Stryker's Run

Stryker's Run features probably the best graphics ever seen on the BBC Micro; the action is intense and the animation is superlative.

The battlefield graphics include cities, edifices, wrecked buildings, trees, gravestones, bridges, despatch-posts, military bases, helicopters and jet ships, with hills and mountains in the background. The Master-enhanced version also includes statues, watch-towers, a neglected cafe, a deserted cinema, aircraft hangars, aeroplanes, trucks and tanks.

You control Commander John Stryker, commissioned to take top-secret information to the Allies' HQ. Your character in the game can jump, run, duck, fire his laser pistol and throw grenades. He can also board aircraft and fly them, making use of their more powerful weaponry.

The Story

For many years, a war has ensued between the Allied Nations and the Volgans. The battle was reaching a stalemate position, but recently the Allies through good intelligence work and some luck have managed to obtain the plans of the Volgan's next offensive. If the Allied Forces can capitalise on these plans they can end the impasse and the war. You play the role of Commander John Stryker commissioned to take this top-secret information to the Allies' HQ.

The Game

You can jump, run, duck, fire your laser pistol and throw grenades. You can take nine hits before you are killed; your hits-status is shown at the top-left of the screen. On your journey across the battlefields you will find various air vehicles, which you can enter and fly. You may utilise their superior weaponry, but remember different vehicles have different abilities (e.g. some climb faster than others, some only fire lasers and do not drop bombs). All air vehicles have a limited amount of fuel.

Along your path you will also meet Allied soldiers (in green uniforms) and Volgan soldiers (in white uniforms), and you will see air vehicles battling against each other. Sometimes it is useful to let Allied soldiers do some fighting for you.

Your opponents, the Volgans, have a variety of weapons at their disposal comprising rifles, pistols, grenades, machine-guns, mortars, mines, helicopter gunships, rocket launchers and SAM missiles.

Watch out for the land mines!

Game Controls

You control Commander John Stryker via the keyboard, defining your own keys or using preset ones which are as follows:

Cursor Left - Move Left, Cursor Right - Move Right, A - Jump/Move aircraft up, Z - Duck/Move aircraft down

SHIFT - Fire pistol/aircraft's gun, DELETE - Throw grenade/drop bomb from aircraft, CTRL - Enter/leave aircraft

P - Pause (Any action key to restart)

Loading

Tape: CHAIN"" (RETURN)
Disc: Hold SHIFT and tap BREAK to boot.

Game Credits

Game Author: Chris Roberts
Graphics: P. Mellor, N. Elms & Chris Roberts