Flip Through a February 2000 Gaming Magazine - When Every Ad Promised “The Future of PC Gaming”

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John Summers • Contributor
Nov 3, 2025 5:00 PM EST

Before YouTube reviews, before Reddit threads, before launch trailers that broke the internet - there were magazines. Glossy, overstuffed, ad-filled magazines that smelled like printer ink and promised that every upcoming game was going to "change everything."

These 36 selected pages from the February 2000 issue of Computer Gaming World are a perfect time capsule of that era. You'll find previews and reviews for absolute classics like Unreal Tournament, Icewind Dale, Messiah, Thief II, and yes, South Park Rally (because apparently no pop culture phenomenon was safe from a questionable racing game adaptation). The pages are packed with late-90s confidence - all metal fonts, fiery explosions, and taglines like "The future of gaming starts NOW."

It's a trip back to a time when 3D graphics were still a brag, modems screamed in the background, and PC gamers debated openGL vs. Direct3D like it was a religion. Ads for sound cards, joysticks, and CRT monitors sit proudly next to full-page spreads for games that either became legends or disappeared into bargain bins within a year.

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  • 01
    ZD ZIFF DAVIS SOFTBANK COMPUTE GAMIN THE #1 PC GAME MAGAZINE FLIGHT SIM SHOOTOUT!!! WORLD BEAT WINNING THE STRATEGIES BEST NEW GAMES UNREAL TOURNAMENT HOMEWORLD SYSTEM SHOCK 2 AGE OF WONDERS REVIEWED! UNREAL TOURNAMENT SCORES! SCOOP! RICHARD GARRIOTT ON LIFE AFTER ULTIMA ANNOUNCED! CGW GAME OF THE YEAR FINALISTS QUAKE III: ARENA PLUS: ROGUE SPEAR, PANZER ELITE, AND MORE! FEBRUARY 2000 ISSUE 187 $4.95 USA, $6.95 Canada 70992 06952 02>
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  • 02
    ROCKET WRAP PACKAGE OF ONE 50¢ USE 2 QUARTERS BACK TO BACK CLOSE ENCOUNTERS ONLY 50¢ Operates on TWO QUARTERS ONLY Hold . quirkers TOGETHER TURN HANDLE TO RIGHT touctive package PKG. I GOT LUCKY ON THE BUS! wild vixen ONLY 50 Operates on PS JUST AS STIMULATING Q3A WHEN YOU'RE ALONE ← FREAK EACH TWO QUARTERS ONLY Hold two quarters TOGETHER and insert in slot- TURN HANDLE TO RIGHT to receive package. QUAKE ARENA SANDPIPER ACTIVISION ** PRA Missed QUAKE ARENAL QUAD DAMAGE Overwhelming carnage cheer
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  • 03
    PROBLEM: MESSIAH EXORCISE YOUR RIGHT OF POSSESSION How does a pudgy Messiah with only a diaper for defense find out the source of evil on earth? SOLUTION: Possession... Naked and defenseless, Bob uses his only weapon and takes possession of the first character he sees, a worker Now through a warehouse door, Bob still needs access to the lab where he believes he'll find some answers. Dumping the medics body. Bob realizes that Cops have access to the lab Bob, recognizable by the halo, realizes tha
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  • 04
    3df IDOSG RP *1 Su Suspect everyone. TrTrust no one e. 大刀 DAIKATANA TM will you be ready? EIDOS INTERACTIVE ION STORM 50 enemies. 33 levels. 25 weapons. 4 time-warped worlds. 2 deadly sidekicks. Everything to feed an appetite for destruction and So don't get too used to your weapon, your enemy or even your notion of time. Once you do, you're bound to awake in a whole, evoke sheer terror among a few ill-fated network friends. Just remember, this is a place stalked not only by creatures but by cha
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  • 05
    Criminal Justice for a New Millennium EIDOS For a closer look go to eidos.com M 3df URBAN CHAOS Darkness falls over the city. Not the kind of darkness that comes with the absence of light, but rather the absence of good. And while many prepare to naively celebrate the new millennium, a small mysterious cult, known as "The Fallen", prepares to fulfill the dark promise of an evil prophecy. Yet, left standing between these "Fallen" ones is a rookie cop and a disillusioned ex-cop. One womanoocone ma
