What do the games StarFox 64, Dragon Force and Street Fighter III all have in common? These three amazing games were all reviewed back in 1997, but they were NOT that year's best games. At least, not according to NEXT Generation magazine, who gave all three of these undisputed classics four stars out of five. As crazy as it sounds, NEXT Generation gave 21 different games a higher score than Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. I'm talking about the perfect five-star rating, and today we're going to go through all of these reviews and see what makes them worthy of this coveted prize. This is NEXT Generation's Five-Star Reviews, and these are the 21 best games of 1997.
Bushido Blade (PlayStation)
#1
“Every few years a game is released that sets a new high-water mark for an existing genre. Mario 64 did it for platform games, wipEout did it for racing games and now Bushido Blade has done it for 3D fighting games. Bushido Blade is a weapons-based fighter, but its similarity to games such as Soul Blade ends there. Given that Square has chosen to take a much more realistic approach to blade combat than most fighting, it could be argued that Bushido Blade is the kind of game you either love or hate. However, while it may not offer the arcade-style button mashing or twenty hit combos of other 3D brawlers, it does offer the closest you can get to the real thing without actually getting cut.”
Creatures (PC)
#2
“First of all, it is doubtless that there are those who wouldn't even consider Creatures to be a game at all. There's no clearly defined goal and very little in the way of conflict. However, while this may be true, it also exists solely to provide entertainment, so what else would one call it? This is one of the most ambitious applications of Artificial Life paradigms ever brought to the mass market. While there is some controversy in A-Life circles about whether or not Creatures is “really” artificial life, and whether the designers have cheated in various ways, in the end, it doesn't matter. Some will doubtless find the appeal elusive, but Creatures still offers one of the most obsessive and entertaining experiences anyone can have in front of the computer.”
Dungeon Keeper (PC)
#3
“Peter Molyneux originated the “god sim” with Populous several years ago. Since that time, he has been involved in a number of projects in which players get to manipulate every facet of some world while happy (or unhappy) minions react to the players' decisions. So why is it that when he releases yet another game in the genre, it still manages to capture the imagination, and even more importantly, seems completely fresh? The answer is in attention to detail and visionary concepts of gameplay. Starting with the extremely original premise of making the player the bad guy, the game gives the players a chance to create a dungeon fraught with traps, monsters and other perils to destroy any would-be heroes who happen along.”
Fighters Megamix (Saturn)
#4
“Simply put, this is the best fighting game ever on a system that's already chock full of great fighting games. From the genius team that brought you the Virtua Fighter series and Fighting Vipers comes a kind of “greatest hits” collection called Fighters Megamix. Conceptually the game is a gimmie – combine one great fighting game series with another and see what kind of chemistry emerges when the realistic, finesse-style fighters of Virtua Fighter meet the stylized, street savvy team of Fighting Vipers. This works brilliantly – sparks fly, and some fascinating matches of strategy and reflexes ensue, all built around that patented AM2 dead-on responsive control. This is AM2 performing at peak levels, and every fighting fan should sit up and take notice.”
Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation)
#5
“After all the hype that surrounded Final Fantasy VII, it would seem nearly impossible for any mere game to live up to the expectations – especially given the sheer thematic brilliance of Final Fantasy VI, a true magnum opus that pushed the console RPG about as far as it could go. So, did Square succeed? Well, yes. There are a few mild stumbles, but as with any title whose level of ambition is this high, that's hardly surprising – and, ultimately, makes little difference. Final Fantasy VII is a game not to be missed. The dream is real and the bar has been permanently raised for console RPGs. It's a hell of a ride. Don't miss this one.”
GoldenEye 007 (Nintendo 64)
#6
“Movie-licensed-based video games get an unusually bad rap, and for good reason. Trite, formulaic no-brainers with few redeeming qualities have been the norm, and gamers have learned to shy away from anything with a picture of a movie star on the box. However, Rare has once again shown itself to be a bright spot in the N64 landscape, creating a James Bond video game that's even better than the trite, formulaic movie it's based on. GoldenEye is a surprising killer app, if only for the smashing multiplayer options. The excellent single-player game backing it up makes it well worth buying indeed.”
