NOTE: We have a LOT of stuff planned for November 1996, so we've split the update into two parts. Part I will be today, part II will be tomorrow.
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“It was a fantastic month for new games here at EGM, perhaps the best month ever! The Review Crew's been working overtime to play all these games, and our Game of the Month might not be what you expect. That said, there were a lot of contenders this month, which means a lot of games vying for your holiday dollars. We really burned the candle at both ends to make sure you know as much as possible before you buy!”
-Andrew Baran, in the mini-editorial before the Review Crew column in the December 1996 issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly
“What a huge show of support from all the Sonic fans around the world! Everyone here at Sega is extremely grateful for making Sonic 4sday such a huge success!”
-Tom Kalinske, speaking in front of a gathered crowd at the Los Angeles launch of Sonic the Hedgehog 4 on November 7, 1996
“And Sonic the Hedgehog is another great example of the role of technology in improving lives all over the world. I join the kids of America and Japan and everywhere else in saying that we love Sonic the Hedgehog!”
-President Bill Clinton, meeting with Sonic the Hedgehog at the White House in a November 8, 1996 photo-op
“Robotnik, this is unforgivable! I've had it with your schemes!”
-Sonic the Hedgehog, in Zone 6, Act 4 of Sonic the Hedgehog 4
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The 1996 presidential elections didn't see gaming become a big issue, though it was brought up in the second presidential debate, when a question about violent video games saw the two candidates, Bill Clinton and Bob Dole, give their responses about how they would handle the issue. While Clinton took a more moderate approach, saying that he'd consider putting pressure on retailers to avoid selling violent games to young children, Dole (running as the “culture warrior” candidate) took a much stronger stance, saying that he might use the power of government to put content restrictions on games. This didn't win Dole much love from the gaming community, and seeing that it was the first presidential election since the Super Nintendo CD and the Sega Genesis helped bring voting-age gamers back into the hobby for the first time since the Crash of 1983, in an extremely close election it might have cost Bob Dole the presidency. However, it was not an extremely close election. Bill Clinton won by taking 49.6% of the popular vote and 384 electoral votes, beating out Dole handily. Even Bob Dole's Atlanta bombing gaffe in October probably didn't cost him the election (though it probably did cost him Georgia, where Dole lost by just 3,000 votes). Meanwhile, his “culture warrior” stance didn't sway voters away from the popular President Clinton, who was overseeing a major economic recovery (I remember how well we were doing at the time since my parents were able to afford both a Sega Saturn and an Ultra Nintendo for me). It might have won Dole Kentucky (by just 400 votes), but to everyone else, it was “the economy, stupid”, and Clinton easily won his second term. Despite the Clinton victory, the Republicans kept control of the House, losing only six seats in 1996 to maintain a 224-209 majority. They even gained two Senate seats to maintain their majority, bumping it up to 55-45. How did Bill Clinton celebrate his presidential victory? By hosting Sonic the Hedgehog at the White House, of course! The photo-op was to celebrate the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 4, with Bill Clinton, Sonic the Hedgehog, some Sega execs, and a whole bunch of kids gathered around as the president gave a speech promoting technological progress. Considering that Sega had plans to meet with Bob Dole if Dole had won the election, one can only imagine how awkward that speech would've been....
-”The 1996 Election: A Gamer's Perspective”, posted on Gamepolitics.com, October 27, 2007
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Sonic The Hedgehog 4: The Basics
Sonic The Hedgehog 4 follows the events of Knuckles: Renegade and the previous three Sonic games. It's a side-scrolling platformer with 3-D elements, particularly in the bonus minigame stages and the boss fights. The graphics are fully polygonal, objects and backgrounds are in full 3-D while the game features highly detailed sound effects, more than 25 music tracks, and full voice acting and rendered cutscenes. Though the game plays similarly to the Genesis titles in many respects, it introduces a new "combo" system for Sonic, allowing him (and his allies) to rack up multiple hits on enemies in a row to score massive amounts of rings and charge up for special attacks. Sonic can transform into Super Sonic for brief periods of time with enough combos, while Tails can use a laser gun on enemies, Knuckles gains fierce melee attacks that can knock out powerful enemies in a single blow, Amy's mallet gets super-sized, Corona gains a 360-degree energy wave attack, and Big the Cat can pound enemies into submission with giant fist attacks. Movement has been altered to allow Sonic to go through loops much more easily and allowing for more spectacular and fast-moving stages. The stage structure is such that most levels have Sonic and only Sonic playable, about a third of the levels allow you to choose certain other characters and a few even require you to use someone other than Sonic. In some levels, characters such as Tails, Amy, or Corona play the role of helpers, attacking or distracting enemies or helping you to find secret passages. The game has numerous secret items that you can collect for the purpose of opening up bonus minigame stages, although if you collect ALL of the secret items in every single level,you can open up an entirely new world to play through with a super tough boss at the end. The voice cast of the game is largely shared with the animated series, with Jaleel White reprising his role as Sonic, Bradley Pierce as Tails, and Jim Cummings as Dr. Robotnik. In addition, Amy Rose is voiced by Katie Leigh, Corona is voiced by Cree Summer, and Big the Cat is voiced by Rob Paulsen. The game features several lyrical songs, including the theme song "Race To The Power".
The plot of the game is that Dr. Robotnik, tired of Sonic's constant thwarting of his plans, has devised the ultimate weapon: an enormous machine that sucks the very life essence from the world. To fuel the machine, Robotnik has begun kidnapping massive amounts of creatures from all over, draining their energy to power the evil machine until he can gather up the Chaos Emeralds for a more permanent power source. Robotnik's machine has turned entire continents into lifeless wastelands filled with evil monsters that Sonic and his friends must defeat as they journey across nine worlds to thwart the mad scientist's plans. The worlds, nine in all, each containing four acts, are as follows:
World One- Terra Firma Zone
A basic grassland/jungle zone with mixed areas of lush vegetation and nightmarish desolation. The boss of this area is the giant chimera featured in the E3 demos.
World Two- Steamwork Zone
A factory/coast zone where the marine wildlife has been turned into vicious carnivores and mechanical monstrosities due to Robotnik's machinations. The boss of this zone is an enormous mechanical shark that spits dozens of vicious barracudas at you.
World Three- Ancient Ruins Zone
A huge temple complex that Robotnik is attempting to convert into his private vacation land. You'll have to battle evil mummies and stone golems roused from their eternal slumber by Robotnik's machine. The boss of this zone is Dr. Robotnik, who has mounted an enormous stone golem to attack Sonic and his friends.
World Four- Eternal Sun Zone
An oppressive desert land where the sun beats down constantly, Robotnik is building a mirror array to focus the sunbeams to use for his own vile purposes. The boss of this zone is an enormous desert-dwelling fire breathing sand dragon.
World Five- Misty Forest Maze Zone
This zone takes place in a seemingly endless forest that Robotnik is harvesting with his huge machine. You'll need to battle your way through winding forest paths and even a haunted mansion. This zone is limited to Corona and Amy, as Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, and Big have been abducted by Robotnik prior to exploring this zone. The boss of the zone is an evil witch who lives in a huge mansion in the middle of the forest.
