IS IT because war is so much fun that we turn it into games?
Or is it because we play so many war games that we go so eagerly
to war?
These were some of the more serious thoughts sparked off by
playing Software Invasion's game 3D Bomb Alley.
Mind you, there isn't too much time to think when you're actually
playing the game!
The scenario is obviously based on San Carlos Bay in the Falklands.
Your fleet is at anchor in a narrow sea inlet and you are under
attack from enemy planes. These appear in the far distance but
rapidly grow larger as they near.
To defend yourself you have to throw up a barrage of anti-aircraft
fire.
The trouble is that, although you can miss the planes, if they
get through they don't miss you.
You get an extra ship for each 10 planes downed and the game
ends when you've lost your last ship.
It's a simple game with nice graphics and adequate instructions.
The way the planes appear in the distance and then grow larger
is a good technique but it's annoying when they slow down and
even appear to stop when under fire. You can almost feel the micro
thinking.
At first I thought that that would mean a slow game, but I soon
learned differently as the planes came at me five at a time.
It's a simple game where the main difficulty comes from the
increasing number of enemy planes. If you like action where quick
reactions are at a premium then this is one for you.
Eileen Young
