C&VG


Pegasus Bridge

Categories: Review: Software
Publisher: PSS
Machine: Commodore 64/128

 
Published in Computer & Video Games #80

Pegasus Bridge

Pegasus Bridge is still there if you look for it, actually two bridges side-by-side across the River Orne and Caen Canal, a short way in from the beaches of Normandy. Before dawn on D-Day, 6th June 1944, men of British 1st Airborne Division were dropped by parachute and glider to capture those two bridges, and destroy the six bridges across the River Dives a short distance away, so preventing the Germans from counter-attacking as the first Allied landings took place. It was a confused and desperate battle, fought by isolated parties of a few hundred men, with the arrival of reserves from one side or the other swinging the decision either way. But by the end of the day the British had achieved all their objectives.

A small unit action like this is one of the most difficult of all battles to computerise. But Pegasus Bridge does it brilliantly. This is a one- or two-player game, and the computer as opponent can be set for three levels not of difficulty, but of aggression - it will use different tactics depending on the choice. So, the player can defend with the Germans against the high aggression of the Airborne forces if he wishes. The suddeness of small unit action is reflected in high casualty rates and rapid movement, although the game mechanism itself can be a little slow-moving.

This is an excellent game of an exciting and unusual battle, and very good value indeed.