NBA In the Zone 2 (PlayStation)
#7
“Last year's In the Zone was a disappointment. It looked gorgeous, but lacked full rosters or even a season mode, and so little attention was given to defense that it plays like a highlight reel. This year – wow. In the Zone 2 gives the players complete control, offensively and defensively, over the most realistic looking NBA teams in video game history. It still has a very arcade-style feel, and still has a tendency to look like a highlight reel, but with its intuitive control, sharp graphics and deep gameplay, it's the best basketball game on the planet.”
International Superstar Soccer 64 (Nintendo 64)
#8
“Simply put, this is the game FIFA 64 should have been. Released in Japan as J-League Perfect Striker, Konami's entry into the soccer game field is an impressive showing and even gives the undisputed champ, the Worldwide Soccer series for Saturn, a run for its money. The domestic version improves upon the original by adding some international team licenses and tweaking the single-player AI, so it's not the goal-fest released in Japan. Details like the refs of varying skill, different weather conditions, real stadiums and attitude give even more depth to a game that gets just about everything right. International Superstar Soccer is easily the best Nintendo 64 sports game, and it puts FIFA 64 in its rightful place (the bottom).”
Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II (PC)
#9
“Considering the flood of mediocre titles from LucasArts in the past year, Next Generation was prepared to be disappointed by Jedi Knight. After all, the surefire hit X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter turned out to be a major letdown, and its latest first-person shooter Outlow turned out to merely be Dark Forces wearing a cowboy hat. Imagine out surprise, then, when we got Jedi up and running and were totally blown away. Rarely has a PC game made us say “wow” quite this often. The game has little to no faults; one could nitpick about the overacting or the rushed look of the menu interface, but in the end, Jedi Knight is to first-person shooters what sliced bread is to wheat products.”
Moto Racer (PC & PlayStation)
#10
“Every once in a while, a game redefines its genre, making use of new technologies to expand the horizons of level design and gameplay – and to be just plain fun. Delphine's Moto Racer GP is one of those games. Very simply, Moto Racer GP is an extremely well-designed motorcycle racing game with both motocross and road bike racing elements. What sets the game apart from other racing titles on PC is it's amazingly smooth frame rate, high polygon count, excellent use of Direct3D, multiplayer options and excellent control. Moto Racer GP fills the vacant niche of the PC motorcycle racing genre admirably. With luck, more titles will use Direct3D as well as this one does.”
NFL Gameday '97 (PlayStation)
#11
“The original GameDay was the coming out party for Sony Interactive Studios, which has grown into one of gaming's premier sports developers. With GameDay '97, Sony has proved that last year wasn't a fluke – this is the best football game to date. GameDay '97 is a hard-hitting, fast-paced football game with more moves, options and playability than anything out there. Even if you already own Madden '97, this is a game every football fan must have.”
NFL Gameday '98 (PlayStation)
#12
“Ever since the launch of PlayStation, GameDay has been the absolute best-playing football game available, year in and year out. However, when Madden returned last year, it took the immediate market-share lead. Not because it was a better game, but because it had a bigger name. If the same thing happens again this year, then there is a serious problem with the game-buying public. There's no denying that GameDay is the best football game series around, more impressive still when you consider that it continues to evolve, season after season. Sony has simply done it right.”
PaRappa the Rapper (PlayStation)
#13
“Simply put, style over substance has never been better done than in PaRappa. Certainly, more than a few PlayStation owners will find PaRappa boring, pointless and completely inane. But the truth of the matter is, PaRappa the Rapper is a game that must be played to be fully comprehended, enjoyed and valued, if not for its contribution to general video gaming, then for the link it forges between the video game industry and pop culture novelty at large. It's beyond recommended.”
San Francisco Rush (Nintendo 64)
#14
“In what has clearly been Midway and Atari Games' biggest coup of recent memory, San Francisco Rush stormed arcades last spring to wild gamer and critical praise. Now the console version arrives on Nintendo 64, and not to put too fine a point on it, but it kicks. Rush combines the power of muscle car racing with numerous alternative routes and secret passages in an urban environment. It's also tempting to say it includes some of the thrills of a flight game: Imagine Steve McQueen's Bullit on steroids, crack and espresso, and you've got some idea of how SF Rush brings the modern chase to the 1990s, with insane 30 foot jumps across San Franisco that have to be seen and played to be appreciated. All told, SF Rush is just short of brilliant. It's a fun, challenging game that keeps you playing over and over again.”
