PC CD-ROM minimum system requirements: 486DX2/66mhz; 8MB RAM; 20MB hard disk space; DOS 5.0; CD-ROM drive; VGA. £29.99
AFTER a long delay, Z has arrived. But in the interim similar games such as Warcraft II and Command And Conquer have appeared and they have been pretty good, to say the least. So, instead of Z having things all its own way, it has two very serious opponents.
The first thing to strike you, if you've played either of the aforementioned titles, is that z doesn't offer the gameplayer much new. Unlike Warcraft II, for example, you don't have to manage resources surrounding the battlefield. With Z, all you have to be concerned about is the strategic deployment of troops and equipment. This, for some, may not be a bad thing in that Z allows you to get straight down to the action without having to worry about getting acquainted with the peripherals.
With the emphasis on raw action, Z requires sleight of hand and a deft touch rather than the more thoughtful approach. From the moment you start off on a mission, of which there are 20, it's hell for leather.
Unlike most of the battle strategy games about at the moment, Z doesn't hide any areas of the map, allowing gameplayers to see the whole action area from the word go. The lack of this facility with other games often enhanced the gameplaying as a whole. One was never quite sure what was waiting over the crest of the next hill.
While the artificial intelligence incorporated into Z is almost human, there are some drawbacks. For instance, if you are doing particularly well and hold a larger area of the map, you are able to generate more units - thus strengthening your military capabilities. It., on the other hand, things aren't going so well, your ability to create reinforcements is severely hampered. Consequently, when either side gains any advantage it usually means the end of the battle. Coming from behind in Z is almost impossible.
When all is said and done, however, Z is still a wonderfully entertaining game. It's easy enough to get into and the difficulty curve is nicely pitched. For no nonsense battle, Z is hard to beat but it does lack the depth of Warcraft II or Command And Conquer.
Graphics: 82%, Sound: 80%, Gameplay: 84%