martiniii
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Post by martiniii on Dec 9, 2013 3:50:56 GMT
I finally popped this one in for a proper whirl. Ages ago I played through most of the tutorial and was quite impressed with both the gameplay and graphics. Now that I've played through the first mission, I have to say that first impression was a bit misleading. Who'd have thought you could create such a long tutorial for such a simple game and still leave out some of the most fundamental gameplay elements? They don't even mention the "limit" danger, much less explain it! Lucky for me I have the manual for the game, or I might never have figured it out. I still really like the game's visuals. It has that good old Saturn 3D look, colorful like Nights Into Dreams, but with slicker, more futuristic textures. The fire doesn't look as menacing as it should, but the environments are very cool. The gameplay I'm less fond of. Getting my character to move with any precision seems impossible, which was a non-issue in the tutorial, making it all the more frustrating that in mission 1 I'm expected to do ridiculous high jumps onto narrow platforms. The power outages are a pain; as if this game isn't disorienting enough when the lights are on. The gems and the rescues I don't know about... Nothing particularly bad about them, but nothing particularly fun about them either. It seems like Sonic Team just stuck together the rings mechanic from Sonic the Hedgehog and the Ideya rescue mechanic from Nights Into Dreams. I'm still trying to get a handle on backflipping out of danger. The warning "alarm" is a bit too subtle for my ears. The voice navigation is fun, even if it's nothing I haven't seen done better in Solar Eclipse/Titan Wars, a game released years before. Given that of the other three games Sega put out alongside Burning Rangers, one had plainly rushed voice acting and the other two just used the voices from the Japanese versions, the voice acting here is pretty well done. Except for Tillis, of course. I get the feeling I'll enjoy Burning Rangers more as I play on. I definitely needed to read the manual again before I started; I blame the game's tutorial for leading me to think I didn't need to read it, but that doesn't change the fact that I was woefully unprepared. One question: Is there a point to getting better grades on missions, like in Nights Into Dreams, or is it just for bragging rights?
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NeoGeoNinja
Shadow Warrior
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Post by NeoGeoNinja on Dec 9, 2013 12:58:07 GMT
Martiniii. I've never really taken this game seriously tbh. But I might do soon enough. Just feeling an inclination towards it lately.
May I ask, what are these missing fundamental play elements you speak of? (re: tutorial).
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Post by bradcap1 on Dec 9, 2013 19:29:06 GMT
I like this game. I've never really had any issues with the platforming. Dark Savior is far worse as far as that goes imo.
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srrae
Joined: August 2012
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Post by srrae on Dec 9, 2013 23:39:53 GMT
I like this game. I've never really had any issues with the platforming. Dark Savior is far worse as far as that goes imo. Im really struggling to get in to that game.
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2013 0:34:49 GMT
I think it's a really cool game with plenty of replay value and some epic bosses. I like the concept but the camera and stiff controls can really hamper the experience.
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martiniii
Joined: January 2010
Posts: 2,116
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Post by martiniii on Dec 10, 2013 15:50:05 GMT
Martiniii. I've never really taken this game seriously tbh. But I might do soon enough. Just feeling an inclination towards it lately. May I ask, what are these missing fundamental play elements you speak of? (re: tutorial). Mainly the limit mechanic: that the limit percentage slowly increases over time, that explosions go off under you whenever it reaches a 20% increment, that the red and yellow bar at the top of the screen visualizes how close it is to a 20% increment, that it's basically game over if the limit reaches 100%, and that extinguishing fire and rescuing prisoners reduces the limit. It also doesn't really explain how your shield works. I think it's a really cool game with plenty of replay value and some epic bosses. I like the concept but the camera and stiff controls can really hamper the experience. Yeah, tell me about it. I just finished mission 2, and the boss fight there seems like it would have been really cool, but thanks to the confusing visuals and control all I could seem to do was keep jumping like a maniac and fire in the boss's direction. Whether I landed on a platform or in the water seemed a matter of fate. I couldn't even figure out what I needed to avoid; almost every time I got hit it seemed to be by a splash of water, but there were three times where I was right in the heart of a splash and didn't get hit. I really enjoyed the rest of the mission a LOT more than I did mission 1, though. Knowing about the limit mechanic made a world of difference, I was more successful with the backflipping, and most important, it felt like I had gotten more accustomed to moving my character around. It's a lot more immersive when you know what you're doing and what's going on. I'm still a bit puzzled as to where all these other people needing rescue are hiding, since the paths don't branch that much, but not a crucial point. The way your character flings himself around the area is actually enjoyable in most situations. And I do enjoy the irony of firefighting in an aquarium.