World Six- Mobius City Zone
This zone takes place in a ruined cityscape and contains the most references to and continuity from the SatAM Sonic series. Knuckles and Corona are heavily involved in this zone that also sees Robotnik taunting Sonic over Princess Sally's death. The boss of this zone is Robotnik in a huge arena, deploying robotic clones of himself to battle Sonic. This is portrayed as a climactic battle and a "fake final boss" to fool players, though after this world, Robotnik reveals that he has gained all the Chaos Emeralds, enough to power his machine and finish his work.
World Seven- Chaotica Zone
The Chaotica Zone is an other-dimensional realm Robotnik throws Sonic and his friends into following the events of World Six. You'll have to rescue Sonic's friends one by one over the course of this world, while also confronting their worst fears and regrets over their past. The boss of this world is a battle against shadow versions of Sonic's friends, defeating them releases them from their nightmares and enables Sonic and his friends to continue the fight against Robotnik.
World Eight- Robotnikopolis Zone
When Sonic and his friends return to the world, it's in the far future, and Robotnik has transformed it into his vision of paradise: a world where all are forced to obey him. This world contains bright environments reminiscent of earlier games' Casino zones, though underneath all the bright lights it's a terrible world of oppression and fear. The boss of this world is the TimeFiend, a huge humanoid monstrosity pulsing with electricity. Once he's defeated, Sonic and his friends are enabled to return to the present to stop Robotnik before he warps the world into Robotnikopolis. However, he still has his machine and the Chaos Emeralds...
World Nine- Egg Labyrinth Zone
Sonic and his friends plunge into the depths of Robotnik's labyrinth to defeat him across the final four acts. This world contains a boss in every act, with two heroes teaming up on each one: Amy and Big team up to take out a huge mechanical heart boss in act one, Knuckles and Corona team up to take out a flying helicopter boss in act two, and Sonic and Tails team up to fight Robotnik in act three. The final act is just the final battle, with Sonic getting help from all of his friends in a big multi-staged fight against Robotnik's mech. The fight has seven stages where each Chaos Emerald must be knocked out of the boss one by one. In the final stage, Robotnik dons the final Chaos Emerald in a mechanical suit and battles Sonic by using energy weapons and a big glowing sword on him. After Robotnik is defeated, his mech is destroyed. Robotnik's prisoners are freed, their energy restored by the Chaos Emeralds, which then disperse. The world is saved from Dr. Robotnik and Sonic and his friends decide to kick back and have a big party together to celebrate.
World Ten- Legendary Zone
The final secret world, accessed when all the secret items from the other nine zones are collected, this Zone contains some of the game's toughest challenges, culminating in a battle against the Legendary Champion, a golden knight that wields the power of the Chaos Emeralds. Despite his somewhat small size, he is incredibly tough to defeat.
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Ted Crosley: I'm Ted Crosley...
Alex Stansfield: And I'm Alex Stansfield, and we're here for the launch of Sonic the Hedgehog 4 here in Los Angeles. Right now there's an enormous crowd gathered around the stage enjoying the festivities, there's a concert by Smashing Pumpkins, and there are plenty more celebrities here.
Ted: Yeah, Rachel Leigh Cook is here and I'm going to try and get an interview with her.
Alex: Jonathan Taylor Thomas is here too and right now he's playing the game at one of the many kiosks set up. Our Brittany Saldita is actually over there talking with him right now, Brittany?
*Brittany is standing next to Jonathan Taylor Thomas as he plays through Zone 1, Act 2*
Brittany: So are you here just on your own or did Sega actually ask you to come?
JTT: Well, Sega invited me but I woulda come on my own, I love Sonic! *he leaps over a couple of flying ladybug robots on the screen, running Sonic through a couple of loops*
Brittany: One thing I've noticed is that this game moves really fast, faster than any Sonic game before it but as we said in our review a few days ago, it still feels perfect, you can control Sonic easily and you've got plenty of time to jump over these enemies and find hidden items. Are you having any trouble at all?
JTT: Oh, no way, I've got this down.
Brittany: Are you sure? 'Cause it's okay to admit if you need help with the game.
JTT: *laughing* No, no, I've been playing Sonic since the first one, I'll be fine.
Brittany: What do you like best about the game so far?
JTT: The graphics are awesome, everything looks so colorful and real. The 3-D is great, it looks really cool and there's so much stuff going on. And the theme song too, the theme song's really cool.
Brittany: You wanna sing it with me?
JTT: *laughing loudly* Oh, no, no way.
Brittany: Oh come on! You sang in The Lion King!
JTT: That...that wasn't me singing.
Brittany: What?!
JTT: That was some other kid, I didn't actually sing for Simba in that movie.
Brittany: *she is exaggerating how shocked she is* Wha....no! No, everything I know is a lie!
JTT: Ohhhh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-
Brittany: I thought you could sing! *she's pretending to cry*
JTT: *laughing as he finishes the stage* Aww man, I'm really sorry to disappoint you!
Brittany: Ted, Alex, I'm standing here...with a complete fraud...! *JTT and Brittany both start laughing as they put their arms around each other's shoulders* This guy is a liar and a fraud, and nothing is real anymore. *JTT is doubling over with laughter and shaking his head* Back to you guys.
Ted: Okay, well that was enlightening. And now I'm going to try to talk to Rachel Leigh Cook. Can she sing?
Alex: I have no clue.
Ted: Well anyway.... *some yelling is heard* huh? *he looks up toward the stage* We gotta....?
Alex: *looking up too and looks a bit nervous* Uh, okay, we're being told....we're being told we have to get back from the stage. I don't know why but....
Ted: We better move, that cop looks pissed. *doesn't know what's going on*
Alex: Uh, we'll be back in a few moments I guess...?
-excerpted from the GameTV Sonic 4 launch special which aired live on the afternoon of November 7, 1996
“Disaster was narrowly averted today at an event for the release of the video game Sonic the Hedgehog 4, when an explosive device was found near the stage. The bomb was discovered by LAPD officer Mark Fuhrman, who is being called a hero tonight after discovering the device and moving it a safe distance away so that it could be safely destroyed by the LAPD bomb squad. Fuhrman, who works for the LAPD as a detective, had been assigned as the head of security for the event and was making one last sweep near the stage during the Smashing Pumpkins concert when he spotted the device near a stage support, in the middle of a large crowd of attendees, many of them children. Police are now alleging the device had been planted by this man, Eric Rudolph, *a picture is shown* who was caught acting suspiciously a half mile from the event and was being detained by LAPD officers when word of the attempted bombing came in. Rudolph is also a suspect in the Centennial Park bombing at the Atlanta Olympics that killed 18 people, after police reported that he took credit for the bombing in an initial interrogation. We'll have more news on these events later in tonight's broadcast.”
-Dan Rather, from the CBS Evening News on November 7, 1996
(…)
Ted: Okay, we're back, uhhhh..... I guess.... there was a bomb threat called in or something?
