Games World

Mini Review: WinBack: Covert Operations – Omega Force’s Overlooked And Influential Cover Shooter

WinBack, baby WinBack, that’s where it’s at.

It’d be easy to dismiss Winback without a second thought. Developed by Omega Force — nowadays famous for the long-running Dynasty Warriors series and associated Musou spin-offs/crossovers — and released for N64 back in 1999, it’s probably the least well-known of the Switch Online service’s initial Nintendo 64 offerings; a title that falls under the unflattering banner of being a perceived ripping-off of the venerable Metal Gear Solid. This, however, is inaccurate. There’s a compelling argument that Winback, for all its flaws, is one of the more prominently influential N64 titles, with measurable influence on some of the biggest games of all time.

That’s not contrarian gum-flapping, you know. This third-person shooter brings in some innovations that became full-on conventions, and it doesn’t really get the appropriate credit for them. Its cover system, which sees you tap ‘A’ to get in position behind a wall or a crate or any such scenery, then peer out to take pot-shots? Pure Gears of War. You’ve also got the laser-sight for free aiming, which returned in spectacular style with – most prominently – Resident Evil 4.

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