Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf Longplay (Mega Drive/Genesis) [60 FPS]

Описание: Developed and published by Electronic Arts in 1992.

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Having covered Urban Strike and Jungle Strike in previous videos, it seemed silly not to return to the classic that started it all, Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf.

Designed by Mike Posehn and John Manley and principally programmed by Posehn, Desert Strike took the shooting genre in a much more considered and strategic direction than previous titles in the genre.

Released at the same time as Operation Desert Storm during the Gulf conflict, the game underwent design changes to place the game in a realistic military setting that the public at large were all too aware of. The game was criticised on release by certain groups for capitalising on these real-world events. Putting these issues to one side, it's this same setting that lends Desert Strike a level of authenticity and structure that was lacking in the subsequent sequels.

You assume the role of a top attack chopper pilot in charge of an Apache AH-64 gunship, tasked with completing a series of campaigns to liberate a small Emirate from the forces of General Kilbaba. While the mission structure and design is consistent with other games in the series, Desert Strike is more sand-box and free-form in it's approach than it's sequels.

At the start of each campaign, you receive a briefing that details each mission that you're required to complete. Despite being given a recommended order of completion, there's nothing to stop you completing the majority of these out of order. Of course, you run the risk of encountering "Danger Zones" where enemy armour and fire power is increased significantly if previous objectives have yet to be completed (such as early warning radars being active), but adept pilots can often find angles of attack to take out objectives despite the additional risk; finding optimal flight paths is all part of the fun.

You will find allied ground troops (MIAs) engaged in gun battles with hostile forces as you travel across the map and it's completely optional as to whether you intervene or not. Eliminate the enemies and you can bring these troops to safety at one of the designated landing zones. Not only does this earn you bonus points, each rescued soldier or civilian will repair part of your Apache's armour. It pays to rescue the MIAs as you might locate one of the game's missing co-pilots; these guys improve your gun accuracy and winch speed, so it's well forth taking the time to find them.

As is common with the series, you have limited ammunition and fuel and you must keep a careful eye on both resources whilst playing. Although ammo crates and fuel barrels can be found at landing zones and certain strategic locations, many more can be found by blowing open supply depots and buildings. One of the few annoyances I have with the game is that it demands you blow open buildings to hunt for resources, but it penalises you for destroying civilian structures and these often look identical to hostile or otherwise valid targets.

Of all the games in the 16-bit Strike series, this seemed to be one of the toughest. Your Apache carries fewer hydra rockets than the later games and many of the military vehicles you face do more damage and have tougher armour. Enemies encountered later in the game (Crotale) can out-range your chopper's guns and missiles and require the player to dodge their missiles whilst closing in for the attack.

On a technical level, much of the groundwork for the later games in the series is laid here. The excellent player tracking camera and momentum physics are present and the handling of the Apache just feels right.

There are noticeable periods of slowdown when the screen gets busy, but it never really hinders the enjoyment of the game; in fact, it can make avoiding enemy fire easier at times as it gives the player more time to react.

The game features some decent sound effects and some great music courtesy of Brian Schmidt and Rob Hubbard (of C64 fame!). Sound was never the Mega Drive's strong point, but what is on offer is more than adequate.

Desert Strike looks, sounds and plays extremely well and bares the hallmarks of what you would consider a triple-A title of it's day; something that would be born out by the critics reviews and sales. The inevitable sequels are great fun to play, but Desert Strike's sense of place within the real world meant that players could relate more easily to what was taking place on screen; perhaps this is why it remains my favourite of all the Strike games.

It's perhaps unsurprising to find that, following registration of a trademark during 2013 for Desert Strike by EA, there's the possibility that we might finally see a return of this classic series of video games.
#retrogaming