Silkworm

Overview:

Released in 1989 for the Amiga A500, Silkworm is a sideways scrolling shoot-em-up and a precursor to the more popular SWIV that followed two years later. Primarily a two player co-operative game, the players choose between two vehicles, the easy to control helicopter or the nightmarishly complicated jeep, and blast their way through various fast-paced levels packed with swarms of helicopters, parachuting tanks and anti-air missiles.

Graphics - 7/10

Although somewhat dated by today's standards, the graphics still hold up well. The level designs are simple yet effective backgrounds that include deserts, coastlines and what I have always assumed were Martian mountain ranges rendered in red.

The enemies are clearly defined, and the fast pace never lets up. There are some nice touches too - sometimes the next wave of attackers can be seen in the background before they meet you face to face.

Sound - 9/10

No background music, and the music between levels and during start-up is hardly memorable. The sound effects in game, however, are probably what nostalgic gamers will remember most about the game - the metallic clink of bullets on armour, the doppler-effect explosions and the deeply satisfying boom of the nova bomb as it obliterates everything on screen. Were it not for the noise similar to a quizzical bee created when hitting a boss vehicle, it would rate 10/10.

Gameplay - 8/10

Although it supported a single player mode, the fun really begins in two-player. The two vehicles were radically different to use - the helicopter was easy to control, but could only fire forward and diagonally down. The jeep was a horror to control, with a turret that swept 180 degrees topside but could not fire down, a real disadvantage when mines are a frequent occurrence. Luckily the jeep player had an improbable jump option, presumably controlled by Dr Dre style suspension. The action is fast paced and tough, with enemies capable of arriving from any side of the screen, although the majority came from the front. Half the fun is the sheer craziness of the enemies you face down - helicopters shaped like swans that self-assemble in mid-air, parachuting tanks and choppers filled with mini-choppers are some of the more memorable.

Overall - 8/10

As a child I used to play Silkworm with my brother, who is 7 years older than me, and it seems to me this is the ideal combination. An experienced gamer can take the jeep and the less experienced the helicopter, and it provides a challenge that both can enjoy. Its also a game that harks back to an era when two-player co-operative gameplay was all the rage - games like Blood Money, SWIV, Alien Breed, Chaos Engine were classics, and I'll admit to feeling nostalgic for those days. No amount of co-operative mode FPS shooters can compare.