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  • 06
    HOW TO BREAK IN A FEDORA: Make sure each side of the crown has a smooth, curved indent, For a look that says you've got places to go and bad guys to hurt, give the brim a nice, even crease. EXPERT METHODS: YES. NO. Never, under any circumstances, turn the brim up. Remember, you want to look like a stud archaeologist, not some guy named Cletus. Canine chew toy. Mina shaft wind shear. High altitude bridge-hopping. Reging H₂O soaks. 8 Lava vapor treatments. From the mountains of Kazakhstan to the r
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  • 07
    NVIDIA GEFORCE 256 can show you the time of your life. DEUS EX DAIKATANA™ NVIDIA. G-FORCE wwwwww wwwwww THIEF II: THE METAL AGE™ 2000 Edis berame. The 20 Long des The 2 hemen of Locking ass. The rege NVIDIA nvidia.com ANACHRONOX™ EIDOS. TERACTIVE eidos.com
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  • 08
    FORGOTTEN REALIS ICEWIND 95/98 A Baldur's Gate™ Engine Adventure beneath the Spine of the World www.interplay.com/icewind BIOWARE INFINITY ENGINE BLACK ISLE Dungeons & Dragons RP loewind Dale: 1999 Interplay Productions. All Rights Reserved. Bioware Infinity Engine 01998 Bioware Corp. All Rights Reserved Icewind Dale, FORGOTTEN REALMS, the FORGOTTEN REALMS logo, ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, the AD&D logo, TSR and the TSR logo are trademarks of TSR, Inc., a subsidiary of Wizards of the Coast, Inc
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  • 09
    REAL TIME STRATEGY IN THE FINAL FRONTIER. BOMBARD lang-gy ASSIMILATE and E wwww www.startrek.com www.activision.com ACTIVISION BOARD DESTROY your any with phasers, photo WON BUILD to harvest resu FOUR RACES. ONE GALAXY. ENDLESS STRATEGY. War rages across the Alpha Quadrant as you command four powerful races in a strategic struggle for survival. Who will live? Who will be assimilated? The future depends on your every decision. No one said leadership would be easy. ELUDE your keds of by using ne s
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  • 10
    POSSESSION IS THE LAW introducing a frenetically paced visually stunning oction RTS studios and Massive entertainments from sierros HERRA massive 1000 1001 110 0161 GROUND CONTROL COMING IN 2000 www.slerrostudios.com 1999 Sierra On-Line Inc. Alles Reserved Sierra Sem Studios and Ground Contol are ads of Sierra On-Line, Inc. The Massive Entertainment logo is a trademark of Massive Entertainment i
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  • 11
    Born a Prince... Raised a Peasant... Become a Hero! TZAR the Burden TM of the Crown Massive armies storm the castle Wizard thwarts dragon attack Ships of war destroy enemy fortress Visit the kingdom of tzar at www.talonsoft.com available SPRING 2000 Check it out at your local retailer, www.talonsoft.com or call 1-800-211-6504 ©Copyright 1999 by TalonSoft Inc. All rights reserved. TalonSoft" is a registered trademark of TalonSoft Inc. TalonSoft is a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software Inc
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  • 12
    Wards MOOS 18 CLEVITE SIMPSON Edelbruck WIX 76 MBNA EVERYONE E In Stores Now! 76 Think you can drive better than the pros? Prove it. More real tracks, cars, and drivers. 00 NASCAR Pacing you to race against your frien 1024x768 Glide or D30 graphics bring the racing action info sharp detail 3D positional sound allows you to hear your opponent attempting to pass All 28 tracks have been updated to reflect the 1999 NASCAR season From the makers of the best-selling PC NASCAR Racing Sim ever! www.papy
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  • 13
    "As one Great Furnace flam'd, yet from those flames No light but rather darkness visible" -Paradise Lost THE FALLEN Utilizes an enhanced version of the Unreal Tournament engine. COLLECTIVE www.startrek.com www.ssinteractive.com Star Trek" and © 1999 Part Pictures. All Rights Reserved. STAR TREK and related propertice are demark of Paramont Pictures 01999 Simon & Schuster Interactive, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE a MILLENNIUM chronicle Coming Spring 2000
