moodorf

(PS1 version review)

This is a neat little strategy game that does a decent job at giving you a C&C experience on PS1. I played this game back in the 90's and it holds up pretty well, EXCEPT FOR the slowdown that occasionally plagues this game. The slowdown only happens sometimes, for me it was mostly when I was playing 'Skirmish' mode against 2 or more other AI teams and there wound up being a ton of sprites onscreen at once as a result.

Also I'll admit that if you grew on playing C&C on PC there's probably nothing here that's going to win you over. But if you remember playing this game as a kid, and know what to expect--slowdown and all--it can still be a fun time.

YOU NEED AN DUAL SHOCK PS1 CONTROLLER TO PLAY THIS GAME. IT WON'T WORK WITH THE ORIGINAL PS1 CONTROLLER.

Now that that's out of the way: this is a great 3D platformer for PS1. This game uses both analog sticks in unique way (Left stick moves, Right stick is used to control gadgets) that although weird at first, quickly feels intuitive when you consider how the game works. The camera, often a sore spot for early 3D platformers, is above average here. It usually works. The graphics are bright and colorful with an anime feel to the characters.

The levels are well thought out and only very rarely have annoying sections imho. Music is great in this game too. There's something to be said about the fact that whenever I spot an ape in this game, some part of my brain lights up with joy at the thought of snatching him.

If I had to point out some negatives I'd say...well, the camera isn't perfect. Also, some people might not like using the R1/R2 to jump. Oh, and every time I try to use a paddleboat in this game I can't quite get the motion of the sticks right and it becomes kind of a joke. But it's a joke I can laugh at because...this game is charming.

(This is a review for the PS1 version)

This really is, or would be a GREAT resident evil clone if not for one thing: respawning enemies. Yup. Enemies will often respawn in this game.

Having a very limited set of resources such as ammunition or health pickups is a classic element of survival horror. Managing your resources in these type of games adds a layer of complexity to each playthrough. You have to consider: can you attack the enemy in this situation? Do you have the ammo? Or would dodging/running from the enemy in question be more wise? Can you come back later and clear the room out when you might have more ammo? This is where the "survival" part of the term or survival horror comes into play.

But because the enemies respawn in this game, that whole balance is completely ruined imho. In a good survival horror game from this era, the player will eventually become so skilled at conserving resources that they'll end the game with a surplus of ammo/health pickups. Here though, every time you start to amass a nice cushion of heath/ammo pickups, you'll wind up wasting it on enemies you didn't realize were going to respawn.

...and no, running past these enemies isn't as easy as it can be in other survival horrors because often you'll be in a very narrow corridor with no way to go forward down the hall without bumping directly into enemies. The game also does NOT have some sort of melee weapon (like RE's combat knife) to be there as an option when you're out of ammo. When you're out, you're screwed.

It kind of boggles my mind that these game developers CLEARLY understood what made games like Silent Hill and Resident Evil appeal to people. This game is ALMOST a classic. I love the pre-rendered backgrounds, the voice acting isn't laughable, and the story has a very nice Lovecraft vibe. I really want to love this game. You might even like this game, if nothing I've described above puts you off. But it's not for me. I need more balance in my survival horror.