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Publisher: Electronic Arts Developer: Electronic Arts Genre: Action Everything about this game is great. Excuse me for gushing, but when you come across a game that’s as fun to play as Soviet Strike, and great looking, you really sit up and take notice. Electronic Arts deserve a lot of praise for this puppy. A continuation of the popular 16-bit Strike series, Soviet Strike puts you in the cockpit of an Apache attack helicopter, equipped with Hellfire Missiles, Hydra Rockets, and of course a mean machine gun. Terrorists have taken over five areas of the former Soviet Republic, and it’s your job to get in and complete various missions, like rescuing POW’s and capturing enemy agents. This is more than just mindless shooting, although there’s plenty of stuff to blow up. You’re given a finite amount of ammo, fuel, and armor, which must be managed to make it through all of the missions in each region. Supplements are placed strategically throughout the landscape according to mission, but must be used conservatively. Once you’re out, you’re screwed. Unlike most games, where the enemies are just sitting around waiting for you to show up, Soviet Strike makes deft use of a sophisticated AI program. The entire battlefield has been set in motion, and sequences will be carried out, regardless of whether you are there or not. Soviet Strike also requires you to employ some strategy, like taking out the enemy radar before you go blasting into an encampment. Once you’re detected on their radar, they will become more powerful, and reinforcements will be called in. The foot soldiers will even run away when they realize they’re losing. Then you get to chase them into the woods and mow ‘em down! And, bonus! Soviet Strike looks as good as it plays. The landscapes are gorgeous, having been created by wrapping aerial photos over polygonal maps. The towns and buildings are all highly realistic as well. Even the FMV, which is generally considered to be a tool of the devil by the editors here, works well, providing stylish mission updates and information without slowing the game down. What else needs to be said? Soviet Strike is an intelligent, well-thought out game that blows most other action games out of the water.
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