From: mpon@gmuvax2.gmu.edu (Malcolm "Mao Xiansheng - Mr. Hair" Pon) Organization: The Amiga Online Review Column - ed. Jason L. Tibbitts III Subject: MINI: Predator 2 Keywords: game, arcade, commercial Path: menudo.uh.edu Distribution: world Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.reviews Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga.games Reply-To: mpon@gmuvax2.gmu.edu (Malcolm "Mao Xiansheng - Mr. Hair" Pon) --text follows this line-- Game Title: Predator 2 Publisher: Konami Retail Cost: ~$30.00 My Cost: $15.00 My Source: Software Etc., Bargain Shelf Game Type: Scrolling Shoot-em-up Number of Players: 1 Number of Possible Computer Players: 0 Simultaneous Play? N Required/ Possible Controllers: Mouse or Joystick Number of Floppies: 2 Hard Disk Installable? N Are Floppies in DOS1.3? N Game DOS2.x compatible? Don't know Protection Scheme: Non-standard Disk Format/Black on Red Lookup Floppy Switching Required? Y Memory Required: 512K Computer Used for Review: A500, 3Mb, Bodega Bay, GVP SeriesII HC+RAM 52/2, Supra2400 Modem, Star SG-10 Printer Multitasking? N Description: This game is apparently based on the Movie. I didn't see this one. I saw the first Predator, which I enjoyed. The basic premise of this game is that you have to must survive through 4 levels of scrolling shoot-em-up, very reminiscent of the arcade game, Operation Wolf. Shoot good weapons and ammo to collect them, shoot bad guys, try not to shoot by-standers. Shoot away incoming bombs, grenades, and knives. The documentation apologizes for the disk format, but says it was done that way so that Floppy users would have minimal disk-swapping. I wonder, though, why the second copy protection (Lookup) is required. As many reviewers before me have complained, it is damned hard to see the black printing on the dark red paper. If you don't have good lighting, you can just forget about getting past that part of the program. Despite my misgivings about the copy-protection and non-hard disk installability, the game is good. Disk loads are relatively fast, and there's no introduction or graphics that you can't skip by with a push of the fire button. Graphics in play are good. You can even see a hint of the Predator in the first level, as a distortion flickers by, or his neato 3-beam laser guidance focuses in on a bad guy. If you're unfortunate enough to actually hit the Predator while he's cloaked and stalking, he responds in kind with one shot at you. In the earlier levels, you just see him (according to the docs - I haven't gotten past level one yet), but he's actually supposed to come out and kill you in the end (unless you can take him out first). The controller takes just a little time to get used to. The manual recommends using a mouse, which seems best, but you have to get used to the way your crosshairs just whiz around the screen. Eventually, though, you do, and you're taking out bad guys right and left. That's about it for this game. I'd recommend it, especially at a bargain basement price. Thrifty me, I wouldn't buy it any higher than $15, but that's just my call. Standard Disclaimer: I, Malcolm Pon, am not part of any publishing group. I post these reviews for information, only, and though I try to be as accurate as possible, I deny any responsibility for any inconvenience or damage my errors might lead you to. Also, I am not interested in receiving any flames regarding these posts. If you don't like them, avoid them. I will try to post these reviews within a week from when I purchase or receive software. If I make any inaccuracies, I will do my best to correct them in further posts. -- Malcolm K. Pon "How many Elephants is that?" Internet: mpon@gmuvax2.gmu.edu - Anneliese F. Hopwood GEnie: ETERNITY "Only AMIGA makes it happen." "Makes WHAT happen?" Undergraduate - George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia Department of Chemistry