17 reviews by Anthony Burns..
Strider

2006-06-02
From: Anthony Burns
Comments: I would like to moderate my opinions ever so slightly, having played the diabolical C64 version of Strider since my last review. This version is at least not the worst 8-bit version, and quite ambitious in some ways. There are attempts (of varying feebleness) to depict such scenes as the gravity well, the giant mechanical bosses, and the Grand Master battle. Unfortunately, the basic pattern of conversion seems to have been to remove everything that was exciting and atmospheric in the original version and replace it with something tedious and repetitive. Too much effort has been wasted on making a few graphical elements (such as the main sprite and larger bosses) resemble their arcade versions, leaving few resources to actually make a playable game. The best 8-bit alternative is "Sonic the Hedgehog", which pays considerable homage to Strider in the Sky Base Zone, as if to prove that it can be done properly...

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Phantasy Star

2005-06-05
From: Anthony Burns
Comments: The crowning example of early RPG, which refined in spectacular fashion many old conventions (such as the pseudo-3d dungeons of early Ultima and D&D games, which Sega gave an immense graphical boost to). Phantasy Star is, however, still a game of its time, and is now mainly of historical interest, with little to tempt the modern RPGer who expects more options, more character development, less patience-testing dungeon-crawling, less linearity, and (of course) better graphics and sound to boot. For an example of a more user-friendly and open-ended RPG, with (necessarily) inferior graphics but in many ways ahead of its time, check out Ultima IV (Quest of the Avatar.

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SpellCaster

2005-05-15
From: Anthony Burns
Comments: Some original ideas and nice graphics, but sloppy controls, terrible password system (with easily confused characters, incredibly long codes, no backspace/ delete function on the input screen), messy and convoluted plot, unfair enemy respawn system (i.e. instant, if you retreat and advance so much as a millimetre), unfair attack patterns (sometimes from right under your feet), inadequate manual, having to die and resurrect in order to regain your energy, a useless continue function for many levels (as it only gave you a default 20 points of energy, when several hundred were in order), a tedious maze level, totally linear design (so much for the rpg pretensions), and even some bad spelling in the English translation (shirhine?).

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Bubble Bobble

2005-05-14
From: Anthony Burns
Comments: An admirable conversion, but watching the SMS wrestling with its own meagre sprite limit is quite painful. Slow and flickery, and always at the worst of times (this is a game where you really need a clear view of the action). There are better conversions of this (although it's hard to see how a better one could have been done for this system, hence the high mark).

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Sonic the Hedgehog Chaos

2005-05-11
From: Anthony Burns
Comments: Bold attempt to update the Master System Sonic engine, and produce something much closer to the Megadrive/ Genesis Sonic 2 than the "official" SMS Sonic 2 (which, and let's be fair, is good fun but also a bug-ridden, sloppily-programmed mess). Chaos is a technical triumph, but far too short and easy (you can win it in a day). A fine showcase for the system, but no longevity whatsoever.

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Sonic the Hedgehog 2

2005-05-11
From: Anthony Burns
Comments: As if in apology for not making Sonic 1 a straight conversion of the Megadrive game, the sequel is modelled very much upon the lines of the 16-bit original, with brave attempts to duplicate the high speed, the Green Hill Zone loops, the ability to recollect dropped rings, the pre-level presentation screens, and even Sonic's "teetering on the edge" posture (when you stand him at the brink of a platform). Unfortunately, no-one bothered to really update the engine from Sonic 1, and the result looks and plays like a beta version, with crude backdrops, many graphical bugs, silly oversights (i.e. the omission of the power sneakers, except for one totally useless pair that produces only a pointless star trail), no special stages, and soms rather ropey effects (especially the new loops, which are one-way only). And is that a rejected Tails sprite I see in the end sequence? Did someone try (and evidently fail) to shoehorn the two-player mode into this confused melange? Still, it's very good fun, if frustratingly shoddy.

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Sonic the Hedgehog

2005-05-10
From: Anthony Burns
Comments: Kudos to whatever brilliant mind decided to make an original game instead of some hopeless attempt to convert the Genesis version. As a result, we get a top-flight 8-bit adventure instead of some wretched washed-out clone. Strider, anyone? Speaking of which, the Sky Base Zone parody of Strider (level 2) is hilarious, but rather sad as it shows us what might have been if only some programmers had bothered to make the effort...

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Space Harrier

2002-10-14
From: Anthony Burns
Comments: Having finally bought a Saturn in order to experience the arcade-perfect version of this game, I am at a loss to understand why the SMS version is so frequently slated in online reviews. It may not have scaling or parallax, but I have yet to see a better 8-bit version in terms of either gameplay or graphics. The sprites are all immediately recognisable from their arcade equivalents, and all large, detailed, and colourful. The bosses have to be the most impressive on the system (barring those in Space Harrier 3-D). Granted, it's a slower game, but the pace is still respectable (or still hellish, in the case of Revi). Attack waves are mostly present and correct. The soundtrack is irreproachable. This is as much as anyone could ask for in an 8-bit conversion of Space Harrier - actually somewhat more, since it throws in an extra, and rather impressive boss for good measure - and thus rightly deserves full marks.

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Out Run

2002-09-09
From: Anthony Burns
Comments: Dodgy framerate, bland scenery, crude SFX, cheesy efforts at 3d effects (particularly the phantom junction) and traffic that offer no challenge whatsoever provide very good reasons for playing Road Rash instead. I realise that the SMS was never going to produce anything seriously close to the arcade version (although Outrun 3-D is significantly closer than this), but this version disappoints even in comparison to the relatively ugly, but playable, C64 version. The C64 also produced Turbocharge, which is certainly the best 8-Bit driving game (with aggressive opponents, convincing tunnels and roadforks, and near-seamless framerate). Or you could opt for the Spectrum version of Chase HQ. To be fair, SMS Outrun has very nice music and all five end sequences reasonably well produced, but that still leaves it a pretty lacklustre experience.

