Gain Ground

"Gain Ground - Classic Strategy for the Genesis"

Introduction - Gain Ground is a great strategy/shooting game for the Genesis. The game’s objective of the game is to get the exit of each level by strategically eliminating enemies and moving around the battlefield. The multitude of enemies and plethora of different fighters makes a for a great and varied strategy game that can be enjoyed for endless times.

Graphics - 7/10 - The graphics are not amazing in Gain Ground. They lack a large spectrum of different colors and the animations are flat. But they are good for their purpose of alerting you where your enemies are located. The backgrounds are decent although the levels are rather small so excessive detail is not necessary. In the end the graphics are not stunning even on Genesis standards but they do a fine job making the game visually bearable.

Sound - 8/10 - The music in this game is solid and whimsical. The tunes are never distracting making a fine balance of enjoying the music while not stopping play for the reason of listening. The songs also last an extensive amount of time never making it overplayed. The battle sounds are sufficient and support the game in a fitting way. Although a decent point in Gain Ground, it does not compare to the shining gem, the gameplay.

Gameplay - 10/10 - Gain Ground’s original gameplay is what makes the game worth playing. The general idea of the gameplay is to use the character most fitting for each level to take out the enemies. This style of character selection is a very strategic part to the successful finish of this game, showing solid development of thought. Some stages may have walls which means you need to use an archer to defeat them. Where as open levels should use gun-like weapons for quick-firing. The game is also very balanced. From the first sublevel to the final level there is a definite change in the difficulty of the enemies and the level layout. There is even a small amount of RPG elements, mainly the character development and time frames. The ten main levels (broken down into 90 sub levels) are all set in different time frames and consist of different characters. At the start you may have a Neanderthal archer at the start of the game and later use a soldier wielding a flame thrower. The two player experience ties in well with the gameplay design. One payer can use an arrow-shooting character to clear enemies over barriers and another can use a character with a gun to eliminate enemies guarding the exit. Protecting each other adds another dimension because if one of your main characters dies you may have lost a vital part of your team and made completing the game much more difficult. The gameplay is definitely the key part of Gain Ground.

Replay/Value - 10/10 - Gain Ground has an astounding replay value because different characters and strategies can be used multiple times through. Even for hardcore gamers trying to go through the entire game with out getting hit once is a large challenge. Especially since the memory card did not exist even beating the game once is a feat. As for the value of this game, BUY. On E-Bay you can find it for around $20. This is well worth the cherished gameplay.

Overall - 9/10 - Gain Ground is a fantastic experience. Even if you are superficially into games, looking only at the graphics, the gameplay can still help persuade you into being delved into this game. If you are looking for a classic strategy game that will be fun and challenging then Gain Ground is for you.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 05/21/03, Updated 05/21/03