DEATHTRACK

 So you've played dozens of computer racing games, outfitted your car, made pit
stops and changed your tires a thousand times. What's left? How about arming
your car with lasers, missiles, landmines, and assorted other goodies and trying
to blow your competitors off the track for good? Yep, it's DEATHRACK: "Monster
Cars, Racing, and Gratuitous Violence," with the accent firmly on the violence.
(This review is based on the IBM-PC version of the game.)

 DEATHTRACK is a race set in a future that's reminiscent of "Mad Max." As a
driver, you negotiate a series of race courses in different cities, competing
for first place. Armed with the latest in high-tech weapons, you also try to
blow off more than just the doors of the other cars: Some drivers have bounties
on their heads, and that extra money comes in handy for outfitting your own
vehicle.

 At the start, you have three different cars to choose from. Then, with $10,000
in hand, you'll check out the parts department: It includes not only the
predictable tires, transmissions, and engines, but armor for your car, as well.
And don't forget the ammo shop: Pick up some extra spikes or mines to drop
behind you on the racetrack, and maybe a machine gun or a laser. In fact, why
stop there? Add on a guided missile or two while you're at it.

 Now, select one of the ten tracks, or run a circuit of all of them. If you
choose to run the circuit, there is a game save/restore function (should you
survive long enough to need it).

 Your car contains a dizzying variety of displays. Sure, there's a speedometer
and a fuel gauge and a rearview mirror, but they're not the half of it. Between
"upper" and "lower" dashboard and "windshield" readouts, there are a total of 16
different indicators -- everything from radar early-warning and damage level to
something ODD (Opponent Detection Display), and something MAD (Map Action
Display).

 Even if you race on Auto-Pilot (in order to concentrate on blowing your
opponents away), you'll probably want to make a pit stop or two. In the pit, you
can refuel, or shop at the parts and ammo stores.

 The IBM-PC version of DEATHRACK is distributed on both 3-1/2" and 5-1/4"
diskettes, either of which can be copied to your hard drive. Activision uses the
manual protection method. Graphics support is provided for CGA, EGA, and Tandy
16-color cards (the latter requiring 640K of RAM, as opposed to 512K). EGA
graphics are very detailed and colorful, and animation is exceptionally smooth.
The game also supports the Roland MT-32 and Ad-Lib sound boards. You can control
your car using either the keyboard or the joystick, although the joystick is
probably a lot easier.

 If there's a flaw with the game, it may be -- surprisingly enough -- that it's
too easy. The racing sequences "feel" good, but there's too much tolerance for
what you can do: If you want to run off the track, that's fine; you'll slow
down, but you can't seem to crash into anything. And your car will continue to
race even when severely damaged; as it says in the manual, if all four tires
blow out, you can continue to race on your rims.

 Perhaps the game designers should have made it tougher, starting you out with
less money, for example (even in the future, $10,000 buys a surprising amount);
or maybe the damage to your car should be more incapacitating. As it is, novice
users might be put off by the dazzling variety of displays and options, while
more experienced racers may find the game too quickly conquered.

 Still, with its terrific graphics and multitude of options, DEATHTRACK is well
worth at least a test drive.

 DEATHTRACK is published by Activision and distributed by Mediagenic.

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