Return Fire

Moby ID: 3006
3DO Specs
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Add-on (official)

Description official descriptions

Return Fire is the spiritual successor to Fire Power and it fits in both the strategy and action genres. You can take control of one of 4 vehicles, a jeep, helicopter, tank, and a missile launching vehicle (but actually called The Armoured Support Vehicle (ASV).

There are two ways to win, the easier one would be to capture the enemy's flag by bringing it to your bunker with the frail Jeep. This is the main objective. The other way to win is to destroy your enemy, a secondary objective.

Spellings

  • リターンファイアー - Japanese spelling

Groups +

Screenshots

Promos

Credits (3DO version)

17 People (13 developers, 4 thanks)

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 75% (based on 34 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.3 out of 5 (based on 38 ratings with 3 reviews)

Seek and Destroy!

The Good
Return Fire is the best capture the flag game and also probably the most best two player game I have ever played. Return Fire gives you four vehicles to destroy your opponent a Helicopter, Tank, ASV, and a frail jeep (the only vehicle which can obtain the enemies flag). There is two ways to win this game either capture the enemies flag and bring it back to base or destroy all your opponents vehicles, I find the easiest way is to capture the flag. Return Fire is full of action and can really get your adrenaline going especially if its a close match with your opponent where a slight mistake can lose you the game.

The Bad
Playing this game by yourself is boring as hell. And I wish you could design your own maps.

The Bottom Line
If you actually have friends pull out return fire when there's nothing to do it can prove hours of enjoyment, especially while drinking... the fun is endless...

Windows · by Kurt Murphy (4) · 2005

One of my all time favourites

The Good
Return Fire is one of my all time favourite games. There are two types of gameplay where you can either play by yourself or against another human opponent. This option meant there were plenty of missions. This game also uses classical music for the soundtrack which is certainly a different idea. Oh, and the laughing skull you see when one of your vehicles gets destroyed is hilarious!!

The Bad
The choice of vehicles is very limited. The jeep can only be used to collect the flag, the helicopter has only light armour and the ASV is useful only on smaller levels because of its slow speed. That really just leaves the tank which is a good all rounder. The level entitled Campgrounds of America also brings back bad memories (if you've played this game you'll know what I mean)

The Bottom Line
I spent hours playing this game and never got tired. I must admit that I never completed it! The classical music is a good idea but the game would have benefited from a wider variety of vehicles.

Windows · by James Walter (271) · 2004

Simple concept, brilliant execution: designers take note.

The Good
Many games today have convoluted concepts which ultimately translate to poor gameplay. Sometimes, however, designers find a simple concept and execute it in a brilliant way.

Return Fire is essentially two games: capture the flag and rock-paper-scissors. Each of the game's vehicles has advantages and disadvantages, while the ultimate goal is to break into the enemy base and steal the flag.

The graphics are rather bland, but the sound makes clever use of a (limited, sadly) classical repertoire.

It is a very fun little 1v1 game that does a few things, but does them very well. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and that's another thing that seems to have been forgotten in games these days.

The Bad
The graphics can get rather boring to look at after a while, and the music is clever but can get old since there's only a handful of songs.

Being able to play more than 1v1 would be nice, I think there would be some pretty fun chaos from a 4 way battle, or cooperative multiplayer.

The Bottom Line
A capture the flag game with vehicles that is a lot of fun to play.

Windows · by kyuzo (18) · 2007

Discussion

Subject By Date
Strategy Guide Matthew Copeland Jul 6, 2007
Map editor ikkejw Jun 14, 2007

Trivia

1001 Video Games

The 3DO version of Return Fire appears in the book [1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die] by General Editor Tony Mott.

Cancelled Saturn version

Following the release of the game on the 3DO and Playstation systems, a version was planned for release on the Sega Saturn. Developer Prolific ported the code over and in fact even completed the game. However at that time, a version of the Sega Saturn system named the "Hi-Saturn" and manufactured by Hitachi was released. The system wasn't always compatible with existing games and so Prolific was asked to make sure the upcoming Return Fire would be compatible with this variant of the system. While making the necessary changes for the Hi-Saturn, the Sega Saturn's future as a profitable platform came under doubt and Return Fire, already finished, was canceled.

In 2003, SEGA-Saturn.net began to do research on unreleased games and contacted Prolific about the title. They were sent a fully functional Sega Saturn CD version of the game to test.

More information can be found at sega-saturn.net/returnfire.htm

Music

The game features a classic music score, including Richard Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries when using the helicopter (think Apocalypse Now), In the Hall of the Mountain King by Grieg with the ASV and Mars - The Bringer of War by Gustav Holst for the tank. The jeep features two songs: Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and the popular William Tell Overture by Gioacchino Rossini when a flag is being carried.

The introduction is a piece from Verdi's Dies Irae and the player is greeted by a portion of Handel's Hallelujah chorus from his Messiah oratorio when completes a level.

Pause Screen

The pause screen is a US Army Recruiting poster/ad.

References in movies

This game makes a cameo appearance in the Pauly Shore movie In the Army Now.

Awards

  • Electronic Gaming Monthly
    • February 1995 (Issue 67) - Game of the Month (3DO version)
    • November 1997 (Issue 100) - ranked #63 (Best 100 Games of All Time) (3DO version)

Information also contributed by Jeff Koerner, Luis Silva, and WildKard.

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Identifiers +

  • MobyGames ID: 3006
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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Rebel_lord.

PlayStation added by greatguru. 3DO added by Opipeuter.

Additional contributors: Alaka, Cantillon, FatherJack, Kayburt.

Game added January 15, 2001. Last modified December 17, 2023.