~ OPERATION WOLF ~
Taito / NEC Avenue
HuCard
1990
Operation Wolf is extremely good at what it does with the limited concepts it explores, and it makes no pretense of being something grander than what it is. With that being the case, matters are made very convenient for prospective buyers. Do you enjoy
moving crosshairs around a screen and blasting shit up? I do, and I had a great time with OW.
Admittedly, I had some concerns going in. I wasn't sure that a directional pad would work well for Wolf's brand of gameplay. Fortunately, the ol' PCE controller actually does OW justice: the action is smooth and fun, as quick targeting and precise shooting
are possible.
I was also a little worried that the "soldier/helicopter/tank" enemy roster would wear thin rather quickly, but there's a decent amount of variety within each subgroup, with gunboats, knife hurlers, paratroopers, and many other breeds of foot soldier and
vehicle joining the fray.
My third concern was that the quick little mission OW offers would amount to nothing more than a forgettable in-and-out jaunt. Well, Wolf is hardly epic, but it really doesn't need to be. It serves perfectly for pick-up-and-play-and-go fifteen-minute-burst
sessions.
And hey, it's kind of funny in a misguided sort of way, with its eloquent "YOU DEAD" game-over message and silly-looking cutscenes.
