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Harrier Attack II is the official sequel to Durell Software's Harrier Attack! game of the
eighties, which was a phenomenal success on the 8-bit computers available at that time. This game isn't a remake, it's a sequel, and we have built on the original game-play and added great new features. It is a unique blend of arcade, strategy, flight simulator and fighting game.
The action takes place on three colony islands which have been invaded by enemy aggressors. You play the roll of Harrier Jump-Jet pilot, of course, and have been dispatched on your aircraft carrier to help repel the invasion. Over a series of missions, based on the first two islands, your pilot gains extra equipment, weapons and skills. During these missions your Harrier is armed with infinite ammunition, but has limited fuel. As you win more and more awards the game is metamorphosed, until on the third island, the game is transformed into a totally different game. Here you must arm and fuel your Harrier, based on weight restrictions, take-off methods and the number of weapon attachments you have won. Using the new skills gained in the previous missions you finally vanquish the enemy from the third island.
Click on these links to find out more about the crucial features of Harrier Attack II:
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Award System
As you achieve your objectives in the South and West Island missions you will win new skills, weapons and equipment. In total there are over fifty extra items which can be won. These awards make a real difference to what you can achieve in the missions.
After each success in a particular mission you are offered a choice of several awards. In some missions not all of the awards can be won simultaneously, some will have to be omitted from your inventory.
Choosing which item to accept is an important decision Sometimes (though rarely) a particular item may be essential to make good progress through the missions. If this is the case then a hint is given in the mission briefing. Often an award can be used to good effect in the mission in which it is awarded. This adds replay value to the missions; you may use different tactics depending on which items you bring with you. In any case it is rarely obvious which award you should choose, each has its own benefits in certain circumstances.
If you later decide to change your mind, you may replay the mission and swap previously won awards for ones still available.
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Command System
One of the unique features of Harrier Attack II is the cammand system. This is used to control equipment on the Harrier, such as dispensing a chaff cartridge or operating the ejection seat, or initiate manoeuvres, turns, VIFFs or automatic attacks. Entering a command is similar to initiating a move in a fighting game; a sequence of keys is entered rapidly on the keyboard. With the Harrier Attack II command system, however, you can adjust the timing to suit your own dexterity and playing speed. At first a relatively slow speed may be chosen, then, as the you progresses through the game and become brain-trained, the timings can be reduced and the you are rewarded with better responsiveness.
Command timing can be adjusted from the special settings page, accessible from the front-end or the pause menu. We have seen people being able to enter codes at a very high speed on this page. However, when actually playing the game a very cool head is required. It is very easy to panic when in a tight squeeze, you can easily becomes all fingers and thumbs.
As well as requiring dexterity to enter commands, a good memory is also required. Even though the commands are arranged in a logical way, remembering the command sequences can be a challenge in its own right.
See more about commands in the Players Guide, here, and a full list of commands here.
Remember, DON'T PANIC! STAY COOL..
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Damage System
If the enemy successfully attacks your Harrier with a missile, or other weaponry, an item of your Harriers console equipment will become damaged. When all of the console items have become damaged the next hit will damage your engines and your only recourse is to eject. Each piece of console equipment therefore counts as a 'life'. For many awards, not only do you get the benefit of the function of the award itself, but if the award also includes an item of console equipment, you gain the additional benefit of an extra life.
One of the awards that you may win is the console repair skill. This enables you to keep repairing the console and carry on flying indefinitely. The console repair is not reliable however. Think of it as giving the console a good thump. Each time you do it, something may or may not be repaired. If you do get lucky, there's no telling which item will be fixed.
If you collide with enemy aircraft, all of your console items will become damaged, leaving you very vulnerable until you manage to do some repairs. The destruction of the other aircraft will not count towards your objectives.
See the Players Guide for more about the damage system here.
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Weapons
Three weapons are provided as standard equipment. A further ten are awarded as you play through the missions. These weapons are very diverse and vastly increase your options, greatly increasing the replay value of each mission.
See more about weapons in the Players Guide here.
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Two Games In One
Harrier Attack II comes with the South and West Island missions, during which you gain awards and flying experience, and also with the ten missions of the East Island Campaign. This series of challenging missions enable you to fully put into practice the awards and experience that you have gained through the South and West Island missions.
The East Island campaign gives a new lease of life to Harrier Attack II. Each mission gives the opportunity to fly multiple sorties against the enemy. Here you must arm your Harrier, deciding which weapons and how much fuel to take on each sortie. After each sortie, within the mission restrictions, you can land on your carrier to re-arm and re-fuel and continue on with the same mission.
In the final mission, 'Cockleshell Beach' you get to fly the mission accompanied by a second 'wingman' Harrier. You control your wingman with commands, and finally vanquish your foe from the islands.
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