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  • 14
    Can You Control the Beast Within? RP ""Best RPC of E3" - Official E3 Game Crit me Critics Award www.activision.com ACTIVISION Live as a vampire, feeding on human prey while struggling to maintain your humanity. Survive over 800 years from medieval Prague to a modern-day gothic New York. VAMPIRE THE MASQUERADE REDEMPTION Gain experience through quests or slayings to upgrade your abilities or learn dark powers involving combat. stealth and manipulation. Build your own thrilling online adventure wi
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  • 15
    STOIT'S ALL GUNS GIRLS GLORY ONCE YOU GO WEST James West. He could out-shoot any marksman and out-think any mastermind. Now you can put on his holster, tilt your hat to the horizon and start an all new mission in the Wild Wild West. Your gun play has to be quick-and your mind even quicker-as you race to uncover a plot to assassinate the President. Play the parts of James West and Artemus Gordon and get into predicaments as wild as their personalities. So if you think you're ready to tame the new
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  • 16
    DIABLO Look for Diablo II in stores near you. Screen shot courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment The best weapon in your inventory: The mouse. Prepare to take on the Devil himself in Diablo Il-sequel to the monster Action/RPG hit. But be warned: to face such a foe, you'll need one hell o weapon. Introducing the Razer Boomslang Better in Battle Three times the accuracy of a normal mouse (1000 dpi and 2000 dpi available) Faster Means Stronger. Lightning-quick, four-button control Nimble Precision-On-t
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  • 17
    Aureal Semicorice A 3D Because we are known for so much more than making the world's best 3D audio technology and the finest audio processor on the planet, we are proud to announce our official name change to Aureal Inc. from Aureal Semiconductor. Prepare for the next level. www.aureal.com www.a3d.com POWERED VORTEX A AUREAL HEAR THE TUTORES 909 Aurmal Inc. Amal the Auring and A10 atades and as sasted tada of leaks are properties of their gece os
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  • 18
    Read.Me Half-Life Havas Interactive 5 stars F-LIFE CGW's Monthly Readers' Poll Top 40 ach month we take a new poll of your favorite games, and each month we're amazed at the consistency of the results. The temble trio of HALF LIFE, STARCRAFT, and BALDUR'S GATE continue their reign and apart from AGE OF EMPIRES -which debuted at number 4-the rest of the Top 10 are stalwart favorites Aher that the raft of new releases is starting to take hold including ROGUE SPEAR OPPOSING FORCE and UNREAL TOURNAM
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  • 19
    Don't be afraid of the dark. Be afraid of what it hides. omewhere in the darkness hides a thief. Darting from the light into the shadows. Trying not to be seen. Trying to get away without murder. In Thief II: The Metal Age, the quiet revolution of the first-person action genre continues. If you missed out on the original Thief, don't let the experience be stolen from you again. THIEF THE METAL AGE metalage.com EIDOS LAME LOOKING GLASS The The Age and the Locking Lopard of Locking Laging G Sudoc
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  • 20
    Just beyond the edge of death is your brand new life DEATH COMES FOR EVERYONE. BUT IT WILL BE DIFFERENT WHEN IT COMES FOR YOU. BECAUSE IN THIS WORLD, YOU DON'T STOP LIVING WHEN YOU DIE-SOMEONE ELSE DOES. THEY CALL THIS PLACE OMIKRON. YOU ARRIVED AS NOMAD SOUL. USING SOMEONE ELSE'S BODY, LIVING SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE. BUT WHEN THEY DIE, YOUR LIFE CONTINUES IN THE BODY OF THE NEXT PERSON WHO TOUCHES YOU. NOW THERE'S ONE THING YOU KNOW FOR CERTAIN ABOUT OMIKRON. DEATH IS NO ESCAPE. ASSUME THE ROLE OF
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  • 21
