The Brothers Duomazov

Exile II starts off in exciting fashion with an excellent opening cinema. Granted, said cinema basically just shows off the four main characters, but it makes them look like badasses, and the music accompanying it is absolutely fantastic. The scene at the end of the game depicting an unexpected dilemma for returning-hero Sadler is also pretty damn cool.

But look between those two extreme points and you'll find a very short, very easy, very average action-RPG. It's a lot like the first Exile but even more linear: the "adventure" is actually no more than a straight line from town to battle scene to town to battle scene. This is nice in that the language barrier won't become a factor if you opt for the cheap import, but it doesn't make for great questing.

The action plays out poorly, but it doesn't matter in the Japanese original because you're way too powerful for your adversaries to handle, regardless of how many hits they get in. If you choose to purchase the much more expensive and notoriously "difficult" US rendition, Wicked Phenomenon, you'll find that Working Designs made the enemies hardier and capable of dealing greater damage. This isn't nearly the big deal that many make it out to be; you just have to do a little more leveling and pay a bit more attention to boss patterns (and endure some horrible voice acting as you proceed--they really sissified Sadler). WP can feel more rewarding than its Japanese counterpart since it actually requires players to pay some attention to what their foes are doing; but it can also be a lot more irritating, as it frequently makes players hack away at slow, dimwitted roadblocks who pose absolutely no threat but refuse to go away until they've been hit a few million times.

Some of the WP bosses aren't quite as weak as the complete chumps in the first Exile, but they're still pushovers; and the stage design is worse here, as the original's levels are larger and more labyrinthine. Offering a few different characters to play as doesn't make up for these deficiencies. Plan to have this one beaten in a day (yes, even the "impossible" WP), and don't plan to make any return trips once you're done.

The opening sequence is superb, but it's all downhill from there...

...except, of course, when you get to watch subsequent solid cinemas.

The decent-looking backgrounds and character sprites are the most noteworthy elements of the in-game experience.

Town scenes are uneventful.

You shouldn't have to break a sweat when fighting the bosses... or at any point at all, really.

Barunba

~ BARUNBA ~

Namco / Zap

HuCard

1990

Barunba seems to be antiquated garbage from afar, but it isn't a terrible little shooter. While there's nothing surprising about the area concepts it utilizes, its backdrops do look distinct and appealing enough to make its battle sites stand out from other titles' cities, forests, and mountain ranges. You don't get to explore at your leisure, but the adventure doesn't feel entirely linear, as each stage has you alter your course numerous times. You'll come across plenty of different enemy breeds and partake in some fairly demanding boss fights. Hard-core shooter players will be happy with the high level of difficulty and the amount of practice required by the game's tougher sections.

But it's doubtful that they (or anyone else, for that matter) will find the control scheme acceptable, as it requires players to rotate their cannons about their craft and makes some tight stretches a lot more difficult than they should be. You're sure to feel clumsy as you struggle just to move your guns into proper position. Also awful is the high-pitched sound made when you get hit, and since your globular craft makes for an enormous target, you'll be hearing that noise quite often. You might give up on the game prior to the cacophony becoming unbearable, though; boredom will set in due to some lengthy stages requiring way too much time.

There's nothing wrong with laying out a few bucks for Barunba; it might surprise you to an extent if your expectations are low like mine were. Just be prepared for the frustration you'll feel as a result of dealing with clunky controls, super-long stages, and irritating sound effects.

Some of the areas don't look all that bad, I suppose, and each plays home to plenty of different kinds of creatures.

Your adversaries in the underwater zone are interesting, but the backdrop is rather ugly.

The bosses are goofy looking, but you'll still need to come up with solid plans in order to beat 'em.

These mini-bosses will be the least of your worries as you blast your way through the final level.

Now here's someone to worry about...

Bomberman

~ BOMBERMAN ~

Hudson Soft / NEC

HuCard

1991

My favorite parts of my Bomberman experience were the Gate of Thunder breaks I took every few levels. My fondest memory of it revolves around the discovery that my Gate 3-in-1 disc contained a free fourth game. I was happy about that, even though I seldom bothered with the freebie. I always looked at Bomberman as something laughable; I felt embarrassed for Hudson that this basic, archaic effort was their pride and joy, the foundation for their trademark franchise. I could see why, say, Compile would wave their Puyo Puyo flag proudly; I don't dismiss the notion of a series with a simple premise having a huge impact on players, especially if its games are charming and addictive. But I'd never believed that the Bomberman line possessed those traits, and upon finally bothering to beat the first episode's adventure mode, I felt all the more confident in my long-standing view.

No manual perusing is necessary for grasping the basics here: just drop a few bombs, dash for cover, and watch as your mindless adversaries are blown to bits by the ensuing explosions. The game becomes mildly enjoyable once you grab power-ups that enable you to walk through walls and detonate bombs at will, but it also turns into a cakewalk once you acquire those capabilities. Prior to that point, it feels extremely slow and repetitive, what with the waiting around for bombs to blow up and the stages that all seem very similar to one another. By the time I reached the second half of the adventure (which is made up of eight rounds, each of which contains eight stages), I was sick of the whole play system. Irritation ultimately set in: starting in Stage 8-4, multiple spinning-face things (which can cruise through destructible walls) would come right at me as soon as I'd gain control, which made for many cheap deaths as I tried to escape from the very-tight "start corners." I endured the unfairness because I knew I was near the end; and for my efforts, I did get to experience a fairly interesting fight with a covey of evil bombermen. Unfortunately, most of the other attempts at "boss battles" fell flat.

