The Mission Briefing, shown in Figure C, gives you a global view of your theater of action while the mission parameters scroll by. The screen then switches to a close-up view of the combat map, detailing where your targets and enemy units can be found, along with a listing of all objectives for the mission.

FIGURE C


The mission briefing outlines your objectives. Roll over picture for a larger image.

Cleared for take-off
At the beginning of each mission, your helicopter will launch from either a ground base, or waterborne destroyer. Across the top of the game play screen, shown in Figure D, is displayed the number of helicopters you have left, or lives, the undamaged percentage of your current helicopter, and the number of enemies you have killed.

FIGURE D


This image shows in-game scenes of both the Hind, on the left, and the Apache, on the right. Roll over picture for a larger image.

The tactical-area map with your objectives and enemy placement, in Figure E, can be accessed any time during play. On the bottom of the screen is the weapon you have selected and the number of rounds remaining. To help you out, a white arrow will display in the game play area to point you in the right direction of your objectives if you stray too far in the wrong direction.

FIGURE E


The in-game tactical map can be accessed any time during play. Roll over picture for a larger image.

The missions consist of eliminating enemy units in the form of tanks, anti-aircraft guns, destroyers and frigates, enemy helicopters, and radar sites, escorting friendly aircraft like harriers, and rescuing prisoners from enemy bunkers and returning them to your base. Mission objectives can be one of these tasks, or multiple combinations. It seems like the further along you get, the more objectives and enemies there are, which is as it should be for a game like this.

When it comes to combat, an enemy unit will be bracketed with a large white X when you have it targeted. All of your weapons have considerable range, and some will even drop an enemy unit with one shot. Your helicopter can take quite a bit of punishment, but keep an eye on the damage gauge and your ammo count.

To rescue those prisoners, you'll first have to destroy the bunkers where they're being held. They'll come running out, and you'll have to land to pick them up. Mind these rescued prisoners; they're worth damage repair when you get them back to your base or ship. And remember, the Apache can only hold four passengers, whereas the Hind can hold six.

You can also replenish some of your ammo, but not all, by returning to your base. Periodically you'll also gain extra helicopters, or lives, as you take out enemies and complete objectives.

Debriefing
Hellfire: Apache vs. Hind reminds me a lot of the old Sega Genesis games Desert Strike and Urban Strike combined with Choplifter.

The terrain and enemies in Hellfire are rendered in real-time, with the player helicopters themselves being pre-rendered. As far as the graphics go, they look pretty good, especially since they're rendered on the fly.

The game is supposed to have dynamic sound, but to be truthful I couldn't tell, because Hellfire has a major audio glitch with Palm Tungsten T2s, resulting in the audio being clipped. The development team is aware of this flaw and is working to figure out the cause and remedy the problem. Apparently they had a similar problem with GTS Racing Challenge.