    You are Locke D'Averam, a once proud warrior-prince executed for failing to perform a ritual sacrifice. 10,000 years later, you've been resurrected from the dead by a prominent warlord to rescue his kidnapped daughter. You are now part of a very special breed of warrior. You are a revenant. In order to regain full strength, you'll need to practice the problem-solving ability necessary to unlock forgotten skills. And though there may be the whole island of Ahkuilon to explore, and more than 40 mo
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  • 22
    PREVIEW PREVIEW 48 ASSIMILATE E THIS! T Star Trek VERY REAL The beautiful interiors of ships like Two Trek Games That Might Not Be Drek Games? Set Our Phasers on "Stunned" By Tom Price Deep Space 9: The Fallen & Voyager: Elite Force have a confession to make: I don't like Star Trek. Some of the movies were cool, but the TV shows based on the license have always been an insomnia cure for me. Star Trek has never contained enough action to keep me interest- ed. I mean really, what's with this "set
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  • 23
    "This game rocks, you feel like you're actually First stop on any mission is the pre-assault briefing. Here you'll receive the latest updates on the current crisis, configure your team's arsenal, and determine your entry port and tactical aproach to the target location. the leader of a SWAT team." -Extreme 3D.com Systematically search each envi- ronment, or toke command to breach and clear each location until you find your suspect. As the Element Leader, stealth and dynamic tactics ore Just a ke
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  • 24
    Deception and trickery lurk around every corner BRACE YOURSELF-FOOL! "ARGH! A TRAP!" Nox's CREATIVE COMBAT SYSTEM™ lets you... Westwood www.westwood.com • Set Traps & Create Spell Combinations • Interact with your Environments • Choose from Three Styles of Play TEEN MUAHAHA! HE'S GONNA GET IT!" MOBILE TRAP MAN (homo mobilus trappus) TOP 10 REASONS TO PLAY NOX 10. Summon blood thirsty wolves to track o enemies your 9. Fight against an evil queen of the undead. 8. Discover destructive weapons and
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  • 25
    KINGDOM UNDER FIRE It's true Action RTS... blue www.phantagram.com www.kingdomunderfire.com Network play - wargate.net Kingdom Under Fire is ©1998, 1999 Phantogram Ltd. all right reserved Blue Game Engine is ©1998, 1999 Phantagram Ltd. all right reserved
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  • 26
    "Homeworld is my pick for the best H W ME RLD (3D REAL-TIME STRATEGY SIERRA www.sierrastudios.com relic STUDIOS PC game of the year." -MSNBC.com "Homeworld is an epic-epic in its story, graphics and presentation. This homerun ball has yet to land." CNN.com Score: 9 out of 10 "A groundbreaking title that you simply must own." CNET Gamecenter.com Score: 92% "Where C&C2 failed, Homeworld stuns. Where other games relied on contrived formula, Homeworld manages to shine above the crowd." -Gameoven.com
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  • 27
    09 REVIEW ACTION SPOTLIGHT REVIEW: UNREAL TOURNAMENT UNREAL Finds Its Soul in Blistering Multiplayer Action READY, AIM, SCOOT! Real Redemption used to refer to the original UNREAL as "MYST with guns." While it was perhaps the most beautiful game out there a UNREAL world felt empty and soulless. I refer to th UNREAL TOURNAMENT (UT) as "STREET FIGHTER with guns. That is, it's toumament based, reviewed by Thierry Nguyen it has fast and furious gameplay, and there's a single player component that wh
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  • 28
    FINAL FANTASY. VII NOW ON YOUR PC download the demo at: www.ff8-pc.com PC CD-ROM SQUARESOFT www.squaresoft.com Published by Square Electronic Arts LLC. TEEN T TEEN ANIMATED VIOLENCE MILD LANGUAGE SUGGESTIVE THEMES 1999, 2000 Square Call rights reserved FINAL FANTASY, SQUARESOFT, and the SQUARE SOFT loges are registered trademais of Square Co. Ltd.
