The Best Non-Violent Video Games by James Batchelor - Book Review

Video games and violence, that old chestnut, eh? A favourite of tabloids and politicians throughout the last five decades or so, numerous studies have shown that there is no causal link between playing a video game and committing violent acts. There are age restrictions in place to protect children, yet every now and again, the same old tropes get wheeled out because someone who has little or no experience of playing video games thinks a five minute session in Doom will turn you both psychotic and into an expert at wielding firearms. It will do neither, but nor is gaming all about violence, and this is where James Batchelor's volume from White Owl Press comes in, highlighting The Best Non-Violent Video Games.

Over 160 or so pages, Mr Batchelor (a long standing video games journalist) provides us with a guide to just a handful of the many non-violent gaming titles that are out there. I say just a handful, yet over three hundred are featured out of nearly 4000(!) suitable games (at the time of writing) that the author has collated in the research for his Non-Violent Game of the Day blog and X(Twitter) account. One thing is sure - whilst you may find familiar favourites included in this volume, it's more than likely you'll think of a game he hasn't included - PS2 flight adventure sim Sky Odyssey springs to mind - but having said that, it is also certain that you'll discover more than a few new games to try from this collection.

As befits the subject, the foreword is supplied by John Romero, indelibly linked to violent video games through his design role at id Software and the likes of Wolfenstein 3D, Doom and Quake amongst others, and raises some very fine points. There is a brief note on what qualifies as a non-violent video game before we move on to the main section and the games proper. Readers of previous White Owl publications will know the layout by now - two games per page (entry size varies but the format doesn't change), details on who developed and published the title, its year of release and its platform availability. Every entry also includes a screenshot, and the write up provides not only a description of the game but also fun snippets and details on any follow ups. Each one is interesting and written in an entertaining yet informative style. placing a lovely focus on the appreciation the author has for the genre of non-violent video games. 

Everybody's Gone To The Rapture - aka Tantobie on a Sunday afternoon.

Starting with Pong because, well, it's Pong and it's definitely non-violent, the rest of the entries are in alphabetical order. There are some familiar personal favourites: Forza Horizon, Dear Esther, Loom and PowerWash Simulator, as well as titles that I had maybe seen and thought "oh, they look good" and many that had just plain passed me by. From Townscaper to Lake, Before I Forget to Heaven's Vault, I now have a revitalised list of titles to get round to. 

Mixing big studio efforts with small scale Indie releases, VR extravaganza's with now lost mobile games, this volume is a treasure trove of information and recommendations that will not only suit interested parents but also gamers in general. The Best Non-Violent Video Games is yet another superb publication from White Owl and reinforces the concept that games do not have to be violent to be supremely enjoyable or worthwhile. 

You can pick up a copy direct from the publisher here, or at the usual online and physical book shops. I got my copy from Forbidden Planet in Newcastle, who also stock a decent range to Bitmap Books titles too. 

The Dreamcast Encyclopedia by Chris Scullion - Book Review

Much like birthdays, Mr Scullion's "Gaming Encyclopedia Emporium" (otherwise known as the White Owl imprint of Pen and Sword Books), makes its annual appearance to deposit yet more gaming history on suspecting (if they'd pre-ordered it) members of the general public. Indeed, it was on this weekend last year (well, 20th September 2022) that I posted a review of his excellent N64 volume, so for the 2023 edition of "What's Scullion been up to?", we tackle his unofficial guide to Sega's final home console: the Dreamcast.

Ah, DC, you sweet little plastic and metal box of joy. Born from Sega's internal politics, killed by the very market it sought to compete in, this was a games machine that spanned the changing of the guard. Four controller ports for local multiplayer, compact design that would practically hide on a shelf (keeping one side open for that fan), yet also packing a built in modem for online play and internet connectivity, as well as the Visual Memory Unit that promised (but kinda failed to deliver) new gameplay wonders. There were, however, wonders in its gaming library - and it wasn't that huge a library either...

This latest book from Mr Scullion is a tad thicker than usual, taking as it does a look at the over 600 titles released for the Dreamcast. This is a worthwhile decision as it provides the reader with a one stop shop for all games Dreamcast. You might think you know about the various visual novels that Japan experienced, but Chris has had to experience all of them. You must buy this now just to help him afford the therapy! Truly, the section on Japan-only releases is... well... "interesting'... shall we say.

