Techno Cop

Techno Cop is a good futuristic cop game that offers two game styles: racing and platform shooter.

Your job is simple: first, make your way to a crime scene. The screen shows your damage (it is game over if your car gets too damaged), your distance left to go, the time you have left to get there, mission goals (e.g. picture of a hostage to rescue) and criminal information (picture, description etc.). Other drivers will try to ram you off the road, so you must either avoid or (naturally) dispose of them. When you get to the building, you will be given the orders regarding the criminal (dead or alive).

Gameplay then switches to a fun isometric side scroller which is easy to learn but hard to win. A radar which shows the relative position of the criminal helps find your way, but you have a limited time to find him or her. You must contend not only with the usual thugs, but also the various floor gaps, traps etc. Capturing (or killing) the criminal usually yields helpful items you can use in future missions (such as turbocharge for your car). There are 10-15 levels that get much harder and bigger so that it is impossible to finish the last ones without mapping.

The ending is disappointing, as you are only shown your high score and there is no "closure" to the plot. Also, the control scheme is horrible-- nothing compared to the ease of original Commodore 64 version.

Still, the furious action, fun 2-style gameplay, and challenging enemies make this a fun game for action gamers of all ages IF you can grasp the controls.

Review By HOTUD