Homing missiles can be irritating

Mankind of the future has been brainwashed and computers rule the world. Mainly because the apocalyptic vision's a blinding excuse for a rumble...
Ben Morris

They say the future's grim and Recoil's vision of 2018 is no exception. Automation has once again become our undoing, but all is not lost. A resourceful group of computer hackers have captured a state-of-the-art battle force tank and by means of a cunning 'time connection' have placed you in the driving seat ready to do or die in the name of survival. Well let's face it, plots in shoot 'em ups have never been that important anyway.

Even before its release, Recoil has been through the wars. Its development started at Virgin Interactive and has thankfully escaped unharmed in the transition to Westwood Studios. It's hard to place a finger on what type of beast this game is. Tempted though one might be to compare it to the first-person shooters like Half-Life and Unreal, in reality Recoil belongs alongside the more arcadey likes of Incoming and Wargasm.

Following the intro and some fantastic overacting courtesy of the hackers, the action kicks off on the beach. After rounding the corner and stumbling into a nearby training base all hell breaks loose. Tank technology has advanced at exponential rates since the clumsy hulks of WWI. The 21st century battle force tank is a sprightly little thing. Throwing it off ledges and leaping up ramps and craters to gain a better vantage point on the carnage is essential if you're to finish the levels and progress.

These levels are incredibly diverse. Each have separate objectives to fulfil and begin with a brief from the hackers, who give out some inspired hints such as 'blast the enemy to bits' and other helpful suggestions. The environments differ wildly too. By means of power-ups the battle force tank can morph into a hovercraft, amphibious glider or submersible, enabling the hackers to take the fight to the seas, across fields of lava or over snow-covered landscapes, as well as through the traditional set of urban surroundings.