Unlike the later title of the same name, FirePower is a tank action game as opposed to one of flight combat and simulation. It was released in the late eighties after conscientious development by Silent Software and features an easy to understand top-down perspective.
FirePower is basically a very well glorified game of capture the flag. The user must navigate his or her tank through enemy territory in an effort to capture the well guarded flag. There are three types of tanks from which to choose, each with strengths and weaknesses.
One is well balanced, with mediocre speed and defense. One is mostly a rabbit runner - very fast, but easily damaged. The other has awesome defense, but is exceptionally slow. Each tank also offers a different amount of passenger space for rescued POWs, different fuel capacity, and different payloads for weaponry such as land mines. A hangar at the home base allows the user to switch between each style of tank.
FirePower features a seemingly endless list of things to blow up. There are enemy turrets all about the map. Fortifications and bunkers have been built everywhere and the terrain is riddled with inconsequential buildings that can be destroyed. Occasionally, a helicopter will approach the tank and can be engaged in combat. Enemy soldiers
could be shot or simply run down with the powerful marauding tank. The game has many features, which lend to its replayability. It has a game editor, allowing the user to create his or her own scenarios. The game can also be played against a human opponent in a type of hot seat split screen, or through a modem…a revolution for the late eighties.
The controls in FirePower are very easy to handle. The sound effects are also really good and entertaining. There are tons of explosions, bombs, and gunshots. The game also features a gross “splut” sound when the tank rolls over an enemy infantryman. The maps are well drawn and are very large, giving the user the option to just wander around and kill random things instead of proceeding immediately to the objective of finding the enemy flag and returning it to his or her home base. Maps are randomly generated, another feature that adds to FirePower’s replayability.
Overall, this is a great combat action game. It has a lot to offer as a shooter style of game. There is not a lot of strategy and it features a short learning curve, making it easily played by nearly everyone. It spawned a sequel, Return Fire, which also is recommended for shooting gamers.
