Zzap


Cabal

Publisher: Ocean
Machine: Amiga 500

 
Published in Zzap #59

Cabal

It's off to Panama lads, or at least some non-nuclear armed Third World country where the military can flex its muscle without incinerating everyone.

Once again, funds are tight so just two macho commandos have been despatched, with an infinite supply of bullets and a limited number of grenades. Unlike Operation Thunderbolt, the twenty screens have static backgrounds. Enemy soldiers hide behind the planes, houses, bushes and warehouses. A damage indicator at the top of the screen shows how your personal 'apocalypse now' is going - you can only progress to the next screen by blowing up enough buildings and soldiers. After every four screens a super-baddie, such as a heavily armed helicopter, comes out to play.

Both commandos are on-screen, and can be walked left or right with a gunsight floating before them. Holding down fire freezes your man, allowing you to move the gunsight freely. Some of the baddies throw out icons for extra grenades, points and mega-weapons.

Phil

Cabal

After Operation Thunderbolt, this is a bit of a backward step for Ocean. That's not to say it's a bad game: the frenetic shoot-out action is enjoyable, especially with a friend. But it soon gets repetitive and, with the appalling main sprites and bland backgrounds, it's not a patch on the C64 version.

Stu

While the programmers have managed a good conversion of the arcade game, when the original coin-op is so dated this isn't saying too much. After Operation Thunderbolt, a static screen, mediocre graphics, and banal end-of-level baddies are disappointing. Gameplay is by no means bad, merely okay, but for £25 you expect a lot more.

Verdict

Presentation 69%
Nice title and inter-level screens, simultaneous two-player option.

Cabal

Graphics 67%
Dull backdrops, good enemy sprites although player sprites are poor.

Sound 50%
Mediocre title tune, average spot effects.

Hookability 64%
Immediately playable.

Lastability 59%
A lot of levels but gameplay hardly varies.

Overall 62%
A competent conversion of a dated coin-op.