Special Forces

I ain't gettin' on no plane!

Microprose Special Forces is the 1992 sequel to Airborne Ranger, which I have never played. Anyhow, this is also a semi-realistic action simulator that puts us in charge of an A-Team group of elite soldiers. These tough nuts love getting sent on various dangerous missions in the world's nicest places. They love it, trust me.

Hey, I posted about Special Forces in our Box Art section a few years ago, check it out :)

The game begins with what I can only describe as a wonderful intro! This animation illustrates the soldiers arriving by helicopter and then being dropped into a dense jungle. These guys have 16 missions throughout different parts of the world, be it desert, ice, jungle, or temperate. Only four from your team can be selected for each mission and it's your task to kit 'em out correctly according to mission requirements.

Special Forces is a combination of action & strategy; learning curves are usually tough for the genre. Thankfully, Microprose has provided four difficulty levels so it's worth starting out as a lamer - officially called 'conscript'. That means you have an upper hand with a more forgiving game that uses better weapons, easier enemies, and a map detailing targets. This is excellent as it allows you to master the game at speed.

This game will eat away the hours. Still interested? Good, read on...

Having cleared the area of all enemies, I feel a need for reconnaissance to see what lies ahead.

The entire southeast is now free from baddies but, looking at the map, I've still much to do!

Getting to grips

The action is controlled using the joystick so easy to manoeuvre my gang of elite soldiers. Unlike Gauntlet, these soldiers won't immediately face in the required direction but will rotate/turn around. Their current facing direction is indicated using an 'X' pointer which might be discerning at first, especially when the enemy is up close.

Optionally, the F10 key will toggle between snipping/movement mode which is worth experimenting with before rushing off like Rambo... See which method you prefer to use, especially during the heat of battle?

The keyboard is also used to provide extra functions, which is something I found particularly frustrating. At first, it was bewildering for my old brain, so I dug out pen and paper to jot down what I felt was a priority to get me started. Let's take a look at the basics to get you through the initial games without dying...

For any mission, get your bearings by hitting the UNDO key to display an overhead map of the warzone. As you will see, your men are shown along with the surrounding area with key places, be that the enemy complex, bridges, trucks, etc. Any red dots are enemy soldiers that are within earshot so beware. Hitting the 'I' key will show more of these red dots based on the latest Intelligence - use this feature as much as possible!

This map can also be used to travel great distances setting waypoints by hitting the spacebar and using your joystick. However, I wasn't fond of this feature because it left me unnerved as I prefer to be in control rather than watching my men wander off. But that's just me being a control freak?

As you can see, the map is an incredible tool and so invaluable. Use it for anything you can, planning safe routes, attacking, creating safe zones, it's all up to you. Of course, it helps with mission objectives like knowing just where to plant explosives for example. Basically, if you don't use the map then you're a fool.

Hitting UNDO again returns you to the action. Now press the HELP key for a map of the immediate surroundings as an in-game window - so helpful. Now you can select which team member you wish to view/control using function keys F1-F4 (press twice to control). Key 'A' will select automatic weapons, key 'R' for rifles, and key 'G' for grenades. The weapons your men have at their disposal depend on their individual skills:

Pistol - is a good weapon with plenty of ammo and a lot more accurate than I imagined.

Machine gun - it's fun spraying bullets like one of the A-Team. But it's also very loud...

Machine/Rifle - a good backup when other weapons have run out of ammo (IMHO).

Grenade - this blows stuff up very well. Just get your aim right!

Law Rocket - Holy Moly don't get too close!

LTD - Laser Target Designator, used for airstrikes.

Explosives - lay a bomb, walk away, and when ready, watch the firework display.

Don't be blown away by information because this game rocks. Let's check out some more screenshots...

I should use explosives to halt enemy soldiers from getting across the bridges and surrounding me.

As you can see, I've cleared the east and destroyed all bridges, but my team is hurting and tired!

Play the game

So let's begin a game. There are lots of missions but it's best to start at the beginning and work your way through in order. Read the dossier and note any details you think will be handy before deciding which soldiers are best for the mission. Each soldier has their own special abilities, skills, and fitness levels. Decide based on the current mission demands. Tool them up accordingly - guns, explosives, etc... Think carefully.

