10 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, November 4, 1997
'Interstate '76' takes to the
road, bell-bottoms and all
By Steve Paruszkiewicz
For the Daily
Imagine the wind blowing through
your hair, as you drive down a desolate
stretch of desert highway in your cus-
tomized '76 Picard Piranha.
A car appears over the horizon and
,begins to fire heat-seeking missiles,
spitting out bullets o_ _
from top-mounted
.5[ caliber RI
machine guns. You I
fire back and after
a long battle, blow
up your enemy's
car. You stop your
car, survey the damage, curse at a
blown Firerite RTX missile launcher,
and wait for the next wave to appear.
Welcome to. "Interstate '76."
The year is 1976, but not as we know
it today. The difference stems from the
fuel shortage of the '70s becoming
worse, rather than better.
The American Southwest is overrun
with bandits in souped-up automobiles,
searching for gas and killing anyone in
their wake. You play Groove Champion,
an experienced vigilante, out to avenge
the death of your sister.
The plot is simple and much like
"Mad Max": drive through the desert,
kill the bad guys and take on the head
boss who caused all the trouble.
"Interstate '76" sets itself apart from
E
It'
the rest of the competition of shoot-
and-drive games of the same genre by
its obvious references to the time frame.
All of the characters are dressed in bell
bottoms, butterfly collar shirts, and
have lamb chop sideburns or afros. The
background disco-funk music really
gets you in the mood to drive.
The drivers' com-
ments are also real-
V I E istic. For instance, if
erstate '76 you shoot your part-
ner, Taurus, he'll
begin to swear at
Activision you and tell you not
to do that.
If you are low on energy and ready to
die, you'll curse under your breath,
marking your impending doom. Death
cries emanate from the enemies as you
blow them up.
The plot is carried further by alter-
nate missions in which you must
destroy the enemy bunkers, rescue your
partner, or race to prevent your other
partner from being annihilated.
Another interesting feature of the
game is the ability to play with other
people over the Internet. You can pick
and customize your vehicle and
weapons for these melee scenes, but
you have to watch out for the gangs.
Large gangs of friends roam the battle
zones, and if you are not a friend of
theirs, you're in big trouble - you'll be
beaten or attacked by 10 other cars.
One thing that the game lacks is a
good sense of control. The game is
incredibly hard to handle using the key-
board, and the driving alone requires
the dexterity of a piano player. Holding
the car steady to shoot enemies is a near
impossible task. Taurus, the faithful
sidekick/partner, is also an annoying
character. He is supposed to help fight
the bad guys, but in the earlier stages he
sits there and lets you do all the work.
For an inexperienced player, this
becomes quite difficult.
When he actually does help, he is
ineffectual, and never kills an enemy.
Eventually he gets injured, and you're
back on your own.
"Interstate '76" is definitely not for
the inexperienced and is directed
towards a mature audience. There are
many scenes of graphic violence, and
the controls aren't easily mastered by
someone unfamiliar with action con-
trols.
Though sometimes it seems a bit too
much like the rest of the shoot-and-
drive genre, all in all, "Interstate '76" is
a very entertaining game. The costumes
and the funky rhythms also set it apart
from the rest of the pack. I'd mainly ree-
ommend "Interstate '76" for people
who enjoy this game genre, but aren't
looking for anything new in the ways of
strategy and plot.
David Gavurin and Harriet Wheeler are The Sundays.
Sundays good on any day of the week
R ECORDS
Continued from Page 9
The Sundays
Static & Silence
Gef fen
Anderson cheapens memorable 'Affair'
An Affair to Remember
Christopher Andersen
William Morrow
Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn were Hollywood's
quintessential on-screen couple. Through hit after hit togeth-
er, the legendary duo charmed the hearts of millions of
movie-goers with their unmatched chemistry.
But behind the scenes, their secret love affair was no cooler
than the passion they radiated from the screen. In his attempt to
capture this touching love story, Christopher
Andersen's "An Affair to Remember" turns
out to be more of an exploitive probe
than a joint biography of two of show
business' best performers.|'
Andersen's book begins by promis-
ing to reveal the "dirty" little secrets of =
this affair; paradoxically, he is trying to
portray their affair as one of the most
romantic and touching love stories ever. He
tempts a reader by guaranteeing the revelation of
things such as Hepburn's involvement with other men prior to
Tracy, the real reason why Tracy would not divorce his wife for
Hepburn and how Kate helped him overcome his impotency.
Andersen begins the biography with a chapter on
Hepburn's history prior to meeting Tracy followed by a chap-
ter on Tracy's history prior to meeting Hepburn. These sum-
maries of their lives, while feeling like shortened Cliff-Notes
versions, actually reveal a sufficient amount about each
actor's childhood and arrival in Hollywood.
Anderson then tells of their experiences in making movies,
as well as their personal stories. Throughout their careers, as
they made classics such as "Woman of the Year,""State ofthe
Union" and "Adam's Rib" together, the two performers
obtained success and fame.
Meanwhile, Andersen details the complications that went
on in their personal lives. With Tracy, a married man, the
affair was often carried out in a clandestine manner, which
had a grueling effect on both parties. Furthermore, Tracy's
struggles with alcoholism and Hepburn's demanding person-
ality on the sets were also the source strife.
But throughout their relationship, which ended with Tracy's
death in 1967, it was obvious that the two felt the utmost love and
devotion for each other.
Andersen's major problem is that he
sets out to show how this affair is one
of the greatest of all time. But by the
end of the biography, he does not
convey this love at all. Rather, the
relationship is overshadowed by
Andersen's dedication to show the
dark side of Tracy and his occasional
abuse toward Hepburn.
