Note from racketboy: A special thanks goes out to Ack from this roundup of the Dreamcast’s survival horror genre. I have very little experience with this genre, so it’s especially appreciated!

The success of Resident Evil for the PlayStation really brought horror games to the forefront of gaming, finally giving them a genre name to call their own.  Unfortunately, much like the success of Street Fighter during the 16-bit era, it would lead to a slew of clones, ranging from decent to garbage.  Even the next generation would see their share, and the Dreamcast is no exception.  But what were the survival horror games on the Dreamcast?  How do they play?  And were they any good?  I decided to take a look to find out.

Before we begin, it’s important to note that any time “Tank Controls” are mentioned, it means the Resident Evil movement scheme that so many have complained about over the years.  Up is forward, down is back, left and right rotate the character.  The majority of horror games would still be using them at this time, though the practice would largely drop after the death of the Dreamcast.

Also, though this is everything I found for survival horror, these are not the only games with horror elements.  Titles like Shadowman, Typing of the Dead, and Zombie Revenge all incorporate horror imagery and themes, though their gameplay really doesn’t lend them to the SH category, at least not in my mind.

Resident Evil 2

Synopsis: Umbrella Corporation’s bio-weapons experiments are let loose in Raccoon City.  A rookie cop, Leon Kennedy, and the younger sister of a S.T.A.R.S. officer, Claire Redfield, must team up to survive as they attempt to understand what is going on in their town and escape it before it kills them.
Release Date: December 15, 2000 (USA)
Developer: Capcom, Angel Studios
Publisher: Capcom, Virgin Interactive (EU)
No. of Discs: 2
Controls:

• A = Run/Cancel
• B = Status Screen
• X = Action/Fire Weapon When Raised
• Y = Map Screen
• START = Options Menu
• L TRIGGER = Change Targets
• R TRIGGER = Raise Weapon

Movement Style: Tank controls.
Camera: Fixed
VMU: Displays name of current weapon, loaded ammunition, and status.
Save Blocks Required: 8
Personal Opinion: This is my absolute favorite Resident Evil game.  It took everything done well in the first game, then increased the scope from a house to an entire city and let me play as a couple of greenhorns as opposed to specially-trained police officers.  In fact, Resident Evil 2 on the PlayStation was my first foray into the genre, so the game is very heavy with nostalgia, so please pardon if my opinion is a bit skewed.  I do have to knock it in comparison to other Dreamcast games, since graphically it was designed on a weaker console, but the trade off is that it comes with all the artwork and unlockables of the PC version, including concept art.  Seriously, if you’re new to the genre, or if you’ve never gotten the chance to play it, this is an excellent starting point.  Highly recommended.
Notes: Arranged game available from start.
Video: Intro / Gameplay
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

Synopsis: Jill Valentine returns in the third installment of the official Resident Evil storyline.  This time she must escape a Raccoon City overrun by hordes of the undead while being hunted by Nemesis, an enormous bio-weapon sent to kill the members of S.T.A.R.S. team.
Release Date: November 17, 2000 (USA)
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
No. of Discs: 1
Controls:

• A = Run/Cancel
• B = Status Screen
• X = Action/Attack When Weapon Is Raised/Zooms Map
• Y = Map Screen
• START = Game Config Screen
• L TRIGGER = Dodge/Change Target/Raise Weapon
• R TRIGGER = Dodge/Change Target/Raise Weapon

Movement Style: Tank controls.
Camera: Fixed.
VMU: Shows current status, including poison. In pause or inventory screens, shows portrait of current character.
Save Blocks Required: 12
Personal Opinion: While I do think this is where the series starts to go downhill, it’s only because Resident Evil 2 was such an awesome entry.  This game is still good, and Capcom did an excellent job with the locales.  I actually feel like I’m wandering city streets, though in reality the game’s not nearly as open as I would have liked.  Still, there’s solid gameplay here and Nemesis doesn’t fail to impress.  Running from him is tough, but exhilarating.  I should note, much like RE2, the graphics were not improved from the title’s PlayStation version.
Notes: Alternate costumes and mini-game unlocked from the start.
Video: Intro / Gameplay
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

