Saturn Look - Cyber Doll

In the early 21st century, a scientist by the name of Maria Rylius created a cure for AIDS. Almost as if it was personally insulted, the planet responded with a new disease. MLD, or Muscle Loosening Disease, causes a person's muscles to rapidly deteriorate until there's nothing left of them. This catastrophe, surely a sign that the human experiment was coming to an end, was averted by Maria. By replacing infected flesh and organs with cybernetic implants, one's life could be prolonged for... the rest of time. That Rylius, I tell you what. In just a few short years, she managed to cure AIDS, MLD, and death. Of course, throwing out nature's lifecycle like a proverbial baby with the bathwater has created new problems. World Leaders were deposed for even suggesting that a patient's cybernetic implants - their immortality - should be replaced with flesh once they've recovered from MLD. As for Maria, she passed away shortly after ushering in the cyborg revolution, though her brain would live on in the supercomputer MARIA. 

In the years that followed, nearly half of Earth's population had become cyborgs. MARIA was placed in Heaven's Tower, a spire in the heart of ZERO-City that essentially became the new world's government. Not long after, a new catastrophic had struck, this time affecting those outfitted with cybernetics. Something infected their mechanical bodies, turning them into "Dark Visitors". This new epidemic was the most violent yet, as DVs were essentially psycho killers with indestructible bodies. Honestly, I'm not at all surprised by this turn of events. A cyborg's heart is actually a sentient creature, the result of countless bio-engineering experiments. Think about it. In order to avert mankind's destruction, Rylius created a living organism that would have to spend an eternity imprisoned inside of a human body. Oh, and this prisoner is responsible for all of the body's functions. I'm not well-versed in themes, metaphors, and the like, but it isn't too hard to see that our tendency to subjugate others in order to maintain the illusion of society would lead to this. If a creature that was forced to be my beating heart decided to revolt and take control, then who am I to say, "Wait that can't be right."? 

Pictured: Your heart. Take good care of it!

Nevertheless, something had to be done about Dark Visitors. This is where you come in, Debugger. You represent the de facto police force of Heaven's Tower. Hunt down the DVs, deal with anyone that would threaten MARIA's dominance, and make a token effort to protect the innocent. No doubt the corporations sponsoring your advanced cyborg body would benefit from good PR. 

Nearly 30 years after its original Japan-only release, Cyber Doll for the Sega Saturn received a fan-translation. This is a game that has fascinated me for quite some time. I've owned a copy since 2004. In fact, next to Riglord Saga 2 and Wachenröder, it's one of the few Saturn games I still have a physical copy of. Fingers crossed those two get fan-translated eventually. Anyway, since my first attempt at a playthrough didn't make it past the third mission, I've spent the past couple weeks settling unfinished business. Now that it's all over, I'm left feeling somewhat dissatisfied. Yes, this game occupying some corner of my mind for over two decades has likely contributed to a level of hype that'd be impossible to satiate, but there's more to it than that. Of course, this being a review, I can't just tell you what it is right now. Stew in the suspense for a bit while I rattle on about what makes this RPG an RPG.

After deciding on the Debugger's name and viewing a couple story scenes, you'll be teleported into a district of ZERO-City called the Pleasure-AREA, known for its many bars and clubs. Your mission is to investigate a series of killings and hunt down the DV responsible. It might not seem like it at the moment, but each AREA of Cyber Doll is a dungeon. The first and most important thing to do is find the man with wires in his head having a smoke. He saves progress. Next, look for the nearby building with a neon sign that says Medic. Recovering from life-threatening injuries requires slightly more than a nap. Afterwards, head southeast to reach the weapon and item shops. Get used to seeing the proprietors within each of these three buildings, as they'll show up in every area/dungeon for the remainder of your cyberpunk adventure, plying their services even when random encounters are just a few steps away.

Combat is handled similarly to a scaled-back Front Mission. On the left side is the protagonist. His opposition, of which there is never more than two, is on the right. Battles are turn-based, and yours is often spent firing at the enemy with one of three types of guns. Pistols, semi-automatic rifles, and laser cannons can be aimed at any of the enemy's five body parts. Aim for the arms to reduce their offensive capabilities. Target legs to prevent them from moving. In fact, if you know which limbs to destroy, you can leave an enemy without the means to attack, rendering them helpless for the remainder of the battle. Keep in mind however that some cyborgs have weapons attached their heads or bodies, so they might be able to maintain an offensive, just as long as they're within the range that they're weaponry is suited for. In any case, destroying their heads or bodies will end the battle. 

Flamethrowers, SMGs, and rockets deal what can be consider random damage. Once fired, they'll hit various parts of the cyborg. With any luck, the same part will be hit multiple times at once, instantly destroying it. Unfortunate Debuggers might just miss their opposition entirely. To further dissuade players from relying too heavily on randomized damage, Cyber Doll ties stat-building to the acquisition of enemy parts. When a battle has ended, any body parts left undestroyed have a chance to drop. Players can then visit the medic to swap these parts out or sell them like unwanted junk. During battle, the Search command details every part an enemy cyborg is capable of dropping. It's simultaneously a treat and a nuisance meeting an unknown enemy and discovering they have a full suite of new parts to acquire. It'll take several fights to obtain every part, and it's not guaranteed that what they drop will be better than what's already equipped. Still, I love the rush of endorphins whenever I come across a new part that improves every stat (even if it's just a +1).

