Solar Eclipse
Sega Saturn
When you think of classic releases for the Sega Saturn, most likely you will think of games like Daytona USA, Panzer Dragoon, Virtua Fighter, Guardian Heroes, or Nights Into Dreams. Even the critically panned Sonic R would likely come to mind before Solar Eclipse. But that's you. This is me. When I think of the Saturn, I think of Solar Eclipse. It is a highly underrated title, and it is one of my favorite games for the Saturn.
I first became aware of this title through advertisements in video game magazines. I was still playing the Sega Genesis at this point, and was saving up to buy a Saturn. The ads and video game articles about the game made a big deal out of Claudia Christian from Babylon 5 being in it, yet I had never seen the show, so I could not have cared less. However, I couldn't help but be intrigued by the screenshots of the FMV sequences in general. The fact that you could watch movie-like scenes with actual actors on a video game system was mind blowing to a lot of people back then. I know it sounds silly now, but back then, this was a brand new thing.
Solar Eclipse is a space combat title. I had never been a huge fan of these kind of games. I had played a little Star Fox, and I mildly enjoyed it. The X-Wing and Tie Fighter games for the PC were pretty good too. But my interest in the genre was at its highest when my stepbrother rented a PS1 for the weekend. He checked out Warhawk with it. We played the crap out of that game, and although we never finished it, it definitely made a game like Solar Eclipse seem more appealing to me. Shortly after that, I played a Wing Commander demo for 3DO at a game store - and I was impressed. So yeah, I was going to check out Solar Eclipse. But first I had to get a Saturn.
The life span of the Sega Genesis was at its end, and it was time for me to get a new console. Being a huge Sonic fan and a Sega loyalist, of course I was going to get a Sega Saturn. Truly a horrible decision in retrospect, but at least I got to play a bunch of games that no one else likely had the chance to play. Solar Eclipse was one of them.
My dad and step mom took me to go get the Saturn, which I had saved up birthday and allowance money for. They also bought me a new TV for my room, since I had let my brother's girlfriend stay in my room for a few weeks after she got kicked out of her house by her parents. Seemed like a fair reward for having to sleep with my brother in his room every night.
Of course I couldn't just buy a console, and not have any games to play with it. The cheapest game they had there was Solar Eclipse, which was only like 20 bucks. So despite not knowing much about it, I got it. I had liked those Star Wars shooters, plus I had enjoyed Warhawk and Wing Commander (from my brief experience testing it out) so I figured why not. I suddenly had high hopes for a game that I had never given much thought to before. So yup, of all the titles out there, Solar Eclipse was my first Saturn game.
I actually had some frustration setting the Saturn up. I couldn't figure out that you had to change the input when using the red/white/yellow connectors. Up to this point, with my older systems, you simply used the regular cable and put it on channel three. After so much of a wait and build up, I could not get my Saturn to work. It was excruciating. I futzed with it all night, while watching episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation on TV in the background while I tried to figure it out.
Somehow, after several long hours, it finally clicked and I got it to work. I had to change the input. I jumped out of my seat and fired up Solar Eclipse. Yes! I was finally going to be able to play the Saturn.
Before even playing the game, I was impressed. The short FMV introduction blew me away. I finally had a video game system of my very own capable of such a feat. Amazing! Also, on the game's menu there was a video you could watch that contained a preview of other games for the Sega Saturn. It took place at a school, and centered around a nerdy kid getting hit by kickballs while a mean teacher yelled at him. With real actors. On my television. Again, mind blowing for its time. I used to watch that video over and over again repeatedly, and I showed it to everyone who would watch.
On to the actual game. The closest comparison I had in my mind was Star Fox. There was no turning around or exploring like in titles such as Warhawk. You were on a track, and despite multiple paths you could take, it was pretty much a linear game where you were always moving forward. Teammates chattered in your ear as you gunned down an endless supply of enemies. You picked up items, collected upgrades, you fought bosses. The comparison in my mind to Star Fox was very easy to make.
The thing that stood out to me was its story line. The game had an incredibly deep and mysterious story. There was a large cast of characters, each with their own unique style and personality. To make a long story short, you are investigating an incident that wiped out a colony on one of Saturn's moons. You get attacked by what you think are colonists, but turn out to be an intelligent AI network that is intent on destroying humanity. It takes some dark and creepy turns. You lose some people. There's a guy that antagonizes you that always put me on edge when I was a kid.
This game engaged me so much, I didn't put it down for weeks when I was a kid. The story kept me going, the gameplay was fun, and technologically it was so advanced, I was head over heels in love with it. I played it over and over again. And that's because there are a lot of secrets and a lot of things to see.
Although the game is set on a track like Star Fox, there are multiple routes you can go. Nothing that affects the story line or the progression of the game, but enough to add depth to each play through. Also, there are an abundant number of secret stages and bonus levels in the game, which you can only discover by fully exploring each level. I still remember the password to the bonus stage where you fight the floating heads of the developers. RDDLCRAZY.
As I said before, each stage has its own unique look and feel. There are ice planets, there are barren moons, there are lava filled caverns. The bosses at the end of each stage are also unique, and present an actual challenge you must face before moving on to the next level. Some of them are truly difficult. They aren't just there for show.
I couldn't have asked for a better first game for the Sega Saturn. It is truly a travesty that I have yet to encounter a single person who has played this game. It is a classic and I would just love to nerd out reminiscing with someone over special memories this game holds. It controls great and it is challenging - but not so hard that you want to give up. Technically it was advanced for its time. The story really keeps you going. The cast is wonderful. There are many secrets and things to uncover as you play. And each time you complete the game you notice something you never have before. Really a well made game.
I wish I could get people to play this game, but seeing how defunct the Saturn is, and how difficult this title probably is to find, it is a lost cause. However, its legacy will live on in my eyes forever.
(edit: I later found out that this was released on the PS1 under the title of Titan Wars. So it is not a Saturn exclusive. Sorry about that. Check it out if you can)
I couldn't have asked for a better first game for the Sega Saturn. It is truly a travesty that I have yet to encounter a single person who has played this game. It is a classic and I would just love to nerd out reminiscing with someone over special memories this game holds. It controls great and it is challenging - but not so hard that you want to give up. Technically it was advanced for its time. The story really keeps you going. The cast is wonderful. There are many secrets and things to uncover as you play. And each time you complete the game you notice something you never have before. Really a well made game.
I wish I could get people to play this game, but seeing how defunct the Saturn is, and how difficult this title probably is to find, it is a lost cause. However, its legacy will live on in my eyes forever.
(edit: I later found out that this was released on the PS1 under the title of Titan Wars. So it is not a Saturn exclusive. Sorry about that. Check it out if you can)
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