Video Game Gazette
Polygon graphics revolutionized so many aspects of video games. One of these was the first person perspective. Before polygon graphics, first person perspective games were usually limited to fixed courses, like Operation Wolf, and used scaling to given the impression of depth. Polygon graphics allowed designers to create entire 3D worlds. This had a huge impact on racing games, as many of them employed a first person perspective. Very few early driving games featured off road action. The ones that did rarely used a first person perspective because of the difficulty in integrating changes in terrain, such as the jumps, into the driving game engine. With the advances in game systems ability to generate complex polygon worlds, first person off road games became possible. Off World Interceptor is a good example of a first generation game of this type.
As one would expect from the title, Off World Interceptor is not racing simulation. However, it is a blast to play. The game uses slightly lighter than earth gravity and the truck has soft shocks. This really brings out the best of the many jumps and gullies. Add to this shooting action like Road Blasters, and you have a great arcade style driving game.
There will be those who look back at this game and nit-pick about its ‘flaws’. Sure, it is limited to a course rather than having an entire 3D world to explore. However, the course is fairly wide, and you can’t really have a race if there isn’t some kind of course. Then you have the relatively close horizon and pop up of objects in the background caused by the graphical limitations of the 3DO. These minor deficits seem to disappear during the gameplay experience. Thus, if you want to experience one of the first driving games of the current generation then pick up a copy of Off World Interceptor.