Alex: Hmmm....
Ted: You know, I did see a Bob-Omb walking around the stage a few minutes ago.
Alex: You're saying Mario had something to do with this?
Ted: Well, who else would it be?
Alex: Okay, well, while we try to solve this mystery, and while Ted keeps trying to get that interview with Rachel Leigh Cook, let's check out more footage from Sonic 4.
-excerpted from the GameTV Sonic 4 launch special which aired live on the afternoon of November 7, 1996
November 7, 1996
Sonic The Hedgehog 4 launches worldwide amidst enormous hype and glowing critical reviews, including a 39/40 from Famitsu and a 9.25/10 from Electronic Gaming Monthly. The game sells over a million copies worldwide on the first day, though it falls short of that mark in North America, selling a “mere” 700,000 (which instantly made it the fourth highest selling Saturn game in North America to date, and that counts the pack-in sales of Virtua Fighter and Virtua Racing). Though Sonic 4 isn't made a pack-in game immediately, a Sonic 4 Saturn bundle is expected to be released around Thanksgiving. The launch is accompanied by a massive worldwide release party that includes 15 North American launch events, including the main one in Los Angeles (which continues despite an attempt by Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph to detonate an explosive device at the event, he later claims that the fact that the Saturn had a game called Devil Summoner was his primary reason for the attempted bombing, this event has major negative repercussions for the Christian right, particularly Brent Bozell's Parents Television Council, which goes under after repeated offensive comments on various news channels draw the mainstream media's ire and bring the organization down by late 1997). Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is the final push that the Sega Saturn needs to surpass the Super Nintendo CD in monthly sales in North America. Indeed, there would never again be a month in which the Super Nintendo CD outsells the Saturn in the territory.
(…)
(Authors' Note: The following segment was contributed by our reader Mr.E!)
"So, Sonic 4 was HUGELY hyped in 1996. I remember TV ads every other day, the Saturn Magazine having interviews with the staff. Archie's Sonic Comics (which will play a minor role later on in this review) made a 3-D(!) comic adaptation of the game. (I already looked at that in detail, in its nearly unreadable glory). For my part, I must have seen that E3 footage on tape at least 10 time. Tom Kalinske said it best when he said that Sega was going to make "the perfect Sonic game." It was the most innovative Sonic game up to that point, with beautiful graphics, unparalleled speed sections faster than any before a complex story, little tributes to all of the franchises success, but most notably 3-D cutscenes and boss battles, which were revolutionary for a Sonic game at the time. A game of this quality should have been the game that would truly make the Saturn a breakout. And it did. People credit it with increasing Saturn sales. And it was critically acclaimed. Most publications gave it 9s and 10s , and the burgeoning game website IGN named it one of the best games of the year. It was even a contender for Game of the Year in 1996's EGM awards. This was the definitive Sonic game. This will probably make this a contentious review, because this game is good. But I don't think it is as incredible as people thought at the time. It hasn't aged well.
So, as you may or may not know, this is a side scrolling platformer, with some 3-D elements to it, such as the minigames and boss battles. The graphical elements have been upped from previous games. It is brighter, more colorful, more interesting to look at. There is also the sound effects, which hadn't been heard in a Sonic game before. The music was far better than the other games before it. Hell, what other Sonic game had songs with lyrics to them before? There was also the voice acting, including the always fantastic Jaleel White as Sonic. However, let's go into the main parts of the game. Despite the fact that Sonic now has the ability to do a number of combos, it still hasn't progressed much beyond the same gameplay of the first three games. You still run, you still use the Sonic dash attack, you still jump on the enemies, and you still have to collect rings. It isn't much different from the first three.The only point of innovation is the addition of new characters and the 3-D sections. Yeah, some people hate it, but you know what, it gives variation to these levels, more than the rest of the game has. Although, the fact that you could only play as (new) characters like Amy, Big and Corona for a few levels at best. The 3-D sections still are very fun to play, and provide a nice break from the more typical side-scrolling platformer. However, the 3-D really hasn't aged well. The 3-D looks nice, particularly the backgrounds and the cutscenes. However, let's compare to a game like Super Mario Dimensions. That had full 3-D gameplay throughout the game, and it was far more distinct from other Mario games before it. The 3-D still looks incredible in that game. In this game, it really looks dated, like it fells like a Saturn game, and in the end, it doesn't feel distinct from the other Sonic games. Despite this, those particular 3-D scenes have more innovation and more technique required than the rest of the game. The end boss fight with the Legendary Champion is still perhaps the hardest boss I have ever had. None of the 2-D stuff is bad, but other than the boss fights, it doesn't have much difference from the core gameplay of the previous three games. Following Sonic 3, considered now to be one of the greatest Sonic Games of all time, doesn't help. The sidescrolling sections are beautiful to look at, that's for sure. But it really isn't as revolutionary as Sonic 3.
The story follows Sonic and his new friends, after Doctor Robotnik creates a device to completely drain the lifeforce from the world. He kidnaps many different animals to fuel the machine, until he could get a hold of the Chaos emeralds, which he could use as a permanent energy source. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Corona, Amy, and the new character Big the Cat go to stop him. You travel around a jungle, a desert, some ruins... Yeah, that's another thing. Those are the same level designs that we had in the other three games. Well, at least those ones. Let's be fair to those levels, those have many more worlds, than the other games, and they have many different facets that you could get to with other characters. Starting with the Mobius Zone, we do get more unique level designs. But even then, they are still too reminiscent of the zones in other games, like the Metropolis or Casino Night Zone. The Egg Labyrinth and Legendary Zones are the most interesting levels in the whole game. There, you have to team up various characters to defeat the bosses, particularly Eggman. After you defeat him, the Chaos Emeralds are dispersed, and you can go back, and get them. I didn't even know about the Legendary Zone, until I looked at a guide, and collected all the items I couldn't collected. Of course, there are many references to the SatAM series, including a reference to Princess Sally's death. Let me go on a tangent for a minute. Now, Sega wanted to have the story game be close to the popular animated series. However, most of the creators of that show had moved on from Sonic at that point. So, they went to the Archie Comics, considered the official successor to SatAM, and once again, Ken Penders was brought on to advise the game's story, and make it like the SatAM/Archie series. I talked a little about him during the Archie retrospective, and in my Knuckles Reneges review. Penders was not allowed to bring any of his characters into the game. However, he definitely had influence in the story. Knuckles and Corona's relationship is very similar to that in the comics. Eggman (Yeah, I know people complain about me calling him, but you know what, Eggman and Robotnik are same person.) has a certain degree of sadism that he had in the Comics, particularly with his plot to literally drain the Earth of life itself, and replace it with machinery. Even Sonic's personality had elements of comics in them. There are little allusions to comics in the game's backstory. Penders had a wider influence on the game than people often give him credit for. All while still writing the comic (he wrote that terrible 3-D adaptation of 4, if you recall). In fact, I think the reference to Princess Sally's death eventually caused her death in the comics. I find this particularly interesting. And this game is part of his complicated legacy amongst Sonic fans.
