Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday

Strategic Simulations

Industry	Video games
Founded	1979
Headquarters	United States
Products	Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday

Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday is a role-playing video game situated within the Buck Rogers XXVC setting. Released in 1990 by Strategic Simulations for platforms including MS-DOS, Commodore 64, and Amiga, it was followed by a Sega Genesis edition in 1991. Its follow-up title, Buck Rogers: Matrix Cubed, appeared in 1992.

Plot

The storyline centers on an extended conflict between Earth's New Earth Organization (NEO) and the Mars-based Russo-American Mercantile (RAM), a militaristic regime supported by genetically engineered troops. NEO operates covertly from Earth and orbital bases, resisting RAM's aggressive campaigns.

Players begin as members of a newly formed NEO squad introduced during an assault on their base, which they repel by activating anti-aircraft defenses. Their performance earns them recognition, leading to assignments starting with routine patrols. These missions uncover an abandoned spacecraft infested with parasitic organisms and inhabited by genetically modified creatures known as Gennies. After curing themselves and purging the infestation, the team salvages the vessel, christening it Maelstrom Rider.

Pursuing leads to Ceres within the asteroid belt, the group infiltrates a RAM facility overrun by escaped experimental Gennies. They discover efforts to clone these creatures alongside development of a formidable laser weapon. Subsequently, their ship is seized by space pirates; during captivity, they encounter Buck Rogers, overthrow their captors, and return with him to NEO headquarters.

The party then undertakes a mission into RAM’s Martian stronghold, Gradivus Mons, where they gain the trust of indigenous Desert Runners by defending their city against attacks. With their assistance, the team destroys both the prototype Doomsday Laser and the base itself. Further investigation leads them to Venus, where RAM coerces Lowlanders into manufacturing components for another superweapon. The party aids survivors in disrupting these operations.

Ultimately, RAM collaborates with a corrupt Mercurian regime to construct the Doomsday Laser in orbit near Mercury with the goal of obliterating Earth. The team launches an assault on the orbital city Mariposa Three, battles through military defenses, destroys the weapon's command center, and escapes before its destruction. This triumph significantly weakens RAM’s military strength, delivering a temporary victory for NEO.

Gameplay

Players assemble a team of six characters chosen from five distinct classes (Rocketjock, Warrior, Medic, Rogue, Engineer) and six races (Human, Desert Runner, Tinker, Venusian, Martian, Mercurian).

The game offers five different viewing modes:

• Solar System View: A top-down map displaying inner planets and major asteroids; players navigate their spaceship and engage in ship-to-ship combat.
• Overworld View: An overhead perspective used for moving the party across planetary surfaces; ground combat can initiate here.
• Adventuring View: A first-person 3D perspective presenting the party’s surroundings; land combat may also begin from this viewpoint.
• Land Combat: An isometric overhead display showing characters, NPCs, and enemies scaled appropriately.
• Ship-to-Ship Combat: Displays enemy spacecraft alongside menu-driven controls.

Ports

Most versions employ a first-person Adventuring view complemented by straightforward text menus at spaceports.

The Sega Genesis adaptation features a third-person isometric Adventuring perspective with icons substituting most textual elements. It restricts playable races to Human, Desert Runner, and Tinker while limiting classes to Warrior, Rocketjock, Medic, or Rogue. Additionally, this version reduces available skills, equipment categories, weapon variety, and eliminates ammunition requirements.

Release

Strategic Simulations organized a trivia competition through Computer Gaming World, where winners received the game in their chosen computer format, a TSR board game, a comic adventure module, and a branded T-shirt.

Reception

Countdown to Doomsday achieved sales totaling 51,528 units. Brian Walker from Strategy Plus observed that despite receiving mixed critical responses, the game performed well commercially.

Scorpia of Computer Gaming World commended the narrative as "very satisfying" and described the gameplay as an enjoyable, light adventure experience. In 1993, she reiterated that it remained "a surprisingly enjoyable little game". Dragon magazine awarded it a score of 4 out of 5 stars.

Theo Clarke of Strategy Plus criticized the outdated game engine and mechanics, pointing out slow pacing and limited visuals when compared to titles like Ultima VI. He expressed hope for a tabletop version to better highlight the storyline without the constraints of computer technology.

The gameplay was praised by MegaTech for its engaging qualities. Additionally, Mega placed it at number 39 in their list of Top Mega Drive Games of All Time.

Jim Trunzo from White Wolf gave a perfect rating of 5 out of 5 stars, emphasizing its faithful representation of TSR's role-playing game along with its compelling graphics and gameplay elements.