Given the extra coverage, you might expect there to be fewer single page entries, but no, plenty of titles get that full page loving. From the obvious (Virtual Fighter 3TB, Jet Set Radio and Sonic Adventure(s) 1 and 2), to the more eclectic (Alone in the Dark, Ducati World Racing Challenge and The Nomad Soul), the depth and richness of the Dreamcast's library is lovingly handled by the author. The ever-present additional facts are cherries on the top. And yes, there are bad jokes too, but hey, it wouldn't the same without them!

A classic in my humble opinion.

For me, the most educational part was the Japanese-only section, and whilst I have never played a "visual novel" (cough, 'onest, Guv'nor, cough!), I feel as if its a genre that perhaps will remain outside of my in-depth experience. I'm not saying never, but, well, yeah...

The soundtrack for this game remains immense even today

As the Dreamcast is one of my favourite consoles of all time (both hardware and the library), flicking through these pages brought back many a memory from 20-plus years ago. The first time I got to ride the motorcycle in Headhunter, the awe at seeing London in all of its glory in Metropolis Street Racer, and the sheer amount of visual gags in Fur Fighters - good times were had, although they weren't all positive - the control malarkey with Starlancer, the not-so-simple (yet marvellously fun and addictive) joys of Toy Commander and, perhaps the ultimate achievement for me at the time, completing Shadowman for the second time but seeing it as its best, not through the fuzzy filter of the N64.

I loved/hated this game back in the day. 

However, this tome is more than just a memory-fest for those of a certain age. This is a valuable guide to how seriously good the Dreamcast's legacy is. The last of the "traditional" home consoles that begged you the gather friends for some four player Powerstone, the first of the "next-gen" home consoles that allowed you to play against friends across the world (citation needed, but that's how I see it), the Dreamcast had pretty much something for everyone. It wasn't enough at the time, but at least this excellent and informative encyclopedia allows you to experience the glory that was Sega's 128-bit swansong.

You can follow the author on X/Twitter/that old social media company that died in 2023 (@scully1888), and pick up a copy of this excellent volume direct from the publisher here. It's also available from the usual online and physical bookstores too. 

Worlds Beyond Time - Sci-Fi Art of the 1970's by Adam Rowe - Book Review

It is said that you should "Never judge a book by its cover" yet when it comes to science fiction novels, particularly those published from the 1960's to the 1980's, the cover was one of their stand out features. In this lavishly illustrated tome, Adam Rowe showcases some of the best of 1970's SF art. 

Over its more than 220 pages, the author takes us on a journey through the various Science Fiction sub-genres using the medium of artwork and featuring some of the most famous names to contribute to the form. Each section gets a write up, artist biography or commentary on their work, as well as well-considered criticism. A side benefit for me was relearning about the many SF authors of the period covered, then diving online to find physical (or much cheaper digital) copies of their works. Seriously, some original paperbacks go for silly money! And as for a Spacebase 2000! I lost my original copy years ago, and yet even at close to £50, I'm still tempted to pick up a second hand one... 

A foreward from Vincent Di Fate (an artist of some note himself), sets the scene perfectly, that this is a scholarly work, one that draws the reader into its subject and aims to mesmerise you with the frankly stunning imagery included. From the lived-in SF of Chris Foss, to some of the more abstract work of Don Ivan Punchatz, and the disturbing visions of Philippe Caza, there really is something that will appeal to everyone, such is the variety provided by science fiction. There is great educational value here too, and I admit to having spent a considerable amount of time searching online for more work by many of the included artists. To throw out another cliche, I don't know art but I know what I like, and it turns out I like a lot more SF art that I was aware of. For that realisation, Mr Rowe, thank you.

This is a deliberately short review, and one that will let the pictures do the talking. If art or SF is your thing, then Worlds Beyond Time needs to be on your bookshelf. I cannot find a single flaw with this volume. Check out the author's link tree here, containing lists of where to buy this fantastic book as well as their social media presence. In the meantime, here are some pictures to whet your appetite...

