 
PLATFORM - SNES, Genesis
RELEASE DATE - 1995
PUBLISHER - Acclaim
DEVELOPER - Probe Entertainment
ESRB RATING - Everyone
Travel to Abydos as Colonel Jack O'Neil to take on Ra and his forces in the movie tie-in game, released on the Super Nintendo and the Sega Genesis.
|
|
Review by David Read
The original Stargate movie video game was released on the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. Since I typically found Sega Genesis easier to handle in terms of game play I chose to write this review based on that incarnation of the game. My first mistake.
One word can sum up the original Stargate game. Disappointing. Or two words: Extremely disappointing. Mind you, this is an old video game, but this opinion is not ranked from stacking it against all of the Star Wars: Galaxies and Sims of modern times. This opinion is ranked against games that were released alongside Stargate back in the day. In fact, I'll go to the extent to say that I played original NES games that were more entertaining, both visually and in terms of playability.
As far as I am aware, you do not even get to see the Stargate except during auxiliary screens -- never in the game itself. However, let's just get it up front right now that even though I accessed all levels with cheat codes I was unable to complete the last level (and undoubtedly fight Ra), which, I doubt, may have yielded the Gate. This is not because yours truly is a bad gamer, but because the game was so poorly designed that I could not find a way to navigate through the levels or beat literally unbeatable foes and reach any resolution.
But enough from the soapbox -- for now. Let's do a little breakdown of the game itself.
At the very start of the game a prompt explains a fierce sandstorm has somehow taken O'Neil away from his men. Now he must fight his way back to Nagada, the Abydonian capital. Already the game has diverted from the film, and it essentially stays that way. Throughout your entire journey you will play O'Neil, and en route you must face a number of sand creatures and soaring bats. You're armed with a standard bottom-loading machine gun, as well as a limited supply of grenades that you will find conveniently tucked away in Abydonian sand dunes (Abydos obviously has a local supplier of weaponry from across the known universe).
The animal that Daniel declared tasted like chicken is fairly prominent in the game, alongside a giant bug that shoots lasers at you. Also, all of the animals are in the disguising desert color of rainforest green.
You do get to encounter several of your friends from the film. Daniel is the first in your journey, and as you can see by this image from the game he looks as though he wants to hitch a ride on the Abydos Express. You will also encounter Ra's first prime Anubis fairly frequently, and the text messages show he speaks to O'Neil like an inner-city ruffian. Among others you will find on your journey are Skaara, Kasuf and Shau'ri, all of whom speak perfect English and are profoundly submissive to our iconic American hero.
Your missions throughout the game vary. Originally you have to acquire a set number of military supply boxes before the Nagadans will let you into their city. Many of your missions include "Rescue Daniel" and "Find disguised Shau'ri." Closer to the end of the game, and this particularly disturbed me, your mission is to "Shoot the traitors," Abydonians who have sided with Ra. They can be easily distinguished by their muscular builds and glowing orbs that they hold above their heads (Goa'uld communication devices?). They don't even attempt to harm you -- you're just supposed to kill them.
Horus guards block almost every step you take inside the borders of Nagada, and not only do they have staff weapons, but they make heavy utilization of -- get this -- teleportation every two or three seconds. This makes them nearly impossible to take out with your weapon. Launching a grenade at them is frequently maddening because they teleport away almost as quickly as they arrive, and there are all kinds of obstructions that make the grenade ricochet off of anything (Apparently game programmers of this era were more interested in dazzling us with their ability to program trajectories than neutralize targets).
After several minutes of standing in the right place to throw the grenade and waiting for Horus to reappear in the perfect spot, you finally do him in and he, of all things, melts. Five seconds further down your journey another one takes his place.
You see my frustration.
Level Five delivers a particular treat -- you get to fight Anubis for Shau'ri. I swear, I tried everything in the handbook to eliminate the bastard but, I kid you not, after a half hour of trying I shut the game off and returned it to my eight-year old friend.
The Mission Select screen often tells you exactly what your mission is for each level. If you die, an Abydonian magician will appear to throw a bag at you containing something magical, and you will suddenly be resurrected. The game certainly gives you plenty of chances, I'll give it that. And, despite how awkward or unusual some of the transferred film icons were, the gamers did make an effort to pack ?em in there. Even gliders fly at low altitudes and drop exploding "boxes" in your path ...
I cannot tell you how long I have been waiting to play the video game and use it as a sort of ribbon-cutting for this new section of GateWorld, so you can imagine my disappointment when I have to close with the fact that the game is a poor, quickly assembled rub-off of the film. The graphics are shoddy, the weapon controls are sluggish and unpredictable, and completing each level is an unrewarding chore. You just want to get through it in the hopes that something better is in the next area. There never is.
I recommend this game solely for hard-core Stargate collectors. In that, I suggest the very top shelf in your attic closet.
Rating: *
|
|
|
|
