Return Fire - PC Review - Gamecenter

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Return Fire
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CNET Gamecenter Review
By Hugh Falk
(10/22/1996)

Just like movie buffs often reminisce about stars of the silver screen, game buffs like myself reminisce about the split screen. Some of you might remember it--a technique devised by early game programmers to allow two people to play using one monitor.
author's quote Alas, just as black and white gave way to Technicolor, the split screen has been replaced by modems, serial links, LANs, and the Internet. Sure, you can still find split screens on consoles, but a modern PC split-screen game is as hard to come by as a modern black-and-white film--rare, but not extinct. Just like Hollywood gave us Clerks, GT Interactive Software now gives us Return Fire, a split-screen game that ranks with the stars of old.
simple is good
Return Fire shines because of its excellent gameplay and utter simplicity; it's little more than a mechanized version of capture the flag. There are four vehicles for battling opponents: helicopter, tank, armored support vehicle, and jeep. The helicopter is the most mobile but has the lightest armor and weaponry. The tank has better firepower but sacrifices speed. The armored support vehicle is the slowest of the group but boasts the best armor and firepower. The jeep is nearly defenseless but is necessary to transport an exposed enemy flag to your base. You must control one vehicle at a given time and use its guns, missiles, mines, or grenades to destroy the enemy and bring home their banner.
screen shot I must admit, capture the flag lost its thrill the day I discovered the more immediate rush produced by Pop Rocks and Pepsi. However, Return Fire rekindles the excitement of a more innocent age. First there is the challenge of mastering each vehicle. The jeep and helicopter are especially difficult to control. But once you are proficient with all modes of transportation, the game becomes highly addicting. Choosing which vehicle will best counter your opponent's tactics adds a touch of strategy to an otherwise arcade-like game.
rumble at recess
The flag you are attempting to capture is hidden in one of several towers. When you destroy the right tower, the enemy flag emerges from the rubble. You must then return to your underground bunker, hop in a jeep, and collect your prize. In the meantime, your adversaries can grab the exposed flag with their jeep and move it. Other nuances include laying mines, avoiding missile-lobbing auto-turrets, inflating the jeep's tires to float on water, and avoiding an indestructible submarine when too far out to sea. The combination of simplicity, surprise, and more than 100 different maps make Return Fire the gaming equivalent of Pop Rocks and Pepsi.

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Return Fire

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