Game Review 1 (written by Shannon) Added on: 04/02/2008
The average gamer can tell a lot about this video game based on its title. A.T.A.C. (Advanced Tactical Air Command) automatically tells the gamer that there are going to be aerial units involved in game play. The War on Drugs is self explanatory. Sure enough, A.T.A.C. War On Drugs is a flight simulation that puts the user in charge of destroying a diabolical South American drug ring. It was programmed by Argonaut and released for play in the early nineties by MicroProse.
The basic plot of War on Drugs involves a South American drug ring, located near Colombia. The drug lords have complete control over the area, making the local law enforcement officials ineffective figure heads or corrupted lackeys of the drug ring. The drug lords all have plantations and factories located around the area, used to manufacture supplies and create their products. They also have methods of transporting the goods, such as sea ports, air ports, guarded road ways and so forth. Elsewhere, there are huge storage facilities where the illegal substances are stored before they are shipped to their respective destinations, most likely the United States. As if the end result of the business is not bad enough, there are hundreds of poorly paid…practically enslaved…locals who are caught in the web and are working themselves to death in the drug business.
The gamer is going to play the hero of the story. Charged with the monumental task of eliminating the South American drug lords, the user will pilot several different air crafts, ranging from an assault helicopter to the standard F-22 fighter jet. The user will have to analyze each mission and determine the best way to approach it. There are many reconnaissance options available, including over one hundred and fifty covert special agents in the field, working under cover. Beyond that, the user will have to choose the weaponry that will best fit his plan of attack, whether it be taking down a plane that has taken off with a full load of drugs, or destroying a supply route and the factory to which it runs. The number one priority, above and beyond eliminating the drug ring, is to research the civilians in the area and defend them from hostile and friendly fire, preserving their lives at any cost.
Overall, this is a good little game and will provide hours of entertainment, since it is rather good sized. There will be plenty of flight simulated action, as well as some great strategic elements to work with. It is recommended for play.
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Game Review 2 (written by Roxor) Added on: 02/25/2007
ATAC is an interesting attempt to mix strategy with first-person simulator. While it is possible to play this simulator in strategy view only, best performance is achieved through a bit of hands-on operation.
You basically play the strategic map. The drug barons have a pipeline, which has plantation where the drugs are farmed, factories where they are purified, warehouses where they are stored, and ports/airports where they are shipped. Drug barons make money by making and shipping drugs. They need to pay the population for laborers.
Your job is to intercept the convoys linking each part of the pipeline against opposition, without angering the local population (by collateral damage). Avoid civilian casualties at all costs.
On a full campaign level there can be up to 4 drug barons, though you can play the easy level which has only one drug baron. They are fully equipped with lots MiGs, like MiG-21, 23, and 29's, as well as plenty of other weapons.
Your ultimate objective is to bankrupt all of them by cutting off their pipeline, while preserving your forces, without losing popular support.
All in all, ATAC is a game that was ahead of its time. An interesting mix of different types of gameplay is a good argument to play this game.
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