"Gauntlet in Space? More than that!"

OK, When I first heard of this game, I thought ''gee, another classic thats been updated. Whoppee''. I was wrong. Instead of Asteroids, we have more of a ''Gauntlet Legends in Space''. But Armada is unique.

What is the Armada? It is some kind of alien race that has taken over the known universe and and has an ability to reproduce faster than rabbits. Not only is this disastrous, Starbases and other important locations are running out of materials to support themselves. Yes, the Armada is a big threat.

This is where you come in. After choosing your race (Terran, Eldred, Scarab, Drakken, Vorgan, etc. Each with unique abilities), you start off on a planet being attack by the Armada. Here is where you sample your first taste of combat. After getting rid of the immediate threat, you can communicate with the various pilots that live there. Most will give you the next Mission Objective, but some will either repair your armor, or give you ''Power Pods'', which let you unleash a massive explosion, damaging nearby foes (like ''Magic'' in Gauntlet Legends) or you could use the power pods to repair yourself. After leaving the planet, you end up in space. It is VERY big. At first, you will be disorientated. Fortunately, there's a little green arrow pointing to your objective. Getting there isn't easy. There are THOUSANDS or Armada that swarm in on your location. You can fight them off, but soon you will learn that staying in one spot will get you killed faster than you can say ''The end is nigh''. Lucky for you, you can escape with your thrust, or use your warp. However, while warping (merely a faster Thrust), you use up your Energy. Your Energy is, obviously, how much enegy you have for your Warp or Lasers. When being idle or not fighting/warping, your energy will recharge. But if you are feeling brave, you try to gain experience by taking on everything that comes your way. If you're lucky, a renegade pilot might come to assist you.

In some places, you can purchase ''Ultratechs''. These are items that can be equipped and they can enhance your ship's performance. These can vary from stronger shields to faster laser to Cash bonuses for each Armada you kill....

Money (or credits) is hard to come by. You can gain credits by searching for shining gold pieces flying around the wreckage of an Armada, or you could by an item that gives you Credit Bonus for each Armada you annhilate. Apart from that, you can perform Escort duties. Pilots in distress randomly appear and ask for your aid. Successfully escorting the convoys end up with instant credits. It ain't that easy, though.

GRAPHICS 9/10
The graphics in this game is very smooth, but the ''fog'' can get in the way sometimes. The Armada and your ships are very detailed, and the special effects and mind-blowing. The space backdrop is very nice, too.

SOUND 9/10
The Armada voices are very realistic (in an alien sense), and the explosions and voices sound quite nice as well. (Example: You are an EXCELLENT warrior! I will keep making Power Pods for you.'' How nice)

GAMEPLAY 8/10
This game also excels in this area. The mission do get tedious for the casual gamer, but that is a minor thing and although flying around and shooting things is boring, there is MUCH more to this than meets the eye! The only thing I don't like is that you really do need a friend or two to play with. Some bosses require two or more players to beat easily, and your wingman just won't do as you want.
Eg- Let's just say a boss has a shield and can only be damaged from the back. Not only that, you will also have a horde of Armada down your back. To successfully defeat such a boss, you need someone to distract it while to shoot it's back. Your wingman is too busy trying to defend him/herself. It's just plain annoying. However, the fact that you have 3 lives, and also if you lose all three you start back at your home planet with all your items/credits/exp, it reduces the frustration and gives you another enjoyable chance to take on the impossible.

LASTABILITY 10/10
This game will keep you hooked for ages, and will give you less time to lead an ordinary life.

Rent or buy?: I recommend renting it first to see if it's your type, but if you like action or shooting games, you'll love this.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/10/01, Updated 01/25/01