Descent II
Real enough to make you queasy
Daniel Madar
The scenario in descent II isfamiliar: aliens have taken control of robots in galactic mining facilities, using them against their erstwhile masters. Armed with a spectacular array of weaponry, you pilot your vessel through each mine, bent on destroying the reactor core that powers the robots, trying to escape the resulting blast before you're reduced to your component atoms.
As was the case with its predecessor, Descent II's most outstanding feature is also arguably its weakest point: you've got a full 360 degrees of motion in a null gravity environment, but since you're not limited to crawling along the floor, you'll often have trouble deciding which way is up. If you have a weak stomach, your thrills may be dampened by the desire to vomit.
To give MacPlay--and the game's designer, Parallax--credit, several mechanisms help you deal with being totally lost, including a 3-D map you can zoom in or out and rotate 360 degrees to match your own orientation. Another indispensable innovation is a puppylike robot, the Guide-Bot, who saves your skin--helping you find keys, locate your final target, and escape the mines without being turned into radioactive slag--while his larger kin are busily trying to remove your rivets.
Descent II's network options offer lots of variety and make a fun game even more appealing. Depending on your network configuration, three to eight players can play against one another, but the real draw of network play is the number of game styles available, from the standard kill-your-friends Anarchy scenario, to Capture the Flag team games.
Descent II's graphics quality varies a bit. Most of your opponents are extremely detailed and well rendered, but some smaller targets look more like origami. Once the game picks up, you'll be too busy killing things to pass aesthetic judgment.
You're armed with more than 20 weapons, starting with an upgradable laser. Later toys include a variety of cannons--including one strong enough to knock your ship backward--and a range of missiles. The sheer variety of armament allows for a delightful medley of destruction.
The final jewel in Descent II's crown is its intense soundtrack, performed by musicians from the industrial/alternative bands Skinny Puppy and Negative. The occasionally haunting, always powerful background grind is an exceptional counterpoint to Descent II's action.
The Last Word
Descent II is an innovative 3-D shooter, combining exciting game play with killer music in a unique environment. The game's designers have added plenty of cool new twists on the old theme. If you have the stomach for it, Descent II is a must-have.--DANIEL MADAR
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RATING: four stars/7.7
PROS: Exciting action; great soundtrack; unique game play; some of the biggest weapons around.
CONS: Can cause motion sickness and disorientation; graphics could be better.
COMPANY: MacPlay (800/462-2752, http://www.macplay.com).
LIST PRICE: $59.95.
December 1996
page: 88
Copyright © 1996 Macworld Communications, Inc.
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