doug@edge.UUCP (Doug Pardee) (09/27/88)
[f u cn rd ths thn my news link is *finally* back in operation!]
Title: Starglider
Type: Aerial Combat Arcade - 3D Line Graphics
System: Commodore 64 disk.
Publisher: Rainbird Software (British Telecomm)
Price: $30 discount
Overall Grade: C+
Starglider is seriously overpriced. At $30, I expect a lot more than an
arcade game, even one with 3-D graphics. But that's all that Starglider
is -- an ordinary multi-level arcade shoot-em-up enhanced by fancy graphics.
Yes, the graphics are really impressive. The 3-D out-the-front-window view
is done with 3-color line drawing with hidden line removal, and some of the
targets are animated. The fixed graphics (instrument panel, etc.) are a
work of art, with gray levels utilized to provide curved surface shading.
But $30? For an arcade shoot-em-up?
Also, Starglider suffers in the translation from the Atari ST to the C-64.
Originally designed to be controlled by a mouse, the joystick handling
leaves much to be desired. Worse, on the ST they had a synthesized voice
warning you if you flew too low, but on the C-64 you get no audible
warning at all so you have to watch the altitude bar constantly.
Editorial comment: I consider the title "Starglider" and the description on
the package to be a bit misleading. Starglider has nothing to do with stars
or space: you don't go into space, you won't see stars. The only extra-
terrestrial references are in the title and in the description -- the planet
you're flying over isn't supposed to be Earth, and the enemy you're fighting
isn't supposed to be native to the planet. Starglider is a fighter plane
simulation nearly identical in handling to the original Skyfox.
In fact, if you're looking for a 3-D aerial combat arcade shoot-em-up I'd
recommend that you get Skyfox instead (it's going for $10 these days). Then
if you really really like Skyfox, you might consider buying Starglider.
Especially if you can get it at a reasonable price.
--
Doug Pardee, Edgcore Technology (formerly Edge Computer), Scottsdale, AZ
{ames,hplabs,sun,amdahl,allegra}!oliveb!edge!doug uunet!ism780c!edge!doug