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Out Run 3D

2002-07-06
From: Anthony Burns
Comments: Never was too impressed by the original Outrun. The C64 version may have looked like someone puked on the screen, but at least it moved fast enough that you rarely took the time to notice the repetitive scenery jerking its way past. This version is a little more like it. The extra scenery and special effects help a great deal, although we\'re not talking about anything to rival the Saturn version. Oh, and that infamous Segascope 3-D effect makes the game downright near impossible to play, not to mention obscures many of the nice graphics, so just as well it can be turned off at the press of a pause button. Only wish I could say the same about Space Harrier 3-D.

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E-Swat

2002-07-06
From: Anthony Burns
Comments: Similar to the Robocop arcade game - or possibly a half-hearted rip-off. Actually, I never liked that game either, but the C64 and Spectrum versions had good music and decent graphics, which is more than can be said for this miserable effort. Multi-layer parallax is all very well, but only succeeds in drawing attention to tiny sprites, bland backdrops and laughable animation - most notably, and regrettably, on the main sprite. Looks and sounds more like a contemporary of Ghost House than Golden Axe, and plays worse than both, like Altered Beast without the graphics to compensate. Bottom line: loathsome.

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Star Wars

2002-07-02
From: Anthony Burns
Comments: Smooth animation, speed, variety of gameplay, detailed graphics, decent sound, and beautiful cul-scenes. What, I wonder, was the excuse used by the programming team of Strider? No matter. This is as good a substitute as any Master System owner could hope for, although I must say that the level lined almost entirely with spikes has frequently put me off the idea of playing it at all. And I don\'t think shooting at Jawas is very fair, as if the poor little sods didn\'t have enough problems. Otherwise, it\'s a classic.

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Out Run Europa

2002-04-03
From: Anthony Burns
Comments: Similar to Road Rash (same programming team) but not quite as fun, on account of an unforgiving and rather random difficulty level and a total lack of continues. Being forced back to the start simply because the CPU decided not to throw any shield-ups in your way is not amusing. On the other hand, this is certainly the most impressive driving game on the SMS. The road forks, bridges, tunnels and other pseudo-3d effects make a thorough mockery of their cheesy counterparts in the earlier Out Run games, and the combat elements are actually better implemented than in the loathsome Battle Out Run or even Road Rash (where you would be better advised to ignore combat altogether - here, that is a non-option). Variety of scenery is also appealing, though the length of the levels and lack of breaks less so - levels 3-5 take about as long as a game of Out Run 1 from start to finish. Better to look at than play, but still pretty good to play.

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Strider

2002-01-03
From: Anthony Burns
Comments: I would love to award points for effort, but after long and painful experience of this so-called arcade conversion have failed to find any signs of it. Since I am aware that the SMS is perfectly capable of handling playable cut-down conversions of sophisticated games (e.g. Golden Axe, Space Harrier, Ghouls n\' Ghosts) I see no reason to spare this sad parody its well-deserved slating. Aside from the main sprite, the graphics are poor-to-average and apparently incapable of being detailed and well animated simultaneously (the boss creatures are laughably static). Hiryu himself is nicely rendered, but slow and uncontrollable. Level maps are reasonably well reproduced from the arcade, but to no avail: so much has been left out, large areas are left empty, pointless and downright boring. Level five is actually the easiest, since it lacks about 90% of the original hazards and enemies. The final nail in the coffin is the abysmal soundtrack: a hideous two-channel mix of \"Raid\" plays throughout the game, excepting two boss sequences graced with an equally dire rendition of \"Urobouros The Iron Ruler\". If these are familiar names, presumably you have a 16-bit version or better and will not be requiring this except for the purposes of morbid curiosity. I can think of no other reason to own it.

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Altered Beast

2001-03-12
From: Anthony Burns
Comments: The best version of this game you're ever likely to see on 8-bit, which isn't saying much. In spite of detailed graphics and surprisingly good sound, two things drag it down for me: (1) success depends entirely upon memorising enemy attack patterns. If your slow, lurching main sprite is in the wrong place as monsters arrive, he rarely has time to manoeuvre before (2) he gets knocked back and forth like a tennis ball between enemy sprites, with no chance to strike back or move out of danger, until all his energy is depleted as a result of one mistake (so it would have benefited if only he could have had momentary invincibility after a strike, as in the vastly superior Golden Axe). Moderately fun as long as things are going your way, but a decidedly average title.

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Golden Axe

2001-03-12
From: Anthony Burns
Comments: Compromised version, but compares very favourably with the C64 translation (Jeroen Tel soundtrack excepted - the SMS music/ FX are OK, but only by SMS standards). The arcade gameplay has survived relatively intact and the graphics are almost as good. I would also beg any severe critics of SMS Golden Axe to play the Spectrum version before settling on judgement. A commendable effort.

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Bram Stokers Dracula

2001-03-12
From: Anthony Burns
Comments: Competent, but I can't imagine anyone jumping with joy over this title. Graphics occasionally resemble a first-wave title or card game, although the boss sections aren't displeasing (I except from this the non-animated cardboard cut-out mid-level bosses). Music/ FX aren't bad, but not among Jeroen Tel's best work. Plays like an inferior Master of Darkness/ Vampire. Admittedly better than the film, but that's hardly a true compliment.

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