Paradroid 90 (AMI, 1990)
Graphics-6.5 Sound-7 Control-7 Challenge-8 Story-4.5
Level Design-6.5 Frustration-8.5 Fun-6.5 Originality-7
Overall Score-6.5
+
Take over enemy robots via a pretty unique mini-game where you connect pulsers to a list of circuits (see the C64 original, taking over enemies is kinda similar to Darius Gaiden, Avenging Spirit or Mega Man)
Terminals that give details on the floor (how many enemies (as well as how many are left on the ship)+its layout), ship (shows the elevator map), droids (bestiary/library - in the C64 original they were numbered in-game according to their strength while here the numbering is in the library) and other game stats
Adds more combat variety with various new robots with different weapons
Ranks you accuracy and (?) after clearing a ship - can also check your tranfer and kill stats at terminals
Decent map system (side view and shows the whole ship's basic layout+the floor you're on when using an elevator, no compass so the locations of elevators compared to the map can be confusing, doesn't mark the level exit nor which rooms you haven't been to)
+/-
Maze levels with one key to the exit each
Non-linear structure within each ship (each elevator tends to connect to several floors)
Healing points (energizers) on most floors. Can destroy healing points (similar to Gauntlet)
Killathon (have to destroy all robots on a ship to progress)
No puzzles
Can't see enemy robots outside of your line of sight (see Rogue)
No save feature - passwords?
Your current robot (besides the default one) is lost when transfering to a new one - limits the gameplay since you don't have an inventory of different weapons to deal with different situations
Taken over robots don't carry over to the next ship/level+Can't upgrade the default robot nor any other robot (even strong ones die in a few hits so you're constantly moving between robots) - lessens the sense of progression
Floors only scroll vertically here
No traditional bosses (there is one very strong robot (strongest mini-game wise) on each ship which has a smart bomb-like attack)
Have to reactivate the transfer beam if you lose the robot you're controlling while trying to initiate a transfer
Levels tend to start off harder than they end as you're generally at a disadvantage in default form compared to what you're trying to take over
-
No lives or continues (die/lose your currently controlled robot from a failed transfer/taking over an enemy)
No difficulty options
Some trial & error (have to be on the same floor as another robot to view its level, enemy death explosions hurt you, no transfer mini-game tutorial or explanation of how to use elevators in-game, the key to the next level can be destroyed)
Time limit on each controlled robot besides the default influencer drone (how weak they are is already enough and there are no time extenders/lifebar restorations so it feels too punishing)
Some control/interface issues (no strafing/aim lock, can't stand still and aim while shooting, terminal menus are a bit slow and don't wrap around, somewhat loose scrolling - can hit enemies off screen however, the default robot and some others have to be moving to be able to shoot)
Repetitive (both visually and gameplay-wise, backgrounds are just color swapped between ships, no level hazards besides the parked ship's jets that you and the enemies can trigger)
Robots are much less visually interesting in-game than in the library
Some unavoidable damage
Some slowdown
Some tedious aspects (backtracking to the exit after clearing a ship, searching for that last floor of robots or individual robot to kill - one of the floors on the first ship doesn't go dark after clearing it)
No in-game music - what plays in the menus is good
Lame ending
Level Design-6.5 Frustration-8.5 Fun-6.5 Originality-7
Overall Score-6.5
+
Take over enemy robots via a pretty unique mini-game where you connect pulsers to a list of circuits (see the C64 original, taking over enemies is kinda similar to Darius Gaiden, Avenging Spirit or Mega Man)
Terminals that give details on the floor (how many enemies (as well as how many are left on the ship)+its layout), ship (shows the elevator map), droids (bestiary/library - in the C64 original they were numbered in-game according to their strength while here the numbering is in the library) and other game stats
Adds more combat variety with various new robots with different weapons
Ranks you accuracy and (?) after clearing a ship - can also check your tranfer and kill stats at terminals
Decent map system (side view and shows the whole ship's basic layout+the floor you're on when using an elevator, no compass so the locations of elevators compared to the map can be confusing, doesn't mark the level exit nor which rooms you haven't been to)
+/-
Maze levels with one key to the exit each
Non-linear structure within each ship (each elevator tends to connect to several floors)
Healing points (energizers) on most floors. Can destroy healing points (similar to Gauntlet)
Killathon (have to destroy all robots on a ship to progress)
No puzzles
Can't see enemy robots outside of your line of sight (see Rogue)
No save feature - passwords?
Your current robot (besides the default one) is lost when transfering to a new one - limits the gameplay since you don't have an inventory of different weapons to deal with different situations
Taken over robots don't carry over to the next ship/level+Can't upgrade the default robot nor any other robot (even strong ones die in a few hits so you're constantly moving between robots) - lessens the sense of progression
Floors only scroll vertically here
No traditional bosses (there is one very strong robot (strongest mini-game wise) on each ship which has a smart bomb-like attack)
Have to reactivate the transfer beam if you lose the robot you're controlling while trying to initiate a transfer
Levels tend to start off harder than they end as you're generally at a disadvantage in default form compared to what you're trying to take over
-
No lives or continues (die/lose your currently controlled robot from a failed transfer/taking over an enemy)
No difficulty options
Some trial & error (have to be on the same floor as another robot to view its level, enemy death explosions hurt you, no transfer mini-game tutorial or explanation of how to use elevators in-game, the key to the next level can be destroyed)
Time limit on each controlled robot besides the default influencer drone (how weak they are is already enough and there are no time extenders/lifebar restorations so it feels too punishing)
Some control/interface issues (no strafing/aim lock, can't stand still and aim while shooting, terminal menus are a bit slow and don't wrap around, somewhat loose scrolling - can hit enemies off screen however, the default robot and some others have to be moving to be able to shoot)
Repetitive (both visually and gameplay-wise, backgrounds are just color swapped between ships, no level hazards besides the parked ship's jets that you and the enemies can trigger)
Robots are much less visually interesting in-game than in the library
Some unavoidable damage
Some slowdown
Some tedious aspects (backtracking to the exit after clearing a ship, searching for that last floor of robots or individual robot to kill - one of the floors on the first ship doesn't go dark after clearing it)
No in-game music - what plays in the menus is good
Lame ending