FailSafe (Atari 7800)

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Atarifever
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Joined: April 12th, 2015, 5:55 am

FailSafe (Atari 7800)

Postby Atarifever » April 23rd, 2018, 8:51 pm

I've been playing this game for about a month now, and finally managed to finish it yesterday (it loops, but there is definitely an "ending" after you stop the missiles). It's a fantastic (and different) 7800 title, that takes some getting used to, but is a lot of fun when you get it.

It's a homebrew sequel to the rather obscure "Countermeasure" on 5200. You make your way slowly around open areas where different terrain types slow you down and through narrow corridors with a ton of enemies in them. The main strategy is to always move in such a way as to end up shooting the enemies from their blind spots.

There are as bunch of powerups throughout the levels. In his review, the critic said you play the same regardless of power-ups, but I didn't get that at all. When I get the invincible one, I run into stuff with the side of my tracks (so as not to pick up a lesser powerup if they drop it) and charge ahead. When I have the speed powerup, I burn through the level. There's a pretty easy way to do this without getting shot, so I ended the game with well over a half hour left on the clock. And the freeze powerup is best used to just pass the enemies by, unless they're cruise missiles, which you always, always need to kill.

This is one of the best games I've played in a long time, but that could be idiosyncratic to me. First, I love games I can figure out enough to finish. Second, I love slow, 2D tank driving games (Combat, Frontline, Ikari Warriors, etc.). Third, it's on the 7800, the best system ever made. So you know, your mileage may vary. Still ,if you have a 7800, you could do a whole lot worse.

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