                                     __________
_________          _________________/       __/_______     ______________
|        \ ________|_     __       /        \         \   /      _______/___
|         \         /      /      /         /\         \ /__________       /
|        \ \       /      /______/__________/\          \/        /       /
|_________\ \     /|__________________/ ..... \__________\_______________/  ...
.........  \_____/  ....................:   :...............................:
        :...........:


January is typically the slowest month of the year when it comes to games, and
this held true once again in 1998.  While there wasn't but a handful of games, 
there was  still a few events  of interest.  Mainly the  retirement of  2 well 
known  individuals, The Punisher of Razor 1911 and ChinaBlue  of CLASS.  There 
has been  much debate on the effect this will have  on their respected groups,
and so far Razor seems to be the ones hurting.  However, there is a rumor that
The Punisher  did not retire and it was just a  big coverup to  give him  some
room to  breathe.  In either case, we will have  to wait and see  what happens
over  the next  couple  of  months.  You can read  about  both retirements  at
www.scenelink.org as  well as all other news as it happens.  TRG announced the
winners of  its Games of the Year 1997 vote.  You can  find all of  the latest
TRG reviews as well as this list of winners on trguild.ml.org:

TRG Role Playing Game of the Year:
          Diablo (c) Blizzard - HYBRID
TRG Sports Game of the Year:
          NHL '98 (c) EA Sports - CLASS
TRG Adventure Game of the Year:
          Curse of Monkey Island (c) Lucas Arts - HYBRID
TRG War Game of the Year:
          Pacific General (c) SSi - RAZOR 1911
TRG Racing Game of the Year:
          Need for Speed 2 SE (c) Electronic Arts - PARADIGM
TRG Simulation Game of the Year:
          X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter (c) Lucas Arts - HYBRID
TRG Action Game of the Year:
          Quake 2 (c) iD Software - CLASS
TRG Multiplayer Game of the Year:
          Quake 2 (c) iD Software - CLASS
TRG Bomb of the Year: 
          Final Conflict (c) Sound Source Interactive - CLASS
TRG Surprise of the Year: 
          Grand Theft Auto (c) BMG Interactive - PARADIGM
TRG Game of the Year:
          Quake 2 (c) iD Software - CLASS

February  is upon  us, and more news should  come your way next  month.  Enjoy 
the rest of the report.