Loadstar: The Legend of Tully Bodine

Overview

Loadstar: The Legend of Tully Bodine was developed by Rocket Science Games and published by BMG Interactive. The game was released on PC and Sega CD. Loadstar features full motion video. The live action video features several actors such as Ned Beatty and Bary Primus. The game is divided in three episodes with a finale. There are cinematic sequences that separate action phases between them and show the events along the game.

Plot

Set in the 22nd Century, the game places you as the captain of a cargo ship trying to escape from a Moon base. This man is Tully Bodine. Tully is an interplanetary trucker looking for his last haul before rejoining his new girlfriend who is waiting for him somewhere on Mars. Unfortunatly for Tully, the local sheriff, Wombley, does not appreciate him very much, and is looking to catch him in the act of something illegal.

Luckily for Tully, he finds and accepts a haul to convoy a cargo of contraband camels to Phobos for big cash, and he as to hurry before Wombley catches him and throws him into jail.

Gameplay

During the game you will receive instructions from Mortimer, the ship's computer. The controls for the game are simple, with you having to steer the ship to the left or the right with the arrow keys, use the shields with the up arrow, and horn with the down arrow. You can also use a joystick, by buttons to horn and activate the shields. You will move your visor with the joystick and shoot at the targets with the fire button.

Your first mission will consist in delivering the cargo within 9 minutes which is not easy at all. If you choose the wrong track along the way, you are on for another turn before you get back to the junction and make the good choice. Fortunately, Mortimer will indicate you the right direction but sometimes you are so busy trying to blow up things around you that you don't even have time to steer the ship.

Another thing to watch out is the incoming traffic. If you react too slowly to Mortimer's warnings, you will end up in a collision with the traffic, causing an explosion and your untimely death along with the loss of one life. Another kind of traffic hazard is the slow traffic. The only way not to bump into is to buzz your horn and make them speed up their engines. It will prevent you from further damages.

The damages can be repaired in zones that Mortimer will indicate to you, but the best way to stay alive is to use your shields when you are attacked. Finally, at the end of each episode, you will have to destroy a boss that is chasing you around.