Things eventually improved for Bomberman on the PCE; '93 and '94 are both much better than this "pioneer." It's often said that this first title is a heck of a lot more enjoyable in multiplayer mode, but I doubt it would do much for me even if others were partaking in the bomb-laying mayhem, and frankly, I don't think I'll ever bother to find out. My friends and I usually play quality stuff like Asuka 120%, Puyo Puyo, and Dungeon Explorer when we get together, and I can't see this moldy old-timer cracking the rotation.

The bad guy got away with the girl. Thank goodness we have the helpful map screen to guide us to his lair.

You'll have to deal with certain types of enemies over and over again, and the "environments" that host the redundant battles aren't very interesting.

Here's a look at some of the bosses. I say blow these fools up quickly and get back to Gate of Thunder.

Coryoon

~ CORYOON ~

Naxat Soft

HuCard

1991

The tiny dragon who stars in this sidescrolling shooter is one of the most immediately appealing underdog-type characters I've ever come across. The "little guy against the odds" element combined with cute voices and beautiful parallax endeared the title to me right off the bat. Things got even better when I became acquainted with the young fire-breather's enemies, which include gorgeous, fantastical creatures like unicorns and hippogriffs along with blue-collar types like giant snakes and furious lobsters. There's also a cutesy mini-stegosaur and a disgruntled turtle with a detachable crystal shell.

But there are things that people might take issue with too. Like most "chunky sprite" shooters, Coryoon can feel sloppy, a feeling that's frequently exacerbated by the screen being overloaded with icons, enemies, and projectiles. Despite the sprite spattering, your foes have almost no chance to win, as the game is beyond generous with the amount of extra lives it hands out. The graphics, while heavy on scrolling effects, are fairly basic in spots and fail to match the level of detail found in the visuals of Coryoon's close cousin, Air Zonk. The music also falls into the "nice, but not in AZ's league" category.

But while I'm certainly not one to excuse sloppy gameplay or lack of difficulty, I honestly feel that to bemoan those issues in this case would be to miss the point. I've played through the game many, many times, as its wonderful charm that so engaged me initially has actually held up through subsequent visits. Its bosses have proven to be enjoyable sparring partners, and its flood of fruits and flashy adversaries always keeps me on the move and eager to accumulate as many points as possible while preserving my capped-out stock of lives. It feels like a chaotic blast of fun rather than a clunky slopfest or an overly easy jaunt. And while Coryoon may be inferior aesthetically to HuCard-marvel Air Zonk, I still enjoy visiting its orange skies and lavender caverns and listening to its pleasant tunes (a few of which have quite an edge to them and remind me of certain Thunder Force III tracks). In fact, the game has proven to be even more enjoyable than AZ for me.

Whether or not there's enough enjoyment to be had with this chip for folks to shell out ninety bucks for it is another issue entirely. But this does seem to be a game that prospective buyers can find a nice deal on if they're patient; mine cost a tidy thirty dollars, and honestly, if I had paid more than that, I believe I'd still feel that it was money well spent. If people are willing to cough up hundreds for crap like Magical Chase, surely they should reserve a place in their budget for this little gem. Highly recommended!

This bum plays a pretty mean trick on you.

Now it's one little dude against the universe.

Explore blue ocean depths while slaying grinning serpents and angry lobster guys...

...and then take to bright orange skies to face maniacal birds and magnificent hippogriffs.

Not every strip is remarkable visually, but each maintains a high level of onscreen activity.

The turtle is my favorite, but the other boss creatures are pretty cool too.

Some mini-bosses are a lot more aggressive than others.

It's that mean bum again. Now, take your revenge...

Davis Cup Tennis

~ DAVIS CUP TENNIS ~

Loriciel / NEC

HuCard

1991

When I was a kid, I really enjoyed watching and playing tennis, so I made sure to pick up both Davis Cup and World Court. I've never liked WC, as I absolutely hate its gameplay, but DC has always been good fun. I really appreciate the relatively realistic action and presentation elements that it offers. I also get a kick out of ascending through the ranks, improving my attributes, and playing at Grand Slam events against "real" players of the time (it doesn't take a genius to figure out who "Ivan," "Boris," "Mats," "John," and "Jimmy" are meant to represent, and even lesser players from the era, like "Aaron," are included).

Over the years, I've heard numerous complaints about the game, most of which concern the alleged infallibility of the computer-controlled players. Sour faced and defeated, the complainers speak of situations where rallies never ended because the opposition never blundered. I think that most of the folks who voice such grievances haven't read the instruction manual. It's true that if you play a lower-ranked opponent and simply swat the ball back and forth with him, any given shot sequence may prove interminable. But DC allows you to use so many different shot types and techniques that rallies should never degenerate into such ridiculous affairs. And as you rise through the ranks, the computer-controlled players begin utilizing different techniques and strategies themselves.

If anything, it's a bit too easy to storm through tournaments and ascend to #1. But even if you eventually find one-player events unfulfilling, two-player mode should still make for great fun.