It Came from the Desert

The Good
Yet another showcase for Cinemeware's outstanding artists: It just looks impressive. Cinemaware has managed to capture the feeling of a small town in the 50's. Even more than many other of their releases, this game has a true "cinema" feel to it.

The atmosphere is incredible. You can virtually feel the tension rising as the ants gain more and more ground throughout the fifteen days. In the last couple of days, when most of the locations cannot even be visited anymore because the ants have destroyed them, you really can't help but believe the world is coming to an end.

The Bad
Some of the action sequences are rather simplistic. The gaunlet-style hospital escape is graphically underdeveloped. The knife fights are real let-downs when you compare them to the superb Rocket Ranger fistfights (and that game was released before "desert"). And the chicken game? An action sequence in which all you have to do is move your car to the middle of the road?

The Bottom Line
This is a game that will keep you busy for a while. No matter how often you play it, you'll always notice new details when visiting locations at a different time. The game is wonderfully non-linear, you are free to do whatever you want. Although the characters may feel somewhat corny at times, and although you'll sometimes feel like smacking them against a wall because they don't do what you want (interaction is truly limited), the game is in the end rewarding and fun to play.