Red Heat (video game)
Red Heat | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Special FX |
Publisher(s) | Ocean Software |
Platform(s) | |
Release |
|
Genre(s) | Beat 'em up |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Red Heat is a beat 'em up video game based on the 1988 film of the same name. It was developed by British studio Special FX[1] and published by Ocean Software.[2] It was released in Europe in 1989, for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64 (C64), and ZX Spectrum.[3][4][5][6]
In 1991, Red Heat received a budget re-release for Amiga, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum published through Ocean's budget label, The Hit Squad.[7][8][9]
Gameplay
Red Heat is a
Various subgames are also played throughout the main game, each with their own objective. One subgame has the player trying to break apart a hot rock using only Danko's hand. In a different subgame, the player must put a torn dollar bill back together. Another subgame has the player shoot enemies who pop out of closed doors.[10][3][11][12][13][14]
Reception
Publication | Score |
---|---|
CU Amiga | 82% (C64)[10] 53% (Amiga re-release)[9] |
Datormagazin | 4/10 (Amiga)[17] 3/10 (C64)[5] |
The Games Machine | 69% (Amiga)[4] 50% (C64)[3] 52% (ZX Spectrum)[3] |
ST Format | 52% (Atari ST)[12] |
Red Heat received praise for its graphics.[10][4][11][12][13][14][18][6] The Games Machine noted the black-and-white color scheme of the ZX Spectrum version, but wrote "there's plenty of attention to graphic detail".[3] Sinclair User also praised the graphics despite being monochrome.[2] Richard Eddy of Crash cited the "serious lack of colour" as the game's only letdown.[11]
Mark Patterson of
The Games Machine criticized the difficulty and stated that the game would only appeal to fans of beat 'em up games.[3] Some criticized the limited fighting moves,[3][18] and Ken Simpson of Australian Commodore and Amiga Review criticized the joystick control.[18] Your Sinclair praised the subgames for adding variety, but criticized the limited size of the screen.[13] Some critics praised the music.[14][18] However, Patterson opined that the music and sound effects were good but "certainly not outstanding."[10] Barrett stated that the sound effects were good, and described the music as "tolerable".[12]
Several critics reviewed the game's re-release. Paul Rand of Computer and Video Games stated that the game "didn't exactly set the world on fire" during its initial release, but as a budget game "it's a bit of an eye-opener, with big, fast sprites and a reasonable level of difficulty."[8] Rand called it "an above average interpretation of a great movie," and wrote about the cinematic display, "Not only does this add atmosphere to Red Heat, it also allows for some pretty huge graphics to shift about at a fair old pace."[7] Commodore Format praised the graphics, but found the gameplay tedious and annoying.[16] Fiona Keating of CU Amiga mentioned that the game "has a fairly high" difficulty level. Keating stated that the graphics "have an effective cinematic feel" and concluded that Red Heat "will appeal to those looking for a beat 'em up with a mean right hook, but not much else."[9] Stuart Campbell, writing for New Computer Express and Amiga Power, criticized various aspects of the game and stated that it had no redeeming features.[15][19]
References
- ^ "Special FX Software Ltd". MobyGames. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
- ^ a b c "Red Heat". Sinclair User. United Kingdom. June 1989. pp. 12–13.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Red Heat". The Games Machine. United Kingdom. August 1989. pp. 102–103.
- ^ a b c "Version Updates: Red Heat". The Games Machine. United Kingdom. October 1989. p. 87.
- ^ a b Pettersson, Johan (July 1989). "Red Heat". Datormagazin. No. 10. Sweden. p. 10.
- ^ a b Zimmermann, Bernd (August 1989). "Red Heat". Aktueller Software Markt (in German). Germany. p. 39.
- ^ a b c Rand, Paul (October 1991). "C64 Bytesize". Computer and Video Games. United Kingdom. p. 85.
- ^ a b c Rand, Paul (October 1991). "Spectrum Bytesize". Computer and Video Games. United Kingdom. p. 88.
- ^ a b c Keating, Fiona (October 1991). "Red Heat". CU Amiga. United Kingdom. pp. 114, 118.
- ^ a b c d e f Patterson, Mark (July 1989). "Red Heat". CU Amiga-64. United Kingdom. p. 29.
- ^ a b c d e Eddy, Richard; Roberts, Nick (June 1989). "Red Heat". Crash. United Kingdom. pp. 12–13, 34.
- ^ a b c d e f Barrett, Gary (September 1989). "Red Heat". ST Format. United Kingdom. p. 50.
- ^ a b c d e Wilson, David (July 1989). "Red Heat". Your Sinclair. United Kingdom. pp. 23, 31.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Red Heat". Zzap!64. United Kingdom. September 1989. p. 71.
- ^ a b Campbell, Stuart (October 1991). "Red Heat". Amiga Power. United Kingdom. p. 88.
- ^ a b "Roger Frames buys Budjit Games". Commodore Format. United Kingdom. August 1991. p. 36.
- ^ Pettersson, Johan (November 1989). "Red Heat". Datormagazin. No. 16. Sweden. p. 57.
- ^ a b c d Simpson, Ken (April 1990). "Red Heat (Amiga)". Australian Commodore and Amiga Review. Australia. p. 75.
- ^ Campbell, Stuart (10 August 1991). "Games Week". New Computer Express. United Kingdom. pp. 50–51.