:Light Force
{{short description|1986 shooter game}}
{{redirect|Lightforce|the Australian band|Mortification (band)|the Marvel Comics energy|Lightforce (energy)|the Star Wars energy|The Force}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = Light Force
|image = File:Light Force cover.jpg
| caption = Spectrum cover art
|developer = Gargoyle Games
|publisher = Faster Than Light
|designer = Greg Follis
Roy Carter
|composer = Rob Hubbard (C64)
|engine =
|released = 1986
|genre = Scrolling shooter
|modes = Single-player
|platforms = Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum
}}
Light Force is a 1986 vertically scrolling shooter designed by Greg Follis and Roy Carter, developed by their company Gargoyle Games, and published under their Faster Than Light imprint. It was released for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum platforms.
The player controls a spaceship which must defeat waves of attacking enemies in five different levels. Light Force received positive reviews from video games critics, later being ranked as one of the best games for the Spectrum by multiple gaming magazines. The game was a commercial success, with the Spectrum version debuting at number two in the UK sales charts.
Gameplay
Light Force is a vertically scrolling shooter. The player controls a "Light Force" flightcraft in the Regulus system, tasked as the only fighter in the area to fight off a species of aliens taking over the peaceful system. The game spans five levels, ranging from a jungle section, an asteroid belt, an ice planet, desert planet, and ends at the aliens' factories. Every level has the player tasked with shooting down multiple waves of enemy spaceships to progress to the next level. Weapon upgrades and a shield for your ship can be acquired as you progress. After completing the last level, the game loops back to the first. The game has a high score feature, where the player can get point bonuses for completing optional objectives, like destroying all alien buildings.
Development
Light Force is the first game published under Gargoyle Games{{'}} Faster Than Light label.{{cite magazine|magazine=ZX Computing Monthly|title=Light Force|date=December 1986|page=56|url=https://archive.org/details/zxcomputing-magazine-1986-12/page/n55}} The company's co-founder Greg Follis explained that Faster Than Light was originally the title of the game, but he considered it "too good to waste".{{cite magazine|magazine=Popular Computing Weekly|title=Light Force - FTL in action|last=Cook|first=John|page=24|date=4–10 September 1986|volume=5|number=36|issn=0265-0509|url=https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/mag.php?issue_id=2924&page=24}} The game was the first to use "Lasermation" for the graphics, which was described by Gargoyle director Ted Heathcote as "a new technique for showing really vivid high speed animation".{{cite magazine|magazine=ZX Computing Monthly|title=Gargoyle go Faster Than Light|pages=7|issue=27|date=September 1986|url=https://archive.org/details/ZX-computing-1986-09/page/n5/mode/2up/search/%22Light+force%22}} Rob Hubbard was the composer for the Commodore 64 version.{{cite web|url=https://hg101.kontek.net/gargoylegames/gargoyle3.htm|title=Gargoyle Games|page=3|date=8 August 2015|last=Jankiewicz|first=Joshua|work=Hardcore Gaming 101|access-date=24 January 2020}} It was released in 1986 for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum computers.
Reception
{{Video game reviews
|Amtix = 85%{{cite magazine|magazine=Amtix|title=Reviews|last1=Dunn|first1=Mike|last2=Eddy|first2=Richard|last3=Valducci|first3=Massimo|page=24|issue=14|date=December 1986|url=https://archive.org/details/amtix-magazine-14/page/n23/mode/2up/search/%22Light+Force%22}}
|CRASH = 91%{{cite magazine|magazine=Crash|title=Lightforce Review|pages=16–17|issue=34|date=November 1986|url=https://archive.org/stream/crash-magazine-34/Crash_34_Nov_1986#page/n15/mode/2up}}
|CVG = 33/40{{cite magazine|magazine=Computer and Video Games|title=C+VG Reviews|last=Metcalfe|first=Tim|page=50|issue=62|date=December 1986|url=https://archive.org/details/computer-video-games-magazine-062/page/n49}}
|YSinclair = 7/10{{cite magazine|magazine=Your Sinclair|title=Scroll On|page=93|issue=37|date=December 1986|url=https://archive.org/stream/YourSinclair37Jan89/YourSinclair/YourSinclair12-Dec86#page/n94/mode/2up}}
|Z64 = 87%{{cite magazine|magazine=Zzap!64|title=Zzap Test|first1=Penn|last1=Gary|last2=Rignall|first2=Julian|last3=Sumner|first3=Paul|pages=128–129|issue=22|date=December 1986|url=https://archive.org/details/zzapp_64_issue_022_600dpi/page/n127}}
| award1Pub = Crash
| award1 = Crash Smash
| award2Pub = Sinclair User
| award2 = SU Classic
}}
According to MicroScope, the ZX Spectrum version of Light Force debuted at number two in the UK sales charts, behind Paperboy.{{cite magazine|magazine=Your Sinclair|title=Hit List|page=14|date=January 1987|issue=13|url=https://archive.org/stream/YourSinclair37Jan89/YourSinclair/YourSinclair13-Jan87#page/n15/mode/2up/}} It dropped down to number three the following week.{{cite magazine|date=23–29 October 1986|title=Charts|url=https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1986-10-23/page/n17/mode/2up|magazine=Popular Computing Weekly|issue=43|page=19}} All three versions of the game received positive reviews from video game critics. Graham Taylor for Sinclair User called it "the ultimate blaster" and "essential purchase".{{cite magazine|title=Lightforce Review|magazine=Sinclair User|last=Taylor|first=Graham|issue=55|pages=32–33|date=October 1986|url=https://archive.org/stream/sinclair-user-magazine-055/SinclairUser_055_Oct_1986#page/n31/mode/2up}} One reviewer for Amtix considered it to be one of the best shoot 'em ups for the Amstrad. Crash praised its graphics, calling it the best he has seen on a Spectrum shoot 'em up. Computer and Video Games{{'}} Tim Metcalfe positively compared it to Galaxian. Zzap!64 said that the title was appropriate for fans of scrolling shooter genre.
The game won the award for best graphics of the year according to the readers of Crash, and was nominated in the "Best Shoot 'em up" and "State of the Art award" categories.{{cite magazine|magazine=Crash|title=The 1986 Crash Readers' Awards|page=35|issue=38|date=March 1987|url=https://archive.org/stream/crash-magazine-38/Crash_38_Mar_1987#page/n34/mode/1up}} In 1991, Crash placed it 82nd in their list of the top 100 games for the Spectrum.{{cite magazine|magazine=Crash|title=Top 100 Speccy Games!|page=40|issue=91|date=August 1991|url=https://archive.org/details/Crash_No._91_1991-08_Newsfield_GB/page/n37}} The Spectrum version was rated number 26 in the Your Sinclair "Official Top 100 Games of All Time" list.{{cite magazine|title=Let the People Decide! The Results!|magazine=Your Sinclair|publisher=Dennis Publishing|page=11|issue=93|date=September 1993|url=https://archive.org/stream/your-sinclair-93/YourSinclair_93_Sep_1993#page/n57/mode/2up}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- {{Internet Archive game|id=Lightforce_1987_FTL}}
- {{WoS game|id=0002882|name=Light Force}}
- {{lemon64 game|name=Light Force|id=1522}}
Category:Single-player video games
Category:Vertically scrolling shooters
Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom