TEMPEST 2000 by Atari/Llamasoft

For the Atari Jaguar

Reviewed by Doug Bauer

The first of many 2000 series games planned for the Jaguar by Atari is TEMPEST 2000. It is a revisitation of the classic TEMPEST shoot-em-up color vector arcade game. Tempest is a unique game -- the basic idea is that the player moves along the near edge of a "web", shooting approaching and varied bad guys. The object is to clear the web of the enemies. When this is accomplished, you move on to a new web and the difficulty increases.

THE GAMES

The Tempest 2000 cartridge includes "classic" Tempest, Tempest Plus, Tempest Duel, and Tempest 2000. The classic game isn't an exact copy of the original arcade game, but it'll be close enough for *most* people.

Tempest Plus adds some enhancements -- there are more, faster enemies and you have the option to play with an "AI Droid" (a computer- controlled player who plays along with you simultaneously) or with a friend.

Tempest Duel is a split-screen game with you and an opponent at opposite ends of a web, trying to destroy each other. There are enemies and objects populating the web as well.

Tempest 2000 adds numerous enhancements to the classic game. The webs are color-shaded. There are numerous powerups (including the AI droid, a better weapon, "jumping" ability, and more). There are a number of new enemies -- demon heads, mutant flippers, and UFOs. Tempest 2000 also adds bonus levels.

CONTROL

The original arcade game used a weighted rotary controller which is the perfect control method for this game. The Jaguar does not have a rotary controller available (yet) but the joypad control is decent. The main deficiency of the pad is the lack of ability to precisely dictate the speed of your ship. With a little practice using the pad, however, this will be mostly forgotten. The three buttons are used to shoot, jump, and activate the Super-Zapper (smart bomb).

GRAPHICS/MISC (Tempest 2000)

Your first reaction may not be "wow". But when there are tons of enemies, messages, shots, and "pixel-shatter" explosions populating the ever-moving and colorful web, along with the never-static background starfield, you will know you are not playing this game on your Genesis.

The game has a simple look to it at first glance, but there's a lot going on.

The first bonus level is impressive -- what looks like the digitized surface of jupiter scrolls by as you try to fly through rings. The second has you trying to follow a colored road through a pixel cylinder. The third is a psychedelic color bonanza where you also try to "follow the rings".

Every 17 levels the webs change colors and the background music changes, and the web shapes begin to repeat. After passing the first 17 webs, the cartridge will save your progress every two levels.

After 100 levels, the game goes into "Beastly Mode", supposedly much tougher (I've only made it to level 64 myself :).

The new enemies in 2000 mode are imaginative and well thought out. They fit into the game well. Demon heads' horns continue to fly at you after you destroy the head itself. Pulsars are tricky -- I find myself concentrating on them the most. They have the ability to electrify an entire corridor of the web -- and moving onto an electrified section is instant death. When pulsars get to your edge of the web, they move *fast* along it. The ability to jump comes in very handy here.

SOUND

I'll get right to the point -- I've never heard better music in a cartridge game. Not even close. The music is sharp, clean techno music which (when played through your stereo) will have you thinking you are in a dance club. I found myself playing my heart out just to progress far enough to hear the next background music selection. I think the first selection is one of the best.

Sound effects are of high quality. Very clean. Voices are appropriately processed to stay within the style and feel of the game.

Music and sound effects volumes are separately adjustable.

NITS

I had the game lock up on me once -- but only once after my game was over (it still saved my game luckily).

I noticed some slowdown at times on later levels with so much going on I couldn't see straight :).

It's difficult to tell when a pulsar is electrifying a corridor when they are distant. The edge of the web at that point changes color but it's often hard to see.

More music sections would be incredible (hardly a nit I might add).

Next to Tempest 2000 mode, the other modes pale in comparison. I wish there was a two-player option in 2000 mode.

SUMMARY

Tempest 2000 is an easy to play, addicting game with good visuals and unbelievable music and sound. If you like the old-style arcade shoot-em- ups, you will not be disappointed.

This review is Copyright (c) 1994 by Doug Bauer for Game Bytes Magazine. All rights reserved.