Developer: The Bitmap Brothers Publisher: Spectrum Holobyte Release: 12/93 Genre: Action
As someone who lives in the US I was always fascinated by the Amiga. Magazine coverage of its games was sparse but they all seemed interesting. The occasional Sega Genesis port made me even more curious about the system despite their often shoddy quality. No developer was more infamous on the Amiga than the Bitmap Brothers with their distinctive color palette. Of all their titles Soldiers of Fortune was right up my alley. Top Down shooters were not common on consoles and I am glad to say this is a quality title on both platforms. It is also pretty unique in the genre as well.
The story is certainly unique. A time traveler from the future becomes stranded in 1800s Victorian England, where his technology falls in to the hands of the Royal Society. They waste no time retro engineering this future tech which alters the timeline. Their greatest creation is the Chaos Engine, a machine capable of running experiments on the nature of time and space. Unfortunately the Chaos Engine becomes self-aware and assimilates its creator and goes rogue, destroying the British Empire with the creatures it begins generating. Six mercenaries arrive to find the root of the problem, save the world, and mainly get a big payday.
The six characters come from different backgrounds and all have strengths and weaknesses. The Navvie is physically the strongest but has low speed and wisdom. The Mercenary is average all around and makes for a good first choice. The Scientist is the weakest but has the highest speed and intelligence. These differences also extend to their weapons. Everyone has a unique starting weapon as well as special weapons. As you progress these grow in power. Some special weapons are support such as the Scientist’s health pack or the Gentleman’s map. Every two levels you can use the cash you accumulate to buy stat upgrades in multiple categories such as health, weapon power, speed, and wisdom. Intelligence seems like an odd trait in an action game but is important for multiple reasons.
In Soldiers of Fortune you choose two characters at the start. The second character is an AI controlled companion that follows you through the entire game and grows in power alongside you. You can choose to shore up a particular character’s weakness or double down on their niche. The Navvie + Thug are the strongest combination, able to shred enemies recklessly at full power. Most will probably choose the Scientist for his early healing capability. But the fact almost any combination can work is astonishing. The AI changes the more you put into wisdom. At low levels they are dumb. With a few points they will dodge bullets and collect items for you. At their height they are almost like a player controlled character. The combinations and how they affect how you play the game is what makes the game unique and what I like about it the most.
The goal in every level is to activate a set number of nodes on the way to the exit. Early levels place nodes in plain sight and are simple to hit. Later on they usually require some effort to reach as they are locked behind doors or in out of the way locations. Using random teleporters becomes common as the maps become more complex and something as simple as reaching a single node will occupy most of your time. Each of the levels is pretty large and full of secrets. The main ones of interest are the alternate exits. Some stages have as many as three or four and it directly impacts your path through the game. Usually these lead to subsequent stages full of treasure and considering the game’s high challenge working these out is near mandatory.
I have some minor gripes with the game. The interface when buying upgrades is a confusing mess of information that could have been presented better. The other is the controls. There is no option to strafe which would have done wonders for the gameplay. This is a huge missed opportunity, especially on the SNES as most of its buttons are not used. I realize the game has to work around the default Genesis three button setup but still. This is not a nonstop action parade like Smash TV but locking fire while moving is a genre staple. Its absence is glaring.
The difficulty varies depending on your character combination. But even outside that Soldiers of Fortune is rough. The early stages of the game are rough as your AI companion is stupid and little help. If you are unlucky you might have to spend most of your cash reviving them rather than on stat boosts. The game is unfair with its enemy spawns and is rife with cheap hits. Health power-ups are rare and to make matters worse you have to pay to restore health between levels. This makes character building a slow process. Raise your partner’s wisdom enough and they become a genuine aid as they collect items, cover your flank, etc. The game opens up and becomes fun at that point. But the journey to reach that point is long and full of frustration.
In Closing
Soldiers of Fortune is a solid action game and a great addition to both platform libraries. Great artwork and tight mechanics come together to make Soldiers of Fortune better than the sum of its parts. I would have liked a smoother difficulty curve but that is a minor annoyance. Reaching the game’s conclusion is a war of attrition. But it is a war worth winning.
