Attention to Detail Puts Philosoma on Target

A truly good shooter is hard to come by, but Philosoma from Sony Computer Entertainment is one of the best straight-on blasting games available right now for PlayStation.

From an opening cinema that is smooth and beautiful, Philosoma wastes no time as it dives right into some heavy-duty hostilities. Think of it as a very, very fast Raiden.

The perspectives change nicely to allow considerable latitude in game play and controls are smooth in every sense. Even the weapons are a nice change from the standard arsenal of blasters and cluster bombs.

And as play progresses, the cinematics that introduced the game continue to reveal more and more of the story. It’s worth playing just to check out the nice attention to detail that sets this game apart.

For instance, the launch sequence in the initial scenes is incredible. In another scene, in which a squad of one-man fighters dives into planetary atmosphere, the ships actually don heat shields. That, in my book, is cool.

Philosoma won’t really tax anyone’s brain too hard, but it’s nonetheless a load of fun. And isn’t that what video games are all about?

Warcraft II: My buddy Steve Haimwertz was about as crazy over Blizzard Entertainment’s original Warcraft as anyone could be. He spent entire nights dispatching his ragtag armies to explore the hostile world of the Orcs.

So when Blizzard released Warcraft II, I turned to Steve for his opinion. He was kind enough to serve as a guest reviewer. Here’s what he thought of the game:

“With the appearance of Warcraft II on shelves, you can once again be transported to the world of Ogres and Paladins, battling for control of the mythical land of Azeroth. The recently released CD-ROM is a cleverly designed war strategy similar to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, appealing to the conqueror in us all.

“Simply put, you are the supreme ruler of either of two warring sides, the noble humans or the Orcish hordes. With archers, ax-throwing trolls and even ships and submarines, you must defeat your enemy by gathering limited resources such as gold and lumber to create the force necessary to achieve victory. Each level gets more challenging and culminates with your final victory, vanquishing thy enemy.

“Most games end when the final level is completed, but not so with Warcraft II. In addition to great graphics, a plethora of customized scenarios created by you are awaiting exploration. I give Blizzard Entertainment’s latest creation a definite thumbs up.”

Thanks, Steve.

Hi-Octane: Isn’t one mediocre Hovercraft racer enough? With the release of Hi-Octane by Bullfrog, I’m beginning to wonder whether the bigwigs at the game companies ever take a look at what they’re sending out.

It seems hover racers are the big thing these days, but none of the current crop comes even close to matching Wipeout on PlayStation for sheer grace, beauty and fun. In almost every sense, Hi-Octane for both PlayStation and Sega Saturn feels and sounds like a bad copy of Wipeout, which came from Sony Psygnosis.

The thumping house soundtrack is no match for Wipeout’s eerie melodies. And the on-screen images are nothing compared to Wipeout. Control sucks. High-octane fuels are supposed to deliver better performance, but Hi-Octane sounds and feels more like diesel.

Staff writer Aaron Curtiss reviews video games every Thursday. To comment on a column or to suggest games for review, send letters to The Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth, CA 91311. Or send e-mail to Aaron.Curtiss@latimes.com.