Rune - PC Games

Set in grim, exceptionally well-designed environments ranging from ancient crypts full of undead warriors to a towering mechanical Dwarven city, Rune mixes typical first-person shooter gameplay with the rigors of close-quarters combat. Instead of the shotguns and rocket launchers you HAve mastered in other games, you will find yourself armed only with an array of swords, hammers and axes.

The graphics in Rune are excellent, with an exceptional attention to detail on just about every level. The lighting is very well done and so are the sound effects used throughout the game. Overall, the game does a marvellous job of setting the mood for head-smashing Viking combat. There are even some nifty gameplay twists that keep you in the proper frame of mind. When you are wounded, for example, you can drink mead, scarf down a leg of mutton or grab and eat a lizard off any nearby wall to gain some health back. And when Ragnar is done drinking his mead, he smashes the cup on the floor. He deals with crates, barrels and many doors in his path the same way.

While the single-player game is outstanding--and features one of the flat-out coolest game-won reward sequences ever--the multiplayer action is where you can really test your sword-fighting skills. Although the game includes 43 single-player levels, it lacks slightly in the multiplayer area with only seven multiplayer maps.

The only disappointment in Rune may be the fact that it does not offer any computer-controlled bots for solo deathmatch play, but in the long run this setback won't hinder your enjoyment one bit. --Michael Ryan