Genre: Action, FPS
Perspective: 1st-person
Setting: Sci-Fi / Futuristic
Published by: Synergy Interactive Corp.
Developed by: Synergy Inc.
Released: 1994
Platform: 3DO Interactive Multiplayer
To the review of such a game as Iron Angel of Apocalypse it is necessary to approach very seriously. At least because there are so many people who did not understand it, and therefore decided that they can scream everywhere about its complete defectiveness. But this is completely wrong! But first things first.
Iron Angel of Apocalypse is a so-called dumopodobnaya game, in which you tear everyone on your way in the role of a cyborg, who, just and is called the Iron Angel of the Apocalypse (Tetsujin).
A called the cyborg so - "Dad." That is, not quite his dad, but a somewhat insane scientist who for some reason disliked the genus of homo sapiens and decided to noticeably reduce his population. He himself did not leave the complex, so that he himself could not accomplish this task, and he decided that for this it is necessary to develop robots-killers and destroyers. And the brains so that they were not exactly stupid were they to insert them from the person.
Then our hero stumbled. For the human mind initially assumes constant accomplishments of such action as "making its own decision". And look, some robot, towards the end of the game, it will manifest itself in a very (for the professor) unexpected form.
But back to the basis of the storyline. Cyborgs, our learned friend has developed very much, and decided that all of them must fight to prove their exclusivity and the right to carve people.
And Comrade Iron Angel, just turned out to be the most promising in this area of hope, and now he needs to walk through the mansions of the wicked professor, representing a non-weak "bastard" skyscraper in order to show him everything he can.
Actually from this moment the game begins. You see everything with the eyes of a steel soldier created to destroy reasonable people, you are in the guts of a hefty and gloomy skyscraper, whose apocalyptic interior really leads to the thought of a cybernetic armoreddon.
Graphics in the game, indeed, as many say - do not really shine. But! First, do not forget that we are talking about one of the FIRST ones made by the Japanese for 3DO games. And two - even in this situation, the graphics here are quite pleasantly striking with their sharpness. Yes, the corridors, rooms and halls are really somewhat monotonous, but it is rather related to, so to speak, the subgenre of the game, rather than to the minus admitted by the developers. Here you need to actively use the card, and not only to shoot, but also constantly perform one more action characteristic of human gray cells, called "brain-wracking."
In fact, I did not understand a bit why the designers made the first scenery that we see when we turn on the disc, because in the following zones (each zone is several stages and the boss, all stages 30), there will be much more beautiful options. And most of those who are so critical of this "corridor shooter", certainly not far away and did not go.
The most important thing in the game is the atmosphere. She captures you at once, immerses herself in her head and does not let go until the very end of the story. Gloomy, technogenic and apocalyptic, breathing in a hopelessness and "surgical" steel danger ... The dimness of the intricate corridors and the inimitable, magnificent in its cyber-threatening-depressing themes, music do their job, and if you ever really enter into all this truly, then you forever will remain a dedicated fan of this creation of Japanese programmers.
As for the gameplay as such, it boils down to the destruction of impartial robot enemies and the search for an elevator leading to the next floor.
To do this, you will need to constantly monitor the number of deadlines and vital energy of your Iron Angel, which you by the way will not be pampered, and look for level maps, without which it will be really hard. Having found the map, first of all we pay attention to the letter S - it marks rooms for saves. Run there, for there, with preservation, everything will be maximally restored: health, and ammunition. And only then - we are looking for the letter E. This, as you could already guess, is an elevator. There are several of them, and they lead to different rooms and places, so sometimes you will have to look for the only one that will take you even closer to your goal.
Enemies will meet you not a little. There are also rolling iron barrels, which reminded me a bit of everyone's favorite robot vacuum cleaner from the Star Wars. There are similar to them, but more dangerous cone-shaped "robots-katuny". In general, as for all "kegs" - there are a myriad of them. There are similar to standing on the hind legs of iron caterpillars and others ... There are a number of jumping creatures of cybernetic thought of an evil scientist. Some of them look like a leaping beer lid with red furious eyes (yes, you will immediately understand the seriousness of the enemy's intentions), and there are absolutely impressive creatures that look like metal hawsers really hurting at jumping.
There are also walking robots ala "fur varior" and walking rectangular arrows (by the way, also extremely dangerous) that look like a digital camera.
We were quite pleased with flying helicopter, small cybers, which mostly live in narrow corridors, and clearly not just because the meeting with such a device is in these corridors, it is in big trouble,
They also have "relatives", such as something resembling a lightning-spewing steel flower, rocket-like creatures, and other "flyers".
Bosses here attack psychedelic. In the dark and from the air. Here you, starting with the second, useful new weapons. Which, incidentally, the game is not very much (namely 6 pieces), but to deal with the tenants of the skyscraper, you will have enough.
In general, I will not bother you further with descriptions of the local flora and fauna, I will say to the end of the description of this "saiber army", only one thing: your creator tried to glory and the mass of your "brothers and sisters" will not get bored. Plus, it's nice that all the soups are made in full 3D.
But you will not be hindered by not only them, but also obstacles of local, "mechanical" nature - such as caterpillar tapes in the floor, which, if they work in the direction you need, will only help. But if in the opposite ... Then you can not go through until you return to the previous level, finding there a room that was earlier and there was not, and there will not be a turbo-accelerator, the inclusion of which on the button With the joystick - will help you to pass new difficulties.
You will also meet: a lot of teleports, which you will diligently confuse to zero, invisible but very painful biting walls, cannons sticking out of ordinary walls, mines beautifully riveted, then - there, on the floor, walls that need to be moved, shuffling to go further ...
In general, the environment here is no kinder than the inhabitants of the skyscraper.
Immediately set up that the stages will be confusing, almost all short paths will be blocked by sealed doors, which the map does not reflect, and you will have to calculate your route during the whole game.
The scenery will change constantly, sometimes making you happy with such things as, for example, unexpectedly shooting walls (you can not see the guns, from what they shoot - it is not clear), the doors at the beginning of the corridors, which until you shoot, will not advance further (and under conditions of austerity of cartridges - this still complicates the task for you), broken windows in the length of the entire corridor, showing us a dull, gray sky.
The game will repeatedly bring you unexpected moves, such as the fact that after passing through the 30th level, after a certain plot move, you will find yourself again on the first floor, only on all floors, this time - there will be only one closed room ... But hitting the twenty-fifth, you will understand - why during the game your life line was doubled twice and became triple ... You have to go through the CONTRACT of all the bosses, and then the new (last), of whom I casually mentioned at the beginning of the review, namely - a robot who had attempted to the professors ...