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martiniii
Joined: January 2010
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Post by martiniii on Dec 13, 2013 18:41:30 GMT
...aaaaand finished. I have to say that Mission 3 was awful. Usually I enjoy the old "press a switch, wander around blindly until you find the door it opened, get the keycard, repeat" routine, but not when there's a timer involved! The game randomly slamming your character into walls is a pretty bottom-of-the-barrel idea. This was also the first mission where I got a game over... why? Well, after I grabbed the boy and walked out onto the girders, the polygons for one of the girders disappeared, leading me to believe this was a dead end and I had to drop down to the floor below in order to find the exit. Why they didn't just have the lower level be a blazing inferno is beyond me, as by the time I realized there is no way to leave the lower level, I had wasted all of my continues. Then there's the boss fight, which feels like an unfinished beta. I'm not even sure what they meant the fight to be like, since you can destroy the boss just by repeatedly jumping and shooting. Is it even possible to die in that fight? Three times I'm sure the boss hit me, and my character flashed brightly in response, but I didn't lose my crystals. Mission 4 was much better, though the lack of enemies, rescuees, or limits makes it feel more like a tech demo than a game. The platform jumping section was a pain at first, and I'm still unimpressed by its repetitive design, but after a little bit I came to appreciate how it forces you to use the analog stick's precision control to its fullest. It felt like I was rediscovering the Saturn analog pad. A lot of the visuals in the level are really enjoyable as well; I didn't notice it until my third attempt, but the wall painting of Iria is an especially nice touch. I had terrific fun with the final boss, getting two game overs on its second form before winning. In fact, on my third attempt I lost a continue on a double kill! [boss starts to explode] Me: Yes! [Shou is hit by a projectile and dies] Me: Ha! It doesn't matter because I got you a split second before! Ending FMV, here I come! [Game over] Me: Nooooooooo!!! ...Well, time to give it another try. I like the format: an easy but intense first form, followed by a second form where you have to go all out. Good way to end the game. Watching the credits, I chanced to see that Omar Hakim played the drums on all the songs. Quite a surprise. I guess Sega really splurged on what little music the game has!
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2013 23:45:45 GMT
Have to agree with your take on Mission 3 and 4. 3 was my least favorite! although the Dolphin was awesome...seriously a dolphin in a space station! I enjoyed the final boss stretch alot, the rail shooter level was pretty tough too.
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ShiningRangerSaga
Saturn Gamer
"Mike Aruba!" -Mike "Buddy" Aruba, Out Of This World, 1992.
