveat, though; due to its complexity, players might find the game a bit overwhelming at first, and it might take some time to become better at it. So if you’re looking for a real challenge, then Silent Steel may be the game for you.
The Geekwad: Games of the Galaxy
Geekwad Games of The Galaxy is a collection of quirky arcade games that parody well-known computer games. Unfortunately, the gameplay doesn't live up to the game's parody value, although there are some cool sound effects and creative twists.
Admittedly, the game has a wacky storyline that ties it all together: King Wacky, of the Wacky Funsters empire, has been captured and stuffed into a rigged jar, and it's up to you (yes, you, the geek) to free him. To do so, you'll have to beat the evil Cybergeek's high scores in each of the five games, after which you'll receive a piece of the secret code that will defuse the bomb. Each game stars - surprise! - parodies of real-life celebrities, such as Buzz (Aldrin) and Isaac (Asimov). You can learn the rules of each game by talking to each host, as well as answering trivia to get clues on how to free the king (it's more complicated than getting the secret code).
The games themselves are a mix. Phlemmings and Beefender are only fun for a little while before becoming excruciatingly repetitive. Earth Last is a bit better thanks to a better control scheme and lots of new enemy types for each level (it's a side-scrolling shooter). The best games in the pack are Space Solicitors, a fun Space Invaders clone, and Grogger, a good Frogger with lots of new twists. There's also Wobbie's Trivia, a decent trivia game with some interesting questions.
Overall, Geekwad should please anyone who wants something different, though it is by no means a classic. Only truly patient action fans will persevere through the indeterminately long levels to see the final sequence.
Wacky Funsters! The Geekwad's Guide to Gaming
Wacky Funsters is a fun ironic Tsunami game that is entertaining, though it lacks long-term gameplay value. There's even a semblance of a plot: King Wacky of the Funsters game kingdom has summoned you, the nerdy player, to help him rescue the land from the evil Duke Waynington. To do so, you must compete in 5 mini-games, each of which is a parody of well-known games.
The five mini-games range from the hilarious to the abysmal. On the low end of the fun spectrum, Ping and Steroid are repetitive, bland and just plain boring. Big Guys with Muscles is a decent fighting game that is very easy, but manages to keep the player's interest with innovative weapons and humorous attack moves. Rambi (from Rambo + Bambi) and Roadkill (Sierra's Frogger variant) are by far the best of the bunch, each featuring fun characters, challenging gameplay, and entertaining commentary.
Clearly, the designers wanted Wacky Funsters to be a fun game. The result, however, is a mixed punching bag due to inconsistency in game quality. Between games, you can revisit the King to enjoy some humorous interludes, but after a while, you'll wonder if this empire is worth saving after all.
It's fun for a few minutes, until you discover the much better sequel Geekwad Games of the Galaxy or the Bloodlust action games.
