Mass Destruction

It's quite refreshing to see a game that lives up to its name. NMS Software's Mass Destruction plays just like it reads, and does a darn good job, too.

As the hero on a mission of mayhem, you're strapped into a supertank, and you need to blow up everything in sight. That simple. Tank games have been around for as long Atari's Combat, but nothing's played as well as Mass Destruction. Graphically, it's literally a blast, with highly detailed worlds and flame effects that look better than anything ever seen on a Saturn. In fact, with the exception of transparent buildings, the Saturn version looks better than the PlayStation version.

As you reach later levels, you'll realize the game isn't a mindless orgy of destruction. In fact, it's quite a cerebral game of twitch tactics. The tank's control is excellent, and the ability to turn the turret gives you a huge edge over the enemy. However, your enemies are no pushover. NMS has designed a smart bunch of baddies. Soldiers are smart enough to lay ambushes and run away from you before the tank can run them over. Tanks will retreat behind cover if you fire at them, and try to find ways to flank you before you can emerge from cover. As a result, you'll discover that the various weapons left for you on each level aren't left there by accident. Sometimes, they're very necessary to accomplish certain objective on a mission.

When first playing the game, you'll realize there are a lot more puzzles and depth to Mass Destruction than you might think. Sadly, seven or eight missions later, you'll realize that you can usually pass levels by levelling the level. It's saddening to think that even violence can get tiring after a while, but hey, the thousandth man you've ground to a bloody paste under your treads just doesn't have the same magic. Mass Destruction is good in small doses, but will make you sick if you glut yourself.