Explosive but shallow racer
The vehicle-based violence genre has a few decent entries with Road Rash, Fire and Forget and the classic Spy Hunter springing to mind. Offshore Warrior hails from Titus, producers of the aforementioned Fire and Forget and it does bear certain similarities, notably an obsession with blowing things up from the comfort of a fast vehicle. Obviously, the main difference here is that the action is boat-based rather than taking place on land but unfortunately, while this makes for a briefly diverting slice of fun, it's not enough to save it from being discarded after only a short investigation. The game takes the form of a racer, with four hi-tech X-1 boats armed with missiles competing for glory across a series of rock-strewn lakes. The goal of course is simple, with players simply required to come across the finish line in first place but things aren't quite so straightforward as that, and it's here that the fun, and the missiles, come into play. However, the initial interest of blowing things up while racing along is quite high, it soon becomes apparent that there is little else to the game and it all becomes a bit thin. There is a decent sense of speed, with the game licking along at a fair old pace, while the visuals are actually quite appealing, being colourful and with some nicely detailed tracks to explore. Sound fares less well, with little more than droning engine sounds but little more can be expected from the period. Ultimately, Offshore Warrior is a fun, mildly amusing little game when you're in the mood for a bit of undiscriminating action but which is entirely forgettable thanks to its simplicity and lack of variety.
