Zzap


Line Of Fire
By U. S. Gold
Commodore 64/128

 
Published in Zzap #71

Line Of Fire

A group who possess more military hardware than the US Army. Both commandos are armed with unlimited ammo machine guns and a couple of smart-bomb grenades. Each player has just one life and a health bar (improved with medical packs). The game's main innovation is that you walk forward *and* turn, swinging all the graphics around.

There are eight levels in all, each with a mega-challenge at the end such as an aircraft dropping dozens of troops. Levels include the jungle, desert and canyons as well as travelling in a speedboat and flying in a jet!

Robin

Both conversions have made a brave attempt to translate the coin-op's novel 3D rotation system, the C64 game being quite impressive on level one (but not two). However, there are so few enemies and dull end-level confrontations that the whole game feels completely lifeless. The Amiga version almost suffers from too many enemies, but apart from the above-average 3D (at the cost of blocky graphics) there's little to commend it with dull gameplay.

Stu

Line Of Fire

Line Of Fire looked awesome in the arcades, and it was always going to be a struggle to convert it. The Amiga version predictably comes closest to the coin-op with plenty of speed and an almost overwhelming number of enemies. However, the graphics are a little blocky and it's all a bit too hard.

Without the coin-op's stunning graphics, the repetitiveness of gameplay is obvious. This is even more the case with the C64 where, though the 3D effect is quite impressive, there are simply too few enemies to make an exciting game.

Verdict: C64

Presentation 32%
One/two players, multi-loaded levels and no continue plays.

Line Of Fire

Graphics 37%
Reasonable 3D, some good enemy sprites.

Sound 33%
Mediocre title tune, very basic in-game FX.

Hookability 30%
Level one is too easy and too long.

Line Of Fire

Lastability 35%
While later levels are tougher, excitement is low with so few enemies.

Overall 32%
Dull.

Verdict: Amiga

Presentation 78%
Lengthy intro, interlevel screens, one/two players, mouse/joystick, shared continue plays.

Line Of Fire

Graphics 74%
Unimpressive static, but they're better moving and there's plenty of baddies to shoot.

Sound 59%
Mediocre title tune and FX.

Hookability 67%
Easy to get into, but not compulsive...

Lastability 58%
...and a bit repetitive. But there's lots of levels.

Overall 65%
A brave effort.