Apocalypse (PS1, 1998)
Graphics-7 Sound-7 Control-7/*7.5 Challenge-7 Story-4.5
Level Design-7 Frustration-7.5 Fun-7 Originality-5
Overall Score-7
*Dual analog controls
+
Some smaller detours for power-ups (generally risk vs. reward type)
Some good bosses
Decent CGI cutscenes (Willis isn't that well directed though)
TPS/Arena Shooter hybrid with platforming
Weapon inventory
Pretty fast movement
Can grab ledges and climb them
Partially destructible environment
Roll move
Save in-between levels (multiple slots)
Move and jump while shooting
Finale takes place in a demonic (portal to hell) version of the white house
Pretty good impact from weapons and explosions
Dual analog support
+/-
Non-analog twin stick controls (face buttons control aiming) work alright but holding one button to strafe and being able to toggle between firing modes like in Contra: Hard Corps might've been better
Voice acting by Bruce Willis (lots of 90s edginess and some funny lines, sometimes annoying though and sometimes doesn't fit with what's happening on screen)
Can't save health packs for later
Ammo-based weapons besides the default machine gun
Forgiving hit detection near platform edges
Usually zoomed out view
The story references the bible in a pretty obvious and one dimensional way
Uses some licensed music and presents it with outdoors cinema screens (cool idea and early System of a Down is featured but you can't destroy the screen and in each scene they're in you'll soon move on - when you do the music goes back to the generic level bgm)
Duck move (barely used) - moving while ducking makes you roll
Rips off the diablo 1 font and ending plus a few elements from Quake 2 (first enemy, some enemy sounds)
Fairly frequent checkpoints
-
Sometimes awkward camera angles (can't adjust it manually)
Overly long fourth level with few alternate weapon power ups
Slowdown
Voice clips keep playing for a second or two after dying
Sometimes uneven difficulty (mostly easy levels, spikes in the war factory level)
Some trial & error (collapsing floor parts, graveyard door puzzle - need to keep the grenadiers from pushing the button and you can easily get hit from the zombies spawning from below ground, chase segment - similar to crash bandicoot, final boss)
Grenades are kinda crappy
Easy first boss
Sometimes hard to see your avatar properly during zoomed out platforming segments
Cheesy and kind of dumb story
Kind of generic art direction and music overall
Some poor animations (climbing)
Notes:
-Control glitches in Bizhawk
Level Design-7 Frustration-7.5 Fun-7 Originality-5
Overall Score-7
*Dual analog controls
+
Some smaller detours for power-ups (generally risk vs. reward type)
Some good bosses
Decent CGI cutscenes (Willis isn't that well directed though)
TPS/Arena Shooter hybrid with platforming
Weapon inventory
Pretty fast movement
Can grab ledges and climb them
Partially destructible environment
Roll move
Save in-between levels (multiple slots)
Move and jump while shooting
Finale takes place in a demonic (portal to hell) version of the white house
Pretty good impact from weapons and explosions
Dual analog support
+/-
Non-analog twin stick controls (face buttons control aiming) work alright but holding one button to strafe and being able to toggle between firing modes like in Contra: Hard Corps might've been better
Voice acting by Bruce Willis (lots of 90s edginess and some funny lines, sometimes annoying though and sometimes doesn't fit with what's happening on screen)
Can't save health packs for later
Ammo-based weapons besides the default machine gun
Forgiving hit detection near platform edges
Usually zoomed out view
The story references the bible in a pretty obvious and one dimensional way
Uses some licensed music and presents it with outdoors cinema screens (cool idea and early System of a Down is featured but you can't destroy the screen and in each scene they're in you'll soon move on - when you do the music goes back to the generic level bgm)
Duck move (barely used) - moving while ducking makes you roll
Rips off the diablo 1 font and ending plus a few elements from Quake 2 (first enemy, some enemy sounds)
Fairly frequent checkpoints
-
Sometimes awkward camera angles (can't adjust it manually)
Overly long fourth level with few alternate weapon power ups
Slowdown
Voice clips keep playing for a second or two after dying
Sometimes uneven difficulty (mostly easy levels, spikes in the war factory level)
Some trial & error (collapsing floor parts, graveyard door puzzle - need to keep the grenadiers from pushing the button and you can easily get hit from the zombies spawning from below ground, chase segment - similar to crash bandicoot, final boss)
Grenades are kinda crappy
Easy first boss
Sometimes hard to see your avatar properly during zoomed out platforming segments
Cheesy and kind of dumb story
Kind of generic art direction and music overall
Some poor animations (climbing)
Notes:
-Control glitches in Bizhawk