ST Format


Thunderstrike
By GBH Gold
Atari ST

 
Published in ST Format #34

Thunderstrike

If the software houses are to be believed, all we're going to be doing in the future is engaging in violent and complicated cybergames involving planes, robots and money. Thunderstrike is yet another futuristic gameshow setup, in which contestants clamber aboard their minimalist collection of dithered polygons - colloquially known as a ship - and attempt to fry each other's bottoms, figuratively speaking. Actually, they attempt to fry the drones generated by the somewhat aptly-titled drone generators scattered around the arena, while simutaneously defending ground installations, attempting to knock out the generators and cooking a boiled egg.

You, of course, play one of these drones. No, sorry, you play the pilot of a ship. There are five craft available, with their own pros and cons (go-faster stripes, spoiler, that sort of thing) and five arenas over 50 rounds. 3D is the order of the day, but it's a little confusing at first because, instead of seeing the view from the cockpit of your craft, you see your craft directly in front of you responding to your movements.

The graphics aren't spectacular, but they zip about quite quickly - enough to get you confused, at least. The sound effects deserve a mention because they're so awful. As the massive power burst that's your shot emerges from your ship, it's accompanied by a ridiculous "plock" sound that curls up and dies as soon as it hits the air. Pah.

Good, solid blasting, but nothing to keep you up nights.