Escape from Monster Manor

Also known as: Virtual Horror: Norowarate Yakata (Japan)

Developer: 3DO

Playing this during the time of year when children shout the words, “Trick or Treat!” I fully expected this game to be a trick, but instead, I got a treat. Escape from Monster Manor is not at all what I expected. I was anticipating a point-and-click adventure like The 7th Guest or maybe some sort of FMV game like Night Trap. Instead, Escape from Monster Manor is a first-person shooter mixed with minor elements of horror. Stuck in a haunted house, you need to find keys to open locked doors while killing ghosts and other horror-inspired enemies, ultimately making it to the end of each level. Like many early first-person shooters, it may feel dated to fans of the genre today, but I still found it to be fun and addicting. It’s just a shame that it was only released on the 3DO, so a lot of folks missed out on a pretty enjoyable game. It probably won’t blow you away by any means, but if you get an opportunity to give this game a try, I recommend doing so.

Review added: 10/12/2019

ESPN Step Aerobics

Also known as: N/A

Developer: Intelliplay

ESPN Step Aerobics isn't so much of a game as it is a very limited workout plan for doing aerobics. You've got several videos of aerobics, including the warm up and cool down. You basically just set up what order you'd like to play those videos in and then play the them and prance around while doing your self-made workout routine. So if you want to start with the cool down, go into a warm up, then do a series of quadruple flip canterbury flog wheels…you can do that. Except there’s no video for the quadruple flip canterbury flog wheel routine. That’s a 3pmoot exclusive exercise. It’s how I got this bikini body. Anyway, if there was more to ESPN Step Aerobics, I'd give it a better score, but when you could go out and purchase a VHS aerobics routine (that would be the equivalent of searching on YouTube these days, for the younger readers) and pretty much get the same thing, I question why not add more to the game than the ability to play the videos in the order that you want to. Since it’s essentially just an interactive video, I’m docking the score for it…but honestly, if you own a 3DO and want some motivation to start up a fitness routine, this game may actually help you a little bit with that…Be aware that it is a multi-step program, though…..because it’s step aerobics…………..I’ll show myself the door.

Review added: 12/30/2021