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Rainbow 6 (DC)
by thole09
"Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six" is a tactical based shooting game. It was first released for the Sega Dreamcast in 2000 by Majesco Games. In the United States, the game received an age guidance rating of "T" which deemed it appropriate for ages 13 and above. The video game was first seen as a PC CD-ROM title two years ... earlier, but was later reproduced for Dreamcast play.
Spread over 21 missions around the world, players of Rainbow Six assume the role as a commanding operative to the ultra secretive anti-terrorist organization codenamed "Rainbow". Each missions is split into two distinct phases of gameplay. The first is the "planning" phase. Here, players are presented a roster of elite weapons and tactics personnel and must assign them to four colour coded teams. Each member features a short readable biography which details their specialties such as assault weapons, sniper weapons, electronics use, and demolition. After these selections are made players then kit out their team with a primary weapon, a side arm, and two choices of accessories ranging from frag grenades and explosive door breaches through to passive items such as binoculars and heartbeat sensors. Following this, the player is then taken to a rough overhead grid presentation of the terrain in the upcoming mission. Players must virtually navigate their team members by setting a route of directions and actions which will be undertaken during the action phase. Failing to assign these commands will result in an error and prompt the player to designate a movement path. For speed of operation, I find it easiest to simply plot a starting point for each of my team colours and allow them to come to a rest at the beginning of the map. This way, should my primary team take a full set of causalities, I am able to quickly revert to the starting point of the stage and re attempt my own personal plan of action.
The second phase of the video game is the "action" phase. All movements assigned to teams in the planning phase will immediately execute themselves on three computer controlled teams. The player controls his or her own team, and may follow any preferred course in the game. If a player is killed in action, he or she will become the next character in sequence until all members of each team have been neutralized or the mission objective has been met. As the player is given free rule over his or her chosen path of movement, this often makes reading the in-game map difficult as coloured line segments will stretch and skew in all directions in aims of bringing the player back to the assigned path of movement during the planning phase. The use of the map isn't often necessary, however, as gameplay stages are compact and quick to execute.
The level of difficulty could be perceived as high, though. Terrorists sport a seeming sense of preparedness and are able to accurately place shots in Rainbow operatives which usually result in a kill after two or three bullets. Also, if a mission is a hostage situation, carelessly "ramboing" through the stage with louder instruments of destruction will often result in civilian loss of life and the player will be forced to re attempt the action phase. Rainbow Six features a high level of detailed realism, and requires strategic and methodical play throughout each action phase.
The graphics of the video game hold true to what was seen earlier on the personal computer. Presented from a first person view, the player will see a large red crosshair in the centre of the screen which adapts to his or her movements by growing larger and thus less accurate in shot placement. Below this is a panel of information related to the video game such as team positions, a miniature map, a photo of the equipped weapon, and a portrait of the player's character. The movement of the game is generally smooth though seems to boast a sense of linearity; characters don't swagger with the typical running bounce seen in many modern first person shooting video games. The soundtrack is complimentary to a dedicated simulation. While there are fragments of orchestral score at random intervals, the player will usually hear sound effects to include unique gunfire from each weapon and various cries of pain or surprise from the enemy.
Rainbow Six provides a great strategic twist to the first person shooting genre. I was slightly disappointed after purchasing the game to find the title is void of any multiplayer capabilities as I was a fan of Internet based play on the PC CD-ROM version, but have always found the single player venture to be thought provoking and entertaining. I would happily recommend it to prospective buyers.
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Tokyo Bus Guide (DC)
by thole09
"Tokyo Bus Guide" is a simulation video game. It was first released for the Sega Dreamcast in 1999 by Foryfive. At the time of release, the title was available for importation outside of the Japanese market and requires an import boot disc to load it on European consoles. I was not able to immediately find an age guidance ... rating but would likely find it appropriate for all ages.
