Battle Command

If the tanks succeed, then victory follows

Late last year I planned to feature BattleZone but couldn't get to grips with it no matter how much I tried. I found it sluggish with lifeless controls that didn't feel right. In fact, I hated it and came away quite upset by this deduction. However, I still had an urge to jump into a tank and kill something with a big gun! How was I going to scratch this itch?

Of course, it can only be Ocean's very own Battle Command - which I've recently bought. The story goes that two factions are at war, and we are in control of a heavily armoured Mauler who must complete a variety of different missions that have us trawling the landscape looking for enemy tanks to shoot. And much more. But let's not kid ourselves! Yup, let's stop right now because this is basically a shameless BattleZone ripoff and it appears proud of it too.

Okay, before we begin, Battle Command is crammed with cool spinning 3D objects. Like this one...

I think this is excellent and shows they went the extra mile but not at the expense of gameplay.

Let's take it for a test drive

First, the controls are absolutely superb so it was easy to control my tank using the mouse for acceleration, turning and firing. It's worth taking the time to arm your tank properly and I had a preference for heat-seeking missiles. Inside the game's box is a nifty reference card that details the extras like: the damage display, a detailed map, and the chance to view our tank from outside - this offers cool perspectives, if kinda pointless. But I loved it all nonetheless!

For those who value a challenge, there is a huge mission selection ranging from the starter levels, through to more advanced tasks like protecting a bridge, accompanying a transport, and even recovering a U-Bomb! Before any missions, the briefing screen will detail the necessary information and weaponry options - accompanied by more 3D animation. Don't let the thought of tough missions fool you, this is an arcade game through & through.

Unlike Battlezone, this game has a nice framerate to compliment the controls and mechanics. You can take this game seriously, but, it's also fun roaming the landscapes looking for enemies. The difficulty is always challenging throughout the many assorted ranges of different missions so you're never likely to get bored. And, if you require even more of a challenge, then Battle Command will not disappoint as it features many strenuous missions to test your nerve.

This game isn't just an arcade blaster, it's much more. So let's celebrate with some more cool 3D...

You wouldn't believe how much swirling 3D there is!

Aesthetics

Battle Command has excellent 3D which reminds me of a cross between the obvious - along with Mercenary for some peculiar reason. I was hooked from the moment I saw each mission's 3D imagery swirling. Seeing our tank dropped into play by an aeroplane clinches it!! The in-game framerate isn't exactly Resolution 101 but everything is smoother than many games and the enemy crafts are great up close. It's an understatement to say I admire the graphics!

Music is amazing on the title whilst the game begins to show off its 3D. Sound effects during gameplay are good but certainly nothing like Starglider, for example. They do their job well enough to break the silence.

Right, let's take a look at some of these gorgeous graphics. Carry on scrolling...

Screenshots are great but this looks even better moving in-game!

Another mission begins and I admire the beautiful intro.

Don't dawdle and keep your wits about you at all times!

The CryptO'pinion?

Battle Command is a great tactical shoot 'em up and a lot of fun but, it's not perfect. What I didn't like was the immense size of the play area which felt like a slog for my little tank (and now I sound like Hubert Gruber!). This means opponents feel like they're a zillion miles away - not good for a 320x200 display to cope with. Also, making distant attacks would be impossible but for some suspect collision detection - that actually balances things out rather well. Hmm...

With the bad stuff out of the way, I enjoyed BattleZone... oops... Battle Command. This game is a stonker and I've enjoyed blasting everything in sight. Even the trees feel the wrath of my uncontrollable insanity. Battle Command is adventurous and bucket loads of fun with eloquent controls. A brilliant action shooter and one of the best in my collection.

Get it downloaded (floppy or hard disk) and then jump inside your tank to kill every last enemy!!

There's nothing quite like flaunting your Atari ST collection! :D

This is the reference card I previously mentioned.