Shotguns, miniguns, and missiles trade away surgical strikes for all-encompassing destruction. Along with hitting every part at once, these weapons tend to do the most damage. By the mid-to-endgame, you're liable to realize that a good minigun will simplify just about every random encounter. Combat is the most prevalent element of Cyber Doll, but it's not very deep. There is, especially at first, a real danger that enemies will target the Debugger's squishy head, ending his career in an instant. That starts to go away after you've swapped that worthless default brain out for something better. Also, money is never hard to come by, so there's little preventing you from buying a complete stock of repair-kits and other essentials. Juggling what looks like five healthbars sounds complicated, until you open up the inventory to grab one of your 99 AllRepair50s. Also, don't forget to try the S-ARMs on tough enemies. These often-purchasable items can inflict heavy debuffs.   

This is also one of those RPGs where speed rules everything. The way stats are distributed gives one the impression that they should emphasize attack over defense or - No. You'll definitely want HP and defense at the beginning of the game, but speed will soon overtake both as the most important stat. Speed effects the Debugger's chances of getting multiple turns in a row. It also increases evasion. Avoided damage means that turns aren't spent on recovery items. Most convenient of all is the fact that speed determines whether or not you need to fight a random encounter. Invest in that stat for long enough, and you'll be running through dungeons completely unbothered by slowpoke cyborgs. This is also a huge boon if you're trying to farm high-level enemies, as the chaff can be ignored with a single button-press. 

Particularly troublesome foes are either fought under specific circumstances or require the use of S-ARMs. I'd call them bosses, but I'm not sure if Cyber Doll wants me to treat them as such. Missions in this RPG function as episodes of a TV series. There is a set location where the events of the story take place, as well as multiple recurring characters. More to the point, villains tend to show up as "unwinnable" battles. I have to use quotes here, because while some unwinnables are straight-up beatdowns from an invincible foe, others have both sides trading attacks for a number of rounds. It's all part of the story I suppose but in gameplay terms, it often leads to anticlimactic encounters. There are set pieces that work extremely well at creating tension and drama. In an abandoned shopping mall, the protagonist is stalked by a killer cyborg who shoots at him with a high-powered sniper rifle before rushing in with the finishing blow. Catching glimpses of this guy shrouded in darkness while exploring the mall is scary as hell. This is one of the best parts of the game. Its atmosphere, storytelling, and game mechanics all working as one to deliver something unforgettable. I wish there were more events like this towards the end of the game. Instead, there's a second Debugger who ends up carrying the protag through numerous fights. It begins to feel like nothing I'm doing actually matters. That... that might be intentional, and acceptance is the hardest part.

I'll also point out that far too much of the game is spent in the Pleasure and Downtown AREAs. Asset use is expected in an RPG, but revisiting the same dungeons causes several missions to blur together. It isn't until the 12th mission that something interesting happens, and it's a timed mission where the protag has 25 minutes to dispose of 25 bombs located throughout the district. This was, and I almost hate to say it, one of the other highlights of the game. Gathering clues, hunting down the bombers, engaging in some simplistic hot & cold exploration; these were all -ings that I appreciated. Without this and a handful of other reprieves, Cyber Doll wouldn't be much more than exchanging body parts for stat-increases. I'm not shallow enough to enjoy that for 25 hours. Maybe 20 hours. 

In the end, this was still a worthwhile experience. Yasushi Nirasawa's designs are always a treat to see. Though it has its problems, the battle system functions quite well. Picking apart an enemy cyborg's weaponry from a distance or getting in close to shred them to scrap is pretty fun. I shouldn't say this aloud, but finishing helpless cyborgs off with a series of punches (usually a last resort weapon) feels deliciously sadistic. Plus, it's just nice to see what an alternate cyberpunk future would be like. Getting my heart replaced with a xenomorph is pretty messed up, but still cooler than data centers that produce pictures of zombified breakfast burritos. 

Playstation 1 Look - Sol Divide

Today's look is aimed at Psikyo's oft-neglected Sol Divide. Choose a hero (or heroine) and embark on a fantastical journey filled with magic and monsters. What sets this apart from every other fantastical journey is that it's a hack & shmup. Imagine the Vic Viper growing arms and swiping at Bacterium with a sword. Picture Rastan soaring through the air as orange pellets whizz past his small hurtbox. Mentally process a giant Golden Axe DNA-filled needle getting stuck in something else. Even if it wasn't the greatest idea at the time, I have to think that it laid the groundwork for Cannon Spike, and everyone loves that game (I think?). Anyway, Sol Divide was ported to both 32-bit consoles, with the big addition being a Roguelike mode. This is, sadly, the actual reason why you're reading today's article. I need semi-constant +1s to various stats in order to feel a crumb of emotion. 

Before getting to that barrel of laughs, let's talk the Arcade game. Typical of Psikyo, each stage consists of 30 to 45 seconds of minion-blasting, after which the big boss-fight ensues. Minions have two to four legs and require either a prolonged series of bullets to the face, or a good solid combo. Generally, the winning strategy is to go with the flow of combat. No matter their size and shape, baddies will fire projectiles from afar, then rush in to land some devastating melee attack. Dodge whatever flies out of them, cut off their approach with hacks & slashes, then grab the power-up they leave behind. 