Resident Evil: Code Veronica

Synopsis: While search for her brother, Claire Redfield is captured by Umbrella Corporation and sent to their private prison and military training facility island.  There she must fend off yet another zombie outbreak while also battling against the weirdest pair of twins on the face of the earth, an effeminate multiple-personality disorder sufferer who thinks he’s his sister, and a royal bitch with a God complex.
Release Date: February 29, 2000 (USA)
Developer: Nextech Corporation
Publisher: Capcom, Eidos (EU)
No. of Discs: 2
Controls:

• A = Run/Cancel
• B = Status Screen/Cancel
• X = Action
• Y = Map Screen
• START = Options Menu
• L TRIGGER = Change Targets
• R TRIGGER = Raise Weapon

Movement Style: Tank controls.
Camera: Fixed
VMU: Shows current status, including poison.  In pause or inventory screens, shows portrait of current character.
Save Blocks Required: 11
Personal Opinion: It’s still Resident Evil, but the plot in this one is pretty bad, and after having watched the opening cinematic, I really just couldn’t sympathize with the characters.  This game is one of the harder of the original Resident Evils to me, mostly because you start surrounded by enemies and the game just doesn’t seem to let up until you’ve made it to the second disc.  I also felt that by this title the Resident Evil formula had grown somewhat stale, which is a shame as this is still a decent game.  I’d definitely recommend it to fans who don’t mind a lack of real innovation, though newcomers to the series should start with an earlier title.
Notes: Unlockable mini-game which allows first-person view.  First Resident Evil to not use pre-rendered backgrounds.
Video: Intro & Gameplay
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

Dino Crisis

Synopsis: The Secret Operation Raid Team (SORT) has sent an operative to investigate a research facility on Ibis Island.  The agent reports that the facility is conducting a secret weapons project.  A team of four SORT members are sent in to capture the research head, Dr. Edward Kirk.  Once the SORT members arrive, they discover dinosaurs have overrun the facility, so are forced to fend them off while attempting to complete their mission.
Release Date: November 14, 2000 (USA)
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom, Virgin Interactive (EU)
No. of Discs: 1
Controls:

• A = Run/Quick Turn/Confirm
• B = Cancel
• X = Cancel/Action/Attack When Weapon Is Raised
• Y = Inventory Screen
• START = Pause
• L TRIGGER = Change Targets
• R TRIGGER = Raise Weapon

Movement Style: Tank controls.
Camera: Fixed
VMU: Displays name of current weapon, loaded ammunition, and status.  The word VITALITY flashes when you are bleeding.
Save Blocks Required: 8
Personal Opinion: It’s Resident Evil with dinosaurs.  Seriously.  You will be making Jurassic Park quotes before you finish this game.  The only real strike against it that I have(beyond it technically being a Capcom-made Resident Evil-clone in every respect) is that it holds true to Capcom’s PS1 to DC ports: graphically it looks outdated, and there are some issues with polygon errors.  But since when did that stop retrogamers?  The inventory is also a bit of a hassle, but it does allow for the player to handle a larger quantity of items easier.  If you can see past these issues, this is very much a quality title.  By all means, pick it up.
Notes: Does not work with VGA cables unless the VGA swap trick is used(still displays a black screen for FMVs).  Unlockables include alternate costumes, infinite ammunition for one weapon, and an alternate game mode.
Video: Intro & Gameplay
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

Blue Stinger

Synopsis: In the year 2000 an island appears where the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago crashed into the Earth.  Eighteen years later, the island is home to a biotech corporation performing various experiments.  Meanwhile, a young ESER agent named Eliot Ballade is vacationing nearby when a new meteor collides with the island, forming an impenetrable dome around it.  Now a mysterious creature named Nephilim is following Eliot around, and he must figure out with the help of his friends Dogs and Janine the secret of the island and why these events have taken place.
Release Date: August 31, 1999 (USA)
Developer: Climax Graphics
Publisher: Sega (Japan), Activision (USA)
No. of Discs: 1
Controls:

