NAGANO Olympic Winter Games [Konami]

review by: Barry C. Dowell  


Folks, I don't exactly know how to deal with this review.  On the one 
hand I have a game in hand that I was waiting for impatiently since 
hearing that it was going to be a "follow-up" to the very enjoyable 
Track and Field.  On the other hand, I'm looking at a game that I find a 
disappointing effort at best.

I'd also like to thank Konami of America and their marketing partner for 
providing the copy of the game which was reviewed.  This makes it even 
more difficult to write this review, though I have made it clear to 
anyone that provides a review copy of a product (as infrequently as that 
occurs, since I normally purchase games that I review, then review them 
after playing them for considerable periods of time) that I will 
maintain my objectivity when reviewing a product, no matter what the 
source of the product.


On with the show...

Konami recently released this Officially Licensed Olympic product, and 
of course the release was timed to co-incide with the ho-hum NAH-GAH-NO 
Winter Olympiad.   The sad part is that unfortunatley this game probably 
should have waited for the next Winter Olympiad.


What's wrong with the game, you ask?

Well, many years ago, Epyx (anyone remember them?) released a nice 
little package -- back in the days of the Commodore 64 and Amiga systems 
-- called Winter Games.  It was a very fun, and relatively easy to play 
game.  Easy to play because it had very intuitive joystick controls, 
surprisingly sharp and colorful graphics and lots of events to try your 
luck in.

Of course, Konami and others at the time put out competing products in 
the arcades and in the home market, and just a short while ago (or so it 
seems) Konami put out the enjoyable Track and Field for the Playstation.

While Track and Field used 3d modelling to represent the characters in 
the game, the results were surprisingly good, and the game play made up 
for any lack of eye candy that players might have found.

Unfortunately Nagano Olympic Winter Games just doesn't live up to it's 
older brother's legacy.

First, the text graphics in the game are just plain U-G-L-Y!  If I were 
working for Konami as a tester, or were in any way associated with the 
production of this game, I most certainly would have stopped this game 
and gotten the packaging a lot more polished.   (Hey, it may play like a 
sow's ear, but if it looks like a silk purse, players will at least pick 
it up and give it a try!).

Secondly, the game play and controls just are not smooth at all.  For 
example, trying to control your skier in the skiing events leaves an 
awful lot to be desired.  (Note this reviewer was working with the 
original joystick, and not the analog joystick).  Instead of letting the 
game player lean on the left on right buttons, the game wants players to 
press the buttons in succession to control the left/right directions.  
Meaning, press left, press left again, press left again, etc.  This is 
just plain *stupid*.  

My natural instinct in trying to play the game was to just press and 
hold left to lean/turn left, and hold right to lean/turn right.  Too bad 
the game wants to be so non-intuitive in this area.

Next example, the Ski jump event, you look at your jumper from behind, 
which makes judging how far out and up your character is a bit tough.  
You also have to figure out what the wind direction indicators are 
trying to tell you, and how they affect the game.  No fun!  A 
side/profile view would have been very helpful, or at least an option to 
change the viewing angle (with rendered characters this should be 
emminently possible).


Any thing else wrong?

Actually, yes.  The menu navigation in the game is hideous, and there 
are places where the buttons that are supposed to take you back to the 
previous menu just don't work, or apparently the programmers decided 
weren't needed.

Once you get into a challenge for instance, backing out to the main menu 
just seems to be impossible.  (Hitting the reset button on the PSX would 
be the fastest way!)

Gender is another issue that is a sore point here.  The olympians in the 
game are all the same, and are somewhat gender neutral.  Unfortunately 
it would seem that the programmers (or the project leader that was 
responsible for getting the game out) didn't feel that the game should 
provide for male and female players and the differences in the events 
and performances that this would cause.   If this had been dealt with in 
the game, then at least there would be more to explore beyond the 13 
events that have been included.


Other frustrations?

Easy disqualifications.  Not enough "attempts" at events to be able to 
get practiced in playing.  (Two tries at the ski jump for instance).  No 
"practice mode" for events.   That's just what I can think of right now.


Isn't anything good in the game?

Hmmm, let me think here.  Still thinking.  Hmmm, I guess the game does 
include 13 Olympic Winter Games events, so there are lots of individual 
events to get frustrated with.  (Actually it might be more fun after 
learning the control functions and practicing about a million more 
times, if I can make it that far).

Actually some of the games events are fun, but making it through the 
dislikes to get to those points would grind down even the most patient 
game player.


Some final thoughts

I really hope that Konami revisits this game, and lets the programmers 
put a lot of polish on the product.  It certainly would be helpful to 
the quality of the game, and could possibly even result in an updated 
game that would be worthy of purchase.


Rating: 3/10


Barry Dowell


Vital Statistics

Genre:  Sports/Olympics/Winter Games/multiple events
Game Format: 1 CD for Sony Playstation
Publisher: Konami
Audience: K-A (Kids to Adults)
Players: 1 - 4 (multi-tap supported)
Memory card: 1 blocks
Street price: doesn't matter!