A British Tar is a soaring soul, and a very tempting target... - TWATS meeting 26th August 2023

A quartet of TWATS met last Saturday for one of our semi-regular gaming sessions, which once again saw me back in the chair (two games running, Temporary Unpaid Chief TWAT! Two!) for a bit of nautical naughtiness and a return to Shipwreck, a ruleset we have used twice before. However, instead of the usual plastic snap kits (and I'd worked on the Type-054A stats especially), we were using Steve's rather tasty little collection of Soviet and Royal Navy ships. 

In the blue corner, the Royaaallllll Naaaayyyveeeeee!

As usual, this was an umpire-led game (a daunting task requiring much support from a Singleton or two, a tasty little malt), with Admiral Andy donning his No. 3 dress, whilst Shaun and Steve began rattling off the Soviet National Anthem in true Red October (the film) style. The aim of the game was simple. The British, comprising of the Invincible (damaged so no flight operations), a Type 42 (the Sheffield), two T22's (Broadsword and Battleaxe) and a Type 21 (Amazon), had to get to the far end of the table. To stop them, the Soviets had the Slava, a Sovremmeny and two Krivak II's. Would the plucky British get away with it, or would the Soviets find the sunrays of freedom cheering them on?

In a different blue corner, the Soviet Military Maritime Fleeeeeet!

Steve and Shaun decided from the get go to split their forces, Steve taking the Sov and a Krivak II, Shaun the Slava and the other Krivak. Aiming for a pincer movement, Steve decided to approach with radars on but, as was apparent by the distance on the table, nothing was detected. A couple of movement turns saw the opposing forces approach each other, and it during movement turn 4 that Andy detected the Sov. A double movement turn (with the agreement of the players) saw the second ship of Steve's flotilla detected by the British. 

A naval Rorke's Drift: them horns look dangerous...

It was only during movement turn 6 that Steve's group detected the Sheffield and Battleaxe. Being a cautious type, Steve launched two SS-N-22 Sunburns at the Sheffield, a sensible choice given the Sea Dart present. Now we were into combat turns.

Andy went loud with his radars and Steve's ships were painted. Battleaxe launched a pair of Exocets at the Krivak, whilst Broadsword had two at the Sov. The second combat turn saw the Sheffield down one of the Sunburns, yet it wasn't all one way as three of the Exocets were shot down by the Soviets. Combat turn three saw a brace of Sea Darts deal with the errant Sunburn, whilst a trio of SA-N-7's handled the final Exocet.

Vampires, Vampires, Vampires!

Back to movement now and it was it was radars-a-go-go with everyone detecting each other. Steve decided more shots were in order so launched all four SS-N-14's from the Krivak II against the Invincible as the Sov lofted four Sunburn's at the Sheffield. Shaun, on the other hand, decided that he was sick of the top weight on the Slava. He fired all sixteen SS-N-12's at the Invincible. It was almost an afterthought for his Krivak II to shoot two '14's at Battleaxe and two at Amazon. Andy's response was to fire his remaining Exocets, a pair at each of the enemy vessels. 

Shaun turning to engage the British

Needless to say, the following few minutes of play decided the afternoon. 

Invincible and Sheffield engaged the incoming from Steve, shooting down one from each missile group. To the south, the Slava tackled the incoming Exocets and downed three out of four.

Are 16(!) SS-N-12's overkill?

The next round of fire took out the last of the Exocets targeting Shaun's duo, whilst Steve managed to shoot down three of his incoming. As for the British defence, Sea Darts accounted for another two of Steve's missiles, leaving Sheffield and the Invincible to face off against a pair of missiles each. 

One or two may have slipped through the defensive screen... eek!

With the incoming down to very short range, and a single Exocet that didn't bother the Soviet defences too much (CIWS shot), it was all on the British to survive the onslaught. Amazon was targeted by two missiles, and shot one down with Sea Wolf before handily avoiding the final one via its EW capabilities. Sheffield was less lucky, taking a direct hit and receiving heavy damage. The two Type-22's were untouched, which was handy as they would have to deal with the after effects of the barrage against Invincible. Of the final 13 missiles, two were hit by Phalanx fire, three were decoyed by chaff, and six succumbed to EW. Even then, of the two that hit, the first impact only caused light damage. Could the pride of the Royal Navy survive to fight another turn? Shaun's dice rolling said no. The final hit was catastrophic, sinking the carrier and effectively ending the game. With more SAM's and bigger guns, the Soviets ruled the table and it was time to retire to the bar and sample that Singleton (again). 

I'm not saying it was an inadequate reply but...