Terminator: SkyNET (PC)
#15
“About a year ago, Bethesda came out with Terminator: Future Shock. It was a revolutionary first-person shooter, using the mouse in combination with the keyboard for control. Although it didn't receive much acclaim, it was ahead of its time in terms of control, size of the game maps and pushing the style of the genre in a new direction. All it was missing was an SVGA mode and multiplayer support. Well, guess what Terminator: SkyNET has. The sheer beauty of the game, combined with the incredible amount of flexibility of the engine, means that Terminator: SkyNET could be the best first-person shooter of the new year. You owe it to yourself to buy this one.”
Titanic: Adventure Out of Time (Mac)
#16
“One of the brightest lights in what are surely very dark days for the adventure game genre is Cyberflix. With Titanic, the company has again taken the text-free graphic adventure to a new high point, both technically and creatively. Unlike Myst-clones of FMV boondoggles, the game runs in real 3D, and supports inventory-based puzzles and heavy character interaction. Overall, the game features good control, logical, well-down puzzles and astounding realism. This is easily one of the best adventure titles of the year.”
Tomb Raider (Saturn)
#17
“In an industry flooded with flashy games brimming with style but devoid of substance, it's always nice to find a game with both. The team at Core must have surely known Tomb Raider, in development for almost two years, was a guaranteed success the first time they saw Lara running around in an empty room with a pistol in each hand gunning down wolves. Fortunately, the team wanted to go a little deeper. The result of this commitment is the creation of one of the year's finest games, a game that demonstrates, in its 15 gargantuan levels and painstaking tweaking of detail, a level of ambitious rarely attempted and an execution hardly ever achieved.”
Virtua Fighter 3 (Arcade)
#18
“Sega AM2 has taken the time and used its craftsmanship and skill to show what it can really accomplish with a fighting game. Virtua Fighter 3 is a vast leap over the already excellent previous two incarnations, and is uniquely engrossing and technologically advanced in every way, from its gameplay, to its graphics, backgrounds, characters and sound effects. This is a gleaming example of what can be achieved in true 3D fighting. Everyone should play this game. The Model 3 board has enabled the designers to reach deeper and deliver more in graphics and playability than ever before. Virtua Fighter 3 is surely the new high-water mark by which all other fighters are measured, and which all fighting game developers will aspire to.”
Wave Race 64 (Nintendo 64)
#19
“To say the graphics in Wave Race are gorgeous is a huge understatement and doesn't come close to describing the game's absolute graphic perfection. Adding to the sensual delight is the perfect sound of splashing water, roaring engines and crashing waves. The N64's polygon power has been harnessed to produce some of the most ultra-realistic wave mechanics seen in any game, for any system, ever. Wave Race 64 is deep, fast, beautiful, a technological wonder and, most important, fun. What more can you ask for?”
World Series Baseball '98 (Saturn)
#20
“Every once in a while, a game comes along that redefines the way a certain genre is done. This elite group includes Doom, GameDay '97, Tomb Raider, Mario, Sonic and now World Series Baseball '98, which changes the rules of video game baseball. World Series Baseball '98 has taken all of the strategic elements of pitching and hitting, and made the best pitcher/batter interface ever. Other features, like rain delays, injuries and errors all add to making World Series Baseball '98 the best baseball game ever. Clearly, this is the new standard for baseball games, and there's no current game that even comes close. Saturn may not have much, but it's got baseball.”
Worldwide Soccer '97 (Saturn)
#21
“Let's not mince words here: Everything in Worldwide Soccer '97 is done to near perfection. Whether you're talking about the crip graphics or the stunningly solid gameplay, there's no doubt every other sports game should stand up and take notice. No game has ever captured the one-on-one confrontation in a sports game better than Worldwide Soccer '97. Even a soccer novice can pick up some of the basic strategies necessary to play. The cross, the header, the bicycle kick, the back heel, the long ball, and the dummy are all here and a snap to pull off. Quite simply, Worldwide Soccer '97 is the best recreation of any sport, ever.”
