Discovering Game

Gaming Brilliance: Raptor Call of the Shadows

• Goal: Collect the most money possible and complete each wave.
  
• Tools: Variety of weapons ranging from missiles to lasers.
  
• Obstacle: Bosses and the other planes and land turrets.
  
• Second Chances: Shields and Phase Shields

Raptor: Call of the Shadows was produced in 1994 by Apogee Software (Now 3D Realms) When it was released it had the best graphics you could get on the PC. It had Shadows! a real soundtrack and most importantly explosions.

Raptor is a top down shooter, meaning you look down at the action. The view point  similar to games like Space invaders or Galaga.

The game’s premise was simple you shoot down planes and destroy buildings. In turn the corporation give you money for each thing you destroy for repairs and new weapons (produced by them of course).

One of the more powerful weapons are seen in this video known as the laser turret, which auto targeted any air units leaving you to destroy ground units. Allowing you to get more money.

What makes this game so brilliant is the money factor in most games like this players get new weapons by picking up power-ups. In this game however a player has to balance his finances. Buy new shields? Buy new weapons? this is a game about choice. A player also has to decided what to destroy and what not too. Every building demolished yields cash, but going over and bombing that building might put him in the line of fire and may cause you to lose health. So chose do you want to be risky and make a great deal of cash, or play it safe and take your time.

Who would think a game about destroying things with a plane happens to be about managing money as well.

Give the game a try you can download the shareware version here.