I'll bet the dolphins look at humans and think, "Evolution? More like de-evolution. Will they ever learn?" Perhaps the apes look at humans and think, "No way are we related to those things!" And computer gamers may look at Microprose's Gunship! and say, "Nope, this is not our father's Gunship." We mammals are among the species with the concept of a memory, which we keep in our brains. We use less than ten percent of these brains figuring out how we can spend our lives destroying the other ninety-plus percent. Beer is usually the weapon of choice, but some use drugs and still others might play Gunship!, if they're in the mood for something painful. This is a title best forgotten, but our memories won't let go, and the question must be addressed about how the famous helicopter simulation legacy can suffer such tarnishing. With the proverbial slap to the forehead, we look at this example of software released too early and ask, "Will they ever learn?"
Yes, the executives of the "big company" strike again, casting upon paying audiences yet another piece of trash. Gunship! is a mess, an absolutely incomplete and awful product. I could end the review here, and it would be complete and accurate. The good reader, however, probably wants more detail, but finding a starting point is difficult indeed. In the interests of being fair, let's start with what the game does right. This won't take long.
Gamers always say, "I'd be happy if [insert name of favorite classic game here] was simply remade with modern graphics." Such a strategy might have served Gunship! well. The graphics are impressive. The object models sport nice detail, and the special effects complement them. Visibility and lighting reflect the time of day, and weather conditions can vary. It's breathtaking to watch your helicopter cruising at treetop level in a balmy sunset, with the sunlight shining off the fuselage, or pressing through a murky morning shrouded in fog and rain. Missile smoke trails are a little funky on my Riva TNT2 card, but they're more than functional. The pyrotechnics are good and black smoke marks kills.
