Gain Ground

About

Gain Ground is a real time strategy shooter where you juggle up to three characters across labyrinthine levels. Each character wields distinct weapons and must either reach an exit or eliminate all enemies before time expires. Rescue trapped allies by guiding them to safety, but losing a character turns them into a captive you must protect. If your entire party dies, you lose the level though three continues let you retry with fresh troops. The arcade mode offers 40 escalating stages while home versions stretch to 50, blending action and resource management as you balance offense and defense. The game stands out for its tense risk/reward loop and hybrid gameplay. Early levels teach efficient route planning while later stages demand rapid weapon switching and sacrifice decisions. With roots in 1988 arcade design, its blend of character management and shootouts feels surprisingly modern for a nearly 40 year old title. Hardcore players appreciate the limited continues that heighten difficulty, while the co-op mode adds strategic depth through teamwork.

Storyline

A long period of peace has deprived the earthlings of their instinct to wage war. The Federated Government, greatly concerned regarding this ever increasing dangerous situation, developed a Gain Ground simulation system in the year 2348 in an effort to instigate their ever waning fighting spirit. However, suddenly without warning, the Supercomputer went berserk and took many of the citizens as hostages. In order to rescue the POWs, three of the bravest warriors were urgently dispatched to go forth into the deadly Gain Ground.