When in enemy territory, don't rush off like a headless chicken, seize the opportunity to view the map to get your bearings. Each mission takes place over a ginormous area with enemies hiding in the brush, patrolling, or haplessly wandering (argh, I hate those trigger-happy dudes manning the gun turrets). The map also displays essential places for the mission, like enemy bases, bridges, rivers, roads, supply convoys, etc.

Watch out that someone doesn't sneak up on you while you're thinking about your next move. If they do, why not use your explosives expert to destroy a bridge to cut 'em off? You won't want the fight coming at you from multiple directions so learn to control the action. Just a tip to get you started ;-)

Special Forces splits you in two: one part is a Commander deciding what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. The other is a capable soldier, blowing stuff up, and rescuing people. Hey, remember there is no 'I' in team, so think as a collective rather than solo. Why not lay traps or use a soldier for reconnaissance?

Whatever mission you send the boys on, get a grip on the joystick controls and the method of quickly flipping between soldiers. Not only that but also flipping between the different weapons that each soldier is carrying. Periodically check the map to see what dangers and points of interest are in your local vicinity.

The beauty of Special Forces is that you're in charge whatever the circumstances and that's all within a free-roaming world. There are different types of missions with each presenting a wide range of potential problems and their solutions. You will probably spend lots of time studying the map and planning? I hope.

And with that in mind, it's time for more screenshots that I took with my phone...

This sounds too good not to attempt, and it's a night so I need stealth and explosives?

Okay, the boys have arrived safely but it's dark and there are many dangers across the "water"

Graphics

I gotta say that I love the styles employed by Special Forces. Each terrain perfectly looks the part, especially the Arctic regions. Attention to detail is superb no matter where you happen to be so it's easy to tell that a lot of effort went into designing these locations. I also appreciate the subtle extras like shadows to add depth.

The sprites are well-animated but hardly a requirement for a game like this where you don't want the enemy to be hanging around too much! Thanks to our angled point of view, it's always funny to see the soldiers wobbling as they walk. Scrolling is good in all directions but you have the option to press F9 at any time for 60Hz.

However, the top-down view might work great, but it's a little close. I would have liked it zoomed out because this might prevent me from accidentally walking into a turret or hidden ambush. Perhaps I'm being picky?

Yeah, I usually am so with that in mind, let's view some more screenshots...

Another day, another mission. Unfortunately, I'm in the heat of the battle right from the start!

It's a heavily fortified island and I figured it might be a good idea to first cut two supply routes...

Sounds

After a fantastic intro, there is no music beating out from your Atari ST. Not even during the menus, which is where you spend lots of time tinkering before commencing a game. That's a shame, I'd have loved something YM'y to listen to whilst I kit out my men. The silence here is disappointing if I'm honest.

In-game, it needs to be all about the sound effects to help represent what's currently happening in the environment. Sadly, there are no samples of gunshots or muddy footsteps as you wade through a swamp or dense woodland. In fact, you will mostly get to hear gunfire from yourself and nearby enemies taking potshots. Regardless, I am glad there's no music as I would have needed to disable it to concentrate.

Argh, the audio could/should have been better so let's cheer you all up with a shot of my ST setup...

The manual isn't the most helpful and can feel bloated with unnecessary information.

The CryptO'pinion?

At first, I was unsure about Special Forces because there are initially so many keys to learn and the manual isn't the best (quite dispiriting if I'm honest). Plus I wasn't sure about the point of view as I often got attacked by off-screen enemies. Also, I was dismayed about the lack of health kits so once your soldier is critically injured you may as well keep him safe somewhere or send him to the drop zone - I guess that's realism for ya!

Once past the hurdle of learning the keys, I began to relax and enjoy the game for all the tactical joy it possesses. Each mission is its own giant adventure of pain and misery! Being out in the field is a thrill because the world is immense. It's up to you how to play, either devise a route or calculate how you're going to cope against an overwhelming enemy. Or perhaps sneak through picking off the enemies one by one?

Special Forces isn't faultless but it's thrilling and captivating. An engrossing adventure deep in exploration, tactical strategy, and action. I rate this as one of the best war games I've had the pleasure to play.