This was a fun game and it was enjoyed by all, despite two of the players knowing very little about floaty boats of this period. The North Atlantic setting was a nice change and, given the end result, demonstrated that quantity (of big SSM's) has a quality all of its own. I mean, sure, you'd not shoot off everything from a Slava in real life (especially the one or two missiles with added buckets of sunshine), but it was a good example of how under-gunned so to speak an RN surface action group could against a Slava. If that hadn't of been there, they would have had a better chance. Maybe a thought for a future play through when we return to Shipwreck some day. 

Once again, many thanks to Stanley Masonic for the use of the bar. Sadly, our regular victualler was on holiday (the very cheek!) so samples of Cooplands finest was our back up. 

Magazines of Yesteryear - Personal Computer World Volume 10, Number 10 - October 1987

Cast your mind back thirty six years (if you are old enough to do so). What do you remember about the autumn of '87? Michael Jackson's Bad album sitting on top of the charts? Rick Astley delivering both a perfect election manifesto and the best philosophical paradox ever? Were you watching Lethal Weapon and The Living Daylights at the cinema? Or were you doing what I was and reading the latest issue of Britain's biggest microcomputer (that dates things) magazine, Personal Computer World?

1987 was smack bang in the middle of Amstrad's dominance of the UK computer market. For "home" users, the CPC range had you sorted. "Serious" users could rely on the very cheap PC1512/1640 combo (their portable PPC512/640 brethren were a few months out yet). For those "serious home" (a category that Acorn would continue to trot out to justify the pricing of their Archimedes range for years) users, the PCW was the one for you, and it was the latest in that range that PCW (confusing, isn't it?) placed on their cover. 

At just under 300 pages, this isn't yet the chunky behemoth that the 1990's would witness, but neither is it a small magazine either. Colour is limited throughout, with editorial making the most of it and adverts in either mono or just a couple of colours. 

Newsprint begins on page 56 with the announcement that Atari is developing a Transputer system. For those not in the know, Transputer was a parallel processing based system that was supposed to herald the next generation in processor architecture. It didn't quite work out like that and, although Atari did release the Atari Transputer Workstation, only around 250-300 were actually made and the architecture itself disappeared in the early 1990's. Other than that, it seemed a pretty quiet month.

The review of Amstrad's latest is given four pages and the overall conclusion is that the company had done an excellent job of improving the 8000-series and the extra cost (£499) was worth it. To be fair, it was a seriously nifty little machine and if you didn't want the complexity (or cost of a DOS-powered machine) but you did want a printer, then the package was very much cracking value for money.

Next up comes a double review of 386-powered desktops, and these were pretty impressive beasts for the time. The Mission 386 faced off against the Tulip 386 AT, and in the specs race, both featured a 16MHz chip (note, this was before the1988 SX/DX split, so these were full 32-bit data bus specimens, or DX's under later nomenclature). The Mission rocked 2MB of RAM, a 40MB hard drive and a single 1.2MB 5.25 floppy in a case weighing 47lbs (WTAF?) which measured 20ins x17ins x 7ins. Tulip supplied their competitor with 1,640kb of RAM but the same storage abilities. Its case measured only 15ins x 17ins but is described as very heavy. What, heavier than 47lbs??? Both came with MS-DOS 3.2 for the review, and both were considered decent, even considering their individual foibles. As for the pricing, well, the Mission as supplied and with a mono monitor would set you back £3290. And that's without VAT. Bump the hard drive to 80MB and you'd pay £3,990, whilst 130MB would take the cost to a whopping £5,990! EGA pricing options were yet to be decided. Tulip would give you a 386 AT for 4,225 golden beer tokens if you wanted a Hercules mono monitor, four colour CGA (mostly purple) would take that to 4,560 tokens, and the technicolour joys of EGA graphics would set you back 5,095 of Her Majesty's doubloons. Crikey. And if you wanted a Microsoft-compatible mouse? £96. Ninety-Six Quid! Ok, not that much when you're dropping six grand plus Nigel's share on the main event, but fookin' 'ell!