• A = Action
• B = Cancel/Swim
• X = (Eliot)Attacks With Close-Range Weapon.  Rapidly Press For Combo/(Dogs) Defends
• Y = (Eliot)Fires Long-Range Weapon/(Dogs) Attacks With Equipped Weapon
• START = Menu Screen/Audio-Visual Unit When Prompted
• L TRIGGER = Zooms Map Out
• R TRIGGER = (Eliot)Fires Long-Range Weapon/(Dogs) Attacks With Equipped Weapon/Zooms Map In

Movement Style: 3D movement.
Camera: Varies(see notes)
VMU: Shows picture of character currently selected.
Save Blocks Required: 4
Personal Opinion: It’s fun, but the massive amount of firepower and infinite healing items kinda kills any fear I might have had of this title.  There are a few parts that can be difficult, though for the most part the game’s pretty easy.  I did love the monster designs, and the Christmas decorations made me laugh.  Some of the little touches were kinda freaky, like the bloody supermarket or having to navigate exposed pipes after an earthquake.  It’s still a great action game and definitely worth a look.
Notes: Camera style changes depending on region.  Japan fixed, America free-floating behind character.  Unlockables can be obtained by beating the game in under specific amounts of time.
Video: Intro
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare

Synopsis: After the murder of his best friend, Edward Carnby heads off to Shadow Island to get revenge and recover three stone tablets that his friend was searching for.  He is joined by Aline Cedrac, a young archaeologist with a possible hidden agenda.  On the way their plane is attacked by something not seen, and the two are separated.
Release Date: September 24, 2001 (USA)
Developer: Darkworks
Publisher: Infogrames
No. of Discs: 2
Controls:

• A = Action/Attack When Weapon Is Raised/Walkie Talkie In Equipment Menu
• B = Switch Flashlight On/Off
• X = Run/Map In Equipment Menu
• Y = Equipment Menu/Actual Equipment Menu
• START = Options Menu
• L TRIGGER = Deactivate Auto Lock
• R TRIGGER = Raise Weapon

Movement Style: Tank controls.
Camera: Fixed
VMU: Shows title of game.
Save Blocks Required: 12
Personal Opinion: I had played both the PlayStation and Game Boy Color versions of this title before ever trying the Dreamcast version, and both had left negative impressions on me, so I really wasn’t expecting much.  After a few minutes, I have mixed feelings.  As far as controls, there was a need for a lot of buttons in this game and the Equipment Menu handles it well.  I also like that the analog stick is used for flashlight control.  Graphically it’s very nice, and while I’m generally annoyed with jump scenes as a horror device, this title’s good about their placement.  Voice acting could use some work, but not as bad as some other titles.  It’s the quirks that get me, like a 2-cylinder, 12-shot revolver and a 3-barrel shotgun.  Also, ambiguous names like Shadow Island don’t exactly thrill me.  All in all, I feel the Dreamcast version is the superior of the three I’ve tried, and it’s not a terrible game.  Not perfect, but you could do a lot worse.
Notes: Analog stick controls flashlight beam.
Video: Intro / Gameplay
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

Illbleed

Synopsis: Eriko Christy is a normal high school girl who also happens to be president of the Horror Movie Research Club.  After giving a speech about how her father used to test his horror theme-park traps on her, she meets with several friends and learns that one of them has scored tickets to the latest horror park, Illbleed.  While her three friends decide to go and win the $100,000,000 prize, Eriko decides against it and says she’ll see them later.  Three days later, Eriko’s friends haven’t returned.  So she heads inside Illbleed to see if she can find them.
Release Date: April 25, 2001 (USA)
Developer: Climax Graphics
Publisher: Jaleco
No. of Discs: 1
Controls:

• A = Action
• B = Cancel
• X = Jump
• Y = Map Screen
• START = Status Screen
• L TRIGGER = Centers camera behind player
• R TRIGGER = Activates Horror Monitor(use analog stick to look around).

