Post by Pilgrim John on May 11, 2006 14:20:08 GMT -5
GUNSTAR SUPER HEROES, for the Gameboy Advance
1 Player
Game by SEGA/Treasure Games.
****review by Pilgrim John
More than ten years ago, Treasure games released what was truly an action classic: Gunstar Heroes for the Sega Genesis. After they played it, gamers wanted more. A sequel, to be precise. However, Treasure maintained a mentality that sequels weren't worth making.
Until now.
Gunstar Super Heroes, while not actually a true sequel, takes place several years after the first game. Does it live up to the high bar set by the first game?
*GRAPHICS*
Definitely a clear winner here. You can go wrong with hand-drawn visuals, complete with awesome backgrounds, detailed environments, smooth animations, and a distinct anime look to the game. The graphics here are so good, you'd swear that every time something explodes, somewhere in a cave, a beautiful flower begins to grow.
*GAMEPLAY*
Masochists rejoice! This game will kick your ass so many ways it will probably end with you chucking your handheld straight at the nearest wall. Even Easy mode will give most a heart attack.
The gameplay is classic run-and-gun gameplay, quintessant to Gunstar Heroes, but there are major differences between this game and the original. Firstly, your characters carry knives that they can swing if you tap the B Button (Hold it to fire your gun). They can no longer throw enemies around. Also, you can't switch out the guns you already have for new guns, which sucks. The gameplay might try to keep itself in with the original, but it's pretty obvious that it's different, and for the most part, isn't as good as the original.
The level design here is just like the original game--except this time, it has different segments. In one level, you'll charge from the battlefield into a strange room that rotates when you move. You are challenged to rescue birds and bring to the exit with out getting hit. This is just one of many different new challenges. Also, you'll notice that other level segments pay homage to other SEGA IPs, like Afterburner. Sweet extras for Service Games elite.
And finally, boss battles. Where would Gunstar be with its huge bosses and their distinct fighting styles? For one fight (Of many), you'll be trying to take down a giant robot that has a grand total of seven different forms. It can transform into a tiger, bow-and-arrows, and a gun, to name a few. The pace of this fight is super-intense, as are all the other fights (Like one against a smily face).
*SOUND*
Ah, the music. The last layer of icing on the Gunstar cake. Intense situations really shine when you've got a thumping soundtrack as good as this. The explosions and the gunfire will be like music to your ears as you tear through your enemies.
As for the voice clips, they're.... awkward. Nuff said.
I'd put up a section for the story, but this is an ACTION GAME, people. Stories are for RPGs.
*OVERALL*
Gunstar Super Heroes is a fantastic piece of interactive art, but for what it is, it just doesn't quite match the level of the Genesis original. Oh well, it was a nice try anyway, and you'll walk away with a great game for the GBA library.
GOOD:
*Awesome visuals
*Explosions. Lots of 'em
*Intense soundtrack
*Very challenging
*Some areas pay homage to other Sega property
*The levels are diverse
BAD:
*The voice clips are, in a word, banal
*The new challenges come at the expense of shredded nostalgia (In most cases, but not all)
*It's challenging, sure, but it might end up being frustrating for many
SCORE: 8.5/10
1 Player
Game by SEGA/Treasure Games.
****review by Pilgrim John
More than ten years ago, Treasure games released what was truly an action classic: Gunstar Heroes for the Sega Genesis. After they played it, gamers wanted more. A sequel, to be precise. However, Treasure maintained a mentality that sequels weren't worth making.
Until now.
Gunstar Super Heroes, while not actually a true sequel, takes place several years after the first game. Does it live up to the high bar set by the first game?
*GRAPHICS*
Definitely a clear winner here. You can go wrong with hand-drawn visuals, complete with awesome backgrounds, detailed environments, smooth animations, and a distinct anime look to the game. The graphics here are so good, you'd swear that every time something explodes, somewhere in a cave, a beautiful flower begins to grow.
*GAMEPLAY*
Masochists rejoice! This game will kick your ass so many ways it will probably end with you chucking your handheld straight at the nearest wall. Even Easy mode will give most a heart attack.
The gameplay is classic run-and-gun gameplay, quintessant to Gunstar Heroes, but there are major differences between this game and the original. Firstly, your characters carry knives that they can swing if you tap the B Button (Hold it to fire your gun). They can no longer throw enemies around. Also, you can't switch out the guns you already have for new guns, which sucks. The gameplay might try to keep itself in with the original, but it's pretty obvious that it's different, and for the most part, isn't as good as the original.
The level design here is just like the original game--except this time, it has different segments. In one level, you'll charge from the battlefield into a strange room that rotates when you move. You are challenged to rescue birds and bring to the exit with out getting hit. This is just one of many different new challenges. Also, you'll notice that other level segments pay homage to other SEGA IPs, like Afterburner. Sweet extras for Service Games elite.
And finally, boss battles. Where would Gunstar be with its huge bosses and their distinct fighting styles? For one fight (Of many), you'll be trying to take down a giant robot that has a grand total of seven different forms. It can transform into a tiger, bow-and-arrows, and a gun, to name a few. The pace of this fight is super-intense, as are all the other fights (Like one against a smily face).
*SOUND*
Ah, the music. The last layer of icing on the Gunstar cake. Intense situations really shine when you've got a thumping soundtrack as good as this. The explosions and the gunfire will be like music to your ears as you tear through your enemies.
As for the voice clips, they're.... awkward. Nuff said.
I'd put up a section for the story, but this is an ACTION GAME, people. Stories are for RPGs.
*OVERALL*
Gunstar Super Heroes is a fantastic piece of interactive art, but for what it is, it just doesn't quite match the level of the Genesis original. Oh well, it was a nice try anyway, and you'll walk away with a great game for the GBA library.
GOOD:
*Awesome visuals
*Explosions. Lots of 'em
*Intense soundtrack
*Very challenging
*Some areas pay homage to other Sega property
*The levels are diverse
BAD:
*The voice clips are, in a word, banal
*The new challenges come at the expense of shredded nostalgia (In most cases, but not all)
*It's challenging, sure, but it might end up being frustrating for many
SCORE: 8.5/10