Ocean
£10.99 cass (128K only)/£15.99 disk
Reviewer: James Leach
When Arnie says 'I'll be back' he really means it! T2 has got to be biggest, most amazing-looking film ever - the sort you watch about seven times, then go and get on video. So you can imagine how much I was looking forward to seeing the Ocean game. And, as if by magic, here it is.
Right. Terminator 2 is one of those famous Ocean three-games-in-one jobbies. I think the best thing would be for me to sort of look at each level. So, er, I'll just do that then, shall I? Good.
Level One is a bit of a punch-their-heads-in game. You're all alone in the corridor with Mr T1000 who is made of a weird mercury-type substance which, when bashed, globs back into its proper shape. You're both trying to smack each others metallic brains in and, being Terminators, the violence level is remarkably huge. It's a great section with plenty of neat effects, bits of the T1000 reform as different shapes and his arms turn into spikes and so on.
HASTA LA VISTA, BABY!
At the bottom corners of the screen are two piccies of the T1000 and Arnie. As they get bashed around, their skin drops off (eurrggh) and the insides of their faces show through. Nasty, eh?
Get through Level One and you find yourself on a motorbike with John Connor (the lad you're trying to protect) on the back. It's a vertical scroller and is as fast as a weasel with tummy troubles. You view your bike from above and behind you is the T1000 in a rather scary lorry, trying to rum you down. What a cad, eh? This levels very, very fast. By my calculations, you've got about 0.13 of a second to avoid all the wrecked cars and the pools of oil that lie in your path. If you've got good reactions, you're gonna love this!
Right, if you get through that little lot okay, you're onto Level Three. Here you've got to do a bit of an op on Arnie's arm. It's one of those difficult arrange-the-squares puzzles with an evil time limit which'll have your hair falling on the floor quicker than you can say Duncan Goodhew. The display is really swanky, and the joystick movement works well too. Yep, those bods at Ocean certainly know how to string a game together!
Level Four is a bit like Level one, except that T1000 is a tad tougher. Bash him 'til he gives up and runs away. And that's it basically. It all looks very nice and everything, but you've seen it all before.
Level Five now. Rearrange the blocks (yes, just like Level Three) 'til' Arnie's face is in one piece. It's even harder than Level Three the truth be told. There are lots of great colours here, so crank up the contrast on your telly for this bit. But, arrgghh! That blasted me limit - it gets me every time!
Level Six sees you in a van on a vertically scrolling road. It feels a bit like, you guessed it, Level Two. It's just as fast, but its got different graphics and the T1000 is in a helicopter, trying to ram you. But nay fret. you've got target crosshairs and you can blast that molten dude to kingdom come. It's a very slick level, is Level Six, so you'll have lots of fun with it!
Level Seven is the last level (phew) and it's another fighty one. The T1000 has lost his powers to regenerate, so every smack you give him weakens the nasty fellow permanently. But he's still a bit hard, what with his spiky arms and all, so take a care.
AND THAT'S THE LOT?
How much do you blimming want? Seven levels, based on three types of gameplay, is a lot of code, Each level is different enough to get into (so you won't get bored) and the game is just so jolly quick that your heart will pound and your sweat will flow. (Not mine, matey. Ed) if you've got a good joystick, you probably won't have by the time you finish playing Terminator 2!
Any criticisms? Well its a blasted difficult game to beat. The scrolling bits are the hardest, but the fighting sequences aren't exactly a pushover either. If you don't complete the puzzly bits in the time allowed you still recover energy for your battered and knackered Terminator, depending on how many pieces you managed to get right. Useful, if not downright blimming vital, I'd say.
Yep, T2 is an absolute corker of a stormer of a multi-level game. You really need to have seen the movie to understand what all the bits mean, but of course you can still play and win without having to sit glued to the cinema screen for a couple of hours. If the game was a wee bit easier, at least on the driving level, it might have made Megagame status. But that, and the fact that each level does sort of repeat, means that it falls short by a degree or two. Still, if you're an Arnie fan (and let's face it - who isn't? Ed), you'll love it. 48K dudes will be dead annoyed that it isn't available on their machine. Upgrade now, guys!
REPLAY
And a personal hello to carpet-fitter Bernard Opportunity of Dalton! (He's the only one who ever reads this box, you know.)
The Hit Squad
£3.99
061 832 6633
Reviewer: Rich Pelley
Just as Arnie's films have increased in expense and box-office takings over the years, so have his games increased in size to the extent that the last two weren't even 48K-compatible. And they almost got things right with Total Recall - obviously cos it was Arnie game they had to include a little man running around shooting things. But, with a maze of platforms to negotiate and objects to collect, the mindless violence of an Arnie film was at last woven successfully into a respectable and playable game.
Not so with Terminator 2. As the film was full of special effects, it seems Ocean decided that they should also try to give their Speccy conversion a rather special look too. Level One is a head-to- head beat-'em-up with an Arnie sprite which looks and moves so much like Arnie. Those who are familiar with the film will delight as T1000 s (the baddy's) arms metamorphosise into two spikes and try to stab you (just as they did in the film). Unfortunately, this beat-'em-up frenzy takes place at about 0.00001 mph rendering the entire level totally unplayable.
Then there's Level Two - a naff old Spy Hunter drive-your-bike-along- a-scrolling-road level. Level Three is the only highlight - another chance to have a go at a computerised version of one of those slidey puzzle games, rearranging Arnie's hand and Arnie's head. But two good levels out of seven doesn't really make much of a game. Ignore T2 and put the money towards a copy of the video instead.
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