I got this game one Saturday morning back when I was about fourteen. I was really into turn based strategy games at the time after owning a copy of Rebel Star on the Amstrad. I was also into reading those SAS novels that seemed to be doing the rounds so this game seemed like a perfect match.
The game is based on a four man SAS unit called a Sabre Team. The aim of the game is to solve a number of missions often requiring the release of hostages.
You start by choosing your men that all have a variety of skills and abilities and then you move on to choosing their equipment. There is much to choose from weapon wise and some good ideas like gas masks, Kevlar jackets, flash bangs and CS gas grenades. All bits of gear have weight and the physical strength of the soldiers will dictate how much the equipment weighs them down.
The gameplay is pretty standard turn based action with nothing really special but the compass on the screen has a nice touch by showing the direction of the bad guys in red and what the soldier can hear in blue. This gives you the opportunity to set up some nice ambushes for unsuspecting
guards. The missions are ok but a bit similar. The second mission is a direct nod towards the Iranian embassy siege that the SAS carried out in 1980 and is also the most fun in the game. The only real annoying point of the gameplay is having to hold onto a medical kit to replenish life points if you get hit. It can take several turns to get enough life back before you can move about again.
The graphics are pretty good and have plenty of colour. Unfortunately the soldiers all look the same and there is no change in their clothing e.g. if you are wearing a gas mask or armour etc. Also when you shoot or get shot at the screen changes to a blue map to show the path of the bullet instead of staying in the main game. There are some nice effects with the CS grenades and flash bang grenades and the scenery is ok. The sound is pretty sparse but it’s got some cool bangs and explosions.
I enjoyed this game and played it for about a month before it got relegated to the “play occasionally” pile. I would recommend this game to anyone who wants to play a turn based strategy game that isn’t too much hard work and can be played immediately.