Movement Style: Full 3D movement.
Camera: Third Person behind the player.
VMU: Displays game title.
Save Blocks Required: 7
Personal Opinion: This has got to be one of the most unique survival horror games I have ever played.  It’s campy, but in an ’80s B-horror movie kind of way.  Unfortunately this makes the game more funny than scary, though the large resource system is probably meant to make up for it.  This system is too complex, leading to frustration and aggravation as minimum levels must be maintained to progress through each section.  The controls also need work, specifically the run and jump commands.  Jumping just seems poorly executed, and running requires players to hammer down on the analog stick.  If you don’t hit it hard enough, you walk, and must let go of the analog stick and try again.  The game’s unusual, but not much fun, which I think is pretty sad as I really want to like it.
Notes: Items, enemies, and trap locations are randomized each time you play.
Video: Intro / Gameplay
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

Carrier

Synopsis: All radio contact on the USS Heimdal, the US Navy’s largest aircraft carrier, after it is returning home from an attack on the terrorist group Southern Cross.  A SPARC team is sent to investigate, though when communication fails, a second team is sent in.  The second team’s helicopter is shot down by the Heimdal’s anti-air turrets, and now SPARC members Jack Ingles and Jessifer Manning must fight for their lives while attempting to carry out their mission.
Release Date: January 31, 2000 (USA)
Developer: Jaleco
Publisher: Jaleco
No. of Discs: 1
Controls:

• A = Confirm/Attack With Raised Weapon
• B = Cancel/First-Person Scope
• X = Run
• Y = Map Screen
• START = Menu Screen
• L TRIGGER = Change Weapon/Zoom Out Scope
• R TRIGGER = Raise Weapon/Zoom In Scope

Movement Style: Tank controls.
Camera: Fixed
VMU: Current health displayed.
Save Blocks Required: 42
Personal Opinion: Ultimately Carrier feels like a mediocre Resident Evil clone.  I didn’t find it that original, and while the little unique touches like the targeting system are nice, they really kill the difficulty.  Graphically, it’s hit-or-miss, and the audio varies in quality.  The voice acting isn’t the worst I’ve ever heard, but it certainly isn’t great either.  There are better survival horror titles out there, but Carrier is not a bad game, and if you’ve played the others, give this one a look.
Notes: Instead of auto-aim, the game features a targeting system.  Unlockables available after beating both scenarios.
Video: Gameplay
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

D2

Synopsis: Laura Harris is falling asleep on an airplane flight over northern Canada when terrorists led by a cultist suddenly attack.  A meteorite then hits the plane, forcing it to crash in the Canadian wilderness.  Laura wakes up several days later in a cabin being cared for by another passenger.  But they quickly discover that something is driving the other passengers insane and turning them into monsters.  Laura must now go into the wilderness to find another survivor, a little girl.
Release Date: August 2, 2000 (USA)
Developer: WARP
Publisher: Sega
No. of Discs: 4
Controls:

• A = Action/Attack/Take Picture/Ride Snowmobile
• B = Face Enemies (Left)/Cancel
• X = Face Enemies (Right)
• Y = Item Search
• START = Status Screen
• L TRIGGER = Item Window/Targeting Zoom Out/Brake Snowmobile
• R TRIGGER = Weapon Window/Targeting Zoom In/Accelerate Snowmobile

Movement Style: Track Indoors/Tank Controls Outdoors
Camera: First Person Indoors/Third Person Outdoors
VMU: Displays Compass
Save Blocks Required: 7, 4-10 per picture
Personal Opinion: Again, a game that I want to like, but just can’t force myself too.  I will say that part of what keeps me from really enjoying this game are the large amount of problems I had with it, such as it freezing, videos slowing down, and at one point the game had a video get stuck in a loop that lasted several minutes.  The game is expansive and encourages exploration, which while I enjoy it, I could see becoming very tedious.  Battles operate like a combination of a first person shooter and an RPG, but leaves out a few elements that I would have liked, like the ability to move…  The plot is also a bit nonsensical, though to be fair, survival horror games have always tended towards being a little strange.
Notes: Combat is First Person, and the player gains experience after each fight to level up.  The opening movie can be found on Disc 4.
Video: Intro / Video Review
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

Nanatsu no Hikan: Senritsu no Bishou

Synopsis: Reina Shiragawa and Kei Asuka attempt to visit their friend Dr. Ernest MacFerson at his research institute on a small island.  But when they arrive, they discover their friend is nowhere to be found, and strange monsters are running loose.  Reina and Kei must use their brains to navigate the institute and attempt to find the missing doctor.
Release Date: January 20, 2000 (Japan)
Developer: KOEI
Publisher: KOEI
No. of Discs: 1
Controls:

