Amstrad Action


Death Wish 3
By Gremlin
Amstrad CPC464

 
Published in Amstrad Action #25

Death Wish III

Take on the role of Charles Bronson in the game of the film sequel to the sequel of the film Death Wish. Follow that? No, well just you wait till the game Death Wish XVI comes out! The streets of New York are lull of rioters. Being a public minded chap you arm yourself to the teeth with a variety of weapons with which to kill them all.

The screen is split into two main parts. The top shows your view of the streets with rioters, police, old ladies and prostitutes wandering along them. Below this is a status area which shows your score, injury, map, bulletproof vest, weapon type and ammunition. Your score can be positive or negative, depending on how many innocent bystanders you have slaughtered. Injury increases from hits you take and your bulletproof vest gets bloodstained as you are shot.

There are four types of weapon which are a magnum (not the champagne variety), shotgun, machine gun and rocket launcher. The weapons have different effects on whoever is hit by them. The rocket launcher explodes people into a bloody explosion, the machine gun makes them dance off the screen, the shotgun and pistol blow holes in people's backs. They all have a limit to the ammunition which they hold and empty weapons are discarded.

Death Wish 3

The map has two modes of operation which are coded yellow and blue. Blue shows you where to find weapons and yellow shows the location of gang leaders, your main targets.

The animation is simple and the movement of the characters is jerky. The sound is limited to gunfire and a tune which isn't very good. Not really worth the effort.

Second Opinion

I'm not going to be outraged by the ridiculous level of violence in Death Wish III... doubtless many of you will!

Death Wish 3

What does annoy me is that the game is extremely boring. You just wander around shooting people and there's not much incentive to make sure you shoot the right ones. After just a few minutes of turning people into piles of bloody flesh, you'll be turning off.

Gremlin will probably take so much flak for this one that they'll need their own bulletproof vests. Two words sum this game up - mindless and pathetic.

First Day Target Score

10,000 points (+ or -)

Green Screen View

Death Wish 3

Unfortunately, you'll have a clear view of lots of green blood.

Verdict

Graphics 71%
P. Well animated deaths if you care for them.
P. Streets and house interiors are nicely drawn.

Sonics 68%
P. Reasonable tune.

Death Wish 3

Grab Factor 38%
P. To start with it has its funny (absurd) side.
N. You may be appalled by the casual violence.

Staying Power 25%
N. Very boring just killing one person after another.
N. No incentive to keep playing.

Overall 30%
The worst sort of game - boring and in bad taste.

Gary Barrett

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