Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines
Anecdote
Released in June 1998 by Spanish studio Pyro Studios under the direction of brothers Ignacio and Javier Pérez Dolset, Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines invented the sub-genre of real-time isometric tactical stealth and propelled the Iberian games industry onto the world map. The player commands a team of six British commandos with distinct skills — the Green Beret for silent eliminations, the Sniper for long-range neutralisation, the Diver for amphibious operations, the Sapper for demolition, the Driver for operating enemy vehicles, and the Spy for infiltration in a German uniform. The twenty missions reconstruct attested operations of the Special Operations Executive and the Special Air Service in Norway, Crete, North Africa, Italy, France and Germany. Each scenario, lasting between forty minutes and two hours, demands rigorous planning: a single alerted enemy can compromise the entire operation. The two-dimensional isometric engine displays a distinct field of view for every sentry and models noise, lighting and weather conditions. The meticulous artistic direction, based on archival photographs and military manuals, renders Waffen-SS, Wehrmacht and Afrikakorps uniforms with rare accuracy. The soundtrack by composer Mateo Pascual blends martial orchestrations with melancholic themes. The title sold more than three million copies, establishing the Commandos franchise, which now counts six main entries and directly inspired Desperados, Shadow Tactics and Mutant Year Zero. It remains an absolute benchmark of the historical tactical puzzle.
Popularity & reception
Awards — BAFTA – Best PC Game (1999) · Computer Gaming World – Strategy Game of the Year nominated (1998)
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