I don't hate this game. In fact, I actually like this game a good deal. I played many times on my Sega Saturn. But, looking back, it actually isn't as good as I remember. Sonic 3 was an amazing game, and it would be hard to top it. Being on the Saturn, a newer console, didn't help matters. It was built as a demonstration of the Saturn, and it works, I suppose, but it really seems disappointing, when compared to the awesomeness of Sonic 3. Ultimately, it isn't, in many respects, revolutionary, and it does play it very safe. But, once again, it still is a good game. Just one that was misfortunate to have come out when it did. I still have my Saturn, and I still play Sonic 4 many times."
- "Sonic Boom: Blog about a Hedgehog," entry entitled, "Review: Sonic the Hedgehog 4," dated June 11th, 2010
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Sonic The Hedgehog 4
What else can we say? This game is absolutely incredible. It sets a new bar for graphics and gameplay in a Sonic title, and it's got more levels than any Sonic game before it, providing hours of fun. This game is highly recommended for any Sega Saturn owner and if you don't have a Saturn, here's your reason to get one.
10/10
Beat Rush
Namco's fighting/RPG arcade adaptation is somewhat reminiscent of Guardian Heroes, though it's much faster paced and plays much more like a sidescrolling Tekken than a game like Final Fight. That said, we wish this game were a lot less repetitive, as while the combat is pretty fun, you'll definitely tire of seeing the same enemy types over, and over...and over again.
7/10
Urobolus
This Silpheed sequel dazzled us with some fantastic graphics and the story was quite enthralling, but it was definitely a lot shorter than we would've liked. Urobolus gives us a delicious taste of its beautiful world, but just as we're starting to savor it, the plate is snatched away. Add to the fact that the replay value is somewhat diminished compared to other shooters in its genre, and we were left more than a little disappointed.
7/10
-excerpted from reviews of some of November 1996's Sega Saturn releases in the December 1996 issue of Official Saturn Magazine
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The Official Saturn Magazine Buzz Chart – November 1996
1. Tomb Raider
2. Sonic the Hedgehog 4
3. Virtua Fighter 2
4. Resident Evil
5. Panzer Dragoon II Zwei
6. NiGHTS Into Dreams...
7. NHL '97
8. Beat Rush
9. Virtua Cop 2
10. Turok: Dinosaur Hunter
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*Ted Crosley and Alex Stansfield are standing outside of an office building, the Iguana headquarters.*
Ted: We're about to give you guys an EXCLUSIVE look at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter for the Sega Saturn.
Alex: That's right, the game's still a few months away but you're getting a special sneak peek, so let's go talk to some of the guys at Iguana and check it out.
*The two of them are inside now with David Dienstbier.*
Ted: All right, we're inside Iguana headquarters with the man himself, the lead designer for the Turok game, David Dienstbier.
David: Hey guys, so this is where all the magic happens, this is where we've been working on Turok now for more than two years, it's almost ready for release and you guys are some of the first outside people to see it.
Ted: Which means that the millions of people watching at home will be some of the first.
David: Absolutely right.
Ted: *looks at the camera* You see? You watch GameTV, we take care of you.
*So now the three of them are facing a television screen showing footage of the game as one of the testers plays through an early level.*
David: This is level one of Turok, we've got fifteen levels in all to explore.
Alex: Fifteen?
David: And they're huge. The CD-ROM on the Saturn gave us a lot of space to work with, so we sort of went nuts. Actually, right now we're just working on ironing out the final bugs.
Alex: Right, with a game this big, you know, not everything is 100% at first.
Ted: I have a question. Are there any ACTUAL bugs in this game?
David: You know, it's funny you should ask that question because there is actually a giant acid-spitting praying mantis boss that you have to fight.
Ted: Oh, sweet!
Alex: Oh man. *shudders*
Ted: My man Alex here, he's scared of bugs.
Alex: Hey!
David: If you're scared of bugs you won't want to play Turok, there are lots of creepy crawly bug monsters crawling about in very dark places.
*Scenes are shown of Turok being attacked by dozens of bugs that he's desperately firing his shotgun at to try and kill them before he's eaten alive.*
Alex: Damn! Why not take THOSE bugs out of the game?
David: *laughing* We're going to add even more of those kinds of bugs just for you.
Ted: Well, bugs are cool and all, but what about dinosaurs? There's “dinosaur” right in the title of the game, why not have some dinosaurs to fight?
David: You will be fighting LOTS of dinosaurs in this game, don't worry.
*More scenes from the game are shown of all the dinosaurs that appear, including raptors, a triceratops, and a brief snippet of the T-rex fight from near the end of the game.*
David: And you'll be using lots of different weapons to do it. We have over 35 weapons in this game, including a gun that fires a nuclear explosion. That's called the Fusion Cannon, you won't be getting it until late in the game, but when you do...
Ted: *faking an Arnold accent* You will crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women.
David: Exactly.
Alex: What's the lamentation of a dinosaur woman sound like?
Ted: *making a dinosaur noise* Like that, maybe?
*The two are now sitting down in front of a TV, Ted has a controller in his hand and is playing through level one.*
David: So here you'll be controlling Turok and heading through just the first part of the first level. You're looking for a key so you can open up level two later on.
Ted: So this game...it reminds me a lot of Doom but it takes place in this big, open world, which is really cool.
Alex: Like Doom by way of Zelda.
David: That's sort of a good way to put it, yeah.
*Ted takes down the first two enemies, some bad guys with pistols, using a pistol of his own.*
David: As you play through the game, you'll get stronger and stronger weapons, which you keep once you find them. So it's like “leveling up” in a way.
Ted: Kinda reminds me of Metroid if it was a first-person game.
Alex: Do you think Metroid could work as a first-person game?
Ted: Well, if Turok works maybe we'll have our answer. Right now I'm having a lot of fun just exploring this world. It really is a huge world.
David: You WILL have to go off the beaten path to find these things, it's not a straight-forward path.
Ted: Yeah, I can already see where this branches off.
Alex: Is there multiplayer in this game?
David: There isn't, and I know I would've liked to have had it in there, but graphics-wise this game's already pushing it. This game, we feel it pushes the Saturn harder than any game before it.
Alex: It is really impressive looking. Check out these graphics, everybody.
*The camera zooms in to show the game's impressive 3D visuals, though there is some fog that clouds the path further out, the game does look like one of the best Saturn games so far.*
David: There is some distance fog but-
Ted: Actually it's kind of a cool effect, to see these creatures coming out of the mist. It's a necessary evil with some of these games, but you guys are using it to your advantage here I think. ...oh (bleep), a raptor! *struggling to kill it with his pistol*
Alex: This looks like a hard game!
David: It's definitely a challenge but we think Saturn players can handle it.
