DESCRIPTION

In Reign of Fire, based on the 2002 movie starring Matthew McConaughey, players have a choice of fighting for human survival against the onslaught of the dragons or trying to stop the human resistance as one of the fire-breathing beasts. The latter option is unlocked only after successful completion of several human-based missions. As a Kentucky Irregular under the leadership of Denton Van Zan, players use vehicles including a 4 x 4 jeep, fire truck, tank, or buggy. As a dragon, players must unleash a rain of fire on the weapons of human resistance, by spitting fireballs and breathing napalm.

The vehicle-based human arsenal includes a light machine gun turret, a tank cannon, ground-to-air rockets, heat-seeking missiles, a water cannon, and water grenades. The enemies of the humans range from young Jakyls, that try to ram vehicles, to swarms of giant napalm breathers looking to toast anything in sight. As a human, the dragons aren't the only concern, as failing to carry out the uncompromising Van Zan's mission orders will also land a soldier in hot water, or worse. Dragons, in addition to their fire-based arsenal, can also pick up objects (like humans and vehicles) and use them as bombs.

Reign of Fire contains extras in the form of movie clips and Mad at Gravity's music video "Walk Away." The game features a radar-based HUD for both dragons and humans, with color-coded bars and gauges tracking various elements, such as targets, allies, ammunition, attack strength, stamina, health, and so forth. There's an opportunity to save the game at the end of each successfully completed level. ~ Michael L. House, All Game Guide