Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Fantantsic and Unique Collection of Essays, December 27, 2005
I bought this on the recommendation of a friend and I'm glad I did. Good price, well written, and pretty darn funny.
The book is basically divided into 3 sections:
The January -- October chapters discuss many of the more prominent game releases of that month. The cool part is that these are not just reviews of old games. For example, the essay on Freedom Force vs the 3rd Reich talks more about the Curse of the Superero game rather than a rehash of Freedom Force. As an avid gamer, I really liked the different approache for each essay. Sure, if you're a die hard gamer you prolly know most of this stuff but it's very fun to read regardless. I subscribe to 3 gaming mags are their stuff is dated too, so I didnt mind.
Additionally, inside each chapter the author included special articles on a variety of topics. He discusses old games like Master of Magic and X-COM as well as old companies like Ion Storm and Black Isle Studios. Again, guys that live games 24/7 will know about a lot of this but it's cool to have it all in one volume.
The next section is called "Holidays" which is just like the other chapters only the games here are 'winter 2005' games.
Finally, the last chapter, which I think is by far the best, is the 2006 preview guide that discusses several games due out sometime in 2006. Many of these games I hadn't heard of, which was way cool.
This section, as well as the general essays like why sports games are rip offs, the guide to gamer dating, gamer threads, why gamers aren't atheletes, etc. are the highlight of the book.
So, the Pros:
-Well Written
-Very good essays on gaming
-LOVED the closet classics
-Very Funny
-Great to read in short bursts
-Gobs and gobs of gaming information
-Seems perfect for a casual gamer or a gamer that has a job.
-Cons:
-Some of the info on games released in 2005 is dated if you're a die hard gamer.
-Hardly anything on the PS3 and Nintendo Revolution. There's stuff in it, it's just sparse.
-A few games are missing. There's nothing on recent games like Guitar Hero and We Love Katamari.
Overall, well worth the $20 for anyone that likes videogames, particularly if you like games but aren't 100% up to date on everything that is out there.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant and fun essays on an enormous range of gaming topics, January 17, 2006
Sticking a date and the word "almanac" on this really does a bit of a disservice to this fine collection of essays. The word conjures images of data and trivia when in reality Bill Abner has provided nothing less than a compelling piece of gaming literature. This work functions as so many things: a state-of-gaming address, an introduction to gaming sub-genres, a guide to classic gaming and, as they say, "much, much more."
The unifying thread which keeps this collection from disorder and disorganization is the lively and straightforward writing of Bill Abner. Abner is an absolute authority on gaming who couples his knowledge with a witty and direct writing style that never threatens to get geeky or preachy. The enthusiasm and energy Abner brought to this project is palpable not only in his writing but in the breadth, and sometimes obscurity, of the topics covered. He places games into the context of the greater gaming world, extending back to its obscure origins in the late 70's and early 80's, rather than simply reviewing 2005. Best of all for the reader, his enthusiasm is contagious and will leave you smiling, reminiscing and certainly searching out several new games.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great book for gamers and for readers, January 15, 2006
I was introduced to gaming in 1994 when my wife bought me a bargin bin PC football game at Target. The game was Front Page Sports Football Pro, and it led me to start playing PC and then console games. Along the way, I read Bill Abner's reviews and thoughts in the form of website or magazine reviews or usenet posts and message board comments. His thoughts were always well written and intelligent. If he liked a game, chances are it was a good game.
One game in particular was High Heat 2000. I had been on the outs with baseball after the last big strike and had not given much of a thought to baseball - real or in a game - for several years. Bill's reviews of High Heat 1999 and comments on the upcoming 2000 version made me interested in a game that apparently had depth and a lot to offer, and eventually that game even brought me back to the real game on the field. After taking that good advice, I started following his reviews closely. He always gives his honest opinions and never tries to oversell or undersell a game. When there were bugs in High Heat, he pointed them out. When the AI was questionable in a game, he made that clear in his review -even if he understood that his audience might not care as much as he did about the dropped passes in NCAA 2005. There were games that Bill disliked but that I ended up playing and liking, but that did not stop me from enjoying his perspective.
He does the same thing in this book. He gives his honest thoughts about the games he has played. In fact, the best thing I can say about this book is that there are pages about games that I could care less about and will never play - but I read them anyway. I am a limited gamer - mostly sports games with an occasional FPS thrown in for variety. But that did not stop me from enjoying his essays on adventure games or puzzle games or even children's games.
The reason is that he is a good writer. These essays and reviews are written by someone who is passionate about gaming and has the knowledge and imagination to convey his thoughts and opinions. He was faced with a difficult task - writing about a subject that moves faster than the speed of the internet and games that are old news a week after release. But what he writes is not old news. The games may be months or even years old, but the essays hold up. I have no doubt that I will discover a game from the pages of this book that I would not have played otherwise. It might be an old game I pick up in a bargin bin, or it may be a new game by a developer he brings to my attention in this book.
If you like playing computer or video games and you like good writing, this book is for you. If you want to learn about video games this is a great place to start. The book is well written and well edited. It is easy on the eyes - not an issue to many gamers but an old timer like me appreciates publishers who use a good font/font size and utilize intelligent layout and production values. It is also well priced. While you are waiting for that new game to appear on the shelves, you can spend your time reading this book.
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