Gamers Alliance REPORT 

Fall 2003 Vol. 2 No. 8

EDITORIAL

Themes like Old Times

   I like Shania Twain. I like her upbeat music, her vitality - and it sure doesn't hurt that she's very easy on the eyes. So, the other evening, when I was able to score some complimentary tickets to her Madison Square Garden concert in the heart of New York City, nobody had to ask me twice. I was there! This was Shania's UP tour and she was certainly up for it. 

   There was light, there was action, there was plenty of noise and colorful explosions. In the middle of everything, there was Shania, bringing the house down with her energy. And, yes, there was plenty of music. Two hours worth of old  favorites and some of the new stuff. Shania puts on a great show, a consummate blend of old and new designed to satisfy her full house of fans. And what works for her can work for us too.

   Consummate blending can be one of the keys to our own entertainment. When we settle down around the gaming table, some of the best times to be had occur when we experience our own consummate blend of old and new: a classic game from the past and then a new winner from the "just released" pile. A contributing factor here is that many of the themes for games are timeless. We've played games that chart the rise and fall of civilizations, propel us into military action, force us to wheel and deal in the business world, vicariously hit the game-winning homer or plunge into the end zone, to name a few. Some of these themes have been used as the basis for a new twist. In some cases, the twist is that the original game is back for more!

   In GA REPORT, we feature the newest and best games on the market today. In addition to brand new entries featured in this issue, we investigate a bunch of remakes as "themes from old times" are recycled into a new look. Shania was UP for her blend of old and new - and we're certainly up for ours!

   In this issue of GA REPORT,  we build economic, religious and political power in an empire, take football to a new level, explore fantasy realms and more. Plus Greg Schloesser gets lawless, Frank Branham takes command, Nick Sauer races ahead while Steve Kurzban insists "I'm the Boss"! And, of course, much more.

   Until next time, Good Gaming!

                                                                                Herb Levy, President