At least sense was restored with the next piece, a look at... oh, nope, no it wasn't. Mac upgrades, and the challenges of making a Mac Plus into something useful - hey, don't hate me, the Plus was a very limited machine. Less so than the original Mac, but only just. RAM upgrades were cheaper from third party providers, but the key thing here was the cost of the actual memory chips, the cheapest price quoted was £500 per pair of 1MB SIMMS. Expansion boards to make you Plus go faster were also an option, but fitting a 68020 add-on would be around £3,000. A faster 68000 could be had for about £1,200. The final upgrade was for the screen, and yet here again, prices got silly, mostly because monitors were pricey buggers. One product mentioned uses a 21-inch screen, and a quick perusal of the ads shows that a similar sized monitor alone (19-inch Taxan Viking with a resolution of 1280x960) would have cost £2,150 ex VAT.

It wasn't all seriously expensive tech as PCW also covered the latest in games consoles. Yep, it was Nintendo vs Sega vs Atari, with their NES, Master System and 65XE Computer Games System respectively. Pricing was varied (NES = £159.95 with R.O.B., £99.95 Standard pack, Sega MS at £99,95 and the XE65 hitting £199,95 for the kit and caboodle). The group is described as "gamester's dreams", with the XE being probably the best all round package but with the other two being very singular solutions meriting a closer look. Oh well, can't get it right all of the time... 

WordPerfect fans were catered for with a review of the Amiga version, although with some personal gripes expressed and a very apt question as to who the package was for. Costing £250 (and this on top of a £500 single drive A500, where as an A2000 with a hard drive would be better), the reviewer felt that any potential users might actually be better off with the DOS version (and associated hardware) anyway. 

We now move to the adverts and, given the publication's vintage, it very much has that period look. Thoughts and Crosses on page 56 has a wide range of stock, also quoting prices VAT inclusive, a rarity at the time. Your basic PC1512 single drive mono display was £516, and the top of the range colour and hard drive equipped model was £1,229. An Atari 520 STFM would set you back £299 (power without the price indeed), with the competing Amiga A500 coming in at £545. 8-bit fans could be happy with a Speccy Plus 2 (£149), BBC Master (£425) or a Colour CPC for £299. Acorn's Archimedes was so new that prices were on application only. 

Acorn were at least advertising the Archie, although the seriously grey classical look didn't do it any favours. Arthur, the OS, didn't either, so perhaps for the best. RISC OS was still a couple of years out. 

Viglen were stretching their legs with a good range of machines, and comparatively high prices to match. And those cases, darling, they'll just never do! When you consider Amstrad was busy trying to upsell the PC1640, those prices need looking at though as Viglen advertised adding an actual EGA monitor to a 286 would mean an extra £359 ex VAT, with a package including the associated display card costing £449 ex VAT.

It is pleasing, however, to see Morgan Computers present, and that Epson HX20 for £195? Absolute bargain! Also a bargain was shareware, and two vendors went page to page to share their wares... (I don't apologise at all, but also check out Richard Moss' excellent tome on the topic here!).

This issue of Personal Computer World harks back to the time when serious computing magazines abounded. As the genre developed, you still got news and reviews, but the idea of listings disappeared as the readership also changed. The rise of the consumer, not the tinkerer, meant that this publication's approach to the its audience changed, as did the content. Next time, we'll see what the 1990's brought to PCW, but in the meantime, I shall leave you this final advert for a range of productivity software for the Psion Organiser II - including the handy note on the right that "Fingering is that advocated by Harvester's Finger Organiser Typing Method," I don't care what fancy fingering method you used, the Organiser II was in no shape to act as a word processor!

The 100 Greatest Console Video Games 1988-1998 by Brett Weiss - Book Review

Top 100 lists, and indeed lists of any length, are always subjective, and when it comes to console games, it pretty much depends on your favourite genres as to what games to include within any defined limit. If you, however, ignore the genre bias then it can be quite easy to come up with a number of titles that, in no particular order, would find themselves in a Top 100. Except Rock N' Roll Racing. What the fuck even is that???

Following on from an earlier volume (1977-1987 not surprisingly, and one that I will get my hands on at some point), 1988-1998 covers a period in console gaming that was very different in tone to its predecessor. Put simply, whereas the first decade was the time of Atari, with competition from Coleco, MB and others, 1987 saw Nintendo as the dominant factor in the US market while NEC and Sega were warming up their console offerings. The PC Engine was a superb little machine that straddled what would later become the 8-bit and 16-bit generations, and Sega were learning from their Master System experiences and heading towards the behemoth that would be the Mega Drive/Genesis. By the end of the following decade, NEC had long dropped out, Sega were bruised and hoping for salvation with the Dreamcast, and Nintendo had been handed their arse by the now established Sony. The range of games in this volume amply testifies to those tumultuous times. 

