54 lines
2.9 KiB
Plaintext
54 lines
2.9 KiB
Plaintext
|
|
THUNDER BLADE
|
|
|
|
The package says THUNDER BLADE was an arcade hit. I'll take Sega's word for it,
|
|
because I've never played the arcade version...and if it's anything like the
|
|
home computer version, I don't really want to. (This review is based on the
|
|
IBM-PC version of the game.)
|
|
|
|
Basically, THUNDER BLADE is a helicopter shoot-'em-up with the potential to be
|
|
a good game of its type. There are a variety of different "stages" or scenarios,
|
|
theoretically enough to keep you interested and coming back for quite a while.
|
|
In reality, however, the game left me yawning.
|
|
|
|
Start with the minimal documentation: a single sheet of paper, 8-1/2" x 11",
|
|
with two folds. Read it thoroughly; it takes about 30 seconds, and you won't
|
|
find any mention that the game can be installed on your hard drive, despite the
|
|
fact that the two 5-1/4" diskettes include Install, HDInstal, and Uninstal
|
|
programs. Obviously, this is but a mere annoyance if the game turns out to be
|
|
worthwhile.
|
|
|
|
Graphics? Well, the box says the game supports CGA, EGA, and Tandy 4-color
|
|
modes if you have 512K of RAM, as well as MCA, VGA, and Tandy 16-color modes if
|
|
you have 640K. Although I booted the game with no TSRs or drivers loaded, I was
|
|
unable to display anything resembling the screens on the rear of the box; EGA
|
|
seemed to be the best I could get. Sound is a few bars of music repeated over
|
|
and over, along with a few tinny explosions.
|
|
|
|
The opening scenario has you looking straight down at your copter, which proves
|
|
confusing. Although the size of the targets on the ground changes slightly with
|
|
altitude, more often than not I wound up on the ground and sat there, thinking I
|
|
was a hundred feet in the air. Stage 2 has you looking at your copter from
|
|
behind; this gives you a better idea of where you are, but your view of anything
|
|
approaching you is effectively blocked.
|
|
|
|
Controls are rudimentary. The copter is armed with missiles as well as bullets,
|
|
but the same fire button controls both types of weapons; which one gets fired
|
|
depends on how long you hold the button down. It takes some practice to swoop
|
|
down on an enemy tank and fire a bomb instead of a measly bullet. Combinations
|
|
of joystick movement and fire button #2 control movement of the helicopter --
|
|
which, even on a 20MHz 386, is rather sluggish.
|
|
|
|
The documentation indicates mouse support, but when the joystick was plugged
|
|
in, the program seemed unaware of the presence of the mouse. Frankly, it didn't
|
|
seem worth the effort to reach around to the back of my computer and unplug the
|
|
joystick just to see how the mouse performed.
|
|
|
|
On the back of the THUNDERBLADE box it says, "Find out why it's taking the
|
|
nation by storm." Maybe because we live in a country where "America's Funniest
|
|
Home Videos" gets higher ratings than "60 Minutes"?
|
|
|
|
THUNDERBLADE is published and distributed by Sega.
|
|
|
|
*****DOWNLOADED FROM P-80 SYSTEMS (304) 744-2253
|
|
|