NOTICE: This article originally appeared in the February issue of Atari
Interface Magazine and may be freely distributed or reprinted in non-profit
User Group publications as long as the article's author and Atari Interface
Magazine are credited AND this notice is reprinted with the article.  All
other publications must obtain written permission from Unicorn Publications,
3487 Braeburn Circle, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, Phone: (313) 973-8825 before using
this article.

License to Kill by Michael Bonkowski (MACE)

Drat!  I'll get you!  Take that.  And that!  No, I'm out of bullets.  I'll
make a run for it!  You @*/$%&$, you shot me in the back.  I'll get you back,
you %&*(^%! in a minute.

License to Kill from Domark Limited is an action game that very closely
follows the latest James Bond movie.  It is a multi-level, multi-role game
in which you control helicopters, boats, tankers and even has a part where
you bare-foot waterski behind a plane, something I wouldn't ever try in real
life!

The game opens with you flying a helicopter, shooting at snipers on top of
and inside buildings and trying to get close enough to headquarters to
attempt to capture Sanchez, and evil drug smuggler.  When you are dropped
off the chopper, you must fight a running gun battle to return back to the
chopper, because Sanchez is trying to escape in a plane.  This isn't easy,
because you have limited ammo and the only way to replenish it is to shoot
the enemy forces.  And not all of the forces carry extra ammo.

You can also shoot at the oil drums.  After four shots, they explodes,
obliterating any forces around the drum.  Must be nitro or acid in there!
The people literally evaporate!  Once in the chopper, you must tie a rope
around the tail of the fleeing plane -- in under two minutes -- or you loose
a life.

Then, you must fight frogmen and boats to catch up to the pontoon plane
that is taking off.  After stealing a harpoon gun and spearing a pontoon, you
take off waterskiing, dodging rocks and buoys to gain control of the plane.
Are you having fun yet?  Good.

Finally, you drop from another plane to an 18-wheeler to battle Sanchez.
You have to dodge other tankers and jeeps, which are firing missiles at you.

I have killed two joysticks already in this game -- thank goodness I have a
"License to Kill."  I know, that's bad, but I couldn't pass it up.  Ok, I
could have, but....

This is an intense game.  The enemy forces never run out of bullets, and you
can only carry three extra clips plus the one in the gun itself.  Should you
attempt to carry any more, the clip disappears.  And your bulletproof vest
allows only five hits before you die.  Thankfully, you are given a total of 5
lives at the beginning, however more would have been nice.

Graphics are outstanding.  Buildings, planes and even the ground are
nicely detailed.  Oil drums explode violently and colorfully, leaving only
a crater and glowing embers in its place.  The game screen almost fills the
entire screen, except for a small strip along the left side which shows the
important statistics for each level, like lives, bullets remaining,
oxygen left in tank and miles remaining -- all detailed and visibly
displayed.

I only have two qualms with this game.  If, or should I say when,
you get kill in a level, you are sent back to the beginning of that level,
not where you were killed.  Arrggh!  And, like most programs from
Europe, it is copy-protected.  But, the protection is not that bad, unlike
other programs I have used.  I would recommend this game to anyone who likes
almost non-stop action.  Now, if you will excuse me, I have a brand new Wico
to kill.