• A = Action/Confirm Button At Terminal
• B = Map Screen/Delete Button At Terminal
• X = Change View Mode/Back Button At Terminal
• Y = Subscreen Menu/Exit Button At Terminal
• START = Pause Menu/Highlight Enter Key At Terminal
• L TRIGGER = Aim Weapon
• R TRIGGER = Attack With Equipped Weapon

Movement Style: Varies depending on View Mode(View 1 is Tank controls, View 2 and 3 are 3D movement).
Camera: Three modes(first is Third Person, second is over-the-shoulder, third is First Person).e
VMU: Displays title of game.
Save Blocks Required: 7 for Story Mode, 3 for Training Mode
Personal Opinion: My ability to play this game is unfortunately tainted by my inability to read Japanese, so please understand that I really didn’t get very far.  But from what I did play, I came to some interesting conclusions.  First, the game gives you lots of control.  Multiple view modes, which effect how you fight.  Lots of options for appearance.  A training option.  There’s a lot of power in the hands of the player to do what they want in this game, which I think is really cool.  Unfortunately what little I saw of combat did not impress me, and I did notice a few little bugs that could easily be exploited.  But I enjoyed the time I spent with it, so I figure I’ll be coming back…with a guide so I know what I’m doing.  Since this is an import title, I’d say hold off on purchasing it unless you’re really interested, but if you understand Japanese or can figure a way around it, give it a look.
Notes: Only available in Japanese.  The game features multiplayer.
Shop for Game: eBay

Evil Dead: Hail to the King

Synopsis: Ash returns to the cabin in the woods in an attempt to finally destroy the Necronomicon and finish off the Deadites once and for all.  But things don’t go exactly as planned, the Deadites kill his girlfriend Jenny, and he must once again fend them off while collecting the Necronomicon’s lost pages.
Release Date: December 17, 2000 (USA)
Developer: Heavy Iron Studios
Publisher: THQ
No. of Discs: 1
Controls:

• A = Use Chainsaw
• B = Use/Activate/Confirm
• X = Use Left-Handed Weapon
• Y = Taunt
• START = Inventory Screen
• L TRIGGER = Turn Chainsaw On/Off
• R TRIGGER = Run(while holding press direction)

Movement Style: Tank controls.
Camera: Fixed
VMU: Nothing shown on the VMU.
Save Blocks Required: 23
Personal Opinion: I really like the Evil Dead films, but unfortunately I really didn’t care for this game.  The controls feel overly stiff, and the combat system just doesn’t feel very good  The respawning enemies are also very annoying, though thankfully they drop healing items.  I suppose it doesn’t help that one of the most common enemies seems to be one of the most annoying as well.  If you’re a fan of the Evil Dead series, there are better games on other consoles, but if you really need a fix and only have access to the Dreamcast, don’t go in expecting much.  On the upside, Bruce Campbell did do the voice acting for Ash.
Notes: Based on Evil Dead property.
Video: Commercial / Intro
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

The Ring: Terror’s Realm

Synopsis: Meg Rainman’s boyfriend Robert is killed by a mysterious virus that…well, you never find out what it does.  Meg then starts at the Center for Disease Control, apparently as Robert’s replacement.  From there she discovers a computer game called The Ring, which will apparently kill her in seven days.  I’m not making this up.
Release Date: September 9, 2000 (USA)
Developer: Asmik Ace Entertainment
Publisher: Infogrames (USA), Asmik Ace Entertainment (Japan)
No. of Discs: 1
Controls:

• A = Confirm/Attack With Selected Weapon/Physical Attack When No Weapon Equipped
• B = Cancel
• X = Run
• Y = First Person Look(use analog stick to look around)
• START = Inventory Screen
• L TRIGGER = Turn Flashlight On/Off
• R TRIGGER = Raise Weapon/Ready Physical Attack When No Weapon Equipped

