Overlander

"The year is 2025. The once green and beautiful planet now resembles Death Valley, USA, The soil is dry and scorched; there is little vegetation to be seen anywhere. The Earth has been in this state ever since the ozone layer was destroyed in the latter part of the twentieth century. They say the aerosol was to blame; a primitive form of dispensing container using highly dangerous propellant gas.

Scientists saw the holes developing in the ozone layer and sent warnings but they were never taken seriously, until it was too late. The holes were there and they were growing. The damage was minimal at first but eventually grew into an unstoppable apocalypse. Radiation from the sun caused terrible damage to the environment and forced people to retreat underground, safe from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation. Vast subterranean cities evolved, but in isolation.

Today, the only link between these underground cities is the old network of surface freeways, now ruled by anarcic gangs of outcasts, known wholy as surface dwellers. The only people daring to make trips these days are the Overlanders ...

The Overlanders are a breed apart. They keep themselves to themselves. Their only passion in life is their customised cars; pre-apocalypse vehicles dragged underground and rebuilt; rebuilt for speed and survival. They make journeys for cash, running cargo across the surface dwellers gauntlet. Life is improving the car. Cargo's are carried for cash, cash means a better, faster, more powerful car ...."

I encountered this game a few times on the C64, it must have been on a magazine cover or two. This is a RoadBlasters style game from Elite systems and its not a bad game. I get the feeling from the artwork they wanted the MadMax licence but didn't get it so it was released as Overlander instead.

In the game you get to choose one of two missions working for either the feds or the criminals. One usually pays more than the other resulting in a more challenging mission. Completing the mission will bring you in some cash adding to any earned killing any bad guys on the road. The money can then be spent on car speed and weapon both defensive and offensive although only one offensive weapon can be added at a time.
Completing 5 missions results in game completion.

Of all the weapon choices I think the bomb is the best way to go while avoiding the flamethrower and rockets due to how ineffective they are as well as the need to aim them. If bullets don't hurt your enemies the bomb definitely will. Handy for destroying the road side guns which have a high tendency to kill you especially those on the left side. Special weapons are fired by pulling back on the stick which can get annoying as it functions as the brake as well.

Overall, an enjoyable game that looks the part. I play through twice showing five missions from both sides not that there is any notable differences apart from difficulty depending on which offers more cash. There are a few pieces of music in the game to listen too. I skip over the title music as its used in game. The menu music I perhaps spend to long on as well as the loader music which I didn't notice the loop at the time.

00:00:00 Loading music
00:03:50 Menu Music
00:05:15 5 Missions as the feds
00:20:30 5 Missions as the Criminals.