Amazon.co.uk
Remember those heady days of childhood when the toy box was thrown open and thousands of badly molded green- and beige-colored toy soldiers were brought forth to fight a battle for control of the living room carpet? Well it's time to return to that simpler age with this latest release from 3DO.
Army Men: Green Rogue is a high-powered shoot-'em-up played in the third-person perspective, allowing players to see their alter egos running around a variety of environments and turning the opposition to molten plastic with a variety of weapons, ranging from machine guns to flamethrowers. The Green Rogue of the title is a supersoldier from the Green army, manufactured to take on the might of the opposition Beige army without support or backup.
The control system takes an interesting slant by using the left analog controller to move the Rogue around and the right stick to direct weapon fire. Initially this feels a little unwieldy, but with a little practice, it becomes second nature and actually works rather well. Graphics are functional but colorful, and there's a real feeling of being a small soldier in a big, big world.
Green Rogue seems aimed at the younger end of the gaming market; it's very simple to pick up and play, and violence levels are comparatively low. More seasoned gamers may want to look for the excellent Time Splitters, Unreal Tournament, or Quake III Revolution for a little shooting delight, as this will be too gentle for many. For younger players, however, there are hours of entertainment to be had. --James Gordon
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The Army Men series shares a characteristic with the creatively destructive neighbor kid. Both return to the yard time and time again with creative new ways to blow plastic army men into pellet-sized bits. Ironically,
Army Men: Green Rogue debuts on Sony's next-generation system boasting good old fashioned console-style scrolling action (à la
Expendable)
During the ongoing war between the green and tan soldiers, the green army's scientists have been whittling away on a hi-tech supersoldier. When the tan soldiers push the boundary, you--or you and a friend in two-player cooperative mode--get to test-drive the lean, mean fighting machines. Players plow through 16 levels (two levels from the comfort of an amphibious assault vehicle) with enough firepower and armor to take on the entire tan army. Scrolling through the fairly linear path, players unload rounds from rifles, grenades, bazookas, screen-clearing bio-strikes, and flamethrowers. Each weapon category is upgradeable by five levels for even huskier cigar-chomping fun.
As expected, the fast action is matched with slick graphics. Dramatic lighting effects create realistic shadows, water reflection, haze, and such. Let the other guys strategize their next move from the bunker: if you enjoyed Rambo, you may enjoy this game. If you've seen Arnold Schwarzenegger's Commandomore than once, order this game immediately. --Eric Twelker