*Ted hands the controller to Alex, who plays for a while longer. The scene then switches to the Acclaim motion capture studio as the two begin the next segment of the interview, talking with the mo-cap coordinator and one of the stuntmen.*
-excerpted from the November 19, 1996 episode of GameTV
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“It was a fantastic month for new games here at EGM, perhaps the best month ever! The Review Crew's been working overtime to play all these games, and our Game of the Month might not be what you expect. That said, there were a lot of contenders this month, which means a lot of games vying for your holiday dollars. We really burned the candle at both ends to make sure you know as much as possible before you buy!”
-Andrew Baran, in the mini-editorial before the Review Crew column in the December 1996 issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly
“What a huge show of support from all the Sonic fans around the world! Everyone here at Sega is extremely grateful for making Sonic 4sday such a huge success!”
-Tom Kalinske, speaking in front of a gathered crowd at the Los Angeles launch of Sonic the Hedgehog 4 on November 7, 1996
“And Sonic the Hedgehog is another great example of the role of technology in improving lives all over the world. I join the kids of America and Japan and everywhere else in saying that we love Sonic the Hedgehog!”
-President Bill Clinton, meeting with Sonic the Hedgehog at the White House in a November 8, 1996 photo-op
“Robotnik, this is unforgivable! I've had it with your schemes!”
-Sonic the Hedgehog, in Zone 6, Act 4 of Sonic the Hedgehog 4
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The 1996 presidential elections didn't see gaming become a big issue, though it was brought up in the second presidential debate, when a question about violent video games saw the two candidates, Bill Clinton and Bob Dole, give their responses about how they would handle the issue. While Clinton took a more moderate approach, saying that he'd consider putting pressure on retailers to avoid selling violent games to young children, Dole (running as the “culture warrior” candidate) took a much stronger stance, saying that he might use the power of government to put content restrictions on games. This didn't win Dole much love from the gaming community, and seeing that it was the first presidential election since the Super Nintendo CD and the Sega Genesis helped bring voting-age gamers back into the hobby for the first time since the Crash of 1983, in an extremely close election it might have cost Bob Dole the presidency. However, it was not an extremely close election. Bill Clinton won by taking 49.6% of the popular vote and 384 electoral votes, beating out Dole handily. Even Bob Dole's Atlanta bombing gaffe in October probably didn't cost him the election (though it probably did cost him Georgia, where Dole lost by just 3,000 votes). Meanwhile, his “culture warrior” stance didn't sway voters away from the popular President Clinton, who was overseeing a major economic recovery (I remember how well we were doing at the time since my parents were able to afford both a Sega Saturn and an Ultra Nintendo for me). It might have won Dole Kentucky (by just 400 votes), but to everyone else, it was “the economy, stupid”, and Clinton easily won his second term. Despite the Clinton victory, the Republicans kept control of the House, losing only six seats in 1996 to maintain a 224-209 majority. They even gained two Senate seats to maintain their majority, bumping it up to 55-45. How did Bill Clinton celebrate his presidential victory? By hosting Sonic the Hedgehog at the White House, of course! The photo-op was to celebrate the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 4, with Bill Clinton, Sonic the Hedgehog, some Sega execs, and a whole bunch of kids gathered around as the president gave a speech promoting technological progress. Considering that Sega had plans to meet with Bob Dole if Dole had won the election, one can only imagine how awkward that speech would've been....
-”The 1996 Election: A Gamer's Perspective”, posted on Gamepolitics.com, October 27, 2007
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Sonic The Hedgehog 4: The Basics
Sonic The Hedgehog 4 follows the events of Knuckles: Renegade and the previous three Sonic games. It's a side-scrolling platformer with 3-D elements, particularly in the bonus minigame stages and the boss fights. The graphics are fully polygonal, objects and backgrounds are in full 3-D while the game features highly detailed sound effects, more than 25 music tracks, and full voice acting and rendered cutscenes. Though the game plays similarly to the Genesis titles in many respects, it introduces a new "combo" system for Sonic, allowing him (and his allies) to rack up multiple hits on enemies in a row to score massive amounts of rings and charge up for special attacks. Sonic can transform into Super Sonic for brief periods of time with enough combos, while Tails can use a laser gun on enemies, Knuckles gains fierce melee attacks that can knock out powerful enemies in a single blow, Amy's mallet gets super-sized, Corona gains a 360-degree energy wave attack, and Big the Cat can pound enemies into submission with giant fist attacks. Movement has been altered to allow Sonic to go through loops much more easily and allowing for more spectacular and fast-moving stages. The stage structure is such that most levels have Sonic and only Sonic playable, about a third of the levels allow you to choose certain other characters and a few even require you to use someone other than Sonic. In some levels, characters such as Tails, Amy, or Corona play the role of helpers, attacking or distracting enemies or helping you to find secret passages. The game has numerous secret items that you can collect for the purpose of opening up bonus minigame stages, although if you collect ALL of the secret items in every single level,you can open up an entirely new world to play through with a super tough boss at the end. The voice cast of the game is largely shared with the animated series, with Jaleel White reprising his role as Sonic, Bradley Pierce as Tails, and Jim Cummings as Dr. Robotnik. In addition, Amy Rose is voiced by Katie Leigh, Corona is voiced by Cree Summer, and Big the Cat is voiced by Rob Paulsen. The game features several lyrical songs, including the theme song "Race To The Power".
The plot of the game is that Dr. Robotnik, tired of Sonic's constant thwarting of his plans, has devised the ultimate weapon: an enormous machine that sucks the very life essence from the world. To fuel the machine, Robotnik has begun kidnapping massive amounts of creatures from all over, draining their energy to power the evil machine until he can gather up the Chaos Emeralds for a more permanent power source. Robotnik's machine has turned entire continents into lifeless wastelands filled with evil monsters that Sonic and his friends must defeat as they journey across nine worlds to thwart the mad scientist's plans. The worlds, nine in all, each containing four acts, are as follows:
World One- Terra Firma Zone
A basic grassland/jungle zone with mixed areas of lush vegetation and nightmarish desolation. The boss of this area is the giant chimera featured in the E3 demos.
World Two- Steamwork Zone
A factory/coast zone where the marine wildlife has been turned into vicious carnivores and mechanical monstrosities due to Robotnik's machinations. The boss of this zone is an enormous mechanical shark that spits dozens of vicious barracudas at you.
World Three- Ancient Ruins Zone
A huge temple complex that Robotnik is attempting to convert into his private vacation land. You'll have to battle evil mummies and stone golems roused from their eternal slumber by Robotnik's machine. The boss of this zone is Dr. Robotnik, who has mounted an enormous stone golem to attack Sonic and his friends.
World Four- Eternal Sun Zone
An oppressive desert land where the sun beats down constantly, Robotnik is building a mirror array to focus the sunbeams to use for his own vile purposes. The boss of this zone is an enormous desert-dwelling fire breathing sand dragon.
World Five- Misty Forest Maze Zone
This zone takes place in a seemingly endless forest that Robotnik is harvesting with his huge machine. You'll need to battle your way through winding forest paths and even a haunted mansion. This zone is limited to Corona and Amy, as Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, and Big have been abducted by Robotnik prior to exploring this zone. The boss of the zone is an evil witch who lives in a huge mansion in the middle of the forest.
