Amstrad Computer User


Guerrilla War

Publisher: Imagine
Machine: Amstrad CPC464

 
Published in Amstrad Computer User #51

Guerilla War

You play the role of a crazed hairy primate intent on destruction of mankind. Armed only with explosive bananas, you must avenge the destruction of the rain forests. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen - SNK chose to spell it Guerrilla, so the insane monkeys are out, sadly.

We are still in the tropics, but rather than a holiday in the sun, it is an oppressive line in dictatorships. The masses starve while the evil general lives in the lap of luxury, eliminating all who speak out against him.

All hope has left the island (in a small rowing boat with only three days' supplies). Only a miracle will save the populace.

Guerrilla War

What is this speeding towards the shore? Could it be a small boat containing two crack marines armed to the teeth and trained to kill? Pretty close - these guys are armed to the nose and they're gonna show that no scuzzball dictatorship is gonna make no appearance in their game lessen it's being wasted by them.

A welcoming party is lined up on the shore, Kalashnikovs to the fore, the intention being to avoid any liberation attempts. After several loud bangs the marines make their way towards the dictator's pad.

There are weapons to be had among the remains of the welcoming party; either a handydandy bazooka or a roasty-toasty flamethrower. Both of which are strong arguments in favour of liberation.

Guerrilla War

But soft! What lump is this that on the horizon stands? It is a tank, complete with ignition keys. You can hop into one of these and play a game of Squish the Opposition, popular in late '60s Vietnam. Running Out of fuel or being grenaded can prove slightly fatal, so it is best to look where you are going.

All this stuff sounds mighty familiar if you've ever played lkari Warriors. SNK seems to like this general plot because the company has done three variations on this same theme.

If you have to copy a plot, you will not get much better than this, but third time round it begins to pall, even if Guerrilla War does have the vast technical advance over lkari Warriors.

Guerrilla War

Yes, we have had to wait two years to get a horizontal scroll to go with the vertical one. We are talking serious progress here.

Although Guerrilla War is Cliff Richard's fave coin-op no kidding - Sentient Software hasn't done it any good in the conversion. OK, so we have several squillion k of memory less here, but everything goes at roughly the same rate as an arthritic flatworm. It also flickers while it is about it, and uses a desperately slow multi-loader system.

The graphics are crude. The sound is adequate - the tune is quite good - but sound cannot make a game.