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Redline
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In the driving
mode, you have access to an on-board radar (don’t ignore it)
and plenty of ammunition (bullets, heat seeking missiles, side
firing guns and mines). To further assist you, there is mouse
aiming and free-look which are both essential in eliminating
your rival gang members. Why am I stressing all of this? Because
the game has only one difficulty  level and
that is - difficult. What? Yes, that’s right - you have to
hone your skills and be patient (die and die again) if you want
to succeed in Redline. Going in with guns a blazing is not
always the answer and many times it is just plain suicidal.
This shouldn’t bother most gamers until you get to the last
few levels of the game. This is where missions become a lot more
difficult. These levels are not impossible to complete but I can
envision many gamers getting tired of repeated plays and going
to cheats to finish. So much for making the game a challenge.
Now back to more positive aspects of the game and which are
explosions and damage effects. Virtually everything in Redline
explodes - cars, people, props, buildings, and more people. All
the explosions are over-the-top but fit in with the general
theme of the game. The car explosions are cool as every car
looks like it must be housing a small nuclear reactor inside -
the designers have gone for the aurora effect with their
explosions. I like it! The damage effects are also first-rate
ranging from bullet holes, collapsing walls & buildings and
body damage to the cars. The overall graphics are also excellent
as Beyond  Games uses their
proprietary engine called Daeldalus that produces a look similar
to the graphics in Unreal. This graphics engine is that good.
Combine all of these positive elements with the vast landscapes
and what you get is an extremely strong visual experience.
Unfortunately, the sound effects don’t even come close to
being on the same level as the graphics. The explosions sound
good enough but everything else seems to be lacking in quality,
especially the on-foot weapons and your character noises. This
is one area that could use a major overhaul.
Enemy AI is good on one side (vehicle combat) and so-so on the
other (on-foot combat). The opposing vehicles that you battle
are tough (remember Always-Difficult level) and this forces you
to become a proficient driver as quick turns (use your hand
brake) and smart driving are essential to survival. The on-foot
combat is inconsistent. The accuracy of the enemies’ gunfire
is excellent but there are times when you can walk up to some of
these slimy dudes and pop them without a fight. Oh, before I
forget - if you think you can duke it out with a fighting
vehicle while on-foot, then prepare to be roadkill.
There’s nothing too special in the area of weapons with the
only notable exception being the EMP Generator, which allows you
to carjack an opponent’s car. Blast the vehicle that  you want to take a spin in and the driver pops out
and all you do is hop in. This is a cool weapon but it should be
used judiciously since you have to be on-foot to utilize it and
this is risky when your opponents are itching to make you their
new hood ornament.
Redline is a lot of fun to play as its dual combat mode makes it
an interesting entry in the world of action games.
Unfortunately, the always difficult level setting will frustrate
many gamers especially during the latter stages of the game.
It’s too bad, since Redline is right on-track with its
advanced interactivity but then it has to go and take its eye
off the road with its absence of a configurable difficulty level
setting feature.
System Requirements:
Recommended PII 266MHz or AMD K6, DirectX 6, 12X CD-ROM,
64MB RAM, 300MB HD Space, WIN95/98, 3D Accelerator Card
Minimum Pentium 200MHz or AMD K6, DirectX 6, 4X CD-ROM,
32MB RAM, 300MB HD Space, WIN95/98, 3D Accelerator Card
Reviewed by James Diaz, PC Gameworld.
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