Get blasting!
This is the sequel to Frantis and makes for an interesting little game as it actually plays out significantly differently from its predecessor. Unlike the original was a topdown scrolling shooter, this one is a side scrolling platform shooter, somewhat akin to Trantor or Turrican but which continues the story of the first game.The plot isn't up to much, but finds the player character being shot down over a hostile alien world only to crash land safely right next to the enemy base. You then have to infiltrate said base and blow it to smithereens from the inside. This basically translates into a series of scrolling levels, where you must navigate the various areas, making use of lifts and finding keys to unlock doors, while blasting any enemies you might come across (of which there are many). There are also powerups to be found, both in-level and via terminals which you occasionally discover and these help to make your life significantly easier by upgrading your weapons and health. Frantis certainly doesn't score many points in the originality stakes, as it is the kind of thing we have seen a million times over. However, it does do a little better with its fun factor as it is well enough put together to allow you to overlook its lack of innovation. The gameplay comes at you fast and furious, with nary a let up right from the get go, and if anything it might prove a little tricky for some, as the difficulty level is set rather high. If you van get past this though, there is plenty of action to enjoy here, and which is backed up by some solid graphics and sound. Not a classic, but worth a look.