Among the spoils of the recently-deceased are magic scrolls. These bequeath spells to the chosen hero (or heroine). Meter management is another aspect of Sol Divide's identity, as magic will provide both damage and respite, but can't be used frivolously. The most basic fire spell casts a stream of flame that extends the length of the screen. Its main purpose is to push foes into an ideal location. Players will quickly realize that true to hack & slash nature, positioning and manipulation are everything. The more foes that get clumped together, the easier it becomes to crush them with a combo. Advanced spells carry heavier costs, with the heaviest being one-time use grand magics that do boss-annihilating damage. Since mana potions aren't common enough to really matter, replenishing meter often requires laying into foes with a series of thwacks or slashes. This is, naturally, a huge risk, especially against bosses that can erase health-bars with their own melee attack. However, it has to be done in order to use magic with any consistency. The magic meter tends to be the most affected by which difficulty setting the player is on. "Children" and "Monkeys" can effectively trap bosses in spell-loops. Cast Frost or Slow magic, pummel the boss, repeat. The non-disparagingly named difficulty settings throw this strategy out the window, so don't hang onto it for long.

A mechanic of the game that all players will have to respect is interruption. Basically, an enemy's attack can be interrupted with the swing of a weapon. This won't work all of the time but is a huge part of dictating the flow of battle. Keep in mind however that the hero (or heroine) can be interrupted as well. They can't swing their weapon if they're busily wincing from the projectile they ate an instant ago. Just to be clear, there's no "powering through" anything. If the player tries to maintain an offensive after taking damage, then they're just going to get beaten down further. Retreat and reassess or fall over and die. This mechanic contributes to Sol Divide's long-term depth. Players will continually take bigger risks in order to obtain the meter necessary to unleash boss-wiping spells. The importance of learning patterns and striking at optimal moments are effectively communicated. 

My biggest problem with the game is how truncated it feels. Even by Psikyo standards, this is one short shooter. There's maybe seven minutes of adventure followed by a three-minute finale. Also, the finale's huge difficulty spike almost guarantees either a Game Over or a maddening series of failed attempts. I eventually start feeling like the only stage that really exists is the last. Everything else could very well fade away and disappear. 

Luckily for me, there's the Roguelike mode. In order to save the kingdom, players must traverse 15 floors of danger. Quite unlike the Arcade mode, these floors feature several minion encounters, wave after wave, until a boss finally makes their appearance. On the player's side is all the RPG trappings they could ask for. Defeated baddies award experience and will occasionally drop a treasure chest. These contain a wide swath of items, or keys to unlock silver & gold chests. Since the magic meter is nowhere to be found, scrolls have become usables. Save them for a desperate situation. 

Since conquering the entire dungeon in one attempt is out of the question, players can expect to spend the majority of their time building a hero (or heroine) up with stat-improving items. I can't lie. This makes for a very addictive gameplay loop. Building strength, revisiting stages with a guy who can erase dragons with a couple of combos, it's all quite compelling. Kashon - the winged guy with the spear - also has the strongest melee capabilities. Hacking through a school of monsters with one big combo causes pleasurable jolts to penetrate my skull. Inventory management is a mild annoyance at times. Having tons of chests but no keys (and vice-versa) can happen. 

However, though the game tries to incorporate some "lite" elements in their Rogue, the fact remains that death is cataclysmic. If someone falls in battle, then not only is their entire inventory cleaned out, but their attack and defense power is dropped by half. Level isn't affected, but woop-dee-freaking-doo. In order to return to the sanctuary and save the game with everything intact, I need a magic gem. These are the rarest of rare items. Getting two in a single dungeon attempt felt like something I could brag about to lottery winners. 

Magic gems being both the rarest and most essential turns this mode into a chore. The monsters receive a significant power boost every few floors, hence the need for multiple attempts the dungeon. If I don't find a magic gem during an attempt, then any and all upgrades aren't going to matter. The rarity is likely intentional, as it encourages players to use what they have to push further into the depths. Maybe they'll overcome both the odds and their limits. It's a neat idea, until reality hits like a massive axe. I don't like to have my playtime arbitrarily extended by failed attempts, but I can only blame myself. Fuckin' roguelikes, I'll never understand why I keep playing them. "Just one more.", "This attempt will be better than the last one.", "You might get lucky!", all things I've told myself over and over, game after game. Yet I'm always back at the beginning, slipping further into a hole that has no bottom.

So yeah, Sol Divide. It's a funky game. 

Arcade Appreciation - Alien Vs Predator

One of the inadequacies that hounds my review is the lack of time. As you've no doubt noticed, a couple of hours is the most I'll spend on a written article. Worse, the time I dedicate towards playing the subject of the review is usually not much more, and sometimes even less. Conclusions, when I actually bother to write them out, are formed from however long it takes to see the credits roll. This might work decently enough for RPGs, as even the most expedient of them can take close to a dozen hours. When I say, "I don't want to see this shit ever again." about some piss-poor Dragon Quest clone, then you know it's a confident statement with plenty of backing evidence. Today's pick is Alien Vs Predator, an arcade game where it takes 45 minutes to reach the credits, and weeks if not months of nonstop playing to achieve a one credit clear. You know I didn't spend months, weeks, or even days to make this review happen. I have no achievement to share, so everything I'm about to say deserves to be scrutinized. 

Then again, I can't imagine many would argue that Alien Vs Predator isn't one of the greatest beatemups ever made. Sure, it might be a big statement coming from me, a tourist easily wowed by fancy moves, pretty pictures, and excessive body counts; but genre experts with their decades of research should agree that Capcom put out a masterpiece. What makes it so phenomenal is probably easy to explain, though I intend to make it difficult for myself. After all, I still have 1 hour & 50 minutes of review-writing time left. 

Would you trust an AvP review from a guy who can't 1CC past the 4th boss? Don't answer that.

