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Hostages (video game)

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Hostages
European MS-DOS cover art
Developer(s)Infogrames
Publisher(s)Infogrames
Superior Software
Designer(s)Philippe Agripnidis
Composer(s)Alberto Jose González
Platform(s)Acorn Electron, Acorn Archimedes, Amiga, Apple IIGS, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, C64, MS-DOS, MSX, NES, ZX Spectrum
Release
Genre(s)Tactical shooter
Mode(s)Single-player

Hostages is a tactical shooter video game developed and published by Infogrames. It was released for the Acorn Electron, Archimedes, Atari ST, Amiga, Apple IIGS, Amstrad CPC, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, MSX, NES, and ZX Spectrum platforms in 1988. The game was released as Hostage: Rescue Mission in the United States and Operation Jupiter in France; the NES port is titled Rescue: The Embassy Mission.

Gameplay

In Hostages, a terrorist group have overrun an embassy in Paris. The player takes control of a six-man GIGN team on a mission to free the hostages.

The game is split into two or three (depending on platform) distinct sections:

  1. In the first part of the game, the player must bring three men into position so they can snipe the building. While doing so, the men must avoid the searchlights by diving for cover in doorways, windows and behind fences as well as rolling, crawling and running. If the player is caught in a searchlight, the sniper is shot at and risks being gunned down.
  2. The second part involves entering the building with the other three men. In some versions of the game, this section is linked to the first part. The player's men abseil down the side of the building to choose which room to enter from, while the snipers who were positioned earlier can be used to shoot the terrorists through the windows.
  3. The building must then be searched, shooting the terrorists and finding the hostages in the process. In some versions of the game, hostages must be taken to a safe room.

Reception

Hostages was very well received by critics. The game received 5 out of 5 stars in Dragon.[1] Computer Gaming World gave the PC version a positive review, noting poor joystick and keyboard response was a significant problem in an otherwise "great" game.[2] Compute! called Hostages "one of the better Amiga combat games", noting that it did not involve aliens or swords.[3]

Legacy

A sequel to Hostages, titled Alcatraz, was released by Infogrames for the Amiga, Atari ST, and DOS platforms in 1992.[4]

References

  1. ^ Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (June 1989). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (146): 68–79.
  2. ^ Struble, Robert (August 1989), "Code Blue, Code Blue, All Units...", Computer Gaming World, p. 38
  3. ^ Anzovin, Steven (September 1989). "Compute! Specific / Amiga". Compute!. p. 76. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  4. ^ "Alcatraz". MobyGames. Retrieved 2013-11-12.
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