Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Interplay All-Nighter: Anthology No. 2 delivers an eclectic mix of gameplay experiences that span city-building, strategy, action-adventure, platforming, and even chess-based puzzles. SimCity kicks off the collection with its timeless city management mechanics, challenging players to balance budgets, zoning, and citizen satisfaction. Cyberia follows with an on-rails shooter and puzzle hybrid that demands quick reflexes and keen inventory management. Frankenstein: Through the Eyes of the Monster provides a slower, investigative point-and-click adventure where exploration and dialogue choices shape your understanding of Mary Shelley’s classic monster.

Castles II: Siege & Conquest takes the strategic mantle, tasking you with feudal politics, resource management, and large-scale sieges. The deep economic and diplomatic systems offer plenty of replay value for those who enjoy long-term planning. Blackthorne, on the other hand, switches gears to a side-scrolling platformer, featuring weighty combat and responsive controls that elevate each firefight. Then there’s Battle Chess Collection, a lighthearted take on classic chess—here, every captured piece erupts in an amusing animated vignette.

Beyond the full games, this anthology’s demo disc showcases early previews of Shattered Steel’s mech combat, Descent II’s zero-G shooter mayhem, and Whiplash’s high-octane racing. Conquest of the New World and VR Soccer ’96 round out the demos with turn-based empire building and a surprisingly deep soccer simulation. Together, these samples offer a taste of what Interplay was experimenting with in the mid-’90s, making for a varied and engaging suite of mechanics.

Graphics

Despite their mid-’90s origins, the visual presentation across this anthology remains impressive in historical context. SimCity’s UI is clean and functional, while Cyberia’s pre-rendered backgrounds and early 3D models still convey a sense of futuristic grit. Frankenstein’s FMV sequences and illustrated dialogue panels look particularly striking—Interplay spared no expense in integrating full-motion video and hand-drawn art to bring the story to life.

Castles II opts for colorful 2D sprites and detailed map screens that effectively convey the medieval setting. Each town, castle, and battlefield is rendered with enough clarity to keep strategic decisions intuitive. Blackthorne’s use of pre-rendered 3D models converted into 2D sprites gives the game a surprisingly modern look, with fluid animations that hold up even compared to some contemporary indie titles. Battle Chess wows with its whimsical, handcrafted animations—each piece has personality, from the knight galloping off the board to the queen’s dramatic defeat pose.

The demo titles maintain high production values as well. Shattered Steel’s mechs are chunky and imposing, while Descent II’s lighting effects and texture work showcase early experimentation with dynamic shadows. Whiplash’s circuits and cars benefit from smooth frame rates, and Conquest of the New World presents isometric terrain that remains detailed even when zoomed out. VR Soccer ’96 may not rival modern sports games, but its player models and pitch textures are crisp for the era, making each goal celebration feel earned.

Story

Narrative depth varies wildly across this collection, yet each title offers its own brand of engagement. SimCity is purposefully narrative-free, allowing players to create their own urban sagas. By contrast, Cyberia thrusts you into a revenge-driven storyline revolving around corporate conspiracies and cybernetic enhancements—the FMV cutscenes and voiced dialogue lend a campy, sci-fi pulp feel.

Frankenstein: Through the Eyes of the Monster delivers one of the anthology’s richest narratives. You’re plunged into a gothic horror tale, inhabiting the creature’s perspective as you grapple with identity, acceptance, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Castles II weaves a tapestry of medieval intrigue, featuring rival lords, royal marriages, and peasant revolts—every decision can shift alliances and alter the kingdom’s fate.

Blackthorne and Battle Chess keep stories relatively simple but charming. Blackthorne’s lone hero infiltrates alien ruins to rescue his people, driving forward with platforming flair and occasional puzzle elements. Battle Chess dispenses with plot altogether in favor of pure chessboard antics, but its animated defeat sequences tell mini-stories that delight as much as they entertain. The demo titles add further narrative prospects: Descent II’s deep space mystery, Shattered Steel’s mech-war epic, and Conquest of the New World’s colonial exploration all hint at full adventures waiting beyond their trial segments.

Overall Experience

Interplay All-Nighter: Anthology No. 2 stands out as a time capsule of mid-’90s PC gaming innovation. The sheer variety ensures that almost every genre fan finds something to love—from city planners and strategy buffs to action seekers and puzzle lovers. The inclusion of well-preserved binaries and DOSBox configuration files makes installation smoother on modern systems, though some tinkering may still be required for optimal performance.

The anthology’s packaging and menu interface are both nostalgic and functional, offering easy access to each game and demo without sifting through individual discs. For collectors and retro enthusiasts, this compilation is a treasure trove; for newcomers, it’s an affordable sampler of Interplay’s golden era. The bonus demos add a “What could have been” factor, hinting at full games that would go on to define late-’90s PC gaming.

In sum, this multipack delivers excellent value and sustained entertainment across dozens of hours of gameplay. While not every title holds up to modern design sensibilities, the historical significance and sheer fun factor are undeniable. Whether you’re seeking nostalgia or curious about gaming history, Interplay All-Nighter: Anthology No. 2 offers an engaging retrospective that’s hard to resist.