The Last V8 puts you in a pretty enthralling
situation. The year is 2008, seven years after World
War III and the nuclear winter has just about passed.
Civilization was destroyed by the devastating war, but
you were working deep underground when it happened and
therefore survived. During the time you've spent in
the shelter, you worked on a project: The Last V8
which is based upon a car you owned.
Over the years it has been built up and customized to
withstand the hostile environment which was once the
world. Complete with radiation shielding, turbo engine
and computer linked to its station, it's ready to take
you out in your search for the remnants of mankind.
However,
on your first foray a siren sounds warning you of an
imminent strike from delayed action warheads which detonate
periodically. You only have a tiny amount of time to
get back to the base, and it's up to you to steer the
last V8 back to the base.
The
screen is divided into two parts -- the car's instrument
panel and a scrolling aerial view of the track. The
instrument panel has no real significance to the game,
it just tells you the speed you're going. The upper
half of the screen is the most important, since it is
using this that you play the game.
The
Last V8 has the same type of control as Paradroid
-- if you point the joystick in a direction then the
car goes that way. If you want the car to slow down
then you have to push the joystick in the opposite direction.
[This
screenshot was not in the original review]
The
game starts with spoken message V8 return to base
- immediately and you have to get back to the base
before the timer reaches zero. WWIII doesn't seem to
have been as devastating as we were led to believe since
there are still roads the V8 has to religiously follow.
If the car goes off the road then it explodes and the
game has to be restarted.
If
you manage to get to the base within the time limit
then you are transported to a second, trickier landscape
and the return to the base starts over again.
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