Software:Battlestrike
| Battlestrike | |
|---|---|
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Publisher(s) | City Interactive |
| First release | Battlestrike: Call to Victory 2004 |
| Latest release | Battlestrike: Shadow of Stalingrad July 17, 2009 |
| Spin-offs | Pilot Down: Behind Enemy Lines |
Battlestrike is a long-running videogame franchise of City Interactive, a Poland publisher well known for its steady output of short, budget-priced first-person shooters, each developed in a matter of months.
Battlestrike is City Interactive's umbrella brand for a number of World War II-themed action games, often differing in concept and developed by unrelated studios. Until the 6th title in the series, the Battlestrike name was exclusive to international releases and was not used in the publisher's home country. In Poland, the games that form the Battlestrike franchise are divided among several different franchises.
Most games in the series have been critically panned, although the most recent entries have garnered a slightly more positive reception thanks to their improved level design and the use of proven technology acquired from Western companies. AI and performance issues, as well as an overall lack of polish remain critical problems.
Games
Battlestrike: Call to Victory
A classic FPS, this game was developed in 2004 by Canadian studio Jarhead Games and released in North America as World War II Sniper: Call to Victory. It was repackaged as a Battlestrike title by City Interactive in most European markets. In Poland however, the game is known as Rajd na Berlin: Oddziały Specjalne. The player takes the role of the U.S. Airborne Sniper Hawkins.
The game consists of ten missions divided among three campaigns, the first set in the Netherlands for Operation Market Garden with three missions, the second set in Luxembourg for Battle of the Bulge with four missions and the last set in Germany for the Battle of the Rhineland with the remaining three missions. The player's health is indicated by a health meter. Most of the time, the player will heavily rely on the Springfield Sniper Rifle to successfully complete objectives throughout the missions.
Battlestrike: The Siege
In Poland, the game is known as II Wojna Światowa: Oblezenie. This title in the series is an arcade-style shooter with an emphasis on vehicular or stationary action divided into twelve missions, taking the form of a gun turret armored car, an artillery cannon, a plane in the sky (Spitfire, Mustang or Lockheed), a patrol boat, a sniper in a tower or a mounted machine gunner. The player has no control over the vehicle or post itself, but is able to rotate, aim and fire the weapons.
Battlestrike: The Road to Berlin
In Poland it is known as II Wojna Światowa: Rajd na Berlin. This game marks a return to the fixed and forced scrolling shooting action of Battlestrike: The Siege. The player goes through sixteen missions, taking the form of a stationary gunner, an AA mounted truck, a plane in the sky (Lockheed or P-47), an M4 Sherman tank, a Flak mounted truck, a sniper in a sandbag enclosure or a Ball turret.
Battlestrike: Secret Weapons
This FPS was developed by Direct Action Games using Version 2 of the Unreal Engine. It was originally called World War II Combat: Road to Berlin. City Interactive bought the European rights and added the game to its Battlestrike line. Since a previous game in the franchise was already called The Road to Berlin, the title was changed to Secret Weapons. In Poland, the game was renamed Rajd na Berlin: Tajna Broń III Rzeszy.
Battlestrike: Force of Resistance
This title is an FPS developed in house in 2007. It is based on the Chrome Engine, a technology created by fellow Poles Techland. In Poland, this game was marketed as a new entry in the popular Mortyr series: Mortyr III: Akcje dywersyjne. For release in foreign territories, where that franchise does not enjoy the same level of respectability, the Mortyr moniker was dropped in favor of Battlestrike.
The game consists of eight missions. The player takes control of the protagonist John Forsyth, involved with helping the Partisan Resistance in Europe by sabotaging German war machines and raiding their factories.
Battlestrike: Force of Resistance 2
Another entry into the Battlestrike series, continuing on from Force of Resistance. It was released April 7, 2009. This had an international release under the Battlestrike brand but assumed the name of Battlestrike: Middle Europe in Poland.
Battlestrike: Shadow of Stalingrad
An FPS developed in house at City Interactive and released on July 17, 2009, this time based on F.E.A.R.'s Lithtech engine. During development, the game was known as Battlestrike: Force of Resistance 2 (international working title) and Rajd Na Berlin: Cien Stalingradu (domestic working title). It was titled Battlestrike: Shadow of Stalingrad, or Battlestrike: Cien Stalingradu in Poland. This marked the first use of the Battlestrike brand in a domestic release. Despite being casually referred to as Battlestrike: Force of Resistance 2 during development, Battlestrike: Shadow of Stalingrad is not a sequel to Battlestrike: Force of Resistance.
The player goes with two comrades through eight missions to drive the Axis forces out of Stalingrad, kill the scientist Baldur von Ritter and destroy his gas weapon productions. The gameplay has many similarities to that of Call of Duty 2.
Related games
In 2006 Direct Action Games developed a First-Person Shooter titled World War II Combat, which was published by Groove Games.
In Poland, the Kuju Entertainment-developed Pilot Down: Behind Enemy Lines was renamed II Wojna Światowa: Pilot Down - Na Tylach Wroga.
The packaging was altered to highlight thematic connections with previously released City Interactive products II Wojna Światowa: Oblezenie (a.k.a. Battlestrike: The Siege) and II Wojna Światowa: Rajd na Berlin (a.k.a. Battlestrike: The Road to Berlin), using similar layout and fonts.
The official sequel to Mortyr III: Akcje dywersyjne is a different game called Mortyr: Operacja Sztorm in Poland, or simply Operation Thunderstorm in international markets. Shadow of Stalingrad, Operation Thunderstorm, The Royal Marines Commando and Wolfschanze II nonetheless share many technical features, like the F.E.A.R engine and various recycled weapon models, sounds and voices.
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