Crusader: No Remorse (PC, 1995)
Graphics-7 Sound-8.5 Control-5.5 Challenge-7.5/8.5* Story-6
Level Design-7/6* Frustration-8/9* Fun-6.5 Originality-6.5
Overall Score-6.5
*Default/"loose cannon" difficulty
+
Some creative level design (can shoot unarmed enemies before they trigger alarms via switches - shooting in certain rooms can also trigger the alarm, can use some droids/servomechs and gun turrets by remote control via some computers (can't strafe/roll/crouch with the droid, Esc to stop using one of these), can use some traps on enemies via switches, )
Can sidestep and sideroll (alt+l/r and ctrl+l/r respectively, or del/pgdn and ins/pgup)
Quick-save and save anywhere (11 nameable slots)
Can review mission objectives in-game, highly destructible environment and exploding barrels (pretty satisfying explosions)
Basic stealth element (destructible security cameras)
17 different weapons, some cool weapons (two EMP weapons, spider mines - remote controlled similar to such missiles in Metal Gear, rocket launcher), HP and (partial) Energy restoration stations, can sometimes destroy a door if you can't find a keycard for it, watch stations (monitors for viewing other parts of a level before getting to them - System Shock 1), shops in-between levels, difficulty options (4 levels - more advanced enemies appear sooner+enemies have better equipment+ammo is scarce on higher difficulties), some decent voice acting (quite a few voiced characters), some mission variety (find core and set off a bomb, rescue mission, search & destroy, more?), basic switch puzzles
+/-
Linear structure w/ maze-like levels
FMV cheese (talking to any major NPC triggers a voiced cutscene - skippable though you can't skip by sentence or scene)
Silent protagonist
Can pick up loot through walls and other thinner obstacles
Tank controls (twin stick controls have existed since 1975 and been popularized in 1984 by Robotron 2084) - can sidestep but there's no twin stick option and you can't circle strafe
A crosshair appears over whichever enemy you're currently aiming at (doesn't work for obstacles, doesn't seem to work at some angles or being too far away from an enemy?), have to press S and Enter to pick something up (can keep pressing S to cycle between points of interest so it's good in that sense), enemies sometimes move into hazards for no reason, some inventory management (can only carry two weapons at a time, 10 of other items like medkits), long levels (40+ mins), no need to get out after setting off the bomb in level 1 (everything in the room blows up but you're still fine - a bit weird),
-
Can't carry ammo for weapons you aren't carrying
Control issues (jumping while moving usually doesn't register and you have a set jump length (some tight platforming even on level 1), your char's sprite just sort of tilts backwards or sideways as if on a grid when moving into walls diagonally or into corners - also have to rotate away from it to start moving if standing next to one (can get stuck behind walls not knowing which direction you're looking in and not seeing your avatar, can even get stuck permanently in a few spots and the hit detection is sometimes sloppy making you jump through objects), some delay when starting to move if you're running - you want to have running on for quicker turning, turning is a bit slow even with auto-run/quick turn - can use the mouse but that's a bit akward since you can only move it left for clockwise and vice versa so not down to look down/south like you'd expect, aiming is 360 degrees but turning is only 8-way and turning while moving is clunky as you have to keep pressing left or right (if you hold it down you only turn by 30 degrees and then keep moving in that direction - can actually keep turning if you hold l/r only after having started to move but it happens with some delay between each turn so it's awkward) - there should've been an option for 8-way aiming with aim assist for in-between angles, can't cancel a sideroll, can't walk backwards - only take slow steps and your char automatically starts aiming his gun when you do)
No control config
Choppy scrolling (the game just shifts the camera as you move to the screen's edge and if moving towards a wall or other obstacle you have to manually center it (Z key) to see further ahead)
Nothing happens if you die (have to go into the menu and load a game or start a new one to proceed) - feels unfinished
The lack of lighting in-game makes everything look rather sterile - there's also rather noticeable dithering on many background objects, some trial & error (no loot from burned or exploded corpses, some turrets can be destroyed by spider mines while others can't, pretty easy to miss certain switches and items, hidden floor traps, surprise rolling barrels and thrown grenades from off screen - while usually hard to react to they don't do much damage on one level below default difficulty), enemy corpses can end up behind walls or other obstacles (can't make walls/obstacles transparent), the game sometimes gets a bit choppy when jumping, no level maps, can't sell items, can only carry 5 weapons at a time? (I couldn't carry the first gun and the shotgun+rocket launcher at the same time in mission 1 but I could carry the latter two+the machine gun when buying it after mission 1 - perhaps a bug?), the cutscene subtitles aren't always accurate to what's being said by the actors, ammo is too scarce on default difficulty considering the aiming system, some computer messages are repeated a lot (would've been less annoying if you could immediately show the whole message and then skip it),
Notes:
-XB360 controller doesn't quite work - can map it with joytokey but you won't have immediate turning like in other arcade action games of the era,
-On PS1, controls are better in that A. you can change movement to absolute (pressing down on the d-pad make your char move down, for example B. less choppy/stiff movement near walls and other obstacles and C. you run by default and there's no delay when starting to move. However, aiming still works the same (left=counter clockwise/right=clockwise) and so does jumping/sidestepping/crouching (up+attack/left or right+attack/down+attack), and you take a large extra step after letting go of the d-pad. The shotgun is also faster here and it scrolls properly so it might be a better choice overall although it looks a bit worse and voices sound slightly worse. Remote controlled droids are also stiffer than on PC here.
