Below are user reviews of BackTrack and on the right are links to professionally written reviews.
The summary of review scores shows the distribution of scores given by the professional reviewers for BackTrack.
Column height indicates the number of reviews with a score within the range shown at the bottom of the column.
Higher scores (columns further towards the right) are better.
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User Reviews (1 - 9 of 9)
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Mediocre, but promising.
3
Rating: 3,
Useful: 3 / 3
Date: September 25, 2001
Author: Amazon User
I remember how much hype was floating around about 3-D shooters when they were first announced for the Game Boy Advance. At that time, Backtrack was the one that got the least hype, and upon its release it's easy to understand why. This game is really best suited towards those who love 3-D shooter games and just can't wait a month or two until the release of Doom and the supposedly great Dark Arena, but others probably could find it interesting as well.
Backtrack's gameplay centers around the age-old "walk around, pick up ammo and shoot verything that moves" formula that has been around since the good old days of Wolfenstein 3D. In Backtrack, you can walk around, pick up ammo and shoot verything that moves in four different gameplay modes, two single player and two multiplayer. The two single player modes are essentially the same, although one is quite a bit harder than the other. I was not entertained much when playing either single player mode: the levels are really bland and contain nothing but enemies, power-ups and a few walls, barrels, switches and hostages that you can rescue in-between. There are twelve (at least I believe so) single player levels in the game, but as far as I can tell right now these levels are quite large and will require some time to finish. One twist on the gameplay in Backtrack is that apparently when one finishes off the level boss and activates the level's self-destruct sequence, the mission's next objective becomes escaping from the current level before it is blown to bits together with the character.
It's a good thing that this game has two fun multiplayer modes that happen to be quite fun to make up for all of its single player faults. You can take on up to three of your friends and up to four computer bots in a deathmatch challenge across 6 different maps and playing as either one of five different characters from the game. Each character only has one weapon and is therefore limited to a pretty linear strategy, but the fun factor comes from the fact that there are devices within each multiplayer level that let you change characters any time you wish. Tired of that chaingun? Switch your character to a ghost that comes equipped with a lightning sword! This makes the game's multiplayer, which is limited to either trying to kill off all other players in one mode, or using different characters to kill off all other players in the second mode, quite fun. I suspect, however, that once one really becomes familliar with the multiplayer levels, it won't be that much fun any longer.
While the game's music and graphics are mediocre, it does run at a very good frame rate, which makes me hopeful that we will see better 3-D shooter games from other companies in the future.
WASTE OF MONEY
1
Rating: 1,
Useful: 2 / 3
Date: December 17, 2001
Author: Amazon User
this is the worst game for my gba it is a complete waste of money. After I got I played it once and I got bored of it. I played it a few more times just to keep an open mind and I hate it. There are like 5 guys in the whole level, the story is ridiculus, the gameplay is boring and repetitive and the few guns are basically all the same.(...) They have a bubble gun for gods sake! This game is a first person shooter without the shooter. For the same price you could get Doom or Dark Arena when it comes out
A game that promised but couldn't deliver
2
Rating: 2,
Useful: 1 / 1
Date: September 26, 2001
Author: Amazon User
This has to be one of the most dissapointing games I have ever played. With all of the features and the fact that it is the first first person shooter for the gba, it was a game to look foward to. To make a long review short this game SUCKS and I don't mean that lightly I mean it really really sucks, the graphics are good but the gameplay and level design definatly doesn't do the system or the engine justice. If you want a good first person shooter for your gba I suggest you wait for DOOM.
Backtrack could have been better
2
Rating: 2,
Useful: 1 / 1
Date: October 13, 2001
Author: Amazon User
Backtrack is currently the only First Person Shooter available for the GBA,this means that I have no comparison to others like it. But I can be sure that this is not the limit to this system's capability. First off,the gameplay is just plain boring,since there are very few dirrerent enemies, and the level design barely differs at all. It is also very short, it only has 12 levels where as every other FPS games for the GBA has at least 20. This game also throws you right into gameplay without telling you anything about whats going on. Overall,I'd wait for Doom,Ecks vs Sever,or Dark Arena. But if you can afford it, this game still has it's fun points(though few and far apart).
Great DeathMatch and Matrix Assult Games
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 1 / 1
Date: October 30, 2001
Author: Amazon User
This is a great game. The single player game is ok, but the deathmatch and Maxtrix game are a blast. Even if you have no one else to play with you, you can still enjoy a good deathmatch with a few bots. You get a ranking as you play and the bots can get hard, REALLY HARD. Even if you plan on buying the other FPS games, you should treat yourself to this game just for the deathmatch and matrix games alone.
BackTrack
5
Rating: 5,
Useful: 0 / 0
Date: September 26, 2001
Author: Amazon User
I am amazed that a handheld system is capable of this. This game is one of the best games I have ever played. There are 9 levels to get through, then you have to go and backtrack to get out. There is an impressive array of weapons, enemies, and problems to solve. It is like Doom in that you must kill enemies and collect keycards to advance to the next level. If you are considering buying a first person shooter, this is the one.
Close but no Cigar
4
Rating: 4,
Useful: 0 / 0
Date: October 11, 2001
Author: Amazon User
This is a great game but at the same time very annoying. Graphics and sound are great, Gameplay is O.K., But the Controls could be much beter. There's not enough enemies and There's not enough things other than walking and shooting. Pluses:Great Graphics, Nice character designs, good setting. Minuses:Only Modarate Gameplay, Very bad control. Overall Review:A great game but I think Doom, Dark Arena, Or even Ecks vs. Sever will be much better
Don't buy it.
2
Rating: 2,
Useful: 0 / 0
Date: November 02, 2001
Author: Amazon User
This is the first game to show off the GBAs ability to do raytracing style games like Doom, Duke3D, etc.. sadly this one should have never been made. It offers nothing new, graphics are often bad.
As of this writing Doom has just been released, get it instead.
BackTrack is a good game. Not that bad. Right?
2
Rating: 2,
Useful: 0 / 0
Date: July 11, 2004
Author: Amazon User
Can FPSs be pulled off on the GBA with great results? Of course they can, and we have seen exactly a dozen on the small system. Some good (Duke Nukem Advance, Ice Nine), some bad (Wolfenstein 3D, Medal of Honor: Underground). But is the one that started it all any good? Back Track is the tenth best FPS for the GBA and the 1st released for the system. Back Track is a campy sci-fi FPS that limits you to the point where you can see only two feet in front of yourself and lets you man artillery like a bubble gun, yes, you heard me right, a bubble gun, and that's right, you guessed it, it fires bubble gum. What!
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