loathsomeleopard

So, while i'd been aware of Mercs since back in the day, I'd never actually played it before. Lots of Commando in the arcades though, so I can't really say why I hadn't played it. First impressions of the Megadrive version aren't spectacular; it's got that low-resolution look of a lot of early-ish MD games that hasn't always aged all that well. However, none of that matters, because it it genuinely quite good fun, in that classic mindless blast-the-hell-out-of-everyone-yeah-you'll-die-a-fair-bit-because-it-was-an-arcade-game way. Sometimes that's all you need.

Rolf Harris has died - filling both the famous and infamous parts of the equation.

Taste is relative - I would argue that Skull Island is boring dreck - but then this list misses Shin Godzilla, so it’s automatically wrong anyway.

The pool jumps - especially in later levels - are my least favourite part of this game, especially as some conversions make it really tough to survive. Good simple arcade fun otherwise.

It's a weird one for sure -- the debt to Rolling Thunder is obvious, but it's like they decided "how far *can* we push the envelope before somebody says no?", only nobody in management was around that day to actually do so. Quite clunky in places (reminds me in a lot of ways of The Terminator in movement and the stun-lock-kill cycle) and it's super clearly an arcade coin muncher too, based on the quick run I had at it.

Gave the Mega Cd version a spin earlier. Interesting - clearly a lot more work went into this one, the soundtrack is indeed excellent… but while it’s a better “game” I do think it does a worse job of representing its source material. The MD version is bleak because it does show the essential chase nature of The Terminator. It’s not an action movie, it’s a horror flick with a sci fi flavour, all about getting away from the relentless killing machine. Turning it into a run and gun is more arcade satisfying, but not representative. Secondary realisation: The MD version must be one of only a handful of western games to feature nudity - there’s still shot of Reese’s backside in the time skip back to LA in 84. I wonder how they got away with that?

Yeah, just hang at the start to get more bombs - 9 max I think. I did that almost by accident while working out how to beat that first boss robot thing.

A lunchtime crack at the MD version on Easy cleared it. That's... not a long game at all, is it? So for variety I fired up the Master System version. Which in some ways is more fluid than the Megadrive version, although clearly less visually sharp. Can't seem to get off the first level though; the laser firing hunter killer on the second above ground bit shoots endlessly and just one shots me every time.

Gave the Megadrive version a crack this morning. One of those games I was aware of back in the day, but IIRC reviews were very mixed, and, well, it was a movie game in an era where virtually all movie games were a bit shit. Feels very much like Alien3 for the MD, and clearly that's not coincidental being a Probe game. Only not quite as refined; while there's some fun here it's a bit more staccato and unrefined, almost as if a little bit of gameplay tweaking would have helped. On normal difficulty it's also a bit brutal and in some ways random; my survival on that first level before getting the machine gun (I guess it's a phased plasma rifle in the 40W range?) largely seemed to come down to whether the many terminators would drop health pickups or not. Easy is much more forgiving in this way. One thing this does get right is the tension, and specifically the tension inherent in the original flick; while it came out in the T2 era, and that's very much an action flick, The Terminator is one big long tense chase sequence. You shouldn't just be blasting terminators like they were space invaders, because they're very, very bad news. Will see if I persist on normal to finish out the MD version and may then give the Mega CD version a spin.

Nice choice. I think there’s a Master System version too?

Isn’t that the point - that we expand our gaming horizons? (If you 100% don’t want to, all good, but variety, spice of life and all that)

Indeed. I’m going to nominate @Anne Summersfor the next pick.

We must have very similar tastes - I’m a big Tobal No 1 fan as well. No official PS2 sequel to speak of.

The guy with the gun is not the final boss - if the game ends there for you you’ve broken the Bushido code along the way.

I finally got a little play time for this (better late than never), taking Red Shadow through with the katana. I do I love this game, because while it’s hard, it’s fair and there is a learning curve. Took me 16 continues to finish (I did at least once 1CC it back in the day) it but I did get better as I went. Except the final battle, where we both took out each other’s legs, and ended up flopping around in the floor like fish. Bushido dignity indeed. One tip for new players - don’t strike as soon as the level is loaded if your opponent is still talking. That breaks the Bushido code and you won’t be allowed to get through to the final boss.