I can't quite remember how I came across this video game but have always found it to be a difficult venture. Players assume the role as a bus driver on the streets of Tokyo and must pick up and deliver passengers on route within a designated time limit. The concept could be fun in an action genre, however Tokyo Bus Guide is a rigid simulation which requires the driver to adhere to all legal operations and Japanese road laws. Players have a health style metre at the bottom of the display and any penalties incurred, such as speeding, rushing through a red light, or failing to use turn signals, will tick away at said metre. More serious offenses such as mowing down a pedestrian will immediately end the game. The gaming experience at large is slow paced and could be described as almost hypnotic due to its relaxing yet very repetitive requirements.
As I am not familiar with the Japanese language, Tokyo Bus Guide overwhelmed me at first. It is very cartoon-like in its presentation but a few unguided button strikes on my Dreamcast game pad led me into the game. From there, the experience becomes very easy to follow with on screen prompts guiding the player to each subsequent mission objective. The bulky Dreamcast controller seems well suited for games such as this. Players will often find themselves making use of the trigger keys assigned to the back of the game pad which activates the bus' acceleration throttle. Players must be wary, however, as holding these buttons for too long of a period will incur a speeding penalty.
The graphics are presented from a trailing view of the player's bus but can be adjusted to an internal first person view. The impressions of cartoon imagery seen in the menu system transferred well into the gaming experience itself. The characters, vehicles, and the streets of Tokyo are presented in a well scaled three dimensional environment The player's bus moves at a smooth and fluid rate, though I don't feel this level of fluidity was applied to other motorists who often speed ahead and chop along the display unless right next to the bus. The soundtrack is suitable for a simulation based video game. There is a distinct absence of music which favours the rumbles and clunks of a large city bus.
Tokyo Bus Guide would likely satisfy a dedicated simulation enthusiast's want for bus based transportation. The gameplay experience is very sensitive to the slightest fault which makes for a very difficult time in front of the games console. I didn't find Tokyo Bus Guide to be an enjoyable game because of this, and due to the region incompatibility would be hesitant about recommending this to prospective buyers.
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South Park Rally (DC)
by thole09
"South Park Rally" is a racing video game. It was first released for the Sega Dreamcast in 2000 by Acclaim. In the United States, the game received an age guidance rating of "M" which deemed it appropriate for ages 17 and above. Its content is based on the animated television series "South ... Park".
In a seeming Mayoral declaration to boost the economy of South Park, citizens are advised that major Holidays and public events will now be commemorated with a go-kart style race. Each resident of the town is welcome to participate but much each supply his or her own type of vehicle. The most popular of characters, a total combined roster of 30 with hidden characters, bring forth their wheels and compete against each other in a friendly tournament. The gameplay is consciously modeled on the grotesque jokes and ribs widely featured throughout the series, and in being a kart racing venture features offensive weapons such as alien lasers which can be used against opponents. Players may also harness the power of Terrence and Phillip who fart their way through a burst of speed to propel the driver forward. Players may compete through a championship mode which gradually introduces secret characters over a series of 14 different races, and may use these characters in exhibition matches after successfully completing the championship race.
One critical aspect which immediately struck me about South Park Rally is its lack of control. Attempting to execute sharp turns around corners results in any given character carelessly crashing into nearby barricades or driving off into the terrain. I found myself having to time my upcoming turns far in advance before actually turning, but even in doing so the precision required seems to break down to basic guesswork and chance. There doesn't seem to be an accurate control model in place and each bend in the track performs with a noticeable difference.
The graphics are presented from a trailing view of the player's character. Each model is a distinct "bobble head" type figure which sways as per the player's direction. I was able to immediately identify each character with ease and felt the graphics of the title complimented what is seen on television. For players unfamiliar with the programme, however, they may feel there is a distinct "flatness" to the imagery though this is appropriate as per the series. The title also features numerous voice snippets and gestures taken from title characters and implemented into the video game. The music is upbeat and lively, and suitable for a racing setting.
Overall, South Park Rally is a visually decent offering which is let down by its gameplay. It is not something which I would recommend due to its lack of handling mechanisms which ultimately make for a very poor gaming experience.
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