A great Robocop-style shoot-em-up (Crusader - No Remorse (PS))

Member Name: Burning_Darkness

Product:	Crusader - No Remorse (PS)
Date:	09/08/09 (12 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great visuals and animation, big explosions, great weapons, enjoyable, arcade fun

Disadvantages: can get a little repetitive, collision detection is a little ropey in places

First released back in 1995, Crusader: No remorse is an isometric-perspective shoot-em-up with platform elements set in a universe that is somewhere between Robocop and Total Recall. You play as a lone rebel soldier in a bright red heavily armoured suit, blasting through numerous levels as you take on a vast, fascist corporation, infiltrating offices, factories and laboratories and fighting against a range of foes that range from lowly security guards to elite soldiers to huge, chaingun-and-rocket-launcher-wielding, Ed-209-style bipedal robots.

The game has an element of stealth to it as, you must try and avoid being spotted by security cameras, gun turrets and company employees, who will trigger alarms if spotted, at which point reinforcements will move in on your position. The animation is stunning, as you perform combat rolls to avoid enemy fire and duck in and out of cover, and there are loads of nice touches such as being able to blow up barrels, causing any nearby foes to run about screaming and on fire before collapsing into a pile of charred flesh.

The weapons are great too, including pistols, assalt rifles, a combat shotgun, rocket launchers, lasers and plasma guns, and the whole thing looks colourful and exciting, with bucketloads of bright explosions, varied levels, fully destructible environments and appealing SVGA graphics. The game has a story too, with numerous live-action cutscenes that are acted in a cheesy but endearing way, and there are intervals in between each mission in which you return to your rebel headquarters to tool up on weapons and have a chinwag with your fellow comrades at the local bar. The gameplay can get a little repetitive after a while, and there are some minor problems, such as slightly ropey collision detection in places, but overall Crusader- No Remorse is a loud, colourful and wholly satisfying shoot em up with lots of character and charm.

Summary: A real blast from the past