Review by Richard Brindley Name: HyperBlade Publisher: Activision. Format: CD Available: Now Requires: O/S: Windows 95 Processor: Pentium 90Mhz RAM: 16MB Graphics: SVGA (DirectX 2.0 Compatible), Direct3D optional CD-Rom: Double Speed (300K/s sustained) Soundcard: 16-bit Soundblaster compatible Tested on: O/S: Windows 95 Processor: Pentium Pro 200MHz RAM: 256Mb Graphics: 8Mb Matrox Millenium + Orchid Righteous 3D CD-ROM: Toshiba SCSI 12 Speed Soundcard: Soundblaster AWE32 + Yamaha DBXG50 Controls: Keyboard / MS Sidewinder Pro Gamepad
Hockey?
He's given me a bl**dy hockey game to review. I mean, this sort of thing's really my cup of tea, you know; in between bouts of multiple frags in Quake DeathMatch, shooting crocodiles in Tomb Raider, wiping out marauding aliens in Scorched Planet, and screaming around not-so-deserted mines in Descent II, I've always got plenty of time to fit in a game of hockey, now, haven't I? Now, ice hockey, that's a different matter; it brings out the animal in you, doesn't it, and you just know that in five minutes time, a bunch of heavily padded guys are going to be beating the sh*t out of each other. Now that's what I call sport, not some namby-pamby game of hockey.
Later...
Oh, man, I only just scraped past him there...now, a quick Speedburst - damn, he's right behind me - better head for the Turnstile...YES! Got you you bast! Now, just the goalie to go...aaaaagggghhhhh!!!!!! What the feck was that? The bast had a proximity mine, didn't he? I'll get him next time. Now, where's the damn rok got to? Ahhh, I see, it's behind me. Well, a quick shimmy up this wall, a smooth 180 turn at the top, grab that Swarf, nearly there...NOW, side-punch, he's dropped the rok, change players, pick it up.....goalie's coming out... a swift pass...SHOOT....YES! That'll teach the basts to scrag me with a Killball Charger.
Ahem
Oh, sorry, still there, are you? What? I said it was a girly hockey game? Naaaahhh. Skill, this is.
[Get on with it -Ed]
Oh, yes, sorry, the review.
Not a girly hockey game
Oh no, sirree, it isn't. Let me see, how do I describe HyperBlade? You Rollerblade? You know, the film where there was the "skate around an oval track, try to put the ball in the opponent's goal, kill anyone who doesn't get out of your way" game? Loosely speaking, HyperBlade is a "skate around a (shaped like an empty baked potato skin) field, try to put the rok (futuristic ball-type thing) in the opponent's goal, kill anyone who doesn't get out of your way...no sod it, kill them even if they do get out of your way" game. And it's fun.
The obligatory intro
It is the year 2065. You are one of the sporting elite, a player in the Transnational HyperBlade League, battling for the World Championship against 11 of the toughest, dirtiest and deadliest teams ever to skate onto a drome. Your opponents will try to stop you any way they can - even if it means taking off your head in the process. But you can get the edge. Skate, pass and score your way to victory. Or simply fight your way to survival. It's all up to you.
What's fun about it?
You control a team of four "dromers", of whom two are on the pitch at any one time, who's aim is to score as many goals as possible, while conceding as few goals as possible, and maiming and killing as many opponents as possible. Just think of it as if you're team is Wimbledon FC, and you're Vinnie Jones on skates, and you'll get the picture. The teams compete in a drome, a large concave hemisphere approximately 220 feet long, 135 feet wide and 70 feet deep. The dromes contain objects of various types that enhance game strategy: some are obstacles, some provide weapons or increased scoring ability, and some give a player a temporary power enhancement. While scoring is what wins the game, HyperBlade teams are allowed - in fact, encouraged - to use physical intimidation and brutal fighting tactics to achieve victory. Any and all fighting activities (such as punching, slashing and tripping) are allowable tactics. For example, scoring with an opponent's decapitated head results in a 4X scoring bonus!
Winning the Game
There are two ways to win a HyperBlade game. Firstly, you win if you end the match with a higher score than your opponent. Secondly, you can also be awarded a win via the "Wipe Out" rule if you kill all four opposing forwards and then score a goal.
There are 12 teams in the Transnational HyperBlade League. Each team's full roster is quite small, with only two starting forwards, a starting goalie and two replacement forwards on the bench - five players in all. Usually, the starting forward positions are played by one fast, small offensive specialist (the striker) and one strong, heavy defensive specialist (the defender). However, there are no rules which enforce a division of duties for the forward position, so a team can choose forwards with any set of skills it deems desirable.
Because of the bruising nature of HyperBlade, substitutions are allowed at any time within the game. Players must consider going to the bench and conserving their strength to avoid becoming fatalities, especially over the course of a full season. The prospect of serious bodily injury or imminent death encourages many dromers to adopt a "kill or be killed" style of play.
You can substitute your current player for whoever is on the bench. By default, you start each game with your two starters, and the two "scrubs" are on the bench. While a player is on the bench, his/her health rating slowly improves as time elapses. After a period break, all players are restored to full health.
Action!
This game is action, action, action all the way...no storyline to get in the way, no temptress to lure you off the straight and narrow path, just the sheer exhilaration of fast-moving graphics (Ninja PC), a thumping dance soundtrack (streamed from the CD), and the thrill of speeding around, mixing skill with sheer brutality. The in-game sound effects (blades scraping against the field, players bumping into each other, you're head being separated from your neck by a sword...) are very well executed - they're all 16-bit stereo samples, and you can tell the difference. Nice crowd noises, and the occasional opponent telling you to "die, scum" (and your team mate shouting at you to "get up") add to the overall feel of the game.
