Return Fire

Highly strategic military battle!!


     What do you get when you combine brutally intense strategy with some of the best in game music in video games today? The unbelievable Return Fire, which took home the win in our PlayStation Election '96 strategy section. Believe me, with the amount of game play present, the game certainly deserved it.
     The graphics of Return Fire are definitely not its strong point. Small, lightly detailed sprite vehicles roam on flat terrain, blowing up fairly detailed buildings and helicopters. They do, however, get the job done. Nice details like shrapnel falling into the dirt and splashing into the water make up for the small graphics, which are necessary due to the massive size of certain levels.
     This game could double for a music CD. Fantastic musical scores, from Gustav Holst's "The Planets:Mars" to the William Tell Overture, classical tunes perfectly accompany the on screen action. Each vehicle has its own "theme" song, which fits its characteristics. When one player discovers the other's flag, the Hallelujah chorus sounds. Great effects, such as the skull which laughs at you when you die, just add to the overall brilliance of the game's soundtrack.
     I certainly have never played a game quite like Return Fire. It requires the utmost concentration and strategy, but employs a relatively simple game engine. Though capture the flag has been around for ages, the new twists on that concept which are brought about in this game make it a new experience.
     Controlling your vehicles is very easy in Return Fire, though some vehicles tend to be fairly difficult to control. For example, while the two tanks may be very easy to maneuver, the helicopter and the humvee have cumbersome controls. The humvee will skid and slide out on turns, and since it has no armor, can perish quite easily this way. The button interface is fine, with X shooting straight ahead and Triangle shooting up in the air. Even the split screen mode controls very well, with no sign of slowdown.
     Return Fire is quite possibly the best two player game ever created. The competition level is extremely intense, especially when two experienced players are battling. Sabotage and trickery are key to winning the game, and who doesn't like a little mischief? Overall, it's great in one player mode, but fantastic for two players.

And now for the grades...


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