Midwinter

Midwinter is a post-apocalyptic first-person action role-playing game with strategy and survival elements, designed by Mike Singleton and published by MicroProse on the Rainbird label. Set in 2099 after a meteorite strike has plunged the world into a nuclear winter, you play as John Stark, commander of the Free Villages Peace Force on the 160,000-square-mile island of Midwinter in the Azores. General Masters is attempting to take over the island by force. Armed initially with grenades, a sniper rifle, and a pair of skis, you must escape an ambush, travel across the snow-covered island, and recruit 32 civilians and militia members to mount a guerrilla campaign. Gameplay features a unique timer system: you have two hours of game-time to play as each character. Movement options include skiing, snow buggies, cable cars, and hang gliders, all rendered with shaded 3D polygons.

DOS

Released in 1989 for MS-DOS (1990 in some regions), this version runs on an Intel 8086/8088 CPU with 640 KB of RAM and DOS 2.0 or later. Graphics support includes CGA, EGA, and VGA/MCGA (320x200 in 256 colors), while audio supports PC Speaker, AdLib, and Roland MT-32. The game is best played with a mouse for the icon-driven interface. Zero Magazine praised its immense depth, stating "there's something absolutely brilliant about this simulation." Computer and Videogames awarded 94%. GameSpot later featured Midwinter in its "Unsung Heroes" series. Midwinter delivered an unparalleled blend of 3D exploration, strategic recruitment, and survival gameplay.