Rescue review - Nintendo Entertainment System

Storming embassies is a tricky task - the terrorists keep shooting at you, guyropes can snap, and balaclavas have a habit of riding up and getting into you eyes. Still, someone's got to do it, and you've volunteered.

Rescue is a game based around the exploits of such groups as the SAS and the American Navy SEALS, whose embassy-busting skills have made them the fear of terrorists worldwide (assuming terrorists are scared of anything). Obviously rescuing the hostages is paramount, but this tends to involve wasting the bad guys as well.

There are three different levels of difficulty, corresponding to the rank of the leader, and also there is a training mission to practice skills. After that, four other missions can be selected, of varying perplexity.

The first task in each mission is to reach a target building. This entails dodging between buildings and walls, desperately avoiding the searchlights that roam across the play area - if the character is caught in the glare, machine guns open up and the rescuer is mown down.

Once the guys are clear, snipers in an adjacent building can attempt to eliminate terrorists by shooting through windows. The sights don't remain stationary, so accurate fire is important to achieve results! Next commandos abseil down from the roof, avoiding falling off, and smash through the windows. Then it's on to a 3D display as the soldier roams through the complex killing terrorists and releasing hostages. Who dares wins!

What the Mean Machines staff thought

The main problem with Rescue is the banality of the gameplay and the repetitive nature of the challenge. The task never changes, and there's nowhere near enough subgames to hold your attention. Again, the difficulty level is set way too low; it takes five minutes to master the skills needed, then the game offers no challenge or excitement. Why are there only five missions? Why are there only three subgames? This lack of effort in a game is totally unacceptable nowadays, and therefore gets the thumbs down from me. If Kemco had spiced up the thrill content and included a more varied method of playing, it might have scraped into the mediocre category. As it stands, it's a complete waste of anyone's money. Avoid it if you know what's good for you.

The embassy-storming idea certainly has plenty of potential, but unfortunately this game doesn't realise it. While it initially seems quite fun, the sub-games are all easy to master, and once you've learned the basic skills required to beat the terrorists, it all becomes a matter of routine - which isn't what playing console games is about. Both the graphics and sound are bland, a description that suits the gameplay too. There's simply not enough excitement to keep you at your Nintendo for more than a few sessions.