Movement Style: Tank controls.
Camera: Fixed
VMU: Nothing shown on VMU.
Save Blocks Required: 29
Personal Opinion: No way around it, this game is terrible.  All the audio is terrible, the plot nonsensical, and the enemy design is bizarre and out of place.  Graphically I constantly found myself comparing it to PS1 games, which isn’t a good sign.  If you read the review of it over at Planet Dreamcast, I think the reviewer was crying.  Seriously.  I couldn’t recommend this title to anyone, even die hard survival horror fans or Ringu enthusiasts.
Notes: Based on Ringu property.  Hold down on the D-Pad while executing a Physical Attack to Kick.  Hold Run button and press back to leap backwards.
Video: Intro / Gameplay
Shop for Game: Amazon / eBay

I personally don’t play a lot of games on my PC, but when forum regular, Mozgus shared his high praises of a freeware 2D action platformer, I had to look into it.  As the author, Daniel Remar, describes the game, “Iji is an action-packed strategic platform shooter with a detailed story, large levels with multiple paths, powerful bosses and lots of secrets. There are alternate gameplay events, dialogues and scenes depending on what you do, a wealth of extras and bonus features, and seven stats to upgrade through a leveling system. Iji herself has superhuman strength and abilities, and can crack Nanotechnology, use her enemies’ most devastating weapons against them, and be a pacifist or a killer which changes her mood and the fate of those around her.”

What The Game Is Like

Mozgus described Iji as a “Metroidish version of Out of this World” while others have called it a 2D version of System Shock or Deus Ex.  Regardless of what it resembles, if you enjoy 2D action adventures (with RPG elements), you’ll get a kick out of this game.  And of course, since it’s completely free, the only thing you have to lose is your time — and it will most likely be time well spent.

The primary purpose of this post it to simply bring some additional attention to the game and to get everyone’s thoughts on it.  Instead of doing a full review of the game, I’ll simply pass along this existing review at PopMatters.

The Interview

Mozgus was so fascinated with the game that he also wanted to interview Daniel Remar about his creation.  However, before we jump into that discussion, you may want to read this older interview at Planet Freeplay for more information and context.

Mozgus: I see that you gathered quite a few people to lend their voices to the characters. Were they friends and family, or did you find them by other means? Describe the process of assembling and recording the voice talents for a free, indie game. I was particularly impressed by Anna Ashabova. Iji, the character, had some of the most convincing little samples out of any action-centric female lead in a video game.

Daniel Remar: The voices were recorded in a studio at school, and the actors consist of students and teachers. I simply picked people whose voices I thought would fit, and sometimes I was surprised. Half of the cast is female, but many people don’t seem to realize it since I often chose women with heavier voices to suit the theme and mood of the game. Anna is a friend of mine with an interest in videogame voice actors, who promised to do Iji’s voice a few years ago, since I thought it would sound different from the norm and fit the character. And luckily it did, otherwise I couldn’t think of anyone else to cast the role. She has several lines heard in the Sound Test that appear only rarely in the game itself (the same goes for other characters – the Berserker enemy has a voice for a specific situation in the final level). Also, if you’ve played Garden Gnome Carnage, the guy who shouts “Carnage!” there plays the role of Asha in Iji.

Mozgus: I have to admit, I’ve listened to the album 5 times this week. It’s just flawless. The music perfectly portrays the sense of desperation and emotion that the story involves, as well as maintaining a certain retro-gaming sound and flying with the sci-fi groundwork. So, similar to the above question, what led you to choosing Chris Geehan and Dan Byrne McCullough to compose the majority of the soundtrack? How did you know they were capable of this? I can’t find any other music by them.

Daniel: It’s hard to remember. I knew since several years ago what Chris was capable of, but I had other candidates and contributors for the soundtrack as well. Chris and some of his friends did many test tracks and concepts, some of which were heard in early Iji demos, but when we got serious about it he grabbed a friend (McCullough) to produce the final soundtrack.

Mozgus: Will you be putting out a strategy guide soon, like you’ve done with some of your older games? Iji is ripe with secrets, if my two play-throughs are any indication. I’m very eager to experience all the content I have missed, but short of a few youtube videos, there’s very little online assistance to be found.

