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ALFA: Antiterror

Platform(s): PC
Genre: Strategy
Publisher: Strategy First
Developer: MiST land - South

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'Alfa: AntiTerror' - Screens

by Rainier on Jan. 23, 2004 @ 10:11 a.m. PST

ALFA: Antiterror is a turn based tactical combat simulator that lets the player control this special operations force through a four episode campaign based on the real life experiences of former ALFA members from 1984 to 2001.

The player starts off as a simple lieutenant who receives an offer to participate in a special forces unit named in the year 1983. Over time he moves up the carrier ladder, carrying out missions and overcoming ordeals coming down on him and Russia. All missions have historical counterparts, part of them were kept under secrecy until recent times.

Cold calculation and a decent amount of adrenaline are necessary to implement the continuous time game mode. Considering and giving out orders is done in suspended time; the action on-screen is treated completely different - you won't be able to influence anything that's going on. The game will stop again within 20-60 seconds; you will receive the ability to give out new orders or correct existing ones, depending on the situation at hand. Something similar could have been seen in Combat Mission.

Deep immersion into the game is made possible by modern graphics of the utmost quality. Grass, trembling in the wind, trees, brought to life up to the last leaf, highly detalized objects, photorealistic textures, multileveled level structure: this does not even nearly describe all features made possible by the game engine.

People play the major role in-game, therefore each soldier is given individual personality traits, determining his behavior on the battlefield, as well as his interaction with other squad members. But even the character of a person can change over time! What's left to say about abilities, which can be improved by taking part in special courses in-between missions!

Snow, rain, fog are not just visual weather effects, they are a full part of the gameplay, having an influence in the calculation of the physical world model. Things like the changing sound dispersion mechanism within fog, snowfall influencing visibility etc are taken into consideration by the game.

Only real prototypes of combat vehicles and weapons are being used. Anything you can use in the game has either been used or is being used by the Russian army and special forces. Using special equipment or making a breakthrough using armored vehicles - all this is an indispensable part of the game.

Being realistic in everything is the game motto! * Former and acting members of the legendary and units have been employed as consultants for the project.

Once the story is finished and you get to see the ending movie - that's where the game begins. After defeating the AI, try taking on a real-life opponent. Internet or local connection, HotSeat or play by e-mail will allow you to escape the real world for several hours, prolonging the game's lifespan to infinite. It is possible to record the game as a movie and review the whole battle in real-time, with the possibility of rewinding/fastforwarding, slow motion or time stop, if you wish to show off in front of your friends.

(*) - some missions and maps, as well as the characteristics of special arms and soldier biographies have been changed on purpose due to the ongoing secrecy of the material serving as foundation for the game.


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