Adv: Deep Wars: Soul of the Machine [by No Substance Software]

Game: Deep Wars: Soul of the Machine
Release: August 24th, 2002
Genre: Action
Developer: No Substance Software
System Requirments: Pentium 200, 32MB Ram, 15MB hd
Price: US $9.99

The Deep Wars readme that comes with the game sums the core of the game nicely, "Deep Wars is an arcade game set in an atmospheric, neo-gothic world of biomechanoid sea creatures." The readme also notes how the developers focused on game play and making the game fun, and it shows. This arcade shooter comes with a nice mix twitch action and stategy that blends seamlessly to form a game that's worth the price of admission 3 times over.

Unlike most arcade games, the storyline here is actually quite good. While it wasn't totally necessary for a storyline to support the game, it does add more to an already amazing atomosphere. In the future, the people of the earth started a nuclear war, the icecaps melted and the earth was swollowed the oceans. The last living people of the earth, living in depressurized domes in the ocean have to fend for themesleves, but are dealing with it. Of course some idiot has to ruin it for everybody. The evil proffesor creates an army of bimechanoid sea creatures to do his bidding. Unfortuantly for him (and good for everyone else), one robot becomes too advanced, he develops emotions. After becoming sympathetic to the humans (ala Terminator), the little robot that can sets forth to put and end to this mess. And this is where you come in.

There game uses 4 main motions for gameplay. The first being the all important moving left and right. The good stuff comes next. You have a jump button (which I personally rarely used) to dodge enemy attacks. And ofcourse you can retaliate. You have two weapons that work together. A stunner and a missle. If you try to destroy an enemy with missles, the enemy robot will only get angry. You must first stun the enemy and blow them away with a missle. The game comes as a shooter from the overhead perspective. It comes in little variety beyond this but it still makes this a good game.

Just like most arcade games, a two-player mode comes packaged with the story mode. You can either fight along side each other or against each other. I also found some hidden replay value. In a way I'm sure the developers never intended, you can play a two player co-op mode and control each player with the respective hand. Although this can get annoyingly tough (if you can play Mozart's 5th in 2 minutes your set), it does add a little bit to the game, and thought I would mention it here.

Graphics: 9
The graphics are nothing spectacular but are solid and add to the atomsphere of the game. A+ all around.

Sound: 8
The sounds due the game justice, but were obviously not a focal point for the developer. They'll due but they could be better.

Game Play: 10
This is a game in which you can really get into. After you get on a roll its really hard to put the keyboard down. But if you die the game is a little bit harder to get into.

Options: 9
The two player options and pick up and play game play add lots of replay value to this title.

Concept: 9
This concept has been done truckloads of times before. But rarely is it pulled off this well.

Fun: 9
After you get going its hard to put this down.

Overall: 9
A great game with very few flaws, if any. Worth the 9.99? Oh yeah. A great pickup to anyone's library. Added: February 7th 2003
Reviewer: Ron Pearse
Score:
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Language: english