Return Fire 2

{{Infobox video game

|image = ReturnFire2BoxShotPC.jpg

|developer = Silent Software

|designer =

|released = {{vgrelease|NA|September 21, 1998{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/09/17/news-briefs-323 |title=News Briefs |author=IGN staff |date=September 16, 1998 |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000413053208/http://pc.ign.com/news/4884.html |archive-date=April 13, 2000 |url-status=live |access-date=April 3, 2021 |quote=Return Fire 2 from Ripcord Games has gone gold and should be hitting stores on the 21st.}}}}

|genre = Strategy

|modes = Single-player, multiplayer

|platforms = Windows

}}

Return Fire 2 is a computer game developed by Silent Software and published for Windows by Ripcord Games in 1998. It is a sequel to Return Fire.

Gameplay

The game simulates a vehicle-based capture the flag competition.

Upon starting the game, players are directed to their bunker. There, they can view the battleground with a radar and access a limited supply of vehicles: tanks, armored support vehicles (ASVs), helicopters, jets, jeeps and PT boats. The vehicles have a limited supply of fuel and ammo, and the player can only control one vehicle at a time.

The objective is to enter the enemy's base, capture their flag and bring it back to the player's base. The flag is always located in a 'flag tower', which must be destroyed before the flag can be picked up. There may be more than one enemy flag tower, but only one of them contains the flag. Although the flag may be discovered using any vehicle, it can only be carried by the jeep, which is the weakest vehicle in the game. Therefore, the player must destroy the enemy flag's defenses using stronger vehicles before attempting to take it.

The game retains the classical soundtrack of its predecessor, with each vehicle having its own 'theme' which is heard when the player is using that vehicle.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/return-fire-2-review/1900-2532789/ |title=Return Fire 2 Review (PC) [date mislabeled as "May 5, 2000"] |last=Gregson |first=Chris |date=October 9, 1998 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive}}

Development

The game was showcased at E3 1997.{{cite web|first=Chris|last=Johnston|url=http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_06/09_mgm/index.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19980119052411/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_06/09_mgm/index.html|title=MGM's E3 Lineup|website=GameSpot|archivedate=January 19, 1998|date=June 9, 1997|accessdate=July 26, 2022}} It was originally scheduled to release in late 1997 by MGM Interactive. It was initially announced for the Panasonic M2 console,{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_10/page/n15/mode/2up |title=3DO's M2 prepares for its debut |magazine=Next Generation |publisher=Imagine Media |issue=10 |date=October 1995 |pages=14–15 |access-date=April 3, 2021}} which was aborted in mid-1997, forcing M2 to developers to either convert their M2 projects to other platforms or cancel them.{{cite magazine |title=Matsushita: Finally Pulling the Plug |magazine=Next Generation|issue=33 |publisher=Imagine Media |date=September 1997|pages=20–21}} Towards the end of development, it was announced that Return Fire 2 would instead be released for the PC and PlayStation,{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_36/page/n25/mode/2up |title=In the Studio |magazine=Next Generation |publisher=Imagine Media |issue=36 |date=December 1997 |page=24 |access-date=April 3, 2021}} but ultimately only the PC version was released.{{cite web|first=Chris|last=Johnston|url=http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_05/04_return/index.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20001008074912/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_05/04_return/index.html|title=Return Fire II PS Nixed|website=GameSpot|archivedate=October 8, 2000|date=May 4, 1998|accessdate=November 14, 2022}}

Reception

{{Video game reviews

| CNG = 8/10{{cite web |url=http://www.gamecenter.com/Reviews/Item/0,6,0-2268,00.html |title=Return Fire 2 |last=Falk |first=Hugh |date=November 17, 1998 |website=Gamecenter |publisher=CNET |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000816104048/http://www.gamecenter.com/Reviews/Item/0,6,0-2268,00.html |archive-date=August 16, 2000 |url-status=dead |access-date=April 4, 2021}}

| CGSP = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.cdmag.com/articles/016/001/returnf2_review.html |title=Return Fire 2 |last=D'Aprile |first=Jason |date=December 7, 1998 |website=Computer Games Strategy Plus |publisher=Strategy Plus, Inc. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031106081513/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/016/001/returnf2_review.html |archive-date=November 6, 2003 |url-status=dead |access-date=April 3, 2021}}

| CGW = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_174.pdf |title=Third Time's a Charm (Return Fire 2 Review) |last=May |first=Scott A. |magazine=Computer Gaming World |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=174 |date=January 1999 |pages=322, 324 |access-date=April 3, 2021}}

| GI = 8/10{{cite magazine |title=Return Fire II [sic] |last=Bergren |first=Paul |magazine=Game Informer |publisher=FuncoLand |issue=69 |date=January 1999 |page=62}}

| GamePro = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_113_December_1998/page/n115/mode/2up |title=Return Fire 2 |author=Dan Elektro |magazine=GamePro |publisher=IDG Entertainment |issue=123 |date=December 1998 |page=112 |access-date=April 4, 2021}}{{efn|GamePro gave the game three 4.5/5 scores for graphics, sound, and overall fun factor, and 3.5/5 for control.}}

| GSpot = 8.1/10

| GStar = 52%{{cite magazine |title=Return Fire 2 |language=de |magazine=GameStar |publisher=Webedia |date=November 1998}}

| IGN = 7.8/10{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/11/03/return-fire-2 |title=Return Fire 2 |last=Baggatta |first=Patrick |date=November 2, 1998 |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |access-date=April 3, 2021}}

| PCA = 5/10{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/PCXL03Nov1998/page/n93/mode/2up |title=Return Fire 2 |last=O'Connor |first=Frank |magazine=PC Accelerator |publisher=Imagine Media |issue=3 |date=November 1998 |page=95 |access-date=April 3, 2021}}

| PCGUS = 88%{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/pcgamer199812/page/n225/mode/2up |title=Return Fire 2 |last=Poole |first=Stephen |magazine=PC Gamer |publisher=Imagine Media |volume=5 |issue=12 |date=December 1998 |pages=195–96 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000226053234/http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/43.html |archive-date=February 26, 2000 |url-status=live |access-date=April 3, 2021}}

}}

The game received favorable to average reviews.