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System:
MasterSystem
Genre:
Beat 'Em Up
Publisher:
SEGA
Developer:
-
Players:
-
Release date/year:
1991
Other systems:
Arcade
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- Alien Storm
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1991 SEGA - MS
Sega has come up with some of the best side scrolling games on the market for the Arcade that have ranged from the realistic to the absurdly insane. Alien Storm borders on those two points by a very fine that incorporates both side scrolling beat 'em up action along with some pretty interesting gore all on the Master System home console. The story is set in the distant future, in which aliens have come to Earth and begun the systematic extermination of all human life.
Through this, you have three characters to choose from that call themselves Alien Busters that go along the line of male, female and a wild looking robot. The best thing about Alien Storm is that you can either play it with a friend, or by yourself and the only difference is, is that the game takes on a slightly heavier challenge level! With that being said, the different styles of action featured here include the basic side scrolling through various environments in which you can pound aliens into mush, and a first person shooter that you are forced to play when going through some of the buildings scattered throughout the game.
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-The Game Play-
Your typical beat 'em up with three characters to choose from that all have a variety of different moves and special moves. Through this, you'll smash, punch, kick and blow up everything in your path in attempt to get through a number of stages and you'll be drawn into a first person world in which you eradicate aliens from different settings. With two players, the challenge grows a little tougher with the amount of aliens on screen increasing. Be prepared to see some pretty twisted things happen to your fellow man as they are eaten whole!
One of the downfalls that you’ll find with this earlier version of the game is that the first-person shooting sequences are cut. There is very little in terms of combinations that you can do and even the overall challenge of the game seems to be working against you at all times. The speed at which your character moves in accordance to what the enemies move seems to be moving just a frame or three slower, making you an easy target. If you do happen to make it to the final stages of the game, be ready to have your ass handed to you.
Smooth and precise, you'll find that what combinations are here, are easy to learn, and the control is easy enough to maneuver around with. The first person portion of the game allows you to hold down the firing button and simply drift the cross hair around the screen in an attempt to hit and destroy everything around you! Outside of that, the control is pretty straightforward and even a novice gamer can get the hang of it in mere minutes.
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-The Visuals-
The visuals of the game are rather clean and the sprites move at a fast rate. The different stages offer environments that range from a destroyed city to the inside of a giant alien ship. Movement in the background is a nil, but the action going on in the foreground will deter you away from noticing that. Different aliens will appear on screen in a variety of gross looking forms and the body explosions are awesome to see! However, you’ll find that the game seems to have a slightly muted quality to it the further you get into the game. With a little lack of imagination in the later stages, you might find that the game just doesn’t seem to have anything detailed with the characters of the enemies that you come up against.
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-The Audio-
The audio is a techno-based soundtrack that gives plenty of fast rifts and some sense of urgency after a few stages. It really doesn't variate from the theme of action and it's pleasant to the ears if the volume is set at the right level. Sound effects range from laser blasts to explosions to people screaming when they're being eaten alive! But again, with the limited capability of the Master System, there is some confusion when the action gets intense, and you might find that the game just doesn’t have enough high and low tones in the music to keep you going. With that in mind, if you compare it to later releases, you’ll see that most of what you find here has been improved greatly.
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-The Verdict-
Alien Storm is an above average game that did well for its time. Although it is better remembered for it's Genesis appearance and more or less for the screens of people being eaten whole by huge alien blobs, Alien Storm does offer up some pretty solid action platforming that will whet the whistle of any action game fan! If you’re a collector of the older Master System games, you’ll find that this is worthy of collecting just to see how much of an improvement was made on a decently made game to begin with. With plenty of action and just enough gore to keep blood fans satisfied, Alien Storm isn’t a priority purchase, but rather a casual collection.
6/10
//KasketDarkfyre
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