Let's start with something essential: player expression. The genius of this game is that its hostile encounters are not the overdesigned products of a hundred tinkerers. They are often no more than a horde of aliens or humans. Sure, there are a sizable variety of foes, all with their own methods of attack, but they are not intricately placed to the last detail or designed in such a way that the ensuing battle feels rehearsed. No, you get a horde and all the messy moving parts that come with. Treat it like a blank canvas, a slab of marble, because everything you're about to do to your enemies is art. Trust me when I say that your creation is going to be beautiful and special. It might not seem that way at first, especially if you're as bad at the game as I am. Keep it in your mind that Alien Vs Predator demands its players create miracles while standing on the needle's point. There is nothing you're about to do that isn't great.

Let's continue running with this hypothetical that you haven't already played the game to death since its release in 1994. The artistic endeavor you're about to undertake will be a reflection of your character; the summation of your experiences, learned skills, and personality. Naturally, you'll want an avatar that you can squeeze into like a second skin. First up is the Predator Warrior. Choose him for his balanced abilities, a combistick that combines solid reach with speed, and some wicked mobility. Warriors don't leave a lot of openings, since even their down-up special keeps them fairly low to the ground. This coupled with his flying leap makes it easy to quickly shift from offense to defense. The Hunter uses a Glaive (Naginata?) and exchanges a bit of speed for additional strength. His down-up is a flying uppercut. Big damage in the right situation, but a massive commitment in every other. Both Predators have shoulder cannons. A well-timed shot can disorganize enemy forces and knock several of them down. They overheat easily, so try to keep from firing more than once every few seconds. Don't overlook their ability to fire from almost any state. A midair shot will clear a path to land or punch a hole in the horde. 

Then there are the cyborgs Linn Kurosawa and Dutch Schaefer. Dutch is, as you'd expect, a big dude who deals crushing blows to anything that gets close. The smart gun implanted in his mechanical arm will see a lot of use, as its pushback is essential for clearing space. Take advantage of it after a down-up special whenever possible. Also, don't worry too much about that slow walking speed, as he covers ground quickly with his slide and dash-attack. Finally, Linn is a technical monster. Her jab has a surprisingly large hitbox, making it an important poke. Jump-kicks, down-stabs, and air-throws, the hyphenated trifecta, allow her to dominate a wide space. Linn's handgun is insanely versatile, with tons of midair applications to bully the opposition with. You could have her gun down everything from afar, but she's getting clipped the instant she has to reload. Seriously, the one alien left standing could be way on the other side of the screen, and it'll still get to her before the reloading animation finishes. Point is, each hero has a ton of moves to work with, and using all of them is required to get anywhere.

Since the days of Final Fight, Capcom has established themselves as one of the masters of how a beatemup should feel. That delicate blend of hit-stop, sound design, and the way fists hit flesh repeatedly. They figured it out ages ago, so it's no surprise that Alien Vs Predator feels amazing to play. It goes beyond the already perfect controls. I can't praise enough how each hit links into each other. The way Linn and the Predators effortlessly shift from their magic series to a down-up special. Sliding after a big combo to scrape a couple OTG hits. There is a flow that travels through every combat instance. Getting into "the zone" has never felt so easy. For me at least, all it takes is for Linn to fly across the screen, landing multiple strikes with her down-stab, and then executing that air-throw. A handful of attacks actually cause dramatic slowdown when they're performed, and it's fucking amazing. 

I know I already called them perfect, but those controls... wow. Turning the jump button into an all-purpose evasion tool was a brilliant decision. Forward + jump to hop or dash, down-forward + jump to slide, up-forward + jump for a high jump. Inputs are kept light to the point that every move is instant. Besides (very easy) down-up specials, the execution barrier doesn't exist. Furthermore, it's impossible to perform an unwanted move, ensuring that nobody dies because of an accidental QCF or a forward-back-forward or a 214 or... you get what I'm saying. Despite everyone having an insane toolkit, all actions are handled with a simple three-button setup. Also, it has to be stressed that the considerable mobility options aren't just exciting, but also essential.

Alien Vs Predator is unquestionably tough, a stark reminder that the player can be given everything and still suffer immensely. Seeing as how our heroes can inflict serious damage and fly across the screen with hardly an effort, it only makes sense that they'd be made out of tissue paper. Healing items are common enough to never be an issue, but the severity of a single hit - let alone a combo - is shocking. One xenomorph lands a headbutt, the other a tail-strike, and suddenly that health bar looks like it ate back-to-back supers. Going through long stretches of the game without a scratch is very doable, but once that scratch occurs... bleugh. It ain't pretty. Also, beatemups where players have only two lives to work with are everywhere, but I still feel like I'm getting pranked by this one treating the second life as an extend. In the end though, I can't really complain. If the Predator loses 98% of his health to a single grab, then that's on me for allowing him to get grabbed. The evasive options are numerous, and I could've just done an attack + jump special. A negligible loss of health beats dying horribly.

Linn's charge-attack also kicks ass.

I know it gets said a ton in these beatemup looks, but knowing the enemy's capabilities is required. Xenomorphs come in several flavors, all with differing attack ranges. Never assume they're too far away to land a hit. I'll say that despite their similar body-types, it's easy to tell Aliens apart, and pick out the especially troublesome ones from a crowd. Combat encounters with humans tend to be a bit simpler, since they won't attack without a weapon in their hands. They also tend to leave plenty of guns lying around, providing plenty of opportunities to shoot through them without a second thought. The frequent shifting between alien and human battles keeps the second half of the game really exciting. 

