Fantastic game, you really should check this out. I know it looks a bit old, but the minute you see it firing up you'll know you made the right decision- I don't know about you, but I personally don't have the time, money or stamina to climb a mountain in real life any time soon, so this game is definitely worth it.
The graphics? Well, admittedly they're not up to much, but that's only if one's being harsh and looking at the game through 2006 eyes.
I prefer to use the term 'classic'.
Now I come to game-play: the simplicity of the basics, i.e. moving the joystick/pressing the keyboard buttons left and right means that you don’t have to read a complicated instruction manual to get started, there’s no complex multiple button pressings as in many of today’s console games- you shouldn’t physically injure yourself playing Final Assault! Whilst it is simple to pick up the beginnings of the game’s mechanics, please don’t feel that this will be a walk in the park (or up a mountain, as it were) - no, see, you’re only allowed a certain number of items in your inventory, so you have to tailor your selection to the length and difficulty of the climb ahead
of you.
Camping gear? Rope? Climbing equipment? (Yes, it helps to have a look at what pitons, chocks are before you just shoot off) Up to you, but you have to think carefully before starting off. Admittedly I found it frustrating when I had to keep starting again but then- maybe I should have practiced more! Speaking of which, there is a nifty practice climb which you can choose at the beginning- you don’t have to worry about what to put in your rucksack, and on top of that there’s no way you can die from a fall in practice mode. Useful, I suppose…
The various trails in the mountains that you can take are shape-coded so that you know how easy or difficult they are, and though you may find yourself falling to your death a few times before you get used to it, Final Assault is well worth a visit. The detailed game-play doesn’t feel almost 20 years old, even if the graphics do.
Oh, one more thing, you'll love the little animations used to show when the climber is tired, hungry, hot and sweaty etc- hilarious!
