Reviewed
07.22.2004
Publisher
Sega
Developer
Treasure
Format
16
Megabit
Origin
Import
Available
1995
(Japan)
1995
(Europe)
Exclusive
Yes
Difficulty
Adjustable
Dimensions
2D
View
Side
Genre
Action
/ Shooter
Player(s)
1
Options
6
Button
Mega
Key
Requires
n/a
Importable
100% |
| Intro |
|
> Treasure is more than a mere games developer; like Sega,
Treasure is an innovator. However, while Sega loves
to create something new (when it's not refining the gameplay of its popular
franchises), Treasure has a habit of recreating something
old. Shooting games are no longer as popular as they once were, but that
hasn't stopped Treasure from making new and improved shooting
games even now. Having already created Gunstar
Heroes for the Genesis, which was a side scrolling
shooting game in a league of its own (the old school term is "shoot 'em
up"), Treasure upheld its reputation of technical excellence
with another shooting game bearing the name Alien Soldier,
but one that wasn't quite in the same vein as Gunstar Heroes.
> The bosses in all of Treasure's games have always been
huge, and Alien Soldier is no exception. The core gameplay
of Alien Soldier is basically one boss confrontation after
another, making it a refreshing new spin on this already old and crowded
genre. What did you expect from a typical Treasure game?
There are levels in-between the game's series of epic boss encounters where
you must dispose of some smaller enemies, but they are too short to be
anything other than a brief reprieve from the real action.
> Alien Soldier was released for the Genesis
towards the end of the console's lifespan when 16 bit games were starting
to go unnoticed in favor of next generation titles. Alien Soldier
never saw the light of day in North America, but it nevertheless saw a
PAL release, so not all was lost. Treasure actually planned
to scrap this game altogether at one point in time, which means we were
probably lucky that it was released at all. You play as an armored eagle
warrior who has made it his purpose in life to unleash a huge arsenal of
lethal weapons on his unsuspecting foes. But who cares about the story
when mindless carnage awaits? |
| Graphics |
|
> As might be expected from a Treasure game, the graphics
represent some of the best of their era. Even with the limited color palette
of the Genesis, this game looks fantastic. The backdrops
and sprites are colorful, as always, and highly detailed. Treasure
obviously knew what it was doing. The constant flow of oncoming enemies
is the only thing that will stop you from fully appreciating the graphics.
There are a wide array of enemies and although they are not quite up to
the same standard as the ones found in Gunstar Heroes, the
bosses are the stuff nightmares are made of. The early stages are set in
futuristic cities with advanced machinery littering the foreground and
metallic buildings scrolling in the background in parallax, and the bosses
themselves are suitably mechanical in many cases to match their environments.
Everything is neatly drawn and blends perfectly. The game also has a great
range of special effects that mainly come in the form of weapons fire and
fiery explosions.
> The amount of on-screen action is sometimes hectic and yet there isn't
even the slightest trace of slowdown. The action and sprite animations
are super-smooth at all times, and as such, won't receive any complaints.
When compared to other Genesis titles, Alien Soldier
doesn't look bad at all. |
| Control |
|
> The game lets you choose your weaponry before entering the game proper.
Each type of weapon has a limited amount of shots before waning in power,
but you can equip four weapons from a range of six including flame throwers,
pulse cannons and beam lasers. You can choose four of the same type of
weapon if you have a particular fondness for it and want to make sure that
you never run out of firepower, or can choose four altogether different
weapons. It's just a matter of deciding between whatever weapons you feel
most comfortable with or think are best suited to the task ahead. Each
weapon has a power meter representing how much power your currently selected
weapon has left. You can switch between weapons in the midst of battle
if they run low on power or if you feel that a different weapon would be
better suited to annihilating your immediate enemies, allowing others to
recharge. If you're not happy with the weapons you've chosen, replacements
sometimes appear in the levels themselves. Enemies drop spheres of energy
that restore lost health once you've blasted them to pieces, too.
> Alien Soldier isn't your average shoot 'em up; your character
can dash from one side of the screen to the other (even in mid-air) to
safely avoid enemy attacks. This ability adds a whole new sense of strategy
to the game especially when you're confronted by an overwhelming number
of foes or trapped in a corner by a boss. While dashing your character
is invincible and if he has full health he becomes a fireball, killing
or harming anything that dares to stand (or fly) in his way. Of course,
bosses won't allow you to remain in one place for long and will force you
to constantly dash all over the place just to stay out of harm's way, giving
you no time to rest. The main character can even walk upside down on ceilings
and hover, which are more useful (and more essential for survival) than
you might initially realize. One welcome improvement over Gunstar
Heroes is the ability to select between free or fixed firing modes
at any time in a level (in the first mode you can move while firing; in
the other mode, you stand still while firing in a chosen direction). Both
modes have their own advantages and disadvantages as you can imagine. All
things considered, switching between different weapons and firing modes
is quick and easy (switching only becomes a distraction if it's not performed
quickly enough by the player). |
| Sound |
|
> The game is home to the usual array of music and sound effects that Treasure
is famous for. The music is fast-paced heart-thumping techno music (why
am I not surprised?). It's quite good for MIDI based music. I could swear
that some of the sound effects were lifted straight out of Gunstar
Heroes; I suppose Treasure adopted an "if it ain't
broken don't fix it" policy. The sound effects you will hear most of the
time are the sounds of things blowing up. In any case, the music tracks
and sound effects more than suit the frantic nature of the game. |
| Fun |
|
> The minor enemies provide little to no challenge in contrast to the bosses
which are by no means easy to vanquish. Did I mention that the bosses must
be disposed of as quickly as possible before a timer counts down to zero
at which point the main character explodes? No, I didn't think so. This
creates an extra sense of urgency. Bosses require special tactics to overcome
and are more vulnerable to certain types of weapons, so you must come prepared
and be wary of their weak spots. If you couldn't get enough of Treasure's
sub-level/end of level bosses in Gunstar Heroes (where the
real action lies according to some gamers), then I see no reason why you
shouldn't find the wanton destruction in Alien Soldier fun
in the extreme. Passwords bring down the replay value, but blasting your
way through the many bosses that the game throws at you is very satisfying. |
| Bottom
Line |
|
> Even when compared to Treasure's own Gunstar Heroes,
Alien Soldier still holds its own. If you're looking for a side
scrolling shoot 'em up full of non-stop boss encounters, then look no further.
It's not in the same league as Gunstar Heroes (in my opinion
of course), but that doesn't change the fact that it's an enjoyable shooting
game in its own right. |
| Ratings |
| Overall:
9.2 | Graphics: 9.4 | Control: 9.4 | Sound: 9.0 | Fun: 9.0 |
~
Geoffrey Duke ~
|