As far as the bosses go, let me just say that I'm glad Razor Claws is only fought once. Even in pairs, Royal Guards and Chrysalis aren't too much to handle. Razor Claws though... I'm surprised that he's only the second boss. Damn thing has nasty reach and a propensity towards axis-shifting strikes. The rest of the bosses tend to rely on adds (either human or alien) and/or some moves that erase health-bars like they never existed. Still, boss arenas often provide a pulse rifle or some other weapon(s) that deal huge damage. Navigating the horde and killing their leader is handled well. I'd even go as far to say that AvP is one of the standards for boss + add encounters. They're appropriately balanced, with adds dropping in at the proper intervals. 

I believe I've used up more than my allotted time, so let's wrap this up. Alien Vs Predator is an immaculate gold crown decorated with gemstones. It manages to be both extremely harsh and extremely fair. Players are given all of the tools to create something incredible, even as the slightest mistake hurls them directly into the abyss. The depth is also unreal. Easily the sort of game that can last for decades. Play it again sometime.

2026 Special - Silhouette Mirage

You don't need me to tell you that Silhouette Mirage is one-of-a-kind. Back in 1997, Treasure released an action game so mechanically dense that it would be impossible to iterate on. There could never be a sequel no matter how stars and planets aligned. Once again, I'm left staring at the pale abyss, as the words that'd sum up both this lovingly bizarre creation and my thoughts on it are dancing just out of reach. Perhaps I should start by pointing out that this game only works when you allow yourself to get lost in it. Multiple playthroughs are required. A second or even third visit to the tutorial is highly recommended. Most of all, you have to treat every move as a conscious decision. Something as simple as the direction the player-character faces changes the entire trajectory of her next interaction. Failing to weigh the consequences of a single button-press or tap of the d-pad will result in more than just lost health. The pillars of order and chaos will collide in a stunning explosion, setting up a chain of catastrophes that one may never recover from.

Like so much of Treasure's output, this game adheres to the core principles of feng shui. In order to reach Edo and reboot the world to what it was before the apocalyptic "Day of Parting", Shyna Nera Shyna will have to be receptive, not reactive. Both the Silhouettes and Mirages refer to her as a messenger of destruction. As such, attempting to operate strictly as an opposing force will bring a world of hurt upon the heroine. Enemies tend to have an innate element that's either red or blue. Fire opposite-colored bullets at them to inflict damage, or like-colored bullets to drain their spirit. Seeing as how Shyna's projectiles are determined by the direction she's facing, players have to approach every encounter with heightened awareness. In other shootemups, it doesn't matter where we stand, just as long as we're not in imminent danger. Having such a simple concept irrecoverably altered will take quite some time to adjust to. Since you can't fight against it, you just have to adapt, become one with the world and its denizens. 

Further complicating matters is the fact that both Shyna and her enemies can reflect like-colored projectiles. Reflected bullets become neutral and are dangerous to either element. Needless to say, Shyna could blow herself up if you're not paying attention to what the enemy is doing. Bear in mind also that while destroying the enemy outright might sound like the ideal choice, choice is something of a luxury. Shyna has to be facing the enemy, on the side of them that allows her to inflict damaging shots, and in a position where she isn't at risk of a dreadful counterattack. It's times like these that weakening the enemy and removing some of their special attacks from the equation can be pretty helpful. Also, it might be a good idea to rush in for a grab, pound their face for some extra coins, and then toss them in a direction that favors you. Most notable fights are 1v1s and are very dynamic, with momentum that can turn on a dime. 

The game's adherence to feng shui can also be felt in how Shyna moves. Part of the reason positioning is so important is because the heroine's walking speed is very... normal. She isn't the anomaly that zips all over the screen, ignoring the actions of others as time dilates around her. I seriously almost want to use the word methodical, because the messenger's slow movements often force players to act defensively. Dashing, sliding, and energy tackling are all moves available to the heroine, but there's at least one limitation tied to each. The energy tackle, which crushes enemies with a tremendous burst of speed, requires one to double-tap down and then double-tap forward. If you have Tekken-level execution, you could probably perform it very quickly. However, it's still a move that requires sequential inputs, and can't be relied upon as some instant escape. Slides only go a short distance and dashes tend to be the point A to point B move. These limits emphasize the importance of Shyna's reflect, a move also incapable of solving every problem. After all, it does no good if one is facing the wrong direction or is the wrong element while it's in use. Treasure committed to making a game where every single action is significant. There's always a cost. 

Admittedly, this does mean that it's taken me quite some time to discover an appreciation for what they were going for. The heroine's triple-jump is very cool, but without an air-dash, she often ends up a floaty target. Movement in games is something that I tend to take for granted, so getting smashed by a giant mech that probably could've been outwalked was a serious wakeup call. Several enemy attacks require that one understand good positioning over mere reactions. Megiddo, one of the late-game bosses, has a move where he dive-kicks into the ground and then uppercuts his way out. The kick is easy to avoid because of its long travel-time. Conversely, the uppercut is either a close-dodge or a well-executed reflect. I say well-executed, because if Shyna is too close, she'll take a hit through her shield and lose some spirit. A lot of thoughtful work was put into the encounters, and they often present problems that aren't solved with a little "Oh. I'll just walk over here and avoid it entirely." Count on multiple playthroughs, as it'll take quite some time for all the details to lock into place.

Don't worry if any of this sounds the slightest bit overwhelming. Silhouette Mirage is first and foremost a teaching game. Its lengthy tutorial and frequent bosses that demand Shyna's entire skillset ensure that the player isn't left behind and scrambling for a clue. Also, provided that you've taken advantage of the wealthy, the protag will usually have enough cash to refill both health and spirit. It's not too hard to gain an advantage either. In the caverns of area 1, there's a group of specters that'll respawn if you step into a nearby hole and jump out. This is an exploit that the developers are actually aware of, as they included a hidden shop that sells a level 6 Slotha for 900 bucks, and nobody aside from the farmers of that specific room have that kind of dosh. If you are that person, then congratulations. You now have a weapon that'll crush a good chunk of bosses.

