Computer Gamer


Breakthru
By U. S. Gold
Spectrum 48K

 
Published in Computer Gamer #22

Breakthru

Your country's guerilla leader has managed to get himself captured (Well, it makes a change from princesses!) some four hundred miles behind enemy lines. As rescuing him is supposed to guarantee world peace, it would seem to be a noble gesture to volunteer to rescue him.

The Army has you in 'the world's most sophisticated vehicle'. I can only assume that their advertising blurb was written by an estate agent wearing rose-tinted glasses, for this vehicle turns out to be no more than a jeep with a gun!

OK, so it does have the ability to bounce or fly for short distances, but, on the other hand, it can be taken out by the lowliest infantryman equipped with a pop gun. Heaven help you when the enemy starts attacking you with flame throwers, helicopters, missiles and tanks.

BreakThru

The terrain is divided into five different areas. Mountains, complete with landslides, is the first stage followed by a mined bridge. After that, there is only the prarie, the city and the airfield to survive. Use of the keyboard is strongly recommended. Try using a joystick without suction pads and the spacebar on an old rubberised Spectrum keyboard and you'll soon see why.

The game is very long and difficult but fortunately you can make it easier due to the inclusion of a very helpful bug. Just keep your finger on the spacebar and your jeep bounces merrily through every conceivable hazard. Driving on air, through water or a hail of bullets suddenly becomes no problem. Admittedly, you don't score anything but it does give you a chance to reach those parts of the game you wouldn't normally see

There seems to be a spate of this type of game at the moment and Breakthru could equally well be christened Green Beret in a jeep. I found that this version was too long and difficult to be particularly addictive and the relatively small graphics do little to add to its appeal.