Commodore User
1st March 1989
Categories: Review: Software
Publisher: Mastertronic Added Dimension
Machine: Commodore 64/128
Published in Commodore User #67
Action Force (Mastertronic Added Dimension)
This was licensed from the people who made those miniature Action Man Figures, the same company which ruined 'Battle and Action' as a comic with tons of crappy advertorial about them.
The game was reasonable - chunky but pleasant graphics and horizontal shooting with helicopters and jeeps. Not really worth wasting three nicker on.
Pastfinder (Mastertronic Added Dimension)
Another ex-Activision game this one, ex by about four years. You pilot a Leeper craft over a vertically scrolling landscape. You can shoot away the opposition, but the idea is to pick up artefacts, extra firepower and shields.
It looks pretty dated now but the game's still surprisingly absorbing and could be worth shelling out for.
Heavy Metal Paradroid (Ricochet)
Well I'm not so sure about the title unless it has something to do with the robot's weight, but Paradroid is one of the best games ever to surface on the C64.
All the robots in the game number from 001 to 999 in terms of shields, weapons and energy, and you as a 001 are sent aboard the transport ship Paradroid, in a convoy of seven, in order to neutralise the rogue robots aboard.
As well as the shoot-'em-up which is the most predominant part of the game, there is the transference, a sort of strategy mode whereby you try to capture the mind of an opponent droid.
The graphics are fantastic, complementing what is still the best scrolling routine on the C64. Great sound effects too.
Definitely a winner! Re-release of the month (again).
Turbo Esprit (Encore)
A dream car, a drugs hail and lots of innocent bystanders make up the fun in this ex-Durell game. The plot involves you chasing round the streets of some city in your armoured Lotus chasing after a drugs van, all very well you might think, but play it this way and it becomes rapidly boring, so... waste the civilians!
You can have a great time stopping at a zebra crossing and waiting for some poor sap the cross, the accelerate or hit him with the machine guns! You can rack up penalty scores in their thousands.
Overall, not as good as the Spectrum version, but if possible give it a look just for the laugh.
Hardball (Kixx)
It's a poor month for original budget software, but that's made up for by the quality of many of the re-releases. Hardball was one of Accolade's early sports sims, devoted to baseball. And as such it's still one of the best (well, at least until Cinemaware get their oar in).
Hardball has a twin screen approach, nice detailed graphics for the pitching and hitting, and then it switches to an overhead of the field when the ball is hit.
Worth having if you're into Yankee imperialist sports.
Little Computer People (Ricochet)
This was a revelation when it came out, and nothing has really been done like it since. Programmed by David Crane, it provided the owner with the high-tech equivalent of a goldfish bowl - a little bloke in this own house doing his own thing. It was a brilliant concept and considering the limitations of memory a superb piece of programming.
You could get the guy to play piano and type you letters. You could even pet him with a little lever that extended by his armchair.
A superb re-release - if only they'd produce an Amiga version!
Dan Dare II (Ricochet)
Dan Dare, a perennial childhood favourite since the Fifties was given a new lease of life when he was licensed to be a computer game. In short, the Mekon is back again, green skin and all, and you must stop him by getting to the heart of his base by destroying lots of foetuses. Pretty run of the mill stuff.
If you've got the first one (also on budget) you might like this however. If you haven't get Dan Dare Mk1, then think about the sequel.
Chase (Mastertronic)
This latest Amiga offering from Suede Head Andrew Wright at Mastertronic leaves a lot to be desired. First off it's just too fast to be played easily. All the graphics in the game are vectors, and very well handled they are so fast.
The levels are very Star Wars-esque. Level one is an asteroid field, in level two you have to avoid the towers on the planet, whilst in level three you fly down a winding tunnel. Level four - avoid oncoming obstacles in a trench.
Programmed by Mike Sutin (father of The Kristal) Chase is a very poor offering and one we can't really recommend.
Other Reviews Of Action Force For The Commodore 64/128
Screenshots