Ah right, the weapons. Something that the cutesy art-direction tends to hide is that the inhabitants of the world tend to be cybernetic abominations. Shyna herself has these weapons called parasites. With names sounding awfully like the seven sins, up to three of these cuddle-wuddlies can be purchased, equipped, and swapped between. Seeing as how parasites are practically the sole means of dealing damage, you'll want some that fit your playstyle... or at least do a half-decent job. My personal favorite is Pridy, because boomerangs are awesome. Glattony is a solid laser that has its uses. As for the rest... well... eh. Some of them just seem too situational or require a heavy investment to be functional. Slotha at anything less than level 6 is hardly worth messing with. I'll also add that the choice of parasite as well as the current spirit level can have a compounding negative effect on boss-battles. Endgame fights with underpowered weaponry tend to drag on for a long time. 

Still, I'd say it's best to approach Silhouette Mirage with an open mind. I mean, that mind has to be wide open. This is a very playful game. Its willingness to take ideas and just toy with them is very reminiscent of Dynamite Headdy. There's a good chance you'll discover a new interaction each time you replay it. Each boss, even those that get crushed with overpowered parasites, has a niche. You can learn the patterns, know exactly where to stand at all times, and still discover something new about them. In essence, this is less a boss-rush and more a very thoughtful series of events. In spite of her protagonist powers and status as messenger of justice/destruction, Shyna is as much an inhabitant of this world as everyone else. There's a level of back-and-forth to every battle that isn't often seen in the action genre. It's a very confident game, never showing hesitancy let alone fear. The dense mechanics and cavalcade of ideas have created something rich, something that can't be imitated. 

Oh, and for the sake of everything, do not ever mess with the Working Designs version. The Saturn original received a lovely fan-translation, and you can always play the Japanese PS1 port if the extra content interests you. WD's gameplay changes built a ruinous shithouse that could very well cause players to shelve the game for decades.

Saturn Look - Hissatsu!

The walls are insulated and the air conditioner is running full blast, but don't look out that window unless you want to see the flames. That's right, we're in licensed game hell. Hissatsu! for the Sega Saturn is based on Hissatsu: Shigotonin, the 15 to 30th series in one of Japan's longest running period dramas. Shigotonin chronicles the exploits of Nakamura Mondo and his group of assassins. Hiding in plain sight, they all have normal lives as officers, monks, doctors, etc. If you've got the coin and a desire for justice, then you can put their real expertise to work. Before the night is over, they'll solve a mystery, find (or avenge) a missing person, and kill the villains responsible. This 1996 game is the result of a collaboration between Emotion Digital Software and KID Corp. You know KID, right? They've done everything from G.I. Joe to Pepsiman. Putting together a Shinobi-like should be no sweat for such a skilled developer.

For the most part, Hissatsu! accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do. At the beginning of each stage, players decide on which two assassins they'll use to infiltrate the enemy's base and eliminate its leader. Mondo is generally a safe pick, as he's great with a sword and can swiftly defeat tough adversaries with a special slashing attack. Tetsu is a bonesetter who crushes spines like party cups, but don't treat him as a strictly melee fighter. His secret technique is a hadouken that can fly through multiple foes at once. Date prefers to use knives and throwing darts. Exceptionally fast both in and out of combat, this craftsman is also a solid choice for most stages. The shamisen-maker Yuji wields a wire that can strike down faraway adversaries. He's also quite the boss-killer once you get his attack timing down. However, he tends to struggle when faced with enemies that can crouch underneath his attacks. Each assassin has their own health meter, and you can switch between the two you've chosen whenever necessary. Naturally, the game ends if they're both defeated. 

Early on, this game has an almost Tenchu-like quality to it. Enemies don't rush in and attack the instant they appear onscreen. Instead, they stand and wait for one of the assassins to cross their line of sight. While every playable character can block, a successful fight often involves mobility or the environment. To give an example, Date's melee attack is quick but has very short range. You're better off jumping over an enemy and stabbing them repeatedly in the neck than trying a direct approach. Of course, this changes if one of your picks is Mondo. He can out-slash most everyone, especially with that special attack of his. The meter underneath everyone's health drains whenever specials are performed. Replenishing this meter is as simple as walking, and you can take further advantage of the mechanic by with the right setup. Tetsu's fireball costs a ton of meter, so keep him as the backup for whenever a squad of goons comes into view. There are a lot of possibilities here. Players could find assassin combinations that fit their style of play, clear a stage in record time, or devise all sorts of extra challenges. 

Stage 3 is where Hissatsu! really starts to embrace its unique qualities. This stage takes place in a massive cave with multiple paths. There are walls that only Mondo or Tetsu can destroy, adding to the variety of routes. Enemies have also leveled up quite a bit. Instead of tired guards or shmucks with swords, our assassin friends will contend with samurai and ninjas. There are two types of ninjas: those who throw shuriken, and those who swing swords (and clone themselves). Much like the arcade Shinobi game, these masked jerks tend to appear from out of nowhere, forcing players to move methodically or react quickly. Even death isn't enough to end their terror, as they have a chance of leaving behind a caltrop. This is a tough but still very reasonable stage, especially if you obtain the onigiri hidden in its many corners. Healing sources are hard to find, which emphasizes the careful "think two steps ahead" play, thus making for an interesting take on the side-scroller formula.

