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Dom Robinson reviews
Activision 
- Windows 98/2000/ME/XP
- Intel Pentium II 400Mhz
- 128Mb RAM
- 16Mb 3D graphics card
- 850Mb Hard Disk Space
- DirectX 8.0
I’ve played some piss-poor games in my time, but Die Hard:Nakatomi Plaza really takes the biscuit.
Based on the 1988 classic action film, you play John McClane and begin walkinginto the Plaza reception after being dropped off by chauffeur Argyle, look up yourwife’s (maiden) name, go up the lift, past the suspicious looking attendant,be welcomed by Mr Takagi, set off the fire alarm, see the electric saw spinand later watch Holly’s boss have his brains blown out, etc.
Sadly, that’s where the entertaining part ends. You are greeted by abastardised version of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, so they don’t have topay for using it and the action allegedly is set on all 40 levels of the building,but, from what I could stomach of it, the constant trapsing round a bland, dull, greyset of plasterboards was repetitive and painful to endure. It also makes fora depressingly linear game… so many doors to choose from, but all but onethat lead anywhere are locked(!) Reminds me ofResident Evil: Survivor,
Add to this 3D graphics which are on a par withDaikatana,sluggish movement – even when running – plus it’s difficult to even walk througha door sometimes: Move forward against a walland the screen will jump like a stuck record making you traverse the same shortpiece of ground again and again until you move out of the way, rather thanletting you creep along the wall.
If you get jumped on by the baddies they’ll riddle you with bullets and you’llbe lucky to have the merest chance of hitting many of them, although if you getthe chance it is fun to hit them with the axe.
The original Die Hard Trilogy was excellent, but this doesn’t even comeclose to meeting the initial section which was also based on McClane’s firstouting.
I could say that at least this game only costs £19.99, but then so doesthe Special Edition DVD and you’d be far better advised to buy that.
SOUND EFFECTS AND MUSIC
PLAYABILITY
ENJOYMENT
OVERALLThis game was played on a PC with the following spec:
Intel PIII 600Mhz, 384Mb RAM (133 Mhz), Voodoo 3 3000 AGP, SoundblasterLive! 1024.
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.