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Alien Syndrome
Arcade
Nostalgia Factor:
I just reviewed the NES version of Alien Syndrome a few weeks ago. I had a good time with the game, and I really wanted to check out the arcade version to see how they compared. I have faint memories of the arcade game from when I was a kid. I was always fascinated by it, with its alien creatures, weird looking bosses, and futuristic stage design. I was never very good at it, though, and would normally die somewhere around the second or third level.
I figured this would be a good time to come back and finish off the game once and for all - while it is fresh in my memory from playing the NES title. Which version is the ultimate version of Alien Syndrome? Guess it is time to find out.
Story:
There's not much of a story here. You control one of two soldiers: Ricky or Mary. It's the future, and there's been an alien invasion. You must fight your way through a series of 6 stages, rescuing 12 prisoners from each stage and then fighting a boss at the end of each stage. When you are done, you go right into a boss battle against the end character. The big bad alien head guy.
When you beat him, your characters are lauded as heroes, while the game hints at a possible return from the aliens in the future. The end.
(Yes, I copied and pasted this from my NES review of Alien Syndrome. Call me lazy if you want.)
Gameplay:
I'm not going to spend too much time summarizing the gameplay. It's the same thing you see in the NES version, which I just reviewed. I'd copy and paste like I did with the story summary, but that's just lazy. I'll post the link to my old review instead :)
The version of this that I played was the version located on the Sonic Genesis Collection for the PS3. I specifically chose this version, because it offers the ability to save your game at any time. If you die or run out of lives completely, you can reload the last save and try again. Otherwise, in this game, there are no continues. If you use up your lives, you gave to start the whole thing from the beginning again. I tried to do it without saving, but the game gets too difficult around stage four or five. Even when you learn where everything is, and the best strategy for navigating a level, some fluke shot or enemy appearance can take you out before you even know it. One hit kills you, and there isn't a way to earn extra lives. Every single life matters.
The main thing that tripped me up with this game was the boss battles. The stages themselves actually aren't that hard. But the behavior of the bosses can be unpredictable. I believe it is the stage four boss that kept tripping me up. The margin for error is razor thin. Like I said - one hit kills you. Even if you make it to this boss on a perfect run, you can still find yourself dying BAM BAM BAM in twenty seconds. Back to the beginning of the entire game you go. That's why I eventually gave up and decided to use save states.
The bosses get even harder from there. I don't know how anyone could ever beat this game without saving, because that last boss in particular is insanely tough. He emits this radiating circle attack where you have to squeeeeze into a safe space in between beams that is insanely small and tight. You have to be pixel perfect in order to not get killed immediately. And he repeats this attack 10+ times throughout the course of the battle. I had to save after literally every single successful dodge. And even then, I struggled. I'm sure there are people that have beaten this game without cheating. But damn. I can't imaging ever being that good at the game to do so. As a result, I feel zero guilt about my prodigious use of save states.
Graphics:
It doesn't really come across in the screenshots, but the game looks good. I much prefer it to the NES version. It's got a funky color scheme. It can be bright and colorful in areas, while dark and creepy in others. Each stage has different alien creatures to fight. Luckily, there aren't as many enemies that look like genitals in this version of the game. The bosses are the visual highlight. Giant, grotesque alien creatures. Each one takes a different strategy to defeat. I always looked forward to seeing these.
While the premise of the game is essentially the same for every level (rescue the prisoners and then get out), each level has its own unique feel to it. Some stages take place on a more Alien-like space ship or space station. Others take place in cave-like environments where you have to walk around on jagged ledges, being careful not to fall off the edge. I always loved those levels. Another one features a glass floor that you walk around on, where you can see off into space below you. So while you are doing the same thing over and over again, it always feels different because of all the fun stage designs and enemy creatures.
Sound:
This game sounds alright. The stage music gets you in the mood to shoot some aliens. It's a little darker than the NES soundtrack, and feels more appropriate to the game. As far as visuals and music go, the edge definitely goes to the arcade game.
Overall:
I had a fun time with this game. The only thing really holding it back is its difficulty. I mean, the difficulty itself isn't that bad, actually. But it's more the fact that you don't have the opportunity to earn extra lives, and there is no way to continue. It doesn't matter how many quarters you put in. The game must be beaten on one quarter. That's insane to me.
I got pretty good at the game, and could make it to stage 4 or 5 on one quarter. But something unlucky is pretty much guaranteed to happen every single time you play this, no matter how good you are. I'd be on a perfect run, but then always find a way to make that crucial mistake that would totally F me over big time. I ended up having to turn to the Sonic Collection version on the PS3 just so I could use save states to get myself through the game. Wait, did I already mention that? Oh yeah, I did. Carry on.
If it wasn't for that one large, glaring flaw, this game would probably rate much higher for me. I think it would have been a more popular game in general. It just never truly feels like you can beat it, no matter how good you are. You have to be absolutely flawless to even have a chance. And that's just not possible.
That said, I still really like the game. I don't have it in me to give it anything lower than a B, which is what the slightly more accessible and winnable NES version got. It's the better game in many regards. Mainly the graphics and the presentation. But gameplay is pretty much the same. So it's a draw in my mind. The uglier game that can actually be beaten, or the prettier game that's mind numbingly difficult and borderline unbeatable? It's a matter of preference. And I don't lean strongly either way.
THE GRADE:
B
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