A third Descent

Descent 3

*****

Outrage

PC

$99.95 (MA 15+)

Review: Peter Eley

Imagine you're the solo pilot of a fusion-powered fighter, hovering metres above the ground. Then you spot an enemy droid, hit the power and screech after it at supersonic speed.

The droid dives into a tunnel, twisting and turning, but you bank after it, shooting and dodging as it returns fire.

Many games have tried to recreate that sort of pumping excitement. Few have succeeded, and Descent 3 is one of them.

The Descent series was born on the back of Doom, the game that set the first-person action ball rolling.

But rather than just clone another faceless tough guy, Descent took the game into the air and added piloting skills to the mix.

Descent 2 followed, but started to look long in the tooth graphics-wise compared to some of the newer action games around.

Descent 3 will change that. It has all the visual effects the 3-D generation has come to expect, and adds really absorbing and difficult gameplay.

The graphics are cutting edge, with brilliant lighting and super-quick redraw, but they do require a powerful processor and a good 3-D card.

There is a plot, but it is eminently forgettable - something about saving the world from aliens (yawn).

Much more interesting is the range of enemy robots: 30, ranging from hornet-like mechanised flesh-shredders to a fully featured mechwarrior.

Like all good first-action games, there are heaps of weapons and power-ups, the inevitable keys to get through doors, and so on.

But Descent 3 is a bit more intelligent than most and does require some brain power as well as a quick trigger finger. It is a hard game, but totally addictive once you work things out.

Don't be disappointed when you load it for the first time and find there are only 15 levels. In fact, each is a full campaign containing sub-levels and should take several days to play.

And there is a huge multiplayer option, with 15 playable levels plus death-match and capture-the-flag options.

Outrage has set up its own free site, PXO, and ships its MindSpring Internet software with Descent 3.

Required: Pentium 200, 32MB ram, 3-D accelerator.

Recommended: Pentium II 300 with 64MB ram.