Daniel: It’s going to take at least half a year before I put up a guide, since although it only takes a week or so to make one for Iji, I feel a lot of players are too eager to get everything handed to them. It may be mean to impose the concept of “a secret isn’t a secret if it’s well known” on modern gamers with Internet access, but people usually have little trouble finding them on their own with a bit of exploration. I didn’t actually think the game would be popular enough that anyone would find Sector Z, for instance. So far no-one has found every secret in the game to my knowledge – some lesser ones are quite far-fetched though. So there will be a guide, eventually.

Mozgus: Is there any content that didn’t make it into the public versions that you could talk about? Any lost cutscenes, weapons, or other abilities? At the very end of the official trailer, I notice Iji performing some kind of full body explosion. I don’t remember anything that looked quite like that from the game. Perhaps that was an early version of the “Nuke” weapon combination?

Everything in the trailer is in the game, otherwise I’d feel like I was cheating people. :p It clearly shows two of the hidden skills actually, and how to reach one of the Posters. But yes, there was one weapon called “Doublestrike” which was later replaced by the Resonance reflector. It just fired the Shotgun immediately followed by the Resonance detonator, which was pretty useless. The Assimilate stat also reduced knockback, but prevented the player from reaching some secrets, and maxing the Strength stat gave a 20% chance of not being sent flying from heavy blows, again messing with reaching some areas. Apart from that, nothing comes to mind – I made all the cutscenes in one go near the end of production, but any alpha test levels were naturally deleted. When it comes to gameplay and story ideas, it was all sorted out on the planning stages as I was working on the game.

Mozgus: Do you have any plans on continuing to update the game past v1.2? With the recent attention, would any suggestions from the fans have a chance at being implemented?

Daniel: I’m going to continue fixing bugs and mistakes, but at this point I’m not adding anything major. I feel the game is complete, despite its flaws in graphics and writing, and I want to move on to something else so I don’t get stuck in it.

Mozgus:You’ve mentioned that Another World was an inspiration to the game’s overall visual style, but you also display unrelated sketches and other works on your site. After looking at them, it’s easy to see your own established style coming through in the character designs. Did you have any earlier artistic inspirations that took hold in the years prior to Iji’s development?

Daniel: My artistic inspirations come from all over the place, especially western games, eventually resulting in a comic called “Ultimortal” which no longer exists. Iji takes considerable inspiration from that comic eventhough it didn’t feature many humans – a common theme is the clunky, stylized geometry and characters. Some call Iji’s style “anime” though, which is oversimplifying things. I strived to make the characters look realistic and every scene unique, and move the camera around as much as possible. Unfortunately this also resulted in the difficulty of portraying the same face from many different angles and distances, which leads to making them look slightly different from panel to panel. I’ve never been a good artist, but I once wanted to be one, which is noticable in Iji’s amateur artwork.

Mozgus: Forgive this obligatory final question: What are your plans now?

Daniel: In terms of hobby games, Iji itself hints at both a sequel to Hero and another little game about a rectangular strawberry. It’s going to take a while before I start working on either of them, but that’s what I’d like to do next. They’d require about the same time investment as Retrobattle and Castle of Elite, that is two months each at most. Plans for Iji 2 are there, but it will likely never happen, and even
then it’d take another four years. :p

Where To Get It

You can download this gem of a game at the author’s site.  Make sure to let us know what you think of it.

Snatcher is the classic example of a low-profile game that comes out during the final days of a short-lived console (actually an add-on in this instance) and is only discovered by hardcore gamers. Developed by Hideo Kojima (of Metal Gear Solid fame) and his Konami teammates, Snatcher showcased and entertaining experience and creative cyberpunk story built upon strong sci-fi influences.

Instead of being a typical FMV game that was quite common on the Sega CD, Snatcher is similar to the graphical adventures of old on the PC (some gamers refer to it as a “digital comic”). Actually, it was originally released in Japan for the NEC PC-8801 and MSX2 computers in 1988. It later went on to be ported to other consoles, but the Sega CD version remains as the only English release.

