Zzap


Robocop

Categories: Review: Software
Publisher: The Hit Squad
Machine: Commodore 64/128

 
Published in Zzap #80

Robocop

Serve the public trust, protect the innocent, upload the law... strong stuff! The sort of things box-office blockbuster movies are made of, not to mention the inevitable spin-off computer game.

Gameplay is incredibly varied, featuring horizontally-scrolling scenes in which you blow away all the bad guys, an Operation Wolf-style bit where you must shoot a hostage-taking thug without hitting his unfortunate captive, and even an early version of Ocean's now obligatory puzzle sub-level. Full marks to Ocean for making sure the game closely follows the film plot too - I hate games that sell on a film licence but do sod all with it.

Robocop scored a massive 89% in Issue 47, surprising since neither Gordo or Matt was that gushing with praise. Two years on, the game looks a little dated. The backgrounds are well drawn, but garishly coloured and they sometimes hide the bullet sprites.

Incorporating the 'jump' function into the same controls as 'fire upwards' was a mistake, but you quickly get used to it. Far more worrying is the occasionally wonky collision detection, which sometimes leaves you unsure of whether you hit your target or not.

For all its faults, though, Robocop is still a damn good game. The main sprite is very well drawn, and animates perfectly. The action is non-stop, and the game's toughness makes you want to keep on playing rather than give up in frustration, while the sheer variety of it all should keep you interested for some time to come.