27/06/2007 - Review - Plasma Warrior

Tom Vine's Plasma Warrior is one of the finest, most original, atmospheric and playable platform adventure shoot 'em ups I've ever played...

...is precisely how I'd have started this review in 1985.

But a lot has changed since 1985 (flying cars, robotic housemaids, etc) and so Plasma Warrior is a game out of its time, feeling incredibly anachronistic. Still, if the purpose of its construction was to evoke a feel of bygone years then it's somewhat of a triumph.

Bloody hell! Where's the contrast setting on my monitor?

In Plasma Warrior you have to explore an abandoned research station and the mines around it, shooting enemies with simplistic behaviours and finding objects to unlock new areas. It's Metroid-lite, essentially. The control in it feels exceptionally old-school, with no accelleration used in the movement. Everything jumps in an unnatural triangular arc and there's none of the inertia that all modern games seem to have.

Ah, well that would explain the graphics...

The graphics and sound are charming, too. Lovely synthy tunes straight out of an 80's Atari coin-op and garish EGA style graphics which almost look like they're composed of vectors. To be honest, in any other game I'd call the graphics shit, but here they completely fit the whole vibe of the experience.

The music in this area is pure Metroid. As indeed are those two Metroids.

But in the end, there's nothing spectacular about this game at all. It's been competantly put together but you've seen everything before and you've seen it better.

But... I quite like it.

Graham