-Mono sound (GOG release) - Stereo on PS1
-Infinite ammo bug: https://www.gog.com/forum/crusader_series/psa_you_can_have_infinite_ammo
-Played until mission 3
Level Design-7/6* Frustration-8/9* Fun-6.5 Originality-6.5
Overall Score-6.5
*Default/"loose cannon" difficulty
+
Some creative level design (can shoot unarmed enemies before they trigger alarms via switches - shooting in certain rooms can also trigger the alarm, can use some droids/servomechs and gun turrets by remote control via some computers (can't strafe/roll/crouch with the droid, Esc to stop using one of these), can use some traps on enemies via switches, )
Can sidestep and sideroll (alt+l/r and ctrl+l/r respectively, or del/pgdn and ins/pgup)
Quick-save and save anywhere (11 nameable slots)
Can review mission objectives in-game, highly destructible environment and exploding barrels (pretty satisfying explosions)
Basic stealth element (destructible security cameras)
17 different weapons, some cool weapons (two EMP weapons, spider mines - remote controlled similar to such missiles in Metal Gear, rocket launcher), HP and (partial) Energy restoration stations, can sometimes destroy a door if you can't find a keycard for it, watch stations (monitors for viewing other parts of a level before getting to them - System Shock 1), shops in-between levels, difficulty options (4 levels - more advanced enemies appear sooner+enemies have better equipment+ammo is scarce on higher difficulties), some decent voice acting (quite a few voiced characters), some mission variety (find core and set off a bomb, rescue mission, search & destroy, more?), basic switch puzzles
+/-
Linear structure w/ maze-like levels
FMV cheese (talking to any major NPC triggers a voiced cutscene - skippable though you can't skip by sentence or scene)
Silent protagonist
Can pick up loot through walls and other thinner obstacles
Tank controls (twin stick controls have existed since 1975 and been popularized in 1984 by Robotron 2084) - can sidestep but there's no twin stick option and you can't circle strafe
A crosshair appears over whichever enemy you're currently aiming at (doesn't work for obstacles, doesn't seem to work at some angles or being too far away from an enemy?), have to press S and Enter to pick something up (can keep pressing S to cycle between points of interest so it's good in that sense), enemies sometimes move into hazards for no reason, some inventory management (can only carry two weapons at a time, 10 of other items like medkits), long levels (40+ mins), no need to get out after setting off the bomb in level 1 (everything in the room blows up but you're still fine - a bit weird),
-
Can't carry ammo for weapons you aren't carrying
Control issues (jumping while moving usually doesn't register and you have a set jump length (some tight platforming even on level 1), your char's sprite just sort of tilts backwards or sideways as if on a grid when moving into walls diagonally or into corners - also have to rotate away from it to start moving if standing next to one (can get stuck behind walls not knowing which direction you're looking in and not seeing your avatar, can even get stuck permanently in a few spots and the hit detection is sometimes sloppy making you jump through objects), some delay when starting to move if you're running - you want to have running on for quicker turning, turning is a bit slow even with auto-run/quick turn - can use the mouse but that's a bit akward since you can only move it left for clockwise and vice versa so not down to look down/south like you'd expect, aiming is 360 degrees but turning is only 8-way and turning while moving is clunky as you have to keep pressing left or right (if you hold it down you only turn by 30 degrees and then keep moving in that direction - can actually keep turning if you hold l/r only after having started to move but it happens with some delay between each turn so it's awkward) - there should've been an option for 8-way aiming with aim assist for in-between angles, can't cancel a sideroll, can't walk backwards - only take slow steps and your char automatically starts aiming his gun when you do)
No control config
Choppy scrolling (the game just shifts the camera as you move to the screen's edge and if moving towards a wall or other obstacle you have to manually center it (Z key) to see further ahead)
Nothing happens if you die (have to go into the menu and load a game or start a new one to proceed) - feels unfinished
The lack of lighting in-game makes everything look rather sterile - there's also rather noticeable dithering on many background objects, some trial & error (no loot from burned or exploded corpses, some turrets can be destroyed by spider mines while others can't, pretty easy to miss certain switches and items, hidden floor traps, surprise rolling barrels and thrown grenades from off screen - while usually hard to react to they don't do much damage on one level below default difficulty), enemy corpses can end up behind walls or other obstacles (can't make walls/obstacles transparent), the game sometimes gets a bit choppy when jumping, no level maps, can't sell items, can only carry 5 weapons at a time? (I couldn't carry the first gun and the shotgun+rocket launcher at the same time in mission 1 but I could carry the latter two+the machine gun when buying it after mission 1 - perhaps a bug?), the cutscene subtitles aren't always accurate to what's being said by the actors, ammo is too scarce on default difficulty considering the aiming system, some computer messages are repeated a lot (would've been less annoying if you could immediately show the whole message and then skip it),
Notes:
-XB360 controller doesn't quite work - can map it with joytokey but you won't have immediate turning like in other arcade action games of the era,
-On PS1, controls are better in that A. you can change movement to absolute (pressing down on the d-pad make your char move down, for example B. less choppy/stiff movement near walls and other obstacles and C. you run by default and there's no delay when starting to move. However, aiming still works the same (left=counter clockwise/right=clockwise) and so does jumping/sidestepping/crouching (up+attack/left or right+attack/down+attack), and you take a large extra step after letting go of the d-pad. The shotgun is also faster here and it scrolls properly so it might be a better choice overall although it looks a bit worse and voices sound slightly worse. Remote controlled droids are also stiffer than on PC here.
-Mono sound (GOG release) - Stereo on PS1
-Infinite ammo bug: https://www.gog.com/forum/crusader_series/psa_you_can_have_infinite_ammo
-Played until mission 3