Exhibition
There are two types of game you can play; Exhibition or Gauntlet. Exhibition is a kind of "friendly"....er, shall we call it "foely", where a single match of four five-minute periods of time are played; this is a great way to learn how to play the game, and learn those special moves. Gauntlet, however, is a kind of "super league" on acid. In order to beat the gauntlet, you must defeat each team one by one, in a computer-chosen order; if you lose or tie a game, you have to start all over again. If you lose any of your players due to, say, death, that player is gone for the entire rest of the gauntlet. For this reason, it is critical to track your players' health levels during the game.
Game objects
Let's have a look at what those naughty people have left lying around:
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Ramp |
A ramp provides an easy way to get airborne quickly and make spectacular jumps. Use it to make up ground, and to avoid objects and opposing dromers.
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Turnstile |
A turnstile is a rotating object with razor-sharp blades. It can be used by experienced dromers to elude the opposition. Skate through the arm to make it swing, and watch it hit the players who try to follow you through! Be careful if your health level is low - you may lose your head if you run into the spikes. And be sure to avoid the center pole. Additionally, being hit by a swinging turnstile arm will cause health damage. |
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Hurdle |
A hurdle is a thick barrier of treated concrete designed to induce severe concussions. A well-timed jump over a hurdle is extremely effective for eluding pursuers who are coming up behind you. Just don't run into the hurdles - you'll get knocked silly. Running into a hurdle, however, does not cause health damage. |
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Laser Hurdle |
The laser hurdle acts like a hurdle but with a surgical laser pulsing between two waist-high diodes. The laser beam operates at full strength 75% of the time, and at minimum strength the remainder of the time. It is therefore possible to escape injury going through the laser hurdle (if you really want to take that chance), but it will chop you in half if you run through at low health. You would be wise to avoid this vicious object at all cost - otherwise you might end up staring at your lower half . . . eye to kneecap. |
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Multiplier |
The multiplier looks like a finned flagpole rising out of the drome floor. Skate through this device with the rok and multiply the value of your next score by two or four. The multiplier effect lasts until a goal is scored, unless it is changed by the opposition. If the opposition grabs the rok and touches the multiplier, they will reduce your multiplier advantage until it is nullified - each subsequent time the rok is multiplied, their next goal will be multiplied by two or four. |
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Killball Charger |
The killball charger is a large arch on the drome floor. When carrying the rok, skate through this gate to charge the rok. You'll see the rok change shape to indicate its electrically charged nature. You can point the rok at an opponent and press the Attack key (S). The killball will automatically seek and destroy, and your opponent will receive an electroshock and sustain significant health damage.
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Armory |
The armory looks like a large spiky flower. Inside the spikes are two weapons, a mine and a swarf. Skate through the armory to pick up whatever weapons are available:
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Mine |
This is a red cone-shaped proximity explosive device. To drop the mine, press the Attack key (S). The next player who skates over the mine will set off an explosion. Otherwise the mine will self-detonate after 10 seconds. Any dromer near the mine when it detonates will sustain health damage. Mines can be strategically placed in front of your own goal.
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Swarf |
A green modified anti-personnel projectile that looks like three roks. Press the Attack key (S) to throw the swarf at an opponent. It will seek the nearest opponent and smack the dromer hard. Being hit by the swarf will usually knock a dromer down, but it will not cause health damage. Swarfs can also be used to jar a rok loose from an opponent heading toward your goal. |
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Randomizers |
Along the lips of the drome are a series of randomizer poles. When you carry the rok and skate through a randomizer pole, you will receive a random power-up. The randomizer will change color and a sound will play to indicate the power-up. The announcer will then indicate which random power-up is in effect: Longshot - Enables you to shoot the rok farther, and good for only one shot. Immunity - Gives you immunity from damage for a short time. Tune - Plays your team's fight song. Slowdown - Slows down opposing players for a short time. Re-energizer - Restores your health rating, either 20% or all the way back to full strength. Multiplier - Multiplies the score of the rok, just like the multiplier.
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Networking
One of the marvellous advantages of being a Windows95 DirectX game is that HyperBlade supports two, three, or four network players in a multi-player game via DirectPlay. DirectPlay is Microsoft's networked game sub-system, which allows any player on the same Windows95 IPX network, or any player running a Windows95 Winsock TCP/IP connection can join in the fun. Each player entering the network game takes over one of the available attacking players, while the computer will control any spares. The goalie is always under the control of the computer.
Sounds good. What's wrong with it?
Attention! Ninja PC time! The minimum spec for this game is a Pentium 90 with 16MB RAM. Let's face it, it's flinging those polygons around like there's no tomorrow, and it all eats processor power. It also requires a 16-bit soundcard, no real-mode drivers, and 80MB of free HDD, so watch out. I hope they sticker the box appropriately.
But I've got a ninja PC.
Ah, well, then, you're in for a treat, then! The default mode for the game is 640x480x256 SVGA. I first tried the game on this setting, and was very impressed by the graphics. I mean, it felt slightly dated not having a Guroud shade in sight, but it was still nice looking. This game is one of the first, however, to support Microsoft's Direct3D technology. Owners of display adaptors which can handle Direct3D should get their rubber pants on now - when played on a 3Dfx card, with all the options on, all of the graphics appear to get about 200% better. The screenshots here are all taken using the 3Dfx version; we'll just call them "Mr. Smooth".
Conclusion
HyperBlade is a top game. I would heartily recommend it to anyone who likes fast games with loads of action and violence! And while you're at it, get yourself a 3D accelerator (I keep on saying that!)
==================================== Rating: 8/10 - very good indeed. ====================================
