Computer Gamer


Stealth
By Ariolasoft
Commodore 64

 
Published in Computer Gamer #8

Stealth

Stealth suggests to me creeping up quietly with an evil intent. Certainly there's evil intent about but as for creeping up quietly, no way!

The Black Tower must be destroyed but first it is necessary to run the gauntlet through the defences in glorious 3D action. As you skim the landscape in your Stealth Starfighter destroying radar towers and fighting back against scout planes, tanks, fighter planes and bunkers, the energy cells in your ship are being drained heavily and need recharging. Fortunately, there are yellow energy fields to be scooped as you graze across their surfaces, avoiding the red negative fields which sap power alarmingly.

At higher levels heat-seeking missiles home-in as you weave your way through dormant and active volcanoes, always with the tower looming up in the distance.

Stealth

At first I was tempted to write ths game off as a good game with nice graphics and very little else. Then I discovered level three at full speed. Quick reactions and accurate firing become the main requirements with the enemy craft zeroing in mercilessly. The missiles look incredibly good as they approach from the distance and hopefully miss their mark.

As you watch the distance between the Stealth and the Tower decreasing, you find the need to zigzag and take detours both to avoid tight pockets of enemies and to collect energy. With luck, the distance narrows to within shooting range and you watch satisfied as the tower is destroyed and you see your Stealth shoot off into the distance and arc up into the skies.

The graphic effects in the game are masterly, giving a real feeling of a hostile 3D world and the speed of the scrolling is extremely fast. Although a basic shoot-'em-up, this gets the adrenalin flowing especially the higher levels where everything is thrown at you bar the kitchen sink.