One of those absolute classic games that not only didn't get enough attention upon release but positively screams for a modern remake. A perfectly balanced fusion of First-Person action with Command-and-Conquer's resource/building management, facilitated through an easy to learn interface of numbered lists, Battlezone 1998 tells the story of the secret 'space race' that occurred when Cold-War America and the then Soviet Union battled for dominance across the solar system.

What sells it for me is the lovely low-gravity movement of the various vehicles you can build and pilot (Your space-suited figure also exists, allowing for some tense times when your vehicle is destroyed and you have to survive to find another one!), the way these vehicles dance across the rocky surfaces of whatever moon they happen to be on is just delightful, and makes you itch to experience something like it in real life. There's a fantastic sense of weightlessness to it, particularly if you launch yourself into the air and float gently down with a breathy rush of engine exhaust gases.

Environments are also fantastic - particularly the first level set on Earth's Moon. If you ask me there has never been a more realistic depiction of the moon's surface than in this game and it's a real shame when we abandon it in favour of other planets (although Mars is also very well done). Imagining how a similarly realistic modern interpretation would look gives me shivers - dear lord, Game Publishers - why isn't this happening now!?

Until somewhere like GOG picks this up there are links below to play this on modern machines - I urge anyone with a penchant for fast-paced, first person adventure games to dive right in and experience a true Underdog.