Gain Ground is a frustrating action strategy game that's fun for experts and a challenge in its multiplayer too
The bad: Cheap, frustrating hit detection and ridiculiously cheap AI, repetetive music gets old fast.
Game-play: 7/10
Graphics: 7/10
Sound: 7/10
Value: 9/10
Tilt: 6/10
Average Score: 7.3/10
Have you ever heard of a game with 20 playable characters? And it wasn't a fighting game? This is Gain Ground in a nutshell, a mixed nutshell. Basically, you're trying to get land back in 50 different levels of crazy, frustrating, difficult, and fun game-play. It's an overhead view, there's no camera, making it look unique for a Genesis game at the time, espicially the graphics. There are two ways to beat a level. Destroy all enemies before time runs out, or get to the end of the level. Sounds easy enough? Well it isn't.
I expected some mediocre and easy game-play, but Gain Ground got my attention and frustration with its insane difficulty and maze style game-play. Although not classic, the game-play in Gain Ground will keep you entertained for a while. There are nine levels in each stage, making this a pretty long game. When you consider itk, that's all I need. Gain ground works in most ways and plays fun when you get used to it.
And I said when you get used to it, because it is a pain in the ass. Whenever you try to throw a projectile at a nearby enemy, your aim has to be dead center perfect, otherwise it misses, even if it hits the enemy's arm! Plus, the AI is extremely cheap in some of the later levels. They'll hide behind stones to throw arrows at you if you're close, and they literally never stop. When you add the poor hit detection, this makes the game extremely frustrating, and you'll probably get at least 20 game overs before you're used to it. Challenge is everything, but I don't want a challenge that is caused by cheap AI and poor hit detection. Actually, the game would still be pretty tough without these problems.
The weapons you use are unlimited, which is a good thing, hence the difficulty level. You have your normal weapon, and then you can use a special powerful weapon such as a bomb or a gun that can shoot both left and right at the same time! The characters, however, can die if an enemy touches them, and turn to stone, literally. You can't get them back until you waste a continue or you somehow find their bodies in a level. This can test your patience, but it's fun and worth being patient for in order to fully master this game.
As for the graphics, they're okay, good for their time, but by today's standards, they're simply muddy and forgettable. The music is good at first, but hearing the same song in the nine levels per stage is a pain. They should have had more songs than 7!
Overall, Gain Ground is a frustrating action strategy game that's fun for experts and a challenge in its multiplayer too. However, if you haven't fully grown to the Genesis, this game isn't for you. Some die hard Genesis fans may want to pass on this and avoid its cheap AI and strict hit detection. But if you want an extremely challenging strategy game, Gain Ground is an entertaining game for that group.