Laser Squad, created by Target Games for the ZX Spectrum, was converted to run on the MS-DOS operating system for Windows by Blade Software. It was released for play on the personal computer in the early nineties, and boasted a reasonably strong fan base upon its introduction to the PC gaming front due to its popularity on other formats for which it was previously introduced. Laser Squad so plenty of time on the Commodore 64, Atari and the Amiga before reaching the computer. Laser Squad is a turn-based tactical combat game bearing a cool futuristic theme.
It is designed for either one or two players.
Laser Squad is actually one of the first turn based tactical games to hit the market. Since its inception, it has been reworked countless times for modern gaming systems, including one version for the mobile phone. The concept of action points made Laser Squad very different from many of the other games of its time. Every action that the user will command his units to undertake will require a set number of action points, whether it be turning, moving, attacking, picking something up and so forth. The action points will also vary based on the type of unit. For example, a big strong and heavy unit will use more points moving the same distance
than will a lighter unit. At the same time, the lighter unit will spend more action points picking up an object than will a bigger, stronger unit. Hence, the units are weighted and the user can customize his army to taste.
Laser Squad is a mission oriented game, and there are five distinctly different scenarios, with an additional two scenarios available in a downloadable expansion pack. Each of the scenarios is loosely connected by the plot, and each scenario contains different, but easy to grasp objectives ranging from rescuing people to annihilating an enemy. The first scenario, “The Assassins,” charges the user with infiltrating a secret base to take out a boss who manufactures illegal weapons. The user will have to avoid droid guards throughout, with druids being the tie between most of the scenarios. In the second scenario, the user will be on the moon assaulting databanks to help protect the galaxy. A mine rescue will comprise the third scenario, with the gamer and the Laser Squad freeing several members of the rebel faction who were captured in a previously botched mission. The fourth mission will challenge the user with an onslaught of cyber hordes and the final scenario sees the user defending plans for an advanced rebel starfighter from the Cyber Horde.
Overall, this is a very playable game that most users will enjoy. Give it a try and enjoy it.
