Description:
Following up the success of a sleeper hit like Interstate '76 isn't an easy task. Set in an alternate universe, where the oil crisis never subsided, Interstate '76 combined elements of racing and vehicular combat to create a thrilling experience for both solo and multiplayer gamers alike. Activision stands poised to rekindle the spark with a sequel, Interstate '82, set six years later in the fashion and music horror known as the early 1980s. Players assume the role of Taurus, a no-nonsense vigilante who teams up with Skye Champion in the search for her missing brother (Groove Champion, the protagonist from the original game). Its familiar action-oriented game play remains mostly intact. Players sit behind the wheel of turbo and weapon-charged cars and trucks (over 30 playable vehicles) and use a variety of bullet- or missile-based weapons to eliminate enemy vehicles, affectionately known as "Creepers." The sequel's most unique aspect is the ability to hop out of your vehicle during a mission and enter another. The search for hidden (and better) cars provides some of the more interesting detours during the often-repetitive and visually inconsistent missions. Still, while offering a decent story line and plenty of auto-combat game play, Interstate '82 doesn't quite live up to the engrossing standard of its predecessor. --Doug Radcliffe
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