Shellshock

Any game that features an all-black cast of revolutionaries as its heroes is all right by this reviewer, and if it features entertaining gameplay and a great soundtrack, then that's a bonus. Shellshock features all three.

The Wardenz are a group of guerrilla warriors fighting the forces of evil, and as their latest recruit, it's your job to drive a tank around and mete out swift justice to the oppressors. Shellshock is a tank sim that features a variety of challenging missions, as well as a great hip-hop score to listen to as you wipe out dozens of enemy suckers. The action is fast and furious and the game does more than succeed.

Graphics - 8

Sound/FX - 9

Gameplay - 8

Rating - 8

Tanks are always a good place to start when you're developing a video game: they've got built-in play value by their very nature. They weigh 40 tons, can drive over practically anything in their path, and come loaded to bear with the choicest off high-tech weaponry. U.S. Gold has taken this to heart with its new game Shellshock, a first-person tank combat simulator.

In the near future, the only thing between the little man and the forces of political and corporate oppression is a mysterious group of clandestine commandoes known as DaWardenz. They've got right on their side, as well as might: Da Wardenz believe in doing things correct, therefore they drive around in M-13 Predator Battletanks, doing good deeds as they put things right across the globe. On your side is a slammin' hip-hop soundtrack by the San Francisco rapper Bar None, an SGI generated playfield, an evolving storyline, and the ability to call in an air strike or two when things get hectic. Call it urban renewal, Wardenz style.

The next generation of games meets the now generation of MTV in Shellshock, a futuristic first-person 3D tank-combat game that features a rap and hip hop soundtrack. The future's a pretty bleak place to hang out in Shellshock; that is, until five exmilitary mercenaries who call themselves Da Wardenz begin the practice of law and order. Their weapon of choice is an M-13 Predator battletank.

Commandeering the tank in first-person, you do battle with multiple enemies across fractal-mapped 3D terrain that was rendered on Silicon Graphics machines. William "Bar None" Floyd, the San Francisco 49ers' All-Pro running back, does three raps on the sizzling soundtrack.

Virtually identical to the PlayStation version reviewed here a couple of months ago. So similar, in fact, that you could call the Saturn version of Shellshock the slightly less handsome brother of the PlayStation version.

For those of you not familiar with the game, Shellshock is a tank sim in which you play a member of the Wardenz, a paramilitary group of brothers dedicated to preserving liberty across the world. Cool.

What else do you need besides a big tank and big guns? Not much, friend. And Shellshock also has an awesome soundtrack, so give it a look.

Graphics - 7

Sound/FX - 7

Gameplay - 8

Rating - 7