By Michael Webb, Editor-in-Chief, MikeWebb@CompuServe.COM
Due to scheduling problems and time constraints, I have not yet been able to put together another review for this column. However, I have received further reader feedback about the last game reviewed here, OutRun.
Hi Michael,
I was just reading the The Amiga Gaming Retrospective: Part 8 where a reader wrote to you about your review of OutRun.
His view was that OutRun wasn't a good game because it was a port of the Atari ST, didn't have a good frame rate and more. It reminded me of lots of discussions in c.s.a.games, where technical details (like frame rates, number of colours, resolutions etc.) would make or break a game to some and playability to others.
While the reader may be correct in his reasons against OutRun, the fact is they are all TECHNICAL shortcomings. What I like most about OutRun isn't the frame rate or the animations, it's the great playability. For me that is what counts. Okay so maybe I would have loved it even more if it did have a better frame rate and better animations etc. But that's just icing on the cake. They are good enough as it is, not to destroy the playability.
If I crash into a stone or whatever I know it's because I made a mistake, not because the computer couldn't refresh the screen quickly enough, not because it didn't react to my joystick actions quickly enough and not because of illogical controls. So next time I knew I could get it right, if I didn't make that stupid mistake again.
In short, I like OutRun the way it is and if you do too you don't have to tone down your feelings towards OutRun just because 99% of the rest of the world doesn't like it :-)
Continue your nice magazine and your historic reviews,
Greetings from Holland
Andre Hogenkamp