World Six- Mobius City Zone
This zone takes place in a ruined cityscape and contains the most references to and continuity from the SatAM Sonic series. Knuckles and Corona are heavily involved in this zone that also sees Robotnik taunting Sonic over Princess Sally's death. The boss of this zone is Robotnik in a huge arena, deploying robotic clones of himself to battle Sonic. This is portrayed as a climactic battle and a "fake final boss" to fool players, though after this world, Robotnik reveals that he has gained all the Chaos Emeralds, enough to power his machine and finish his work.
World Seven- Chaotica Zone
The Chaotica Zone is an other-dimensional realm Robotnik throws Sonic and his friends into following the events of World Six. You'll have to rescue Sonic's friends one by one over the course of this world, while also confronting their worst fears and regrets over their past. The boss of this world is a battle against shadow versions of Sonic's friends, defeating them releases them from their nightmares and enables Sonic and his friends to continue the fight against Robotnik.
World Eight- Robotnikopolis Zone
When Sonic and his friends return to the world, it's in the far future, and Robotnik has transformed it into his vision of paradise: a world where all are forced to obey him. This world contains bright environments reminiscent of earlier games' Casino zones, though underneath all the bright lights it's a terrible world of oppression and fear. The boss of this world is the TimeFiend, a huge humanoid monstrosity pulsing with electricity. Once he's defeated, Sonic and his friends are enabled to return to the present to stop Robotnik before he warps the world into Robotnikopolis. However, he still has his machine and the Chaos Emeralds...
World Nine- Egg Labyrinth Zone
Sonic and his friends plunge into the depths of Robotnik's labyrinth to defeat him across the final four acts. This world contains a boss in every act, with two heroes teaming up on each one: Amy and Big team up to take out a huge mechanical heart boss in act one, Knuckles and Corona team up to take out a flying helicopter boss in act two, and Sonic and Tails team up to fight Robotnik in act three. The final act is just the final battle, with Sonic getting help from all of his friends in a big multi-staged fight against Robotnik's mech. The fight has seven stages where each Chaos Emerald must be knocked out of the boss one by one. In the final stage, Robotnik dons the final Chaos Emerald in a mechanical suit and battles Sonic by using energy weapons and a big glowing sword on him. After Robotnik is defeated, his mech is destroyed. Robotnik's prisoners are freed, their energy restored by the Chaos Emeralds, which then disperse. The world is saved from Dr. Robotnik and Sonic and his friends decide to kick back and have a big party together to celebrate.
World Ten- Legendary Zone
The final secret world, accessed when all the secret items from the other nine zones are collected, this Zone contains some of the game's toughest challenges, culminating in a battle against the Legendary Champion, a golden knight that wields the power of the Chaos Emeralds. Despite his somewhat small size, he is incredibly tough to defeat.
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Ted Crosley: I'm Ted Crosley...
Alex Stansfield: And I'm Alex Stansfield, and we're here for the launch of Sonic the Hedgehog 4 here in Los Angeles. Right now there's an enormous crowd gathered around the stage enjoying the festivities, there's a concert by Smashing Pumpkins, and there are plenty more celebrities here.
Ted: Yeah, Rachel Leigh Cook is here and I'm going to try and get an interview with her.
Alex: Jonathan Taylor Thomas is here too and right now he's playing the game at one of the many kiosks set up. Our Brittany Saldita is actually over there talking with him right now, Brittany?
*Brittany is standing next to Jonathan Taylor Thomas as he plays through Zone 1, Act 2*
Brittany: So are you here just on your own or did Sega actually ask you to come?
JTT: Well, Sega invited me but I woulda come on my own, I love Sonic! *he leaps over a couple of flying ladybug robots on the screen, running Sonic through a couple of loops*
Brittany: One thing I've noticed is that this game moves really fast, faster than any Sonic game before it but as we said in our review a few days ago, it still feels perfect, you can control Sonic easily and you've got plenty of time to jump over these enemies and find hidden items. Are you having any trouble at all?
JTT: Oh, no way, I've got this down.
Brittany: Are you sure? 'Cause it's okay to admit if you need help with the game.
JTT: *laughing* No, no, I've been playing Sonic since the first one, I'll be fine.
Brittany: What do you like best about the game so far?
JTT: The graphics are awesome, everything looks so colorful and real. The 3-D is great, it looks really cool and there's so much stuff going on. And the theme song too, the theme song's really cool.
Brittany: You wanna sing it with me?
JTT: *laughing loudly* Oh, no, no way.
Brittany: Oh come on! You sang in The Lion King!
JTT: That...that wasn't me singing.
Brittany: What?!
JTT: That was some other kid, I didn't actually sing for Simba in that movie.
Brittany: *she is exaggerating how shocked she is* Wha....no! No, everything I know is a lie!
JTT: Ohhhh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-
Brittany: I thought you could sing! *she's pretending to cry*
JTT: *laughing as he finishes the stage* Aww man, I'm really sorry to disappoint you!
Brittany: Ted, Alex, I'm standing here...with a complete fraud...! *JTT and Brittany both start laughing as they put their arms around each other's shoulders* This guy is a liar and a fraud, and nothing is real anymore. *JTT is doubling over with laughter and shaking his head* Back to you guys.
Ted: Okay, well that was enlightening. And now I'm going to try to talk to Rachel Leigh Cook. Can she sing?
Alex: I have no clue.
Ted: Well anyway.... *some yelling is heard* huh? *he looks up toward the stage* We gotta....?
Alex: *looking up too and looks a bit nervous* Uh, okay, we're being told....we're being told we have to get back from the stage. I don't know why but....
Ted: We better move, that cop looks pissed. *doesn't know what's going on*
Alex: Uh, we'll be back in a few moments I guess...?
-excerpted from the GameTV Sonic 4 launch special which aired live on the afternoon of November 7, 1996
“Disaster was narrowly averted today at an event for the release of the video game Sonic the Hedgehog 4, when an explosive device was found near the stage. The bomb was discovered by LAPD officer Mark Fuhrman, who is being called a hero tonight after discovering the device and moving it a safe distance away so that it could be safely destroyed by the LAPD bomb squad. Fuhrman, who works for the LAPD as a detective, had been assigned as the head of security for the event and was making one last sweep near the stage during the Smashing Pumpkins concert when he spotted the device near a stage support, in the middle of a large crowd of attendees, many of them children. Police are now alleging the device had been planted by this man, Eric Rudolph, *a picture is shown* who was caught acting suspiciously a half mile from the event and was being detained by LAPD officers when word of the attempted bombing came in. Rudolph is also a suspect in the Centennial Park bombing at the Atlanta Olympics that killed 18 people, after police reported that he took credit for the bombing in an initial interrogation. We'll have more news on these events later in tonight's broadcast.”
-Dan Rather, from the CBS Evening News on November 7, 1996
(…)
Ted: Okay, we're back, uhhhh..... I guess.... there was a bomb threat called in or something?
