Return Fire 2 Explained

Developer:Silent Software
Publisher:Ripcord Games
Genre:Strategy
Modes:Single-player, multiplayer
Platforms:Windows

Return Fire 2 is a computer game developed by Silent Software and published for Windows by Ripcord Games in 1998. It is a sequel to Return Fire.

Gameplay

The game simulates a vehicle-based capture the flag competition.

Upon starting the game players are directed to their in game bunker. There, they can view the battleground with a radar and access a limited supply of vehicles: tanks, armored support vehicles (ASVs), helicopters, jets, jeeps and PT boats. The vehicles have a limited supply of fuel and ammo, and the player can only control one vehicle at a time.

The objective is to enter the enemy's base, capture their flag and bring it back to the player's base. The flag is always located in a 'flag tower', which must be destroyed before the flag can be picked up. There may be more than one enemy flag tower, but only one of them contains the flag. Although the flag may be discovered using any vehicle it can only be carried by the jeep, which is the weakest vehicle in the game. Thus, the player must destroy the enemy flag's defenses using stronger vehicles before attempting to take it.

The game retains the classical soundtrack of its predecessor, with each vehicle having its own 'theme' which is heard when the player is using that vehicle.[1]

Development

The game was showcased at E3 1997.[2] It was originally scheduled to release in late 1997 by MGM Interactive.[2] It was initially announced for the Panasonic M2 console,[3] which was aborted in mid-1997, forcing M2 to developers to either convert their M2 projects to other platforms or cancel them.[4] Towards the end of development it was announced that Return Fire 2 would instead be released for the PC and PlayStation,[5] but ultimately only the PC version was released.[6]

Reception

The game received favorable to average reviews.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Return Fire 2 Review (PC) [date mislabeled as "May 5, 2000"] ]. Gregson . Chris . October 9, 1998 . . CBS Interactive.
  2. Web site: Chris. Johnston. MGM's E3 Lineup. https://web.archive.org/web/19980119052411/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_06/09_mgm/index.html. GameSpot. January 19, 1998. June 9, 1997. July 26, 2022.
  3. 3DO's M2 prepares for its debut . . . 10 . October 1995 . 14–15 . April 3, 2021.
  4. Matsushita: Finally Pulling the Plug . Next Generation. 33 . . September 1997. 20–21.
  5. In the Studio . Next Generation . Imagine Media . 36 . December 1997 . 24 . April 3, 2021.
  6. Web site: Chris. Johnston. Return Fire II PS Nixed. https://web.archive.org/web/20001008074912/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_05/04_return/index.html. GameSpot. October 8, 2000. May 4, 1998. November 14, 2022.