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DESERT STRIKE (SMD)
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Publisher: Electronic Arts.
Developer: Electronic Arts. Released: February 1992. Genre: Isometric shoot 'em up. Other versions: PC; SMS; GG; SNES; GB; AMI; LYNX. Posted 15th November 2020. By Tom Clare © 2020 |
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Since the very beginning, video gaming has been centred around the ever-present pillars of escapism and enjoyment. Shoot ‘em ups especially so, with releases seeking to soften the spectre of violence through a historical, fantastical or cinematic filter. For years after its original release, there was a veritable army of games queueing up to ape Space Invaders, an alien invasion set in (what we can only hope is) the very distant future, before Medal of Honor, Battlefield and a legion of other turn-of-the-millennium shooters would flip chronological perspective on its head, making light of historical conflict. During the early nineties, shooters weren’t typically gunning for realism or contemporary relevance. This makes Desert Strike singularly unusual, in that it achieved both.
Whilst the game appears a mirror of the US’s military involvement in Iraq, this was to some degree an accident of design, as Desert Strike was originally based on the civil war in Lebanon1, that came to a close around eighteen months before the game released. It sees the player piloting an Apache helicopter in a sequence of campaigns set in the Gulf region, as you seek to depose tinpot dictator and certified madman General Kilbaba. Desert Strike’s most striking feature is its weighty flight controls, that are challenging yet incredibly rewarding. Using momentum to your advantage is a facet of mastering the Apache’s mobility, which with sufficient practice can be piloted to loop around targets, evading ground defences and providing opportunities to take them down without suffering too many dents in your armour.
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It isn't all about carpet-bombing a fictional region of the Middle-East, you know. Look closely and you'll find pilots and reporters who need rescuing
Each of the four campaigns is a mini-marathon consisting of lots of action and plenty of planning. There’s a glut of objectives that include destroying satellite arrays, rescuing UN weapons inspectors, gaining intel on terrorist cells, locating downed pilots down in the region, as well as the need to neutralise various roaming enemy artillery. Unlike a lot of games that feature helicopters or military exercises, it doesn’t overcomplicate things. Desert Strike doesn’t bog the player down in paperwork, there aren’t endless reams of menus or tutorials to wade through. One of its greatest facets is that, despite a consistently challenging nature, it’s very accessible.
The sense of freedom the player is afforded is really special. Each map is huge and contains not only a swathe of primary objectives, but a host of side-missions and secrets too. Inflicting carnage via hellfire and hydra missiles is encouraged, as decimating buildings regularly yields ammo, fuel and armour. Short-term planning is vital, as these three commodities are scarce and easy to burn through. Be warned though: its non-linearity flatters to deceive, especially during the early stages of a campaign, as going off-piste to attempt missions out of sequence is met with considerable resistance.
The sense of freedom the player is afforded is really special. Each map is huge and contains not only a swathe of primary objectives, but a host of side-missions and secrets too. Inflicting carnage via hellfire and hydra missiles is encouraged, as decimating buildings regularly yields ammo, fuel and armour. Short-term planning is vital, as these three commodities are scarce and easy to burn through. Be warned though: its non-linearity flatters to deceive, especially during the early stages of a campaign, as going off-piste to attempt missions out of sequence is met with considerable resistance.
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Before each campaign, the player is given the choice between a handful of co-pilots. They aren’t just for show either, they’re one of the game’s smartest features. Depending on your pick, you can expect varying degrees of shooting accuracy, range of fire, as well as the efficiency with which they work the winch, used for collecting armaments and personnel. This small touch is indicative of Electronic Arts’ attention to finer details around the time, which was already setting apart its 16-bit ice hockey and American football games from the competition.
Desert Strike features the kind of strong visual design we’d come to expect of Electronic Arts during the early nineties, making effective use of a muted colour palette and excellent, realistic-looking sprites. The four campaigns are set during the morning, afternoon, evening and night-time, providing for an impressive contrast of appearances as the open expanses of the early missions gradually give way to more imposing, built-up surrounds. The presentation of the entire package is supreme, top to bottom. From the fantastically dynamic title screen to the information screens detailing the co-pilots’ attributes, the slew of useful maps and mission descriptions which help the player stay on top of what needs to be done, it’s superb.
It sounds brilliant too. The soft patter of the chopper is spot-on, as are the wooshes and booms of missiles and gunfire hitting home. Rob Hubbard's title music is instantly identifiable to its composer, with its full-on, noise ‘n’ twangs cacophony inescapably reminiscent of the Road Rash intro theme.
Desert Strike features the kind of strong visual design we’d come to expect of Electronic Arts during the early nineties, making effective use of a muted colour palette and excellent, realistic-looking sprites. The four campaigns are set during the morning, afternoon, evening and night-time, providing for an impressive contrast of appearances as the open expanses of the early missions gradually give way to more imposing, built-up surrounds. The presentation of the entire package is supreme, top to bottom. From the fantastically dynamic title screen to the information screens detailing the co-pilots’ attributes, the slew of useful maps and mission descriptions which help the player stay on top of what needs to be done, it’s superb.
It sounds brilliant too. The soft patter of the chopper is spot-on, as are the wooshes and booms of missiles and gunfire hitting home. Rob Hubbard's title music is instantly identifiable to its composer, with its full-on, noise ‘n’ twangs cacophony inescapably reminiscent of the Road Rash intro theme.
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Sound familiar? Desert Strike's Gulf War topics would come to reflect both current and future conflicts in the region
A password system offers some welcome respite between levels. None of the four campaigns are hellishly difficult if tackled in the right order, but the player’s chances of success are bolstered by practice: learning where potential hazards lie and where extra provisions can be unearthed. It’s as rewarding as it is compelling, but with only three lives with which to tackle each mission, they’re no pushover.
Almost thirty years on, Desert Strike stands out among its contemporaries. It’s gritty visual design and open-ended approach made for a rich experience that was packed with great gameplay and a strong but fair challenge. With isometric shooters drifting out of existence before the end of the decade, it comes to feel a far more singular, distinctive and remarkable shooter than could have been predicted at the time. In some small way, Desert Strike marked a coming of age for the portrayal of war in video games.
Almost thirty years on, Desert Strike stands out among its contemporaries. It’s gritty visual design and open-ended approach made for a rich experience that was packed with great gameplay and a strong but fair challenge. With isometric shooters drifting out of existence before the end of the decade, it comes to feel a far more singular, distinctive and remarkable shooter than could have been predicted at the time. In some small way, Desert Strike marked a coming of age for the portrayal of war in video games.
1Thorpe, Nick. “Ultimate Guide: Desert Strike”. Retro GAMER #154. April 2016: p.64.
Rignall, Julian and Leadbetter, Richard. “Review: Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf”. Mean Machines #17. Febraury 1992: p.18-21.
Rignall, Julian and Leadbetter, Richard. “Review: Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf”. Mean Machines #17. Febraury 1992: p.18-21.
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VERDICT
"Packed with great gameplay and a strong but fair challenge. Desert Strike remains a remarkable game and, in some small way, marked a coming of age for the portrayal of war in video games" OVERALL: 9/10 |