However, since we're in licensed game hell, stage 4 eschews all the possibilities in favor of ninja-filled hallways. Look, I have nothing against one of the hallmarks of action game design. The Shinobi series is a masterclass at it. With dynamic and varied level-design, battling color-coded cretins never gets old. The problem here is that there is no level-design. For at least half of stage 4, the player can only move from left to right while being bombarded by ninjas and crows. Oh, that's right. I forgot to mention that crows hate the heroic assassin team. Crows! This doesn't sit well with me for multiple reasons. It's already known that pissing off a crow will condemn someone to a lifetime of a turmoil. If I was that someone, I'd have to get out of the killing business. Seriously, how could I do my job when there's a murder following my every step yelling "Look at this motherfucker!"? So, yeah. Half of stage 4 is spent getting beaten half to death by ninjas, samurai, and crows. Freaking obnoxious.

A wall of caltrops. This is gaming.

Stage 4 needed to be split into multiple parts, because the second half is its own tale of woe and brutality. There's some much-needed verticality in that the assassins must climb stairs while fending off enemies. Unfortunately, its detours often lead to ninja ambushes. If you see an onigiri, then it's liable to be guarded by at least five ninjas. Only the most meticulous players can get this far into the stage with a decent amount of remaining health. Everyone else will just have to suffer. Also worth mentioning is that an onigiri adds one and only 1 point of health. You could lose that and potentially more just trying to reach it. Hissatsu! could've been six or se-eight stages long, but the developer opted for five, and crammed far too much into one of them, and for what? To pad out the playtime? 

What kills me is that the following stage, which in all likelihood should've been even worse, is actually quite solid. The level-design is pretty interesting, with a wide gamut of scenarios to deal with. I thought the library full of snakes was neat. The new enemies are hardly a fraction as annoying as the ninjas, even if their numbers border on comical. There's a second half with a more labyrinthian layout. Both halves complement each other well. It's like the game decided to be creative again, but only at the very end (and after whittling its player down to a nub). 

Hissatsu! is a hard game to recommend. I don't have any complaints about the basics. Each assassin controls as fluidly as in any other 2D classic. Utilizing their techniques to dispatch foes is seamless and fun. Some real potential can be seen in a few of the stages. Having multiple characters and routes could create serious replay-value. Then stage 4 hits and it's just a torturous series of life-draining situations. If I want to reach the part where the game gets good again, then I have to memorize every inch of a featureless mansion. Failure to do so leads to death by a thousand ninjas. Maybe this is one of those games that would've "hit differently" if I had stumbled upon it back when I was a semi-fanatical Saturn collector. I might've even referred to it at a hidden and slightly tarnished gem. Sadly, those days ended over 20 years ago. Now I'm just another crank trapped in a hell of my own creation.

2026 Special - Kaizō Chōjin Shubibinman 3: Ikai no Princess

I have no idea what to say about Cyber Citizen Shockman 3: The Princess from Another World. A retro-focused blog such as this is bound to cover hundreds of games that can be beaten in 30 minutes or less. However, there's supposed to be something called difficulty to stretch that time out. Masaya's conclusion to the PC Engine trilogy gave me way more than I could possibly need to reach the credits. Health restoratives are consistently dropped, ensuring that I'll never suffer consequences for my mistakes. Bosses are quickly dispatched with remote controlled charge-shots, so there's zero reason to learn patterns or develop strategies. Oh, but what if I actually died?! Well, then there's nothing that can be done except take a continue from the huge stock I've amassed and resume exactly where I died. 

It's... it's unfair! I didn't get any time to think. The entire playthrough was just progress, progress, progress, straight to the end. Kyapiko slashes apart the hopeless enemies and crosses quasi-dangerous chasms with ease. Too much ease, actually! Someone at the dev team could've given her and Tasuke a fixed-arc jump or a health meter that couldn't take more than two hits. Give me something to complain about!

Okay, you know what? Screw it. I'm cutting this review short. You'll just have to imagine six additional paragraphs of bullshit. Kaizō Chōjin Shubibinman 3: Ikai no Princess clearly wasn't for me.

I'm pretty sure I only fought like two of these guys.

2026 Special - Yōkai Buster: Ruka no Daibōken

During the mid-90s, Sting was tasked with creating two games for two big media companies. In 1994's The Jetsons: Invasion of the Planet Pirates, the fate of the Solar System is in the hands of George, who must stop Zora and her SPREE minions from stealing all of the natural resources. The Jetson Patriarch uses a Pneumo Osmatic Precipitator to defeat enemies, climb walls, and do whatever else a futuristic super vacuum would do. Zora's resemblance to Skata-Hara implies that someone at Hanna Barbera wanted to bring a character from the original TV show back for a video game appearance. Skata-Hara has a villainous organization of her own called SNEEK. It's not exactly subtle. The plan probably fell apart after someone realized that Nintendo wouldn't allow a SNES game to reference an episode of The Jetsons titled Space Bong. I have several questions, but none of them are worth answering.

A year later, Kadokawa Shoten commissioned a game from Sting that would use Planet Pirates as its base. Yōkai Buster: Ruka no Daibōken follows the misadventures of Ruka, a literal 1,000-year-old demon-girl living in a post-apocalyptic world. At the time, Ruka was Marukatsu Super Famicom's newest mascot, so giving her a game made sense. While out for a walk in the ruined city, Ruka spots a (evil?) guy, throws a watermelon at him, and immediately falls in love. Somehow this segues into several stages of hop 'n suck action. Oddly convenient how the heroine has a friendly Oni head who functions like a Pneumo Osmatic Precipitator. Maybe this was all explained in the magazine. Besides new graphics and music, Sting improved the level-design, tweaked some sections to be fairer towards players, and added a tutorial & minigame. However, a falling out between president Haruki Kadokawa and his brother Tsuguhiko - as well as Haruki getting arrested for drug-trafficking - spelled the end for Marukatsu Super Famicom and Ruka. 

