Bargain Bin Games Revue - Round One

Let's go ahead and knock out our next FPS. Enter Terror Strike: Close Quarters Combat. Terror Strike is a tactical shooter of sorts, and a very limited one at that. For a game that models itself after the Rainbow Six series, it only makes a passable attempt to attract its fans. Even so, the game manages to put forth a functional gaming experience closer to that of Lockdown than Vegas.

Terror Strike borrows its simplistic graphical style from early shooters like No One Lives Forever. In fact, those who don't know any better might guess that the game is part of that very series due to its uncanny similarity. Still, for a game released in 2007, this can be a big turn off. Instead of the usual story mode, the game consists of a number of stand-alone missions with fairly straightforward objectives. Enter an establishment, kill the terrorists, and spare the hostages. While this seems easy enough, there often isn't a whole lot that sets the captors apart from their captives as far as appearance is concerned. Instead of each member of the terrorist regime being dressed in similar garb, players will be taking out gang bangers, pimps, bank robbers, and the occasional foreigner that actually resembles a terrorist, all within the same compound. Basically, you look for whoever has a gun and shoot them. (Ed: That might seem more realistic, as I doubt actual terrorists try to draw attention to themselves by wearing some official uniform… but realism doesn't always make for a better game.)

Before beginning each section of the game, players must sit though an actual video featuring a Scotsman with bad teeth who sets the stage by telling you a quick story that surrounds the upcoming mission. After the video, players will be shown a map of the compound and briefed on what tactics should be used to insure success. The tactical aspect of Terror Strike is very simple. Instead of being able to order your team members to specific locations, your commands are limited to breaching doors and clearing rooms. Much like the more recent Rainbow Six games, there are often multiple entry points to a room. However, since the order to hold a position does not exist, players must order their team to enter one door whilst sprinting to the next door, hoping to enter before all the enemies are taken out. And since there are rarely more than two enemies in any given room, you're better off just following the team inside or taking point yourself.

Terror Strike offers a very shallow gaming experience with its mundane objectives and overly simplified tactical combat. Though I don't know if it was released with a $4.99 price tag originally, I'm hesitant to tell you that the game is worth much more. One thing I did like about the game was its vibrantly colorful indoor and outdoor environments. While a welcome change from the dark corridors and rusty catwalks shooter fans have been plagued with, it wasn't nearly enough to save this graphically challenged combat sim. Sure, I had a bit of fun with it, but only for a little while. In the end, Terror Strike simply provides too little enjoyment to hold players' interest beyond the first mission. For those of you interested in the game's multiplayer component, rest assured that there is one. However, as you might expect, no one was playing.