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 248
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Post by ShiningRangerSaga on Dec 14, 2013 6:15:27 GMT
I finally popped this one in for a proper whirl. Ages ago I played through most of the tutorial and was quite impressed with both the gameplay and graphics. Now that I've played through the first mission, I have to say that first impression was a bit misleading. Who'd have thought you could create such a long tutorial for such a simple game and still leave out some of the most fundamental gameplay elements? They don't even mention the "limit" danger, much less explain it! Lucky for me I have the manual for the game, or I might never have figured it out. I still really like the game's visuals. It has that good old Saturn 3D look, colorful like Nights Into Dreams, but with slicker, more futuristic textures. The fire doesn't look as menacing as it should, but the environments are very cool. The gameplay I'm less fond of. Getting my character to move with any precision seems impossible, which was a non-issue in the tutorial, making it all the more frustrating that in mission 1 I'm expected to do ridiculous high jumps onto narrow platforms. The power outages are a pain; as if this game isn't disorienting enough when the lights are on. The gems and the rescues I don't know about... Nothing particularly bad about them, but nothing particularly fun about them either. It seems like Sonic Team just stuck together the rings mechanic from Sonic the Hedgehog and the Ideya rescue mechanic from Nights Into Dreams. I'm still trying to get a handle on backflipping out of danger. The warning "alarm" is a bit too subtle for my ears. The voice navigation is fun, even if it's nothing I haven't seen done better in Solar Eclipse/Titan Wars, a game released years before. Given that of the other three games Sega put out alongside Burning Rangers, one had plainly rushed voice acting and the other two just used the voices from the Japanese versions, the voice acting here is pretty well done. Except for Tillis, of course. I get the feeling I'll enjoy Burning Rangers more as I play on. I definitely needed to read the manual again before I started; I blame the game's tutorial for leading me to think I didn't need to read it, but that doesn't change the fact that I was woefully unprepared. One question: Is there a point to getting better grades on missions, like in Nights Into Dreams, or is it just for bragging rights? BR is my favorite saturn game. It def has its flaws, but is a blast to play and has high replay value (different paths, hidden victims like yuji naka, and re arranged levels once beaten.) You don't really need to read the manual. all you need to do is be careful, fast, and look for as many survivors as you can. If its your first time playing, just be casual and only grab the survivors you can. You'll end up getting lost if you start looking everywhere. I would suggest using the flipping and left/right jumps. they comein handy when dodging green fire. If you look around closely, you may find some easter eggs along the way. for example, one street in the game is named twin seeds (nod to nights) you can also find claris and elliot as victims! As for the ranking system, its just a bragging thing to my knowledge. You'll find yourself trying to outdo your last rank if you really enjoy the game like me. to get a good rank is very simple; hoard as many crystals as possible, save as many people as you can, keep the limit under 7%, and finish the bosses quick. After about 3 days of play this shouldnt be a problem doing. Hope you enjoy playing through it like I did
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Post by smithyz on Dec 14, 2013 11:23:53 GMT
Totally agree with ShiningRangerSaga - I think BR is a superb game, and never understood the bad press it gets from some quarters.
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NeoGeoNinja
Shadow Warrior
Joined: August 2011
Posts: 6,616
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Post by NeoGeoNinja on Dec 14, 2013 11:34:20 GMT
Well, Martiniii... I have to say, as someone who hasn't ever spent any real time with the game and having read your comments here; I feel I am in for disappointment with the legendary Burning Rangers I realise, as with everything, you really have to experience these things for yourself, however, the comments you made pretty much aligned with what Terramax has been saying about this game all along. Terra could be pretty harsh on things but, when 2x individuals cite similar issues (vs you being quite the SEGA/Saturn fan too) it does ring alarm bells for me. Guess I'll just have to get knee deep in the flames to find out, huh?...
