65 lines
3.8 KiB
Plaintext
65 lines
3.8 KiB
Plaintext
|
|
|||
|
|
AIRSTRIKE USA
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Another release in Cinemaware/Spotlight's budget "European games" series,
|
|||
|
|
AIRSTRIKE USA fails to intrigue either as an arcade game or as a flight
|
|||
|
|
simulator. A hybrid product that features stripped-down elements of both game
|
|||
|
|
genres (as well as some minor strategy), AIRSTRIKE USA is likely to satisfy no
|
|||
|
|
one. (This review is based on the Amiga version)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The first, most apparent aspect of the program is that it's clearly an attempt
|
|||
|
|
to make money from the success of MicroProse's F-19 STEALTH FIGHTER. The premise
|
|||
|
|
is the same -- you're in control of a "21st century advanced tactical fighter"
|
|||
|
|
-- and the screen layout is a rudimentary imitation of the one featured in F-19.
|
|||
|
|
There are three Multi-Function Displays (MFDs), each of which can be altered to
|
|||
|
|
display one of four different kinds of screens; other controls and visuals also
|
|||
|
|
resemble those found in F-19.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
However, the huge difference between AIRSTRIKE USA and F-19 is that the former
|
|||
|
|
features almost _no_ real strategy or tactical simulation. True, there are a
|
|||
|
|
number of different maps available to fly across, each featuring a different
|
|||
|
|
layout of targets and enemy planes; and the plotting of your course to avoid
|
|||
|
|
interception takes a little planning. But the actual missions consist of nothing
|
|||
|
|
more than following an HUD cursor to the target, choosing air-to-air,
|
|||
|
|
air-to-ground, or cannon weaponry, and firing away as soon as "lock on" appears
|
|||
|
|
on one of the MFDs.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
A "report" on the progress of the war occurs at the end of each mission, but
|
|||
|
|
this consists of nothing more than a tally of how many enemy vs. friendly items
|
|||
|
|
have been destroyed during the mission, and an overall tally of which side is
|
|||
|
|
winning. None of this really matters much while playing the game, and serves
|
|||
|
|
mainly as an elaboration of the usual High Score table presented at the end of
|
|||
|
|
the average arcade game.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The flight simulation, as well, is absolutely minimal. At best, the plane is
|
|||
|
|
really a warmed-over AFTERBURNER jet; air-to-air combat consists of little more
|
|||
|
|
than the same kind of mindless firing at enemy aircraft. The scrolling,
|
|||
|
|
checkerboard ground terrain is smooth, and the terrain-following computer makes
|
|||
|
|
for a nice, bouncy ride, but terrain bumps serve only as opportunities to crash
|
|||
|
|
the plane. Both the player's plane and the enemy aircraft are small, bit-mapped
|
|||
|
|
2-D images onscreen, and reflect a lack of imagination in either drawing or
|
|||
|
|
control. Little in the way of flight simulation is apparent, as the plane has a
|
|||
|
|
very narrow limit in terms of vertical movement (again, like AFTERBURNER).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Even as an arcade game, AIRSTRIKE USA fails to impress. There are many arcade
|
|||
|
|
games available for the Amiga that feature more complex, interesting animations,
|
|||
|
|
more challenging gameplay, and more variety in the targets, terrain, and control
|
|||
|
|
features. Air-to-air combat is limited to steering the plane to the right or the
|
|||
|
|
left of the screen until a target is locked on, and then pressing the fire
|
|||
|
|
button. Nothing happens fast enough to excite.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
AIRSTRIKE USA comes on one copy-protected floppy disk, and also requires a
|
|||
|
|
document check before the game can begin. Control is via the joystick and/or
|
|||
|
|
keyboard, and the game runs in 512K on any 68000-based Amiga. The copy-protected
|
|||
|
|
disk must be write-enabled in order to save any progress made in the game.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
I recommend this program to no one: There's just nothing going on that could
|
|||
|
|
conceivably entertain you in any way. It's a shame that Digital Integration, the
|
|||
|
|
company responsible for one of the better, more realistic air combat simulations
|
|||
|
|
on the market (F-16 COMBAT PILOT), has given its name to AIRSTRIKE USA. It's a
|
|||
|
|
mystery why anyone at Cinemaware/Spotlight wanted to import the thing.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
AIRSTRIKE USA is published by Digital Integration and distributed by
|
|||
|
|
Cinemaware/Spotlight.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|