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The Strike series consists of what I call tactical shoot ’em ups where you pilot a helicopter around open-ended maps and must figure out the best approach for completing missions and campaigns. Starting in the 16-bit era with the release of Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf, it was followed up by several sequels and the first 3D entry is Soviet Strike. The Strike games are known for being tough and requiring patience from the player. Success very much depends on thinking and planning and overcoming the challenges is extremely rewarding. I do think Soviet Strike feels a little more unfair than the games that came before it due to some design choices, most likely as a result of the transition to 32-bit. From what I understand, the developers listened to the criticisms aimed at Soviet Strike back in the day and worked to make the next game in the series more accessible and the result is Nuclear Strike. Developed and published by Electronic Arts, Nuclear Strike was released for PlayStation and PC in September, 1997, and a version for Nintendo 64 called Nuclear Strike 64 was released in November, 1999. For this review, I played the PlayStation version.
The story goes that a warlord steals a nuclear weapon and the STRIKE operations force pursues him around Asia. The player controls the STRIKE helicopter pilot or commander and the story plays out in campaigns set in different locations, each consisting of multiple missions. Just like the previous game, story beats are conveyed through full motion videos and dialogue and many of the same actors return. The video presentation is stylish and the acting isn’t terrible with just the right amount of cheese but the story isn’t amazing, either.
Nuclear Strike doesn’t stray too far from the tried and true formula the series is known for and does carry over some of the changes made in Soviet Strike like the camera for example. However, Nuclear Strike does come with some new stuff and is certainly not as merciless as its predecessor. I actually completed a campaign without losing all my lives. Don’t get me wrong, it offers plenty of challenge in typical Strike fashion but I guess I would say it doesn’t feel unfair. For one thing, the visual presentation looks a bit cleaner than that of Soviet Strike and I found it easier to identify things in the heat of the moment. However, for what it’s worth, I should mention I played the Saturn version of Soviet Strike. What’s great is the HUD in Nuclear Strike includes a radar that will show you nearby enemies, pickups, and objectives and the compass has an arrow pointing you in the direction of the nearest target of whatever you have selected on the map screen. This is all to say you don’t have pause the gameplay as much to check the map although I did do that often. My only real complaint with Nuclear Strike is that the auto aim is terrible.
Just like in Soviet Strike, you can configure your helicopter with different loadouts before jumping into a campaign and Nuclear Strike does see the return of multiple vehicles but you’re not always forced to use them. There’s over ten playable vehicles including different helicopters, planes, and a tank, among others. As expected, each campaign is set in an open-ended map and you have the ability to fly around them freely. Pickups like ammo, fuel, and armor repairs are scattered around and can be revealed by destroying things like buildings and structures. If you’re blown up or run out of fuel, you lose a life. Lose all your lives and its game over. Nothing new there. While you are given freedom and can fly around and shoot and blow everything up if you so desire, what you really should do is figure out the best way to complete missions and know what targets to prioritize and routes to take. You also want to know where pickups are located. Your fuel and ammo are limited and you want to make shots count. The Strike games are all about thinking, planning, and patience and Nuclear Strike is no exception.
There’s not too much to say about Nuclear Strike that hasn’t been said about the previous games. Much of what’s here is more of the same. I’ve always felt the Strike games fall under the tactics and strategy umbrella, Nuclear Strike included. But one thing that makes this one different is even more strategic gameplay. The mission variety here is by the far the best in the series. You’ll do the typical stuff like kill enemies, blow stuff up, and escort and protect people and you can command ground forces. You can tell them where to go and participate in different battles. It’s pretty cool, actually. Basically, there’s some light real-time strategy elements found here and I do think this along with the new vehicles, open-ended maps, and freedom make Nuclear Strike one of the most replayable games in the franchise.
The maps are large, feel distinct, and are ripe for exploration. Whether it’s to find pickups or additional vehicles or something that may make a mission easier, there’s plenty to see, do, and find in each map. Enemies include ground troops, vehicles, tanks, aircraft, boats, and turrets. You don’t have to engage every enemy you come across and I wouldn’t recommend it because otherwise, you’ll drain through your ammo pretty quick. Evading foes isn’t always a bad idea. What you want to do is find the safest routes through maps. You’re basically outnumbered almost everywhere you go and while Nuclear Strike may be more forgiving than its predecessor, it’s also just as unforgiving as any other Strike game which is to say it’s tough. The gameplay almost demands you memorize where things are and unless you cheat or use a guide, you should get used to repeating missions and campaigns. There’s only five campaigns but the challenging gameplay will ensure you spend a lot of time in each one. As I’ve said before about the previous titles, you need to be able to endure repeated failures and learn from your mistakes.
I would say Nuclear Strike is the best looking game in the series. It’s colorful, the models look good and explosions look satisfying. The different maps result in a good amount of visual and environmental variety, and when compared to its predecessor, Soviet Strike, I feel the whole presentation here just pops a lot more. Once again the action is backed by music that helps add to the intensity of the gameplay and the sounds of gunfire, explosions, and enemies shouting all get the job done and make for some satisfying sounding action overall. On the technical side, the game performed pretty well in my experience and I encountered no major issues.
I had a good time with Nuclear Strike. I suck at it just like I suck at all the others but I still had fun. I do think Jungle Strike maintains its position as the best one but Nuclear Strike is right behind it in second. It fixes most of the issues introduced in its predecessor and feels like a more polished 3D entry. The new additions to the HUD are wonderful, it’s not insanely brutal but still challenging, and the mission variety here is by far the best in the series. I can see it being criticized for not differentiating itself enough from the others but I would argue there’s not a lot of games like these so I really don’t mind the formula not changing all that much. The Strike games are still unique in the tactics and strategy family, even today. Much like Urban Strike, Nuclear Strike is an accessible entry but unlike Urban Strike, there’s nothing about it so bad that it brings it down in any way. No terrible on-foot sequences here. Nuclear Strike is a game that requires thinking and planning and if you’re someone who doesn’t have a lot of patience, this may not be the game or even series for you.
I absolutely recommend Nuclear Strike. It’s another great entry in the series and, unfortunately, as of this review, the last one. There were plans for a sequel, supposedly titled Future Strike, but that turned into Future Cop: LAPD, so that makes Nuclear Strike the last official Strike title. While there are some what you may call spiritual successors and games like these out now, the Strike games are still unique so the formula remains fresh and interesting as far as I’m concerned. Ultimately, if you’re looking for some fun tactical and strategic shoot ’em up action, definitely check out Nuclear Strike.