Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Play the Games Vol. 5 offers a remarkable cross-section of genres, delivering everything from pulse-pounding real-time strategy to laid-back simulation and sports outings. Whether you’re storming Soviet bases in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 or plotting silent takedowns in Thief II: The Metal Age, there’s a distinct gameplay loop for every kind of player. The RTS segments play exactly as fans remember, with base building, resource management, and rapid unit micromanagement. Meanwhile, the stealth and tactics entries such as Commandos 2: Men of Courage and Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive emphasize careful planning and environmental interaction rather than brute force.

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Sports aficionados will appreciate the crisp handling model in Superbike 2001 and the familiar yet refined swing mechanics in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2001. Both deliver a tactile sense of speed and precision—Motorbike enthusiasts will find the tracks challenging but fair, while golf fans can fine-tune their drives with incremental shot adjustments. For those craving a lighter pace, Monopoly Tycoon and RollerCoaster Tycoon extend the series’ hallmark management options: juggling budgets, customer satisfaction, and expansion strategy for hours on end.

Startopia brings a dash of sci-fi sandbox fun, combining cosmic colony building with quirky humor and varied mission objectives. Although it occasionally feels cluttered when juggling multiple decks of a space station, its blend of terraforming, resource harvesting, and alien politics remains endlessly engaging. Switching between these disparate titles can be jarring at first, but the compilation’s launcher does a solid job of grouping them by publisher, making it easy to dive straight into the genre that suits your mood.

Graphics

As a turn-of-the-millennium compilation, Play the Games Vol. 5 spans several generations of 3D engines and art styles. Red Alert 2 still holds up with its colorful units, detailed explosions, and clear UI—an aesthetic that helped define the golden age of Westwood Studios. By contrast, Thief II and Commandos 2 showcase more muted, atmospheric visuals with dynamic shadows and textured surfaces that heighten tension during stealth sections. Some of these effects look dated by modern standards, but the mood they create remains potent.

Rolling out the grand designs in RollerCoaster Tycoon and the brick-and-mortar world of Monopoly Tycoon, the compilation leans into isometric and top-down perspectives that prioritize clarity over flashy shaders. These games use simple, bright palettes that age gracefully; the zoom and rotate functions let you appreciate the little details—rollercoaster cars, hotel facades, or tiny pedestrians strolling your park. Startopia’s cartoonish aliens and neon signage inject more vibrancy, though occasionally frames dip if your station gets too crowded.

Sports entries like Superbike 2001 and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2001 offer mid-range polygon counts and basic lighting models that were competitive in 2000–2001. You’ll notice jagged edges on riders and golfers if you crank resolution too high, but on a standard CRT or a modern monitor with smoothing, these titles retain their appeal. Tomb Raider: Chronicles, meanwhile, trades higherfps for more detailed character models and environments, providing a balanced experience for fans of the franchise.

Story

Because this is a compilation, narrative emphasis varies wildly between titles. Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 presents a tongue-in-cheek alternate history storyline—full of cinematic FMV cutscenes and bombastic dialogue—that still entertains with its Cold War gone haywire premise. Commandos 2 and Desperados focus on episodic, mission-driven storytelling; each chapter drops you into a new historic or Wild West scenario, with simple character motivations that serve the tactical gameplay rather than overshadow it.

Thief II: The Metal Age is the standout in pure narrative terms, weaving an intricate tale of social upheaval in a steampunk-inspired city. Garrett’s heists and the unfolding conspiracy keep you invested between missions, and the voice work, while slightly stilted today, holds a certain charm. Tomb Raider: Chronicles stitches together a series of flashback adventures that lean on Lara’s globe-trotting past; each episode provides a self-contained story that adds character depth, though it rarely reaches the dramatic highs of earlier Lara titles.

Startopia delivers its storyline through episodic “guidance computer” quips and alien interactions, balancing humor with light strategic goals. Meanwhile, the sports and management games rely on minimal narrative scaffolding—mainly career modes or scenario challenges—to keep you moving from track to green to theme park. If you come in expecting deep, interconnected story arcs, this compilation offers only glimpses; but each title’s self-contained tale is enough to propel you through its gameplay loops.

Overall Experience

Play the Games Vol. 5 represents a smart, if somewhat pared-down, selection compared to previous 15-title editions. With only ten games on the disc, you lose a few oddball picks, but you gain a more cohesive and high-quality lineup. The unified installer and launcher let you pick your publisher of choice—Electronic Arts, Eidos, or Infogrames—and dive right in without fuss. Manuals are provided in PDF format on the CD, which is convenient for archival purposes but does require a PDF reader install before you can browse control schemes and background lore.

From the moment you slide the disc into your drive, the compilation delivers nostalgia and variety in equal measure. Hardcore strategy fans will flock to Red Alert 2 and Commandos 2, while simulation buffs will find hours of replay in RollerCoaster Tycoon and Monopoly Tycoon. Sports and action-adventure entries fill out the roster, ensuring no two sessions feel the same. The only real inconvenience is hunting through the PDF manuals if you forget key shortcuts—but that minor hiccup is easily outweighed by the breadth of content.

Overall, Play the Games Vol. 5 stands as a compelling bargain for late-’90s/early-’00s PC enthusiasts. With ten iconic titles—many of which shaped their respective genres—this compilation remains a versatile addition to any retro gaming library. Whether you’re rekindling old favorites or discovering them for the first time, the package’s diversity and solid presentation make for an engaging journey through a formative era of PC gaming.

Retro Replay Score

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