...Anyway, I've decided to focus my review on Yōkai Buster since it (sort-of) fits the 2026 Special's requirements and is just a better game all-around. Starting with the basics, Ruka can jump, command her decapitated Oni buddy to suck, and run. One aspect of the controls that'll likely go underappreciated is the A button. It functions as if the player had pressed both jump & suck buttons. It sounds superfluous but is actually quite amazing for wall-climbing. Also, yes, it's possible to stick to not just walls, but ceilings too. The tutorial covers all this and more, so give it a spin before starting the adventure. One other trick that you might want to practice is the ceiling-jump. Leaping across a ceiling is tricky, but it can lead to extra rewards. Oh, and runners might want to be careful, or else Ruka will slam into a wall and spend the next few seconds a little dazed.

The "vehicle section" is a totally optional minigame. Thank fuck.

Yōkai take on various forms and are generally dealt with via a faceful of melon or getting sucked in and spat out. It's not always simple, since some might have a projectile or unique trick for punishing players who stick to the usual methods of attack. For instance, some gremlins in Stage 2 hang from the ceiling and chuck projectiles. If you try to hoover the fiend towards you, then what'll happen is the object they just threw is going to be hidden by their body. It's a sneaky trick! The following stage features baddies that'll bat your spittle back at you. Segmented foes gladly give up half of themselves so the other half can land a hit. Further complicating Ruka's life is the ease in which baddies respawn. Step offscreen for a millimeter, come back, and what you thought was destroyed has come back. You can take advantage of this to farm power-ups, so it's not all bad. Although, having these respawns occur in platforming-heavy areas isn't good either.

As far as mechanics-driven platformers go, this one is surprisingly light on the puzzles. The switches that Ruka flips are often done without the aid of Oni-head. There isn't a single segment where the duo latches onto a moving platform in order to cross a chasm. Most stages are just a menagerie of obstacles. Some gaps are jumped over while others are fallen into. Put both of them side-by-side, and you're bound to notice the crueler aspects of Planet Pirates' were toned-down. One section in stage 2 was a vertical shaft that operated by Castlevania rules, meaning as Ruka climbed, everything below her became a bottom-less pit. Cutting that out was a wise decision. Stage 3 had a crushing wall that George could only survive by flipping switches. While this trap is in both games, Ruka doesn't have to be as quick or efficient to survive it. 

Even without the moment-to-moment problems to solve, stages remain semi-interesting thanks to the gimmicks they employ. In stage 5, Ruka contends with a series of traps and one of the rare mini-bosses: a pair of Daruma that must be spat into an electrical field. Next is the water & ice stage, so expect to deal with the combined forces of slippery floors and swimming controls (neither of which are that problematic). Occasional leftovers from Planet Pirates do crop up in the strangest places though. There are some doors that blow Ruka out into space if she's near them when they open. I figured something that out-of-place was suspicious, but I still have to wonder why Sting didn't create mystical doors that sucked the unwary into the death dimension instead. These and other issues can be attributed to a work-for-hire developer cutting corners, and I'm not mad at that. 

Ruka's world is filled with a surprising number if instant-death opportunities. I guess the rule is that if something is big enough to eat her, then she shouldn't go anywhere near it. This is exemplified as early as the first boss. Get too close, and he'll toss the millennia-old teenager out like yesterday's garbage. Try to avoid crushing pistons, purple water, and naked chicks hiding in giant clams. It's not always easy, but accumulating a large number of lives isn't hard. Yōkai Buster is a 16-bit platformer after all. 

I probably should've expected that the final boss is way tougher than everything else in the game. The checkpoints are generous, which is nice to see in a multi-phase finale, but it's really easy to just mess up and die horribly. There are crushing-wall segments, and you're only allowed a sliver of leeway. They're not like... creative or anything. The first is just a matter of not goofing the first couple inputs and then mashing A to scale the wall quickly. The second has one wall that's far taller than the rest, and it might as well have a big "This is where you'll die." sign. The last phase is rife with "fun" attacks like insta-lightning. At least each phase isn't especially durable. 3 to 5 hits are enough to take out each. Still, the frequent deaths really pad things out, creating a frustration that inevitably smothers the otherwise de- just alright game.

Yōkai Buster is fine when it isn't trying to do something. Moving from one end of the screen to the other, hawking monsters into walls, and jumping on a platform or three? That all works, but not to the point where I actually wanted to be tested. Some of the mechanics, like Ruka's slow walking speed while Oni is holding an object, are a bad fit for intense situations. This doesn't matter because almost every fight ends with a single suck & spit. The occasional iffy jump didn't bother me because pits are uncommon and spike beds might as well not exist. It wasn't until I reached to the final boss, with its multiple phases and crushing walls, that I had to ask the game what I was getting in return for my efforts. The answer was silence (obviously), but I'm assuming that if it could, it would've told me about every spare life I was gifted, as if that's supposed to make a difference. Ultimately, this is a tie-in game that accomplished the bare minimum. The best words I can use to describe it are "eh" and "hm".  

Hard mode starts off with an enemy just inches away from Ruka. C'mon Sting, you're better than this.