The author states from the beginning that this is a US-centric book, and that isn't as bad as you'd think. This ten year stretch saw console gaming become an established globally, and titles were often released in multiple territories (kinda excluding the PC Engine itself in Europe - long story), and taking into account the unexpected bonus PAL territories received if (not when) the developers optimised titles for differing TV standards. The youth of today know nothing of the 50/60Hz issue, nor the significance of having a game run slower because of it. 

The 100 games featured here are presented in alphabetical order and each gets two or three pages. Box art is included as well as a handful of screenshots, a fun fact, and an explanation as to why the title appears on this list. Ah, so that explains Rock N' Roll Racing. Mr Weiss contributes over a dozen entries, with the rest coming from a variety of writers and industry names. It's a good mix and each game is treat with respect and love - and given the range of titles released during the highlighted period, there are some absolute corkers here. Indeed, regardless of whether you agree or not with a specific inclusion, the justifications provided are well argued. 

Truth be told, I cannot criticise this tome for what it provides. You get a comprehensive set of well written essays on games that truly defined the period, and the one potential issue (the US-centric approach) is addressed at the very beginning. As a one stop volume on the period, it is very much worth your time.

You can pick up a copy from Amazon here, and you can follow the author on X/Twitter/AnalMusk's site here. 

PS - Having played Rock N' Roll Racing, yeah, I get it now. Good call!

A Guide to Movie Based Video Games 1982 - 2000 by Christopher Carton - Book Review

After a fantastic first book, A Guide to Video Game Movies, Christopher Carton's latest games-related tome takes the opposite approach: games based on movies. Given the much meatier subject (there are far more games of movies than movies of games), the author has chosen to split the subject into two volumes, the first of which takes the reader through the period 1982 to 2000. In order to get the contractually obliged crap reference out of the way, will this tome be a box-office smash or an Indy 5 sized flop (topical yet also naff)?

As with every other White Owl publication, it's a well made tome and has the usual high production standards. With 200 plus pages, the layout is pretty straightforward. Each game gets a write up including details of the developer, publisher, years of release and the formats it came out on. Most get a screenshot (some get two), and entries range in size from a third of a page to a full page (Goldeneye 007, Aladdin and Hook are amongst those receive that treatment). 

Speaking of the aforementioned Bond classic, the foreword is supplied by non other than Dr David Doak, formerly of Rare and one time supplier of dodgy door decoders. The games themselves are organised in to a variety of subjects/genres.

The coverage for each game is relaxed yet informative, and you'll learn about both the games and the films that inspired them. I for one did not know that Top Gun had been so comprehensively covered - and yet none of those titles had the volleyball scene in them. A missed opportunity for a flight sim/Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball crossover, I feel. Similarly, the author has missed a chance to warn humanity that 007 Racing is dire. Not a "one for the fans", it's just terrible, Muriel! (Why was there never a dating sim based on that Australian classic? A travesty, I tell you, a travesty!)

The James Corden of Bond video games.

With over 300 titles given their moment in the sun, this book is also a chance to lay to rest the "movie tie-ins are always crap" myth (although 007 Racing really, really is!). Sure, lazy 8-bit efforts provide a grain of truth to it, just as Goldeneye 007 was a big middle finger to the lie, but on the whole, there are actually some very accomplished gaming experiences featured here and it has inspired me to try and locate some to experience them myself. Got to love Retroarch!

Mr Carton has done it again in writing a cracking walkthrough of a video game genre up to the turn of the century. It will join his other book (as well as a growing range of White Owl publications) on the shelves to await the second volume next year. In the meantime, I'm also preordering his next book, The History of the Adventure Video Game, which is due out next month. 

It's a collection, not a shrine!

If you want to purchse a copy of A Guide to Movie Based Video Games 1982-2000, you can do so directly from the publishers website here, as well as pick up the author's other books and check out White Owl's growing range of gaming titles. You can also pick it up from the usual physical and online bookstores, and can follow the author on X (fucking stupid name, should have just kept it Twitter) here.