Review Tidbits:
“The story of Snatcher is rather complex and it is chock full of interesting plot twists and unexpected scenarios… The dialogue and writing in Snatcher is simply put remarkable. Many of the characters have very deep and specific personalities and the flavor of the writing really fits the mood of the game. The dialogue is quite simply spectacular, and the overall effect of the writing when mixed with the dynamic characters and immersive story makes this game a totally engulfing experience. Snatcher easily has one of the best-done localizations in the history of gaming, especially when considering the astronomical amount of dialogue that needed to be written.”
GamesAreFun

“This game has no problem with is proudly displaying its influences right up front. As the storyline of Snatcher progresses, it becomes very clear that the authors lifted concepts right out of The Terminator, Blade Runner, and even The Manchurian Candidate, if you can imagine. But the story and world are so well reasoned, with everything from the biology of these biomechanoids to the reasoning for their existance being so well defined, that it manages to stand on its own…
In addition to the adventure-style gameplay, Snatcher also contains action sequences, in which you shoot down incoming SNATCHER robots or other enemies. These are fun, but a little rough around the edges. They were originally designed to be used with Konami’s light gun, so if you don’t have one you’re forced to make due with the regular Sega gamepad. The game compensates for this by creating an on-screen grid that your targeting reticle locks on to, and this restricts its movement to the eight directions possible with the Genesis game pad. After playing through the game, I’m convinced that using a real light gun would have been significantly harder for these sequences, and probably more than a little frustrating.”
loonyblog

“Because of the CD medium, the game boasts some pretty good sprite FMV’s and lot’s of good voice acting, as well as some excellent music, both in composition and quality. The game is also of perfect length for this type of game, you can finish it in about 12 hours. Because of the CD medium, the game boasts some pretty good sprite FMV’s and lot’s of good voice acting, as well as some excellent music, both in composition and quality. The game is also of perfect length for this type of game, you can finish it in about 12 hours.”
comicbookbin

“here’s very, VERY little wrong with Snatcher. The only problem may be its length and lack of difficulty. I was able to beat the game is just over six hours, with very minimal help. But four of those six hours were when I was locked up in my room, playing the game, having one of the best damn video game playing experiences of my life. This is what an interactive anime should be. Now I only wish that Konami would translate Snatcher’s spiritual sequel, Policenauts, for the English audience to enjoy..”
Hardcore Gaming 101

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Sega, Sega CD, RPGs

“19.02.06 – Konami renewed the trademark protection for Snatcher Click Picture to 13.12.05 with the Japanese patent office. Possible way is that a reference on the fact that the Action/Adventure classical author by Metal Gear inventor Hideo Kojima is converted on a new hardware – perhaps PSP or NDS – or even a new part develops.”

In case you couldn’t make sense of the weird translation, the patent for Konami’s Snatcher has been recently renewed by Hideo Kojima. Supposedly, he is interested in bringing the game to a mobile platform. The Nintendo DS would make most sense as the text-selection and clue-hunting elements works well with the DS touch screen.

I have mentioned in the past that many old graphical adventures such as Monkey Island and Snatcher would be prime candidates for the Nintendo DS. Phoenix Write: Ace Attorney would be a modern example of this type of game.

If Snatcher did get published on a modern device, it would be wonderful if the sequel Policenauts followed it. Policenauts has never had an official English translation and both games have quite a cult following.

Related Links:
Snatcher was one of my Top 20 Games That Nobody Played – But You Should
Check out Junker HQ for all sorts or Snatcher-related info

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Nintendo, DS, PSP, Portable Gaming, Sega CD

Well a few months later, we have a SCUMMVM emulator for Nintendo’s Dual Screen Wonder.

Can’t wait to see how this progresses

Features of the latest version:
CD audio is supported using IMA-ADPCM compressed WAV files
• Direct file system support now works on the M3 and Supercard
• An on-screen keyboard to name saves
• Interact with the zoomed view by swapping the screens over with X
• Zoom in/out by holding L and pressing A or B
• Scroll the screen with the pen while holding L
• Improved the way the zoomed view follows the talking character
• Music support in FM TOWNS games
• Sound volume improved, and sound glitching fixed
• Left handed mode
• Help screen added
• D-pad controls in the front end
• Numerous other bug fixes