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martiniii
Joined: January 2010
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Post by martiniii on Dec 14, 2013 15:14:33 GMT
Have to agree with your take on Mission 3 and 4. 3 was my least favorite! although the Dolphin was awesome...seriously a dolphin in a space station! Actually, the dolphin is in Mission 2 - unless there's a background dolphin in Mission 3 that I overlooked? Well, assuming you mean the one in Mission 2, I agree, the dolphin is a brilliant piece of zany camp. I enjoyed the final boss stretch alot, the rail shooter level was pretty tough too. Really? I went through the rail shooter level three times in my effort to beat Mission 4, and I never lost a continue there. The controls there are very jerky, but the hit detection seems to be extremely forgiving, and they provide a lot of crystals. If you look around closely, you may find some easter eggs along the way. for example, one street in the game is named twin seeds (nod to nights) you can also find claris and elliot as victims! Woah, that's a pretty neat secret. Reminds me of how Bio Menace has Commander Keen as one of the hostages. Something to look forward to when I replay the game! As for the ranking system, its just a bragging thing to my knowledge. You'll find yourself trying to outdo your last rank if you really enjoy the game like me. to get a good rank is very simple; hoard as many crystals as possible, save as many people as you can, keep the limit under 7%, and finish the bosses quick. After about 3 days of play this shouldnt be a problem doing. Hope you enjoy playing through it like I did Cool, thanks for the answer. I don't know about getting a good rank not being a problem, though... I'm never good at grades in video games. Lately I've been replaying operations on Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2, and not only have I been unable to get better than a B on most operations, I'm half convinced that it's impossible to get anything other than a C on 5-1 and 7-6. If it doesn't unlock anything, then I just won't worry about the grading system in Burning Rangers. Well, Martiniii... I have to say, as someone who hasn't ever spent any real time with the game and having read your comments here; I feel I am in for disappointment with the legendary Burning Rangers I realise, as with everything, you really have to experience these things for yourself, however, the comments you made pretty much aligned with what Terramax has been saying about this game all along. Terra could be pretty harsh on things but, when 2x individuals cite similar issues (vs you being quite the SEGA/Saturn fan too) it does ring alarm bells for me. Well, I like to vent all my gripes with games here. I do stand by all my complaints, but I didn't mean to give the impression that my overall experience with Burning Rangers is negative, because I did enjoy it on the whole. I wouldn't go with the conventional stance that it's of the same last wave caliber as Panzer Dragoon Saga and Shining Force III, or that it's worth paying over $50 for it (I didn't - picked it up for $40), but the game's good aspects are worth a run through. My biggest caveat is that except for the bosses, the enemies are quite docile; you just stand back and shoot them. That didn't bother me much, but I could see how some people might find that boring.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2013 3:32:25 GMT
right! that would be mission 2! with the dolphin
yea i didn't too well in the shooting segment, but the music! so good
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IrishNinja
Novice
Blue skies forever~
Joined: December 2013
Posts: 43
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Post by IrishNinja on Dec 15, 2013 4:38:52 GMT
as a Naka fan this one's also high on the list, but it goes for close to $100 out here nowadays...that's easily my biggest complaint about it currently!
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Post by bultje112 on Dec 17, 2013 20:19:12 GMT
I finally popped this one in for a proper whirl. Ages ago I played through most of the tutorial and was quite impressed with both the gameplay and graphics. Now that I've played through the first mission, I have to say that first impression was a bit misleading. Who'd have thought you could create such a long tutorial for such a simple game and still leave out some of the most fundamental gameplay elements? They don't even mention the "limit" danger, much less explain it! Lucky for me I have the manual for the game, or I might never have figured it out. I still really like the game's visuals. It has that good old Saturn 3D look, colorful like Nights Into Dreams, but with slicker, more futuristic textures. The fire doesn't look as menacing as it should, but the environments are very cool. The gameplay I'm less fond of. Getting my character to move with any precision seems impossible, which was a non-issue in the tutorial, making it all the more frustrating that in mission 1 I'm expected to do ridiculous high jumps onto narrow platforms. The power outages are a pain; as if this game isn't disorienting enough when the lights are on. The gems and the rescues I don't know about... Nothing particularly bad about them, but nothing particularly fun about them either. It seems like Sonic Team just stuck together the rings mechanic from Sonic the Hedgehog and the Ideya rescue mechanic from Nights Into Dreams. I'm still trying to get a handle on backflipping out of danger. The warning "alarm" is a bit too subtle for my ears. The voice navigation is fun, even if it's nothing I haven't seen done better in Solar Eclipse/Titan Wars, a game released years before. Given that of the other three games Sega put out alongside Burning Rangers, one had plainly rushed voice acting and the other two just used the voices from the Japanese versions, the voice acting here is pretty well done. Except for Tillis, of course. I get the feeling I'll enjoy Burning Rangers more as I play on. I definitely needed to read the manual again before I started; I blame the game's tutorial for leading me to think I didn't need to read it, but that doesn't change the fact that I was woefully unprepared. One question: Is there a point to getting better grades on missions, like in Nights Into Dreams, or is it just for bragging rights? I hope you are playing with a 3d controller?
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