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Defender
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Graphics & Sound:
I have to admit, I came to the table with some doubts about this one. Apart from the fact that Arcade conversions haven't had the most consistent record, I found it very hard to believe that Defender, a game with one of the more distinctive control schemes and play style, could be successfully brought to the modern age. And, as it would turn out, I was wrong. My poor guess is a 'win' for all of us, because Defender turns out to be one hell of a lot of fun on the Gamecube. Arcade purists will enjoy the movies on the history of Defender and the making of the new game, included under 'Video Extras.' Especially the history of the original game, which is a hoot. Seeing and hearing all the little things that went into the formation of the game, it's clear the designers were a bit maverick for their time. At a point where most games were doing the same thing a bunch of different ways, Defender took on some design ideas that have remained firmly planted in the gaming world and expanded over time. Take, for instance, Radar. Who wouldn't imagine that to be standard in any flight sim these days? How about the idea of a game 'world' that can be traversed and explored? Sound basic? Well, it wasn't before Defender. The idea that there were areas off-screen where things were happening and where you could travel to, based on little blips on the radar was something at the core of Defender. In the end, presentation was everything. So, in looking at how the team at Seven Studios created this new game, how did we make the conversion? You can hear them tell it in their own words on the 'Making Of' short feature, also under the video extras. It's interesting. Some of the original sounds are there, and many of the visuals aren't too far removed from the original game, so long as you imagine what a side-scrolling 2D game would look like in full-on 3D. The quick reverse move the ship does looks great when triggered in this game, and believe me when I say you won't find yourself missing the old version. The H.U.D. is minimal, but gives you all the information you need. And where the old aliens were just little blobs, we now have lots of variety and some scary lookin' thangs! The voice-overs complete the experience, with lots of mid-mission chatter and the screams of fallen colonists if you fail to rescue them or they're 'converted' by the aliens. |
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Gameplay:
In the ongoing battle against the Manti, humankind is strung out exposed among the stars, and it's up to you to pilot your way to victory against a foe that has you outnumbered. I like that the hero of the game, the pilot, turns out to be a woman. A rookie pilot named Kyoto (yes, she's Asian, which is also cool), gets her chance to be a hero. The story behind Defender revolves around the GSA, a force determined to evict the Manti from their new 'home' on Earth and send them back to wherever they came from. It's a bit like Starcraft without all those other races... The part you'll like if you're a hardline Defender fan from way back is the flying, shooting aliens and rescuing colonists. The part you won't expect is the variety of ships, some available out of the gate and others you can earn, each with unique qualities and capabilities. And, the differences between the alien types make for a constant challenge, especially if you let things get away from you. The other unique aspect to the game is that you can not only pick up colonists, but also vehicles and objects you can use to stack the odds in your favor against the Manti. As we've seen so many times in mission-based flight combat games, the key is diversity. Defender does it right in every way by mixing things up and not letting each mission echo the previous one entirely. Contrary to some true flight-sims where you take off, land and maybe do some trick flying, Defender is more your straight-laced Arcade flight combat game. And no complaints from us! Gathering up colonists is almost always part of the mission, or even gathering a vehicle in tow. Vehicles like tanks can be placed strategically to combat Manti flyers or defend a piece of ground against all kind of Manti threats. And there are a few different varieties. Defending certain assets yourself, whether on the ground or in motion, plays a part in several missions. And, you'll get points for knocking out as many Manti as possible. At the end of each round, your points are totaled and you can start off the next round by purchasing weapon upgrades for each ship or extra lives. This feature really helps extend the life of the game. 2-Player Deathmatch or Co-Op play tends to feel like an add-on when you realize there's much more depth in the 1-Player experience, but jamming with a friend is still a lot of fun. There are lots of cool weapons you can grab during the game, and trying them out never gets old. |
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Difficulty:
I've probably had some of my most frustrating gaming experiences, at least on consoles, playing (or trying to play) flight combat games. The mission-based action sometimes means you'll play through all kind of missions, checkpoints and other stuff before you get a chance to save. Other times, the mix of primary and secondary objectives can lead to confusion, especially when the piloting controls are super complex. Defender combats all this by creating clearly defined objectives that can be viewed at any time, and when modified are announced and reaffirmed by commands from your superiors and the computer that houses the collective knowledge of humankind, Memory. After each mission you have a chance to save, and can start again from the beginning of a mission if you completely blow it and lose all your ships without feeling like you're starting the entire game over again. You know the feeling...
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Game Mechanics:
Very few concurrent missions means that you'll know what you're supposed to be doing at any given time. Really seasoned players will realize that by using the Defender ships' ability to pick up cargo, you can save yourself some time and get the mission over with by using tanks and defense weapons against the Manti. But, working with these ends up being a distraction from the main mission, unless you're quick and prepared. Being prepared means buying new weapons and using them intelligently since you don't have an unlimited supply of the power-ups. In the middle of a mission, you can fix your ship and gather power-ups by shooting crates (it's always a crate...) that release packages you simply fly through to collect. The engine is smooth, the control scheme is solid, and I guarantee you'll enjoy blasting Manti out of the sky once you go through the Training mission and learn the controls. Solid action, solid title. Arcade purists might scoff at some of the liberties the design team took, but I actually found it refreshing that most of the basic gameplay tenets were respected (e.g. saving colonists, shooting down aliens) with the addition of some neat updated graphics and the addition of a mission format to create continuity and add to replay. Those who may have been dissuaded from purchase because of bad experiences in the past can rest assured this isn't one of those flight-combat games you have to have nerves and reflexes of steel to play. It's an everywoman arcade-flight-shooter, which is perfect considering where Defender came from. Baby, you look good in this new outfit, but your roots are still showing. And I say that with the greatest fondness...guys, don't try that line at home! |
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-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Paddock |
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