Midnight Resistance (MD, 1991)
Graphics-7 Sound-9 Control-6.5 Challenge-7.5* Story-5
Level Design-6.5 Frustration-8* Fun-6.5* Originality-5.5
Overall Score-6.5
*Easy
+
Impressive use of the sound chips (only thing missing is drum samples but the FM ones are also good)
Mini-bosses
Some creative level design (elevator segment in level 2, a layer of wall tiles with bullet spitting faces in the last stretch before the final boss)
Difficulty options (easy-very hard, up to 5 lives per continue)
Aim lock/free aim button (hold it down to aim lock)
Some cool weapons (flamethrower, spinning shield which also damages enemies (barrier), homing missile sub weapon, 8-way blast sub weapon, )
Respawn on the spot and can pick up your gear again
Main weapons can be upgraded to level 2 (s. charge power up)
Some decent bosses (airplane squadron, sawblade robot) and one good boss (snake before final stretch)
Somewhat forgiving hit detection
+/-
One hit deaths
The way firing is toggled rather than active while you press the button takes some getting used to
Ammo-based weapons (default gun has infinite ammo)
Odd key system for buying weapons in weapon rooms - if you lose most keys (dropped when dying though you can usually pick them up again) during a level it makes the next level harder
Some power ups only appear in some weapon rooms
Very similar to Contra in some ways (level design, jumping style, spread shot, various visuals)
No dodge move
-
Some control/interface issues (very loose scrolling in the waterfalls level, no jump height control and the default height is very high, can't use two controllers to simulate the twin-stick controls in the arcade game, only partial control config and the B1-3 configs are very awkward - rotates the aim by holding a button and the direction changes with each press (1) or goes in one direction only (1-2), ) so you can only really use the first config+this config makes it so that you'll constantly fire your sub weapon while climbing up a ladder and can't aim upwards without firing it (sub weapons are used by pressing up on the d-pad), )
Limited continues (5)
No weapon inventory
Trial & error (getting chased by mini-boss tanks in the waterfalls level, bosses and various other situations, can't jump down through platforms you can jump up through, have to choose between family members to rescue with the keys you're holding before the final boss - each one gives you a random power up that you can't see before choosing)
1-player only
So-so use of color at times and the art direction is kind of generic
Few power ups within levels- you'll pass two weapon rooms per level instead where you get to pick two power ups (main weapon upgrade, ammo, sub weapon)
Some difficulty spikes (at the electro boss unless you have the homing shot or barrier sub weapon, when getting a game over later on since you'll start with only two keys at the last weapon room, the shotgun kinda sucks at the last stretch before the final boss)
Very easy final boss with an upgraded shotgun
One level hints at alternate paths but you can really only go down and then back up
Kinda short (less than 25 mins if you don't get a game over)
Level Design-6.5 Frustration-8* Fun-6.5* Originality-5.5
Overall Score-6.5
*Easy
+
Impressive use of the sound chips (only thing missing is drum samples but the FM ones are also good)
Mini-bosses
Some creative level design (elevator segment in level 2, a layer of wall tiles with bullet spitting faces in the last stretch before the final boss)
Difficulty options (easy-very hard, up to 5 lives per continue)
Aim lock/free aim button (hold it down to aim lock)
Some cool weapons (flamethrower, spinning shield which also damages enemies (barrier), homing missile sub weapon, 8-way blast sub weapon, )
Respawn on the spot and can pick up your gear again
Main weapons can be upgraded to level 2 (s. charge power up)
Some decent bosses (airplane squadron, sawblade robot) and one good boss (snake before final stretch)
Somewhat forgiving hit detection
+/-
One hit deaths
The way firing is toggled rather than active while you press the button takes some getting used to
Ammo-based weapons (default gun has infinite ammo)
Odd key system for buying weapons in weapon rooms - if you lose most keys (dropped when dying though you can usually pick them up again) during a level it makes the next level harder
Some power ups only appear in some weapon rooms
Very similar to Contra in some ways (level design, jumping style, spread shot, various visuals)
No dodge move
-
Some control/interface issues (very loose scrolling in the waterfalls level, no jump height control and the default height is very high, can't use two controllers to simulate the twin-stick controls in the arcade game, only partial control config and the B1-3 configs are very awkward - rotates the aim by holding a button and the direction changes with each press (1) or goes in one direction only (1-2), ) so you can only really use the first config+this config makes it so that you'll constantly fire your sub weapon while climbing up a ladder and can't aim upwards without firing it (sub weapons are used by pressing up on the d-pad), )
Limited continues (5)
No weapon inventory
Trial & error (getting chased by mini-boss tanks in the waterfalls level, bosses and various other situations, can't jump down through platforms you can jump up through, have to choose between family members to rescue with the keys you're holding before the final boss - each one gives you a random power up that you can't see before choosing)
1-player only
So-so use of color at times and the art direction is kind of generic
Few power ups within levels- you'll pass two weapon rooms per level instead where you get to pick two power ups (main weapon upgrade, ammo, sub weapon)
Some difficulty spikes (at the electro boss unless you have the homing shot or barrier sub weapon, when getting a game over later on since you'll start with only two keys at the last weapon room, the shotgun kinda sucks at the last stretch before the final boss)
Very easy final boss with an upgraded shotgun
One level hints at alternate paths but you can really only go down and then back up
Kinda short (less than 25 mins if you don't get a game over)