Alex: Hmmm....
Ted: You know, I did see a Bob-Omb walking around the stage a few minutes ago.
Alex: You're saying Mario had something to do with this?
Ted: Well, who else would it be?
Alex: Okay, well, while we try to solve this mystery, and while Ted keeps trying to get that interview with Rachel Leigh Cook, let's check out more footage from Sonic 4.
-excerpted from the GameTV Sonic 4 launch special which aired live on the afternoon of November 7, 1996
November 7, 1996
Sonic The Hedgehog 4 launches worldwide amidst enormous hype and glowing critical reviews, including a 39/40 from Famitsu and a 9.25/10 from Electronic Gaming Monthly. The game sells over a million copies worldwide on the first day, though it falls short of that mark in North America, selling a “mere” 700,000 (which instantly made it the fourth highest selling Saturn game in North America to date, and that counts the pack-in sales of Virtua Fighter and Virtua Racing). Though Sonic 4 isn't made a pack-in game immediately, a Sonic 4 Saturn bundle is expected to be released around Thanksgiving. The launch is accompanied by a massive worldwide release party that includes 15 North American launch events, including the main one in Los Angeles (which continues despite an attempt by Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph to detonate an explosive device at the event, he later claims that the fact that the Saturn had a game called Devil Summoner was his primary reason for the attempted bombing, this event has major negative repercussions for the Christian right, particularly Brent Bozell's Parents Television Council, which goes under after repeated offensive comments on various news channels draw the mainstream media's ire and bring the organization down by late 1997). Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is the final push that the Sega Saturn needs to surpass the Super Nintendo CD in monthly sales in North America. Indeed, there would never again be a month in which the Super Nintendo CD outsells the Saturn in the territory.
(…)
(Authors' Note: The following segment was contributed by our reader Mr.E!)
"So, Sonic 4 was HUGELY hyped in 1996. I remember TV ads every other day, the Saturn Magazine having interviews with the staff. Archie's Sonic Comics (which will play a minor role later on in this review) made a 3-D(!) comic adaptation of the game. (I already looked at that in detail, in its nearly unreadable glory). For my part, I must have seen that E3 footage on tape at least 10 time. Tom Kalinske said it best when he said that Sega was going to make "the perfect Sonic game." It was the most innovative Sonic game up to that point, with beautiful graphics, unparalleled speed sections faster than any before a complex story, little tributes to all of the franchises success, but most notably 3-D cutscenes and boss battles, which were revolutionary for a Sonic game at the time. A game of this quality should have been the game that would truly make the Saturn a breakout. And it did. People credit it with increasing Saturn sales. And it was critically acclaimed. Most publications gave it 9s and 10s , and the burgeoning game website IGN named it one of the best games of the year. It was even a contender for Game of the Year in 1996's EGM awards. This was the definitive Sonic game. This will probably make this a contentious review, because this game is good. But I don't think it is as incredible as people thought at the time. It hasn't aged well.
So, as you may or may not know, this is a side scrolling platformer, with some 3-D elements to it, such as the minigames and boss battles. The graphical elements have been upped from previous games. It is brighter, more colorful, more interesting to look at. There is also the sound effects, which hadn't been heard in a Sonic game before. The music was far better than the other games before it. Hell, what other Sonic game had songs with lyrics to them before? There was also the voice acting, including the always fantastic Jaleel White as Sonic. However, let's go into the main parts of the game. Despite the fact that Sonic now has the ability to do a number of combos, it still hasn't progressed much beyond the same gameplay of the first three games. You still run, you still use the Sonic dash attack, you still jump on the enemies, and you still have to collect rings. It isn't much different from the first three.The only point of innovation is the addition of new characters and the 3-D sections. Yeah, some people hate it, but you know what, it gives variation to these levels, more than the rest of the game has. Although, the fact that you could only play as (new) characters like Amy, Big and Corona for a few levels at best. The 3-D sections still are very fun to play, and provide a nice break from the more typical side-scrolling platformer. However, the 3-D really hasn't aged well. The 3-D looks nice, particularly the backgrounds and the cutscenes. However, let's compare to a game like Super Mario Dimensions. That had full 3-D gameplay throughout the game, and it was far more distinct from other Mario games before it. The 3-D still looks incredible in that game. In this game, it really looks dated, like it fells like a Saturn game, and in the end, it doesn't feel distinct from the other Sonic games. Despite this, those particular 3-D scenes have more innovation and more technique required than the rest of the game. The end boss fight with the Legendary Champion is still perhaps the hardest boss I have ever had. None of the 2-D stuff is bad, but other than the boss fights, it doesn't have much difference from the core gameplay of the previous three games. Following Sonic 3, considered now to be one of the greatest Sonic Games of all time, doesn't help. The sidescrolling sections are beautiful to look at, that's for sure. But it really isn't as revolutionary as Sonic 3.
The story follows Sonic and his new friends, after Doctor Robotnik creates a device to completely drain the lifeforce from the world. He kidnaps many different animals to fuel the machine, until he could get a hold of the Chaos emeralds, which he could use as a permanent energy source. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Corona, Amy, and the new character Big the Cat go to stop him. You travel around a jungle, a desert, some ruins... Yeah, that's another thing. Those are the same level designs that we had in the other three games. Well, at least those ones. Let's be fair to those levels, those have many more worlds, than the other games, and they have many different facets that you could get to with other characters. Starting with the Mobius Zone, we do get more unique level designs. But even then, they are still too reminiscent of the zones in other games, like the Metropolis or Casino Night Zone. The Egg Labyrinth and Legendary Zones are the most interesting levels in the whole game. There, you have to team up various characters to defeat the bosses, particularly Eggman. After you defeat him, the Chaos Emeralds are dispersed, and you can go back, and get them. I didn't even know about the Legendary Zone, until I looked at a guide, and collected all the items I couldn't collected. Of course, there are many references to the SatAM series, including a reference to Princess Sally's death. Let me go on a tangent for a minute. Now, Sega wanted to have the story game be close to the popular animated series. However, most of the creators of that show had moved on from Sonic at that point. So, they went to the Archie Comics, considered the official successor to SatAM, and once again, Ken Penders was brought on to advise the game's story, and make it like the SatAM/Archie series. I talked a little about him during the Archie retrospective, and in my Knuckles Reneges review. Penders was not allowed to bring any of his characters into the game. However, he definitely had influence in the story. Knuckles and Corona's relationship is very similar to that in the comics. Eggman (Yeah, I know people complain about me calling him, but you know what, Eggman and Robotnik are same person.) has a certain degree of sadism that he had in the Comics, particularly with his plot to literally drain the Earth of life itself, and replace it with machinery. Even Sonic's personality had elements of comics in them. There are little allusions to comics in the game's backstory. Penders had a wider influence on the game than people often give him credit for. All while still writing the comic (he wrote that terrible 3-D adaptation of 4, if you recall). In fact, I think the reference to Princess Sally's death eventually caused her death in the comics. I find this particularly interesting. And this game is part of his complicated legacy amongst Sonic fans.
