Nuclear Strike 64 Review
The guys' at THQ bring us this stomping great game, in which the fate of the world is left in the hands of the N64's players. :)
Just because the cold war may be over, that doesn't mean we still can't enjoy a good old-fashioned battle! Anybody who tells you that the possible threat of a thermo-nuclear war is over is either a complete fool, an enemy, or both! The antagonistic terrorist in Nuclear Strike 64, are a group who've made it their goal to start the ball rolling in which could lead to their final and terrifying goal - starting World War III, in which they intend to destroy the world. This foolishly misguided group of terrorist are being led by a madman who goes by the name of Colonel LeMonde. Colonel LeMonde was rumoured to have stolen a tactical nuclear device and made off into the deepest regions of the South-East Asian jungles where he had set up camp. The special international operations strike team that you are a part of, are completely unregulated in any way what so ever to any government. It is the job of you and your comrades to make sure that in no uncertain terms, WWIII does not become an horrific reality! ...the pressure! Do you really think you are up to the challenge?
Being as this is far from a helicopter simulator, Nuclear Strike 64 uses a third-person perspective and primarily, it plays as an all out action packed shooting game! You'll need to be pretty quick on the strategic front though, Because the mission-based levels require resources management and the ability to think ahead. Sure you'll be blasting opposing forces into tiny little smouldering pieces, but you really must keep an eye open for ammo and fuel, because the damn things run out to quick! Oh yeah, you also need to keep your eyes peeled for any POWS. In it's entirety, there are 15 scenarios. These begin in a Tropical paradise in the South seas, and end up in the dense jungles of South-East Asia. The environments are really immense, and I don't think you'll be disappointed. But luckily Pacific Coast Power & Light Co, have made our lifes a little easier by adding a compass that always gives you your correct orientation to simplify navigation. Strike Team members will pilot more than 10 vehicles. These include, Apache helicopters, Harrier jets, Tanks, and Hovercrafts.
Basically, I think the control method is brilliant. The helicopter's really easy to handle, since the game automatically adjusts the height of the helicopter as you fly. Meaning, it's impossible to crash into the ground or any other kind of obstacle that could be out there. The Z and R buttons allow you to strafe left or right, which is ok for avoiding enemy fire... An Automatic targeting system takes over when you get close to enemies, but you can override it if you want to, by pressing C Up. You'll know your enemy's energy status because the targets are colour-coded, which really helps you conserve your ammo by choosing the right weapon for the job! I must admit, I would have preferred a larger selection of camera angles, as on numerous occasion some of the targets have been blocked by the helicopter. Don't let this put you of though. Because, as you get a feel for the game, I'm sure your confidence will grow in leaps and bounds as far as killing the bad guys goes. I know it's unfortunate that Nuclear Strike 64 is missing a multiplayer mode. But hey, is it worth quibbling over such a trivial little matter? The single player game is so engrossing, it should keep you so into the game, you won't even worry about it! And for all you guys who can't get enough... There's Three difficulty settings, to challenge all you die hard Nuclear Strikers who just can't get enough. There's no way that you could possibly go wrong with the menu options, because it's basically fool proof. Depending on what screen you're on, it will show you what button to press in order to progress or take a step back to the screen of your choice. It will show you by, stating the relevant buttons on the bottom of the screen that you need to press in order to make your chosen selection.
Visually, I think that Nuclear Strike 64 is a feast for the eyes! I can't fault it! The graphical style of this game seems to be extremely detailed, and successfully convinces you of the fact that you are supposed to be hovering over land and water. I like the little details. Like, for example, when you do a sharp turn over water, sometimes the rotor blades will cause a ripple in the water. And I do mean sometimes. I've only ever managed to do it accidentally. I think that the rotor blades don't effect it's surrounding environment half as much as they should do. But, then again, there are More plus sides than minus, because I think the explosions an shockwaves are amazing and should keep you glued to your seat for quite some time! As I said before, it's a definite feast for the eyes! The quality of the sound is also top rate. I can't say that I've ever been in a battle, but when you really are in the thick of it, with missiles grenades, bullets etc, going off, you'd most probably think something like, "heh, cool"! I know I do. I'd say it sound's real good, looks real nice and is generally put together extremely well.
The N64 Expansion Pak allows you to enjoy Nuclear Strike in a medium resolution, as well as providing all you N64 gamers with an improved frame rate thanks to the extra memory provided.
I think this game will keep you entertained for absolutely ages. I know that whenever I turn it on, I just shut off from the outside world and get sucked right into it's little world. I mean, it's just one of those games, that when you start to play, you slowly stop noticing people around you, and basically become a totally ignorant git! :0)
After all, who the hell wants distractions from friends and family when you can have as much fun as you can while playing this. I like it, because you can either follow the plot to actually get on in the game. Or if you don't care about progressing - Like me half of the time - then you can just go around shoot anything with a pulse, or without!
heheh! After all, who need houses? heheheheheh!