Reviewed: April 29, 2003
Reviewed by: Mark Smith
Publisher
Tri Synergy
Developer
Grin Inc.
Released: March 26, 2003
Genre: Action
Players: 20
ESRB: Teen
9
9
9
8
9.1
System Requirements
Bandits: Phoenix Rising is one of those titles that is so simplistic in design that you wonder why somebody hasn’t done something like this before. Borrowing heavily from the post-apocalyptic anarchy themes you may have seen in the Mad Max movies, Bandits places you in a gang of desperadoes who roam the desert competing with rival gangs for valuable resources and glory.
You are put in the driver’s seat of a cannon-mounted combat car where you must engage in combat with other rival gangs, raid conveys, infiltrate enemy bases and defend your own territory. There are more than 20 single-player missions ranging from races, duels, train robberies, convoy assaults, and raids on enemy bases. Along the way you will be able to upgrade your vehicle with all sorts of formidable weaponry.
Settling in behind the wheel I was amazed at the level of control and the dynamic physics engine behind this game. The cars tumble down cliffs, slide in the sand, and spin out as you kick in the nitro boosters. You have independent control over the gun turret so you can fire in one direction using the mouse while steering in another direction using the WADS cluster. If you wish, you can link the turret to the steering and your car will follow the direction you are aiming. There is a slight delay in the response that takes a bit of getting used to. Gamers who have played HALO on the Xbox will know what I am talking about.
You have primary and secondary weapons that are fired with the LMB and RMB. Weapons include shotgun, missiles, machine guns, mines, sniper rifles and many others that fire both forward and to the rear. You can mix and choose your weapons prior to each mission.
The missions vary in type and difficulty. You start off by raiding an enemy base to get a cactus distiller so you can make your own alcohol. Then you have to escape the base and get out of enemy territory without getting destroyed. Later on you take part in a checkpoint race that turns out to be an ambush and your weapons are disabled. This is followed by an assault on an enemy convoy where you have to sabotage a bridge then disable a pair of cargo trucks.
Bandits features a strong multiplayer component that supports LAN and Internet play for up to 20 players in both Deathmatch and team games. There are even 9 original multiplayer maps to keep the gameplay fresh and exciting. Bandits supports GameSpy making it easy to locate other players and the hosting and join game setup screens are easy to configure getting you online just that much faster.
These days it takes a lot to impress me graphically, but the visuals in Bandits blew me away. This is some of the best terrain I have seen on the PC ever and the cars, trucks, and other vehicles are all modeled with extreme detail, both in construction (70,000+ polygons), and textures (chrome and bump mapping, T&L, pixel shaders). When you destroy a car it blows apart into a dozen pieces complete with fire and smoke and if you are lucky, a power-up.
You have full camera control using the mouse. You can tilt your view up or down and moving side to side will turn the camera and the car/turret. If the turret is locked you go where you look (YGWYL), otherwise can actually be driving/looking one direction and firing in another. It’s hard to master but it’s great for taking out pursuing enemies.
The levels are quite large, but you are given an informative map during the pre-mission briefing and there is a waypoint indicator on the screen at all times indicating the direction and distance to your next target. When you get in range of the enemy you will see a power bar above the car. As you do damage this bar depletes until the car blows up.
In a word, Bandits has “style”. It begins to show from the opening movie that is shot as some artistic black & white documentary. Even the credits are worth taking a look at just to see the cool bubble effects and flying photos of the crew responsible for making this game. That style then carries over into the menus and interface with a subtle yellow glow that follows the mouse and spins when you click.
The game's intense action is supported by an excellent soundtrack that spans several genres including hard rock, hip-hop, and even some excellent roadhouse music with a tint of blues thrown in. There are more than 150-minutes of original music in Bandits; plenty to keep you tapping your toes as you battle your way through the intense single player campaign and multiplayer deathmatches.
The conversations during the game are hilarious; especially the random and scripted remarks from your co-pilot who sounds an awful lot like Mike Myers doing Shrek or Fat Bastard. I was laughing hysterically when I drove off a cliff and my gunner moans, “Awwww…crap!” in a thick Scottish accent. The witty banter between you and your gunner is terribly clever and the constant references to the “chicken incident” will keep a smile on your face. The hillbilly voices of the enemy riders combined with the music gives this game a redneck feel I haven't experienced since Redneck Rampage.
All of the audio is supported by software and hardware 3D sound including Matrox Surround Gaming support. Not only does the 3D surround sound enhance the gameplay, it actually becomes critical in some aspects to locating the enemies in 3D space.
Most gamers will blast their way through the 20+ missions in about 15-20 hours. You’ll certainly die on more than one occasion and have to replay a mission or two, but even so, the game is just so enjoyable that you won’t mind and even though the objectives are linear you are always free to explore new routes and path to get to them.
Bandits really shines in the multiplayer department and gives this title virtually unlimited replay potential. Even though you are basically reduced to deathmatch modes whether playing lone wolf or in a team, there is just something totally insane about 20 cars racing around the desert blowing each other to bits. The nine maps are perfectly designed for large or small battles, and the wild physics model will have cars flying and bouncing all over the place and the stunning visuals will light up the sky with explosions as car parts rain down around you.
With great graphics, excellent sound effects and some of the most fun and hilarious characters I’ve seen in any recent PC game, Bandits: Phoenix Rising is one of the best car combat games you can get for your PC.
You may have to look around to find this game in stores but I promise you it will be worth the effort. Whether you are looking for a great single player experience or the next big online action-combat title, Bandits is the game for you.