Tempest 2000 by Llamasoft and Atari

Overview:
You burst off the web, particles flying in your face, the word, "Excellent" zooms forward while you light up the web unleashing the fury of the super-zapper destroying all enemies then geitting sucked into the bottom of the pit as you land then running over a power-up only to hear this way-out voice yelling, "Yes,yes,YES!" while background music screams, "Bring the beat(bass?) back!" You collasp relizing you've survived for now, sweat forming like an unwelcomed mist...
...and you see a new web rotating in the background, coming to you...
...and it all starts over again...

To who do you owe this mind-blowing experience to? Tempest 2000, the amazing up-date to the 1981 classic that everyone is raving about, the game that has made Jeff Minter a Jaguar Gaming God forever. Yes, this game is that good!

You've got 4 modes of play. 'Traditional Tempest', which is a pretty close rendition to the original. Though I being a Tempest Classis Veteran have noticed a bit of a change. 'Tempest Plus' let's you choose an A.I. Droid or another buddy to defend the galaxy against. There's 'Tempest Duel' which is passable as competitive game. Then of course there's the mac-daddy of them all-'Tempest 2000". Oh yes, the enhanced 3-D polygons, screaming particle displays, Melto-O-Vision graphics, cycle-shading, 100% pure CD-quality techno rave soundtrack, and high-velocity, brain-warpng action unlike anything you've ever experienced you'll know you've reached the 64th Dimension. Yes, it'll leave you completly stunned!

As you can tell the game is rather intense. No wonder it got the, "Best sound, best shooter" award in 1994. There's even 3 vitua-racing style views that range from, "They're in your face practically first-person perspective" view, to, "View the mayhem from afar I've gotta get under controll here", type of view. All with no slowdown or flickering. Everthing is so fast you'll reach a point of total vertigo. Have you made it to level 64 yet? Wow!

If you've got nerves of steel, cat-like reflexes, and need a challenge that will really get the andrenaline flowing? Then get Tempest 2000, crank up the volume, and prepare for a mind-blowing assault on the senses with Tempest 2000!

Graphics-10

Just as good as they need to be and more. The hypnotic effects in bonus rounds, Melt-O-Vision graphics, and the coolio cycle-shading will have you walking away from 16-Bit and *never* looking back!

Sound- 10

Yes, yes, YES!!! So amazingly intense, the music enhances gameplay like you've never experienced before. You'll love the way you're particle laser cracks down the spikes sending that 'chimey' sound through you're spine. No wonder it has it's own soundtrack. Next to D2K, Tempest excells all other Jag games in this category.

Control- 9 1/2

Minor nit here. The actual gameplay on the web is as perfect as it gets, but why do the bonus rounds have such sensitive control? I know it's meant to be this way, but sometimes you want to scream when you can't get it under control. Though never something to fret about with practice.

Power- 10

Fast, fast, FAST! Superior animation on the swirling/melting/Melt-O-Vision bonus rounds, and a first-class framerate all the time. The enemies are moving, the color is cycling, the control remains flawless, and the sound never breaks up. You'll truly know the definition of 64-Bit.

Fun Factor- 10

Of course this game is fun. You can't help but smile when you're brain get's totally warped from the awesome gameplay. It has such an addictive quality, you'll always need just one more try...and one more try...and one more try...