Sega
Force Vault
Reviewed
04.03.1999
Publisher
Sega
(JPN)
Activision
(USA)
Developer
Climax
Graphics
Format
1x
GD
Origin
Import
Available
Mar.
22, 1999 (Japan)
Sep.
9, 1999 (USA)
Exclusive
Yes
Difficulty
Adjustable
Dimensions
3D
View
Multi
3rd Person
Genre
Action
/ Adventure
Player(s)
1
Options
Backup
4
VGA
Box
Requires
n/a
Importable
90% |
Intro |
> With the popularity of games like Deep Fear (Saturn) and
Resident
Evil (Saturn), it's no wonder that other developers are scrambling
to improve on the genre. Climax Graphics
set a goal of making an Action/Adventure title that would take gameplayers
to new heights in graphics, gameplay and fun. With the recent release
of the Uberconsole, Climax Graphics had the
proper platform available to accomplish this. The question is, did
they succeed?
> The main hero of Blue Stinger is a guy named Eliot and
the setting is a bio-lab on an island which has been visited by an alien
being. You (Eliot) start with no weapons or ammo, just your fists.
Along the way you'll encounter other characters like Dogs and Janine, which
eventually become controllable. You'll have to collect keys, ID cards,
weapons, ammo and other items which flash to hint where they are.
Some of these items can be bought or given to you as well. These weapons
are needed to... you guessed it... kill all the bio-monsters that lurk
freely on the island.
> Thinking of getting the import? Blue Stinger has
a lot of English in it. The menus, game screens and speech are all
in English with Japanese subtitles. We're talking Action/Adventure,
which means fairly easy to get into... |
Graphics |
> Naturally, Blue Stinger is presented in luscious 3D polygon
generated beauty. Everything from color, to detail, to complexity,
to special effects is done very well. Throughout the game you'll
be presented with a constantly panning and zooming camera angle which gives
the entire game an aura of a blockbuster action movie. The view is
not controllable, but the director's choice of views is almost always impressive.
However, the game would have been better with a view control since the
view is not always exactly where you want it to be. Note: the
American release has been tweaked for better views.
> As expected the special effects are amazing. You'll see animated
waves, monster blood spraying, fireball explosions, etc.. The lighting
effects are where it's at though... you'll be impressed.
> The regular monsters seem run of the mill, but at least they're well
animated (as is your character). The boss monsters... that's another
story. They're huge... they're bad... and they're out to get you!
As big as the bosses are, the locales are just gigantic in scope and complexity
(in some cases). It's a good thing you have a map otherwise you'd
be completely lost! |
Control |
> The control is tight and simple. You have punch, fire, action and
item/map menu buttons at your disposal. Saving a game is accomplished
by finding rooms which have a save station. Other rooms have vending
machines which dispense drinks, hotdogs, hamburgers, sandwiches, various
ammo types, etc.. You pay for this by killing monsters which leave
money behind for you to collect. One last thing, don't forget to
make use of the climbing action to find hidden items and access certain
areas. |
Sound |
> The music is good enough to be from your favorite action movie soundtrack.
As a matter of fact, the whole game feels like a movie. You'll hear
pulse pounding and mood setting tunes throughout your quest.
> The sound effects are very good. Some examples are foot steps,
gun shots, grunts, monster roars and hydraulic doors. The speech,
as mentioned before, is entirely in English and is quite helpful in your
quest. |
Fun |
> If you've ever dreamed of playing a movie, then Blue Stinger
is for you. The combination of graphics, gameplay and music provide
an experience which is unmatched in the market. Additionally, the
difficulty is selectable so just about anyone can play and enjoy it. |
Bottom
Line |
> If you're into games like Resident Evil or Deep Fear,
then Blue Stinger will show you the way to the new millennium.
Strap yourself into a Dreamcast and let it take you to Action/Adventure
heaven. Another AAA (graphics, gameplay, sound) title hits the Uberconsole,
so get it now or in September. |
Ratings |
Overall:
9.3 | Graphics: 9.8 | Control: 9.0 | Sound: 9.8 | Fun: 8.5 |
|