I don't hate this game. In fact, I actually like this game a good deal. I played many times on my Sega Saturn. But, looking back, it actually isn't as good as I remember. Sonic 3 was an amazing game, and it would be hard to top it. Being on the Saturn, a newer console, didn't help matters. It was built as a demonstration of the Saturn, and it works, I suppose, but it really seems disappointing, when compared to the awesomeness of Sonic 3. Ultimately, it isn't, in many respects, revolutionary, and it does play it very safe. But, once again, it still is a good game. Just one that was misfortunate to have come out when it did. I still have my Saturn, and I still play Sonic 4 many times."
- "Sonic Boom: Blog about a Hedgehog," entry entitled, "Review: Sonic the Hedgehog 4," dated June 11th, 2010
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Sonic The Hedgehog 4
What else can we say? This game is absolutely incredible. It sets a new bar for graphics and gameplay in a Sonic title, and it's got more levels than any Sonic game before it, providing hours of fun. This game is highly recommended for any Sega Saturn owner and if you don't have a Saturn, here's your reason to get one.
10/10
Beat Rush
Namco's fighting/RPG arcade adaptation is somewhat reminiscent of Guardian Heroes, though it's much faster paced and plays much more like a sidescrolling Tekken than a game like Final Fight. That said, we wish this game were a lot less repetitive, as while the combat is pretty fun, you'll definitely tire of seeing the same enemy types over, and over...and over again.
7/10
Urobolus
This Silpheed sequel dazzled us with some fantastic graphics and the story was quite enthralling, but it was definitely a lot shorter than we would've liked. Urobolus gives us a delicious taste of its beautiful world, but just as we're starting to savor it, the plate is snatched away. Add to the fact that the replay value is somewhat diminished compared to other shooters in its genre, and we were left more than a little disappointed.
7/10
-excerpted from reviews of some of November 1996's Sega Saturn releases in the December 1996 issue of Official Saturn Magazine
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The Official Saturn Magazine Buzz Chart – November 1996
1. Tomb Raider
2. Sonic the Hedgehog 4
3. Virtua Fighter 2
4. Resident Evil
5. Panzer Dragoon II Zwei
6. NiGHTS Into Dreams...
7. NHL '97
8. Beat Rush
9. Virtua Cop 2
10. Turok: Dinosaur Hunter
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*Ted Crosley and Alex Stansfield are standing outside of an office building, the Iguana headquarters.*
Ted: We're about to give you guys an EXCLUSIVE look at Turok: Dinosaur Hunter for the Sega Saturn.
Alex: That's right, the game's still a few months away but you're getting a special sneak peek, so let's go talk to some of the guys at Iguana and check it out.
*The two of them are inside now with David Dienstbier.*
Ted: All right, we're inside Iguana headquarters with the man himself, the lead designer for the Turok game, David Dienstbier.
David: Hey guys, so this is where all the magic happens, this is where we've been working on Turok now for more than two years, it's almost ready for release and you guys are some of the first outside people to see it.
Ted: Which means that the millions of people watching at home will be some of the first.
David: Absolutely right.
Ted: *looks at the camera* You see? You watch GameTV, we take care of you.
*So now the three of them are facing a television screen showing footage of the game as one of the testers plays through an early level.*
David: This is level one of Turok, we've got fifteen levels in all to explore.
Alex: Fifteen?
David: And they're huge. The CD-ROM on the Saturn gave us a lot of space to work with, so we sort of went nuts. Actually, right now we're just working on ironing out the final bugs.
Alex: Right, with a game this big, you know, not everything is 100% at first.
Ted: I have a question. Are there any ACTUAL bugs in this game?
David: You know, it's funny you should ask that question because there is actually a giant acid-spitting praying mantis boss that you have to fight.
Ted: Oh, sweet!
Alex: Oh man. *shudders*
Ted: My man Alex here, he's scared of bugs.
Alex: Hey!
David: If you're scared of bugs you won't want to play Turok, there are lots of creepy crawly bug monsters crawling about in very dark places.
*Scenes are shown of Turok being attacked by dozens of bugs that he's desperately firing his shotgun at to try and kill them before he's eaten alive.*
Alex: Damn! Why not take THOSE bugs out of the game?
David: *laughing* We're going to add even more of those kinds of bugs just for you.
Ted: Well, bugs are cool and all, but what about dinosaurs? There's “dinosaur” right in the title of the game, why not have some dinosaurs to fight?
David: You will be fighting LOTS of dinosaurs in this game, don't worry.
*More scenes from the game are shown of all the dinosaurs that appear, including raptors, a triceratops, and a brief snippet of the T-rex fight from near the end of the game.*
David: And you'll be using lots of different weapons to do it. We have over 35 weapons in this game, including a gun that fires a nuclear explosion. That's called the Fusion Cannon, you won't be getting it until late in the game, but when you do...
Ted: *faking an Arnold accent* You will crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women.
David: Exactly.
Alex: What's the lamentation of a dinosaur woman sound like?
Ted: *making a dinosaur noise* Like that, maybe?
*The two are now sitting down in front of a TV, Ted has a controller in his hand and is playing through level one.*
David: So here you'll be controlling Turok and heading through just the first part of the first level. You're looking for a key so you can open up level two later on.
Ted: So this game...it reminds me a lot of Doom but it takes place in this big, open world, which is really cool.
Alex: Like Doom by way of Zelda.
David: That's sort of a good way to put it, yeah.
*Ted takes down the first two enemies, some bad guys with pistols, using a pistol of his own.*
David: As you play through the game, you'll get stronger and stronger weapons, which you keep once you find them. So it's like “leveling up” in a way.
Ted: Kinda reminds me of Metroid if it was a first-person game.
Alex: Do you think Metroid could work as a first-person game?
Ted: Well, if Turok works maybe we'll have our answer. Right now I'm having a lot of fun just exploring this world. It really is a huge world.
David: You WILL have to go off the beaten path to find these things, it's not a straight-forward path.
Ted: Yeah, I can already see where this branches off.
Alex: Is there multiplayer in this game?
David: There isn't, and I know I would've liked to have had it in there, but graphics-wise this game's already pushing it. This game, we feel it pushes the Saturn harder than any game before it.
Alex: It is really impressive looking. Check out these graphics, everybody.
*The camera zooms in to show the game's impressive 3D visuals, though there is some fog that clouds the path further out, the game does look like one of the best Saturn games so far.*
David: There is some distance fog but-
Ted: Actually it's kind of a cool effect, to see these creatures coming out of the mist. It's a necessary evil with some of these games, but you guys are using it to your advantage here I think. ...oh (bleep), a raptor! *struggling to kill it with his pistol*
Alex: This looks like a hard game!
David: It's definitely a challenge but we think Saturn players can handle it.
*Ted hands the controller to Alex, who plays for a while longer. The scene then switches to the Acclaim motion capture studio as the two begin the next segment of the interview, talking with the mo-cap coordinator and one of the stuntmen.*
-excerpted from the November 19, 1996 episode of GameTV