The year is 2019 and a fictional nightmare becomes reality: Exotic alien warships begin a deadly assault on Earth, and it's up to you to save the world from mass destruction. On board your mothership Omaha, you jump into the cockpit of a futuristic F-177 fighter jet. You're alone with the aliens, and the fate of humanity lies on your shoulders (well in this case, in your fingers and control pad).

	That's the convoluted plot of Electronic Arts' new 3DO "experience," ShockWave, Invasion Earth: 2019. One of the first 3DO-only game titles available, ShockWave tries to be what Rebel Assault is on the PC, a very simple (yet stunning) multimedia flying game. ShockWave is a sharp contrast to Super Wing Commander on 3DO with its numerous key combinations that you need to memorize to perform actions. In ShockWave you can't crash into mountains, choose a flight path, or even gain much altitude, so yes, this game is pretty well "dummy proof." 

	In a way ShockWave is a preview of what we can expect from the Full Motion Video (FMV) scenes in Wing Commander 3: The cinematic scenes between missions consist of actors meshed together with 3D rendered backgrounds. The video quality of the cinematics are excellent, and the acting is relatively good for a computer game.

	Before suiting up in the cockpit for the decent to earth (the Omaha is docked in space), the game has a training mission which allows you to "learn the ropes" as a voice guides you. This is an excellent setup for the actual game, and believe me, if you had trouble on the training mission, wait until the game starts.

	Now it's time to combat the aliens, and on-board your F-177 is the Intelligent Combat Engine (ICE) which gives you hints and tips during flight, as well as outlining key mission objectives. The arsenal you'll use to combat the oncoming attack includes lasers and missiles. There is a limit to the number of missiles and lasers the fighter jet can carry, so chances are it will run out 2 or 3 times during a mission. That's where the refueling pod comes into play. Strategically placed at key locations on the mission path, these refueling pods will instantaneously transfer energy and weapons to your ship. 

	To completely eliminate the alien presence on earth you'll have to journey through 10 distinctly diverse missions. The initial mission takes place in Egypt, with other locations spanning the globe including Las Vegas, the Amazon rainforest, and finally you'll venture up to the moon for the final confrontation. Each mission has a totally new landscape and terrain which was created from satellite photos. When venturing through Los Angeles you will be able to shoot at the Hollywood sign, and in Vegas you can fly past the familiar Luxor hotel.  

	The androids that you have to destroy vary in strength and agility. Land-based tanks and gigantic flying "mother ships" are just some of the enemies that are part of this gigantic attack. In the latter missions you're asked to rescue prisoners from futuristic prisons by shooting at energy pods around the complex, while being careful not the destroy the actual building. 

	You have no wingmates to lend a helping hand (or missile) because the air force is so short on pilots. The only communication you have with the mother ship is infrequent video updates from the commander through the ship's control panel. Most of the time this control panel is your radar screen showing enemy locations, as well as the suggested flight path you take. 

	The aliens are extremely smart, and there are a lot of them, resulting in a very hard game, even on the easiest play setting. The control is about as good as you'll get with a 3DO control pad, much better than Super Wing Commander.  After each mission the game will save your progress, but if you die in the middle of a multi-stage mission, you'll have to restart it from the beginning (The game allows for unlimited continues.) I can't stress how hard this game is; be prepared for an immense challenge that can become frustrating at times.

	In summary, ShockWave is really in its own gaming genre. It's not a flight simulator, but it's not an action game either. The missions include a lot of variety, and the cinematics are well produced. Game players looking for an involved flight simulator will be disappointed with ShockWave because all you do is "point and shoot." Still, if it's appreciated for what it is, ShockWave is one of the best 3DO games available to date. Frustrating is a word I'd use to describe this product because it can get on your nerves, especially after replaying a mission 20 or 30 times. Still, I liked this game because it's a good multimedia experience which provides a true feeling of flight, and the atmosphere was well developed. ShockWave is certainly a new wave of entertainment, and I'm sure we will see many more games like it in the years to come.