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  • 29
    Play It With a Vengeance. The Legion of the Fallen is ravaging the lands, killing everything in their path. Only determination, lighting-fast reflexes, and an unquenchable thirst for revenge will save the lands of Ardon. Now is the time to fight with the fury of demons. Are you hero enough? - Unique blend of action and role-playing -Custom built state-of-the-art 3D accelerated engine -Action-packed hand-to-hand combat with a wide variety of fearsome weapons Distinctive character development -30
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  • 30
    SCREW YOU GUYS, I'M DRIVIN' HOME! SOUTH PARK RALLY CARTMAN SWEET HELLA-COOL RACING ACTION! FACE OFF AGAINST CARTMAN, GRANDPA, SCUZZLEBUTT, STARVIN MARVIN AND THE REST OF SOUTH PARK IN THE WILDEST, RAUNCHIEST ROAD RACE EVER. WE'RE TALKIN' DOZENS OF INSANE VEHICLES AND SWEET CUSTOM SOUND-BITES! SOUTHE PARK AKlaim www.acclaim.com MATURE M Break like the wind with Terrance and Phillip! Honk if you're packin' projectile vomit, explosive diarrhea, and more sweet pick ups! It's super racing fun! Thanks
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  • 31
    Taste the action from both sides in U.S., British, German and Russian gunships. Jump into a state-of-the-art warbird and hit the ground guaning in a furnace of incendiary, cutting-edge action. Mobilize in two hard-hitting modes: Instant-Action Target-Rich onslaught or Active World Campaign System overrun with military ground units. THE RUSSIAN BEAR IS STIRRING. EASTERN EUROPE JUST WENT CODE RED. STRAP INTO AN APACHE. YOU'RE THE POINT MAN FOR WWIII. Russian nationalism is back with a vengeance. F
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  • 32
    CLOSE COMEAT BATTLE OF THE BULGE cut off beaten off of advan E EVERYONE To order, visit your local retailer or call 1-800-716-8503 www.closecombat.com confore tehend t try ven codi COURAGE. STRENGTH. STRATEGY. You'll need all three to win. The award winning Close Combat real-time wargame series returns to action! Close Combat, Battle of the Bulge, Germany's last desperate attempt to stave off defeat in WWII, offers you the thrill and excitement of the Close Combat series with explosive new level
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  • 33
    KANE IS DEAD FJHHUN FL KFQJJ KJFKJL FOLKJ A NEW ENEMY HAS EMERGED Westwood Electronic Ans Command & Conques Tiberian Sun FireStorm and Westworks or Studies is an Electric Alec company RP You've played the biggest game of 1999, it's time to experience MORE. NEW GDI & NOD UNITS NEW MULTIPLAYER MAPS ALL NEW WORLD DOMINATION TOURNAMENTS ENHANCED BATTLEFIELD RANDOMIZER NEW UNIT UPGRADES INDIGENOUS LIFE FORMS COMMAND CONQUER. TIBERIAN SUD FIRESTORM EXPANSION PACK for the inside scoop, Www.westwood.com
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  • 34
    II '...resistance is futile." - PC Accelerator "A virtually flawless masterpiece" - Future Gamer "... will shake up the gaming landscape" "I CNET a next-generation game in every sense..." - The Adrenaline Vault "The 3D shooter for the next millennium." -gamesmania.com "I '...I have to tell you, it's pretty damn cool" - IGN.com MATURE TOURNAMENT PC CD ROM GT Interactive www..comm
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  • 35
    POWER doesn't corrupt. IT RULES. There is no such thing as too much power. Only too many who lust for it. Deny them. Harness incandescent power and stalk the most unbelievable environments ever created for the PC. Design your own citadel of fear and wage a single and multiplayer campaign the likes of which have never been seen before. A new day is dawning. Seize it. THE WHEEL TIME LEGEND BASED ON THE BEST SELLING FANTASY SERIES BY ROBERT JORDAN The Kingdom. The Power. The Glory. www.wheeloftime.
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  • 36
    HARDWARE Killer Rigs When you're ready to put your dream rig together, check out cgw.gamespot.com/features/pc workshop5/index.html for Loyd's step-by-step guide to getting your Ultimate Gaming Machine up and running. YOUR TWO BEST RECIPES FOR BUILDING THE ULTIMATE GAMING MACHINE Kipsch Promedia -$250- Beautiful i clean sound Boston Acoustics BA-635-$70 Rudder Pedals CH Pro Pedals USB foot placement Mitsubishi Damanda 2020-$1.250 Optiquest 195-$389-Solid 19" montar at a budget price le-Win 0500 f
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