Black & White - Dreamcast

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Black & White (Dreamcast)
Also for: PC, Power Mac, Xbox, PlayStation
Viewed: 3D First-person Genre:
Adventure: Role Playing
Strategy: God game
Arcade origin:No
Developer: Lionhead Soft. Co.: SEGA
Publishers: SEGA (GB)
Released: 2001 (GB)

Summary

The Dreamcast’s appetite for God games has never been really satisfied and this has left owners feeling somewhat neglected. Admittedly, real time strategy fans would like to be spoiled for choice, but one of the coolest strategy games of all time is coming to the ‘Cast. From the creator of the genre himself, gaming God Peter Molyneux unleashes Black and White.

Black and White is delicious combination of different styles of games. It is like a resource management game, a beat-em-up, a virtual pet simulation and a God game.

One day a child falls into the ocean and is about to be attacked by sharks, his parents call out for help. You are brought into existence by their prayers and save the child. They take you to their village to show their appreciation. This is an important part of Black and White because the more people that believe in you the stronger and more powerful you become.

How you play this game is left entirely up to your discretion, it is so open-ended. Scattered throughout the landscape are gold and silver scrolls that reveal quests when unravelled. As mentioned previously you grow more powerful by belief, but there are two ways to earn respect, by helping people or by ruling with an iron fist, instilling fear into your believers. How

Black and White is a genuinely funny game with loads of comedy moments. In one quest you come across a irritating man who has heard about your creature and will believe in you if you can show him your creature. If you take the time to show this man your creature he his unimpressed with the size and tells you to come back when your creature is bigger. Imagine his surprise when we picked him up and fed him to our tiger, then rubbed the tiger’s belly to let him know that eating villagers is acceptable behaviour.

As you solve puzzles, complete quests, you will also be constructing villages and organising work for your people. Then you can move onto new villages and lands to convert. Watch out for the other Gods and plan your attack strategy carefully. You can use your creature as an Earthly personification of yourself to do battle with.

Overall, Black and White is a beautiful game, both in terms of gameplay and in terms of graphics. We recommend using the mouse peripheral to get the most out of the title. If you like games where you have to think and games that are fun, then check this game out, it is a modern masterpiece.