Chris Crawford 1990
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 6/6
Licence: Freeware
System: PC

Balance of Power is almost a simulation of the cold war. As one of the two major superpowers (USA or USSR) you try to gain influence without starting a nuclear war.
The rest of the world is serving as a playground for the enemies. Other countries are not directly conquered but you try to get the respective government on your side or to overthrow it.

Infocom 1987
Genre: Adventure
Rating: 5/6
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Border Zone is another of Infocom's IF masterpieces. That means it uses the greatest parser ever made. But that alone doesn't make a great game!
There are other things that cause this. First the plot. It is a spy thriller. With microfilms, evil agents, an assassination and all the other cool features you know from these old movies. Only that YOU are involved this time!

Microprose 1990
Genre: Action, Strategy
Rating: 5/6
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Putting this game into a genre is impossible! It's a mixture of everythin you can think of. But it's this point that makes the game so special!
You are Max (or Maxine) Remington, agent at the CIA. Your boss calls you to his office to give you a mission. He introduces you to the basic problem and the available information. Then you're on your own! Well, not really. There are CIA-analysts who support you. They collect all the data and filter out the important stuff.

Cryo 1992
Genre: Strategy, Adventure
Rating: 5/6
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Frank Herbert's Dune is one of the best known pieces of fictional literature - beaten only by the bible and a few others. Millions of people have read it and even those who didn't at least know the name because they've seen the movie, they've just heard of it somewhere or they've played one of the computer games.

Rainbow Arts 1989
Genre: Adventure
Rating: 3/6
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

The early days of the Cold War. The USSR is blocking all land transports to the western sectors of Berlin. The USA have initiated an air bridge to supply the city. But Berlin is like a tiny island in what is going to be the GDR - when it comes to war, it'll be overrun by the Red Army immediately!

Microprose 1992
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 5/6
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Global Conquest is a kind of sequel to Command HQ. The whole system is therefore quite similar. For more detailed information read this one's review. You start with one (or a few) cities and you have to conquer the whole world. That is (of course?) achieved by military.

Activision 1986
Genre: Adventure
Rating: 5/6
Licence: Commercial
System: C64

Kevin Mitnick...THE man. Have you heard about Kevin Mitnick? Have you ever wanted to be like him? Yeah I know...stupid question, of course you did. To be sincere, I wanted that too. I even broke into ***.*****.****.*****.edu but that's another thing.

Lucas Arts 1996
Genre: Adventure, Action
Rating: 3/6
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

The daily life of Dr. Henry Jones Jr. Somewhere in Central America, he's carrying out his archeological duties. It all starts with his colleague Marcus Brody giving him his latest assignment. It usually concerns finding an artifact before a competing archeologist does, freeing someone from the clutches of the nazis or something similar. The best thing about it: every time you start the game, you get a different adventure to play. Or at least that's what the advertisement says.

Virgin Interactive 1992
Genre: Adventure
Rating: 3/6
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

It's the last days of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev has destroyed part of the old structures. But as always when there's change, there are groups who want to take advantage of it. For some, it doesn't go quickly enough, some want to go back as much as possible. And some of those aren't all that peaceful about it...

SimTex / Microprose 1993
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 6/6
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Master of Orion - just a poor copy of Civilization or an independent game? The opinions differ extremely. There is hardly anyone who thinks it is mediocre. Either you hate it or you love it. As everbody can assume, I belong to the second group (else it would be in a different category). I'll explain why.