The Ultimate Strategy Archives

by Atari -- Video Games

Product Details

• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00003IEGA
• Media: CD-ROM
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #39,351 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

The Ultimate Strategy Archives may not contain every great strategy game ever made, but it still represents a good overall gaming value. The most surprising thing about this package is that the oldest games (Civilization and Railroad Tycoon Deluxe) are still a great deal of fun to play.

Don't even attempt to try Civilization unless you have an enormous block of free time, because this fun, addictive game of global colonization and cultural development still has the frightening ability to occupy hours of your life before you've noticed.

Railroad Tycoon Deluxe isn't quite as addictive, but if you can get past the dated graphics you'll find an incredibly fun and detailed business simulation of the great American rail wars of the 19th and 20th centuries.

X-Com: UFO Defense is another older title that never ceases to entertain. It's X-Files with a decidedly military twist. You must financially manage your base, intercept marauding alien ships, and then guide your ground troops through turn-based battles to recover bits of alien technology you'll then need to research in order to win the game. All the elements come together seamlessly, and X-Com is deservedly regarded as one of the all-time greats.

Jagged Alliance: Deadly Games uses a similarly detailed turn-based combat model, only this time you lead modern-day mercenaries through tough campaigns.

Heroes of Might and Magic is a challenging (and addictive) strategy game with a tactical combat model set in the popular fantasy universe of Might and Magic.

We really enjoyed M.A.X., a turn-based tactical combat game that plays like chess on steroids.

Conquest of the New World Deluxe also stands as one of the better games in this package, with good graphics, a fun diplomacy aspect, and plenty of exploration and combat to keep players busy.

The only letdown in this bundle also happened to be the only real-time strategy game, Dark Colony. With drab graphics and no memorable gameplay elements, the title didn't spend too much time on our hard drive. The others, however, have found a permanent new home. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• Really does contain a lot of fun strategy games
• Gives players a chance to experience the original Civilization--one of the best computer games of all time

Cons:

• Dated graphics on some of the older games can be a turnoff

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best strategy game collection ever!, June 6, 2000

By 

Blake Watson "===Blake===" (Winnetka, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ultimate Strategy Archives (CD-ROM)

If you can find a copy of this, =get= it. I bought it (twice)for a high price and a low price. It's a great value either way,and a good choice for the casual gamer (who doesn't mind getting hopelessly addicted).

The original Civilization is here, as is Heroes of Might and Magic (I). Both of these games are =still= more addictive and playable than 98% of games released. In addition, you get Conquest of the New World Deluxe, the first X-Com and Railroad Tycoon (all on one CD). All of these games are classics; most have had successful sequels. (But Heroes of Might And Magic I, in particular, is still as playable as, and a pleasant break from its sequels.)

On top of that you get three other CDs with Jagged Alliance, M.A.X and Dark Colony. Dark Colony is both the newest the least inspired of this auspicious group (and the hardest to get working) but it still has some very cool features.

Get it while you can folks. END

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excelent package worth the price, September 17, 2002

By 

Raul Marini (Montevideo, Uruguay) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ultimate Strategy Archives (CD-ROM)

WOW, this package has very interesting games, but I would buy it to play X-com ufo (principally). It's a great game REALLY!!!! I loved it so much I played it everyday, it's a classic, one of the greatest games ever made and a must have for any PC gamer, old or young. Don't worry about graphics, you'll be amazed only by it's addiction, and the only problem may be that most computers today have a wavetable soundcard, which won't sound the same as the original OPL3(Adlib, yamaha synthetiser), X-com for example, without sound and music by the OPL3, it will not be the same, and you will not jump from your sit after the scaring appearance of an alien shoting his gun. If you're going to buy this package, I really recomend you to get a Creative SoundBlaster ISA Awe 32 or older :-) (or any other compatible card like the Cmi 8378 or 8330 or any other that has a yamaha syth inside, OPL3 or adlib) that's the way it should be! :-)