Release date(s) 1985 Genre Shoot 'em up Publishers Indie Built, U.S. Gold | Initial release date 1985 Developers Indie Built, Bruce Carver | |
 | ||
Platforms Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Atari 8-bit family, Apple II Modes Single-player video game, Multiplayer video game Similar US Gold games, Shoot 'em up games | ||
Beach-Head II: The Dictator Strikes Back is a 1985 computer game, a sequel to Beach-Head. It was developed and published by Access Software. It was designed by Bruce Carver and his brother, Roger, and was released for the Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari 8-bit (Atari 400/800), Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum.
Contents
The spelling of the game's name varies. The title screen spells it "Beach Head", while the box renders it "Beach-Head".
Gameplay
Beach-Head II features the player pursuing the eponymous Dictator in several ways. There are four levels in the game. In the first level, called Attack, the player deploys soldiers along a path with walls to cover him from the dictator's gun. The objective is to destroy the gun. The second level involves rescuing the prisoners from deadly obstacles by clearing them with a gun. The third level's objective is to escape from the area by flying a helicopter with the prisoners out of the dictator's fortress. Finally the player and the dictator face off, on opposite cliffs, separated by water. To defeat him, the player must make him fall in the water by throwing knives at him. The Dictator tries to do the same to the player.
In one player mode there are three skill levels, harder modes resulting in faster movements and the computer opponent using better artificial intelligence. In two player mode, one player controls the usual side whilst his opponent controls the Dictator's forces.
This game was notable for using synthesized speech (courtesy of Electronic Speech Systems, then of Berkeley, California). Known for its deathly scream (also heard in Epyx's Impossible Mission), laughing, "I'm hit", "Medic", "Hey! Don't shoot me" and "You can't hurt me".
Reception
Ahoy! stated that the first minigame, "Attack", was the best, and criticized the illogic of having a player controlling the Dictator still ferry people to safety in "Rescue", but concluded that Beach-Head II was "one of the best head-to-head games for the Commodore, and the computer makes a powerful solitaire opponent" and hoped for another sequel. A.N.A.L.O.G. was less positive, calling the Atari version of the game mediocre, with "acceptable" graphics and "little action".
The Commodore 64 version of the game was a Sizzler, scoring 90% overall, in Issue 4 of Zzap!64. The Spectrum version of the game attained a more modest 74% in sister magazine, Crash.