Ranger X for Genesis
Review #4468
Ranger X
Like a DeLorean: Looks great but handles poorly
Gameplay
Truly, utterly, completely bizarre movement. You're a two piece mech which can be combined. When separated you control the top half while the grounded part follows you like Tails in Sonic 2. You can hover for about 3 second before you drop back down. Kind of like Cybernator or Metal Warriors.
Enemies take a ridiculous amount of damage to defeat. Like, 20 or more. It's insane. Most of your time is spent getting an enemy of screen and then firing away while backing away for several screens before he finally blows up.
When the mech units are combine you're completely grounded but your weapon occasionally auto targets enemies above the ground. It's unreliable and frustrating as hell.
Enemies deal massive damage and can stun lock you.
Level Design
The second level is a cave with tight corridors which make it nearly impossible to maneuver. Indeterminate objective and a barely useful map which shows you where to go but there's seemingly nothing there to do.
Horribly designed.
Everything plays to the games faults rather than its strengths.
Theme
Story is told via cutscenes made of rudimentary polygons which remind me of Red Alarm for the Virtual Boy more than Star Fox, which is in sure what they were going for.
Awesome mech! I really want to like this game
Art Style
Impressive sprites for your character, but the enemy designs are bland.
Muted colors abound.
First impression is great but the more you look at it the less there is to appreciate.
Audio
Music doesn't fit the mood. The intro and first level feel a bit like the opening of Axelay with the world under attack by a malevolent mechanical army but the music isn't somber or desperate. Instead it's bouncy and almost giddy. Then in the second level it's barely there at all.
Sounds are decent, if a bit grainy and garbled.
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