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Review: BattleZone 1998 - Part 1

© Dan Finkelstein

Developed by Atari in 1980, the original BattleZone will always be remembered as one of the first video games in existence, along with such classics as Missile Command, Asteroids, and Tempest. The basic idea — put the player inside a tank and have him blast enemies — was a simple yet addicting formula. It was an instant hit: for a quarter you could ride a tank simulator — there was even a rumor that if you drove in one direction long enough, you could reach the ever-present volcano in the background and drive into a castle.

While the castle may be long gone, the simple, addicting action of BattleZone had been remade into a 90's version of the arcade classic. Does it live up to its namesake? The answer is, unfortunately, no, but it's a good try.

The remake of BattleZone by Activision seems to go with the notion that 90's gamers are more sophisticated and want different kinds of games than gamers in the 1980's. However, I suggest that is not always the case. BattleZone 1998 is a curious mix of a first-person action game, a strategy game ala Command & Conquer, and a wargame like Civilization. What results is an odd and very difficult game.

The designers of BZ 1998 even tried to slap a story on the game, involving you and the moon, and astronauts, and Russians, and political and military scheming. It's all very nice, but doesn't add anything to the game itself.

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