While his ability to show both the positive and
negative aspects of the relationship make "An Affair to
Remember" a good biographical work, it does nothing for the
author's intended objective.
"An Affair to Remember" is a solid biography that paints a
detailed and complex picture of two of the biggest stars ever
to grace a movie screen. While it is impossible to argue that
these actors will remain in the public's heart for years to
come, "An Affair to Remember" hardly proves why their
heartbreaking relationship is one of the greatest of all time.
-Julia Shih
Not much has changed since the last
Sundays album. That's OK, though.
Wouid we want Harriet Wheeler
screaming against a ripping wall of
thrash rock? No. of course not: we want
The Sundays' music to spill through our
toes like cool-mountain stream water in
the summer or softly float down onto
our heads like orange leaves in autumn.
"Static & Silence" ethereally billows
as much as The Sundays' previous
efforts and happily skips along sans the
additional augmentations or unneces-
sary experi mentation connected with
so-called musical progress and that's
just fine.
The Sundays' patented hap-pop
(happy pop) maintains its candy-coated
luster and luscious naivety while further
exploring the sugar-pop niche in which
it comfortably hibernates.
"Summertime," the first song and
single from "Static & Silence,' dunks
its drunk fuzzy bee bum into your
pollen cup and creates instant honey.
The warbling wah-wah guitars and stac-
cato horns accompany Harriet
Wheeler's beautifully clear vocals, leav-
ing the listener satisfied and stung by
the sweetness.
The chorus in "Summertime," "And
it's you and me in the summertime /
We'll be hand in hand down in the park
/ With a squeeze and a sigh and that
twinkle in your eye / And all the sun-
shine banishes the dark," waxes roman-
tic and reckless while remaining opti-
mistic of things to come in future rela-
tionships.
"Folk Song" rambles along with an
acoustic melancholy and sunny disposi-
tion not seen since the late John
Denver's early balladeering days. The
finger-picking guitar and fluttering
flutes float like a kite in the clear-blue
orchestral sky. "Folk Song" reminisces
of summer skies, gold fields, dusty
lanes, silver trees, whispering breezes
and other warm things of memories
past. This is mellow goodness at its
best.
In another acoustic-influenced
tidbit, "I Can't Wait," sounds of
chirping birds whistle around rich
six-string strummings and waves of
golden horns. Once again, Wheeler's
pure voice peacefully wanders up
and down the instrumental periph-
ery. The Sundays appear to be a
musical beach covered in aurally
smooth stones that beckon to be
skipped on your conscious waters.
"Cry" cries and flies through melod-
ic skies above weightless wonderings
Shootyz Groove
and slides on moonlit clouds of sighs.
"Cry" is secretly delicious and deeply
moving. I guarantee this song will be
the next single off of "Static & Silence"
because it's simple, refreshing and won-
derfully listenable.
Once again, the welcomed orches
tral accompaniments flow around
The Sundays basic "guiar, bass,
drums" composition causing it to
glow like fireflies in the night. This
song wafts through,, dreamy
melodies, lulls you to loll and leaves
you light-headed.
"Static & Silence" is a symphony of
pop caressing and undressingyour inhi-
bitions waiting for emotional accep-
tance and recognition.
This well-rounded album pumps
and pulses under a savory mem-
brane of brightness and lightness.
These 12 organic compositions will
put you in desirable positions and
weave a musical fabric meant to
cover you like a warm quHt on a
cold night. With this album in your
collection, any day will be a good
day for The Sundays.
-Chris Feax
Shootyz Groove
Hipnosis
ROADRUNNER Records
**
Shootyz Groove, a young band com-
ing straight out of the Bronx, needs to
find its own style.
Although its latest album "Hipnosis,"
has its moments, these guys sound like
311 with a little New York attitude.
Unfortunately, Sense, Season; Donny,
Paul Freaklove and Dose are not quite
as talented or original as 311 ,one of the
bands for which they have opened i*
the past.
Sense, one of the emees for the
band, claims, "As a band we listen to
every kind of music there is.
Basically, it all comes to the table
when we record and write. The
'Respect' EP and 'Jamming In
Vicious Environments' hasstraight-
up MCing, beats and rhyming along
with hard-edge guitar and funky
bass. It's definitely a big nrelting p4
of styles."
Sense, I hate to break it to you, but
the bass is in no way funky, and your
melting pot has been stirred much more
successfully by 311.
But "Hipnosis" does featxre some
decent tracks when the "hard-edge gui-
tar" isn't ruining it.
The album opens up with
"Regardless," a solid tune based on
a pretty funky guitar riff and a sim@
pie hip-hop beat.
The chorus actually sounds like
Rage Against the Machineand if it
weren't for rhymes like, 'State of
mind beats and rhymes /:ombine
multiple jiga byte / Nigga bte,.proof
roots deap leap" to show ense and
Season's creativity, the Rage
impression would ruin the song.
The rapping on this album is actual-
ly not that bad, but it become*
repetitive a few tracks into
"Hipnosis."
The main problem with this
album is its lack of diversity. Sure,
Shootyz Groove knows how to mix
different styles of music, but the
group seems to only know one way
to mix.
COMPUTE NINEERING* VUM PU : : iG
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING .MECHANICAL ENGINEiNG e MAT
in
When something is too extreme for words, it's to the Nth degree.
And that's the level of technology you'll experience at Raytheon.
Raytheon has formed a new technological superpower-together,
Raytheon Electronic Systems, Raytheon E-Systems and Raytheon
TI Systems are driving technology to the limit. And we're looking
for engineers who want to push the envelope. Break new
ground. Make their mark.