Genre: Action
Perspective: Side view
Visual: 2D scrolling
Gameplay: Platform, Shooter
Setting: Post-Apocalyptic, Sci-Fi / Futuristic
Published by: Virgin Games
Developed by: Virgin Games
Released: 1993
Platforms: SEGA Genesis / Mega Drive, SEGA Master System, Super Nintendo (SNES)
The gaming industry has always gravitated towards creating a new hit, especially without straining. Why invent new ideas, if it is possible to harmoniously co-invent already invented earlier? So the tendencies to take absolutely independent games were outlined, and, mixing them, to receive new, unique and, of course, masterpiece hits. Double Dragons and Toads? Hmm, not bad. Strangers against predators? Better. And the numerous hacks? Black Cloak with a gun in his hands or Chip and Dale, throwing enemies with grenades during the fighting? The long-suffering Mario and Sonic, in huge numbers appearing in a variety of games?
In general, there are enough examples. Here and in the wilds of Virgin Games and Interplay Entertainment once came the idea: to take two characters from the famous movies and punch them with foreheads. Can you guess what I'm driving at? A brave robot policeman, also known as RoboCop, and an anthropoid for murder - Terminator. Both films have gathered a lot of fans - and now, by the grace of the developers, the characters have a chance to find out who is stronger - a robotic policeman or a cyborg-killer.
Few people know, but the basis of the plot of the game lay comic Frank Frank Miller in 1992. The technology that scientists discovered when creating Robocop, led to the creation of a true artificial intelligence - Skynet. As you already know, Skynet, after realizing his own mind, decided to tackle the planned destruction of problems. Humanity, that is. Skynet began mass transfer of terminators to the past, and also pushed Robocop to fight the ED-209 (Enforcement Droid Series 209, also known for the movie "Robocop" as a robot-chicken). Why he needed it - I will not put my mind to it. The facts in the game say that it was necessary to get the necessary information to him to learn how to feel. In general, approximately this way Robocop was dragged into the struggle of Skynet with humanity. On the side of humanity, of course. Well, hordes of terminators accordingly pursue the goal of destroying humanity once and for all - as a hindrance to the existence of their beloved artificial intelligence. So, Peter Weller (Robocop) or Arnold Schwarzenegger (Terminator). Confrontation begins.
The game has a lot of interesting finds, there are also obvious blunders of developers. But let's start in order. So, the first thing that awaits us is the training level. It is not particularly difficult opponents, which gives Robocop an opportunity to get used to the management. The hero can walk, jump (which is unusual for robocops - try to jump if you weigh several hundred kilos and are made of metal). The robot is armed with a pistol, which it can change for the second weapon (one more gun first). A variety of weapons pleases - there is also a "fly" (as I called it while playing this game on the console) - with homing cartridges, grenade launchers, lasers, rocket launchers and others. At the time when Robocop finds a new weapon, the old weapon from the active slot is moved to the backup slot - very convenient.
Opponents in the game are diverse - from ordinary people armed with pistols, to strange mechanical creatures, creatures of Skynet. By the concentration of opponents on the screen, the game periodically resembles Contra (which is Contra, not Counter Strike) - the whole screen in bullets, in opponents, in fire, abounds with dangerous places - the good does not die the hero from the first time, he is a robot. Levels are basically linear progression from beginning to end, with small variations and caches, which, however, is typical for most games of this genre. At the end of most levels Robocop is waiting for the boss - or some other generation of Skynet, or old friends on the film "Robocop". Brave cyberpolicy will visit the streets of Detroit, New York, in the office of OCP (Omni Consumer Products) imposed by the terminators, as well as in the cloister of Skynet. Levels are not particularly diverse - differ only graphically, well, and according to the density of enemies per square centimeter. There are a couple of levels with flights by helicopter, to be honest - on the side of the bike to the game. In general, good gameplay and a good idea do their job - it's interesting to play.
Graphically, the game is done very well. Confuses except that the graphic monotony of the levels - there are no bright locations, as, for example, in the Black Cloak (and there were very memorable landscapes). But this is not very evident against the background of enemies. Enemies are many and they are all different. Graphically, people, terminators and other harmful mechanisms also differ. Very beautifully executed destruction of the terminator: first you shoot a robot in human form (the prototype is Arnold Schwarzenegger), it falls, its skin burns out and begins to show off the chrome skeleton. In the eye sockets of the skull, red eyes light up (a very beautiful graphic move, by the way), now a new stage, and now - the remnants of the skin burned, we see a fully exposed skeleton of the terminator.
To be honest, other metamorphoses do not spread to other opponents - they either explode or are filled with blood. The game came out pretty bloody, opponents people die with special effects, not inferior to the fatalities of the Mortal Kombat. For example, if a hand with a pistol comes out of the window, then after Robocop has shot this window, it will remain stained with blood. Bosses are drawn with diligence, at least, it feels like we have a soulless machine in front of us, and not some plush soldier. And they are quite diverse - that pleases.
But there are also graphic mistakes. To such misses, I, perhaps, will carry the dimensions of the weapon. Too far from the Robocop is the minimum radius of damage. And if the enemy gets between the robot and the end of the trunk (and it happens, believe), then the enemy will not be anything, but the hero will have a hard time. Questions and causes the area affected by firing diagonally (and in addition to the stairs) - it is in such moments that you will feel the imperfection of the dimensions. Not very good player feels in the battle with the bosses ... Although something I'm picky, because the console during the game, the claims to the engine did not arise. Musical accompaniment catchy, virtually unremarkable motives drowning under the sounds of shooting, explosions, screams and other delights. Just the same sounds in the game are worked out with a bang - if the music does not please with the variety, then the sound effects are very high.
So, what do we have? An interesting story - quite. Graphical finds - also there. Memorable sound effects are available. Dynamic gameplay - good. The game may be a bit short of the masterpiece, but on the way out we get an average such a strong little boevok. The game is able to hold the screen and give pleasure, and this is the most important thing - it means that the goal of the developers is achieved. So for those who did not play this game (if they still are), I strongly recommend to get acquainted.
Codes
Enter the following code at the Pause Screen:
- Debug Mode - A, B, A, C, A, B, C, B, C, A, C, B, A, C, A, B, A, C.
- Fall Through the Floor (Hold down and press C) - A,B,C,C,C,B,A.
- Run faster and jump higher - A, B, C, C, B, A, C, B, A, C, B, A, A, A, C, A, C, B, C, A, C, A, C,A, B, C, B.
- Stage Skip - A, B, C, B, B, Ax4, C, Ax3x, Cx3x, A, C, B, A.
- Start with 54 Lives - C - C - A - A - B - B - C - C - A - A - B - B.
- Unlock All Weapons - B - A - C - C - C - A - B - B - A - C - C - C - A - B.
- Violent Mode - C - B - A - B - B - A - B - B - C - B - B - C - C - B - B - C - B - C - A - C - C - A - A - A - B - B - B - A - C - A.
Immortality Level
Enter Turbo Cop mode, begin the trainer level, then move RoboCop all the way to the left. Hold Up on the D-Pad and press C to jump to find the new level.