Platoon (1988 video game)

Did You Know?

• Ocean co-founder Jon Woods said Platoon was instrumental in establishing the company's credibility with film studios.
• Ocean's 1990 game Lost Patrol featured many ideas originally designed for Platoon and was initially subtitled Platoon II.
• In 1993, Commodore Force ranked Platoon at number 16 on its list of the top 100 Commodore 64 games.

Gameplay

Stage 1 places the player in a jungle with side-scrolling movement, allowing vertical and horizontal navigation. The player must avoid enemies, explosive mines, and booby traps while locating buried explosives, then plant them on a bridge. Afterward, the player enters a town to find a torch and a map of the tunnel system. Stage 2 shifts to a first-person perspective inside a tunnel system, where the player uses the map to navigate, collects flares and a compass, and shoots continuously appearing enemies to advance. In Stage 3, the player is in a bunker under siege overnight, still in first-person mode. Flares from the previous stage help reveal enemy silhouettes, though skilled players can spot them without flares; surviving the siege completes the level. Stage 4 returns to the jungle in third-person view, with a four-minute time limit. The player kills enemies, avoids sniper fire, and uses the compass for navigation. At the end, the boss Sergeant Barnes fires from a brick bunker; the player must land five grenade shots to defeat him.

Release

Ocean released Platoon in the UK on 25 January 1988, coinciding with the UK video release of the film. In an industry first, the video included a trailer for the game, and the game's loading screen advertised the video. The package also contained a poster and a recording of Smokey Robinson's "The Tracks of My Tears". The game soon reached number one in the Gallup Top Twenty Computer Games Chart. Later in 1988, it appeared in the compilation The In Crowd, which reached number five in Gallup's All Format chart in early 1989. A budget re-release on Ocean's Hit Squad label returned Platoon to the Gallup All Formats chart in 1990.

Reception

Platoon received mixed reviews. Critics praised its graphics and sound effects but criticised its gameplay and difficulty. Some reviewers highlighted its faithful adaptation of the film, realistic atmosphere, and varied gameplay. Zzap!64 gave the Commodore 64 version 94%, calling it "A superb combat simulation, and simply the best film tie-in to date." The Games Machine awarded 92%, stating it was "a sure-fire winner." Computer and Video Games gave the Commodore 64 version a "C+VG Hit", noting Ocean made a "competent job" of a difficult film to adapt. Gary Penn of Commodore User called it "without doubt one of the best film tie-ins to appear on the 64." Crash! gave 93%, Happy Computer 81%, Power Play 8/10, ST Action 78%, and Compute's Amiga Resource said it worked "better than most" film translations. However, ACE gave 53%, criticising sluggish controls, poor scrolling, and garish visuals.