CT Special Forces was recommended to me by a guy who used to co-own the retro game shop ‘Ninja Game Den’ in Brighton before it sadly closed down. This is a guy who knows his games and, as a long term customer, knew me and the sort of thing I like. Had this not been the case I don’t think I would have given this a second look.
On appearances everything about the game screams cheap ‘Metal Slug’ knock-off, from the unknown developer to the obviously GBA port graphics. This is not a game that would leap from the shelf at anyone - nor, to be honest, does it fill one with inspiration when it first loads up.
Real world pictures of military vehicles and stock marching music clashes with the cartoon character art from the very beginning and, once I started playing the sprites are slow moving and weapon pointing is limited to left, right, and straight up.
As far the prerequisites for quality run and gun action goes, the first impressions are not exactly inspiring.
But as I ventured further into the first level it became more and more clear that as much as CT Special Forces is ostensibly a ‘Metal Slug’ style run-and-gun, it is actually forging its own path, and that path is largely vertical.
Ascending the first three level’s ‘Snowy Mountain’, the assumption that the straight upwards aiming is fairly limited is belied when it really comes into its own in the structure of the levels; as much you can progress in the usual style of this kind of game, it’s safer and more effective to clear a path from below before progressing upwards.
And more diversity from the run-and-gun norm is revealed the more you play.
When I came to a part of a level that needed a grappling hook to progress I realised I had to back-track and further explore the level to first find one.
That classic video game trope ‘the exploding barrel’ is a big feature too, and in the second level there is a great looking base-jump intermission whereby you must use the direction and altitude meters to know where and when to pull your chute.
There’s sniper sections, where you see only a small scope-view on a black screen and have to search for and save hostages, and there’s even ‘Twin Cobra’ style vertical shooter levels in which you pilot a helicopter and attack air and ground targets.
With a bit of research I’ve discovered that this is the first of three games in this series. The others were exclusive to the GBA and it isn’t difficult to see why. With the exception of memory card functions, the PlayStation offering is identical to that on the handheld.
Password saves notwithstanding, I’ll certainly be looking into getting hold of the other games, as this short game is so full of character and creativity that I’m itching to play more.
On appearances everything about the game screams cheap ‘Metal Slug’ knock-off, from the unknown developer to the obviously GBA port graphics. This is not a game that would leap from the shelf at anyone - nor, to be honest, does it fill one with inspiration when it first loads up.
Real world pictures of military vehicles and stock marching music clashes with the cartoon character art from the very beginning and, once I started playing the sprites are slow moving and weapon pointing is limited to left, right, and straight up.
As far the prerequisites for quality run and gun action goes, the first impressions are not exactly inspiring.
But as I ventured further into the first level it became more and more clear that as much as CT Special Forces is ostensibly a ‘Metal Slug’ style run-and-gun, it is actually forging its own path, and that path is largely vertical.
Ascending the first three level’s ‘Snowy Mountain’, the assumption that the straight upwards aiming is fairly limited is belied when it really comes into its own in the structure of the levels; as much you can progress in the usual style of this kind of game, it’s safer and more effective to clear a path from below before progressing upwards.
And more diversity from the run-and-gun norm is revealed the more you play.
When I came to a part of a level that needed a grappling hook to progress I realised I had to back-track and further explore the level to first find one.
That classic video game trope ‘the exploding barrel’ is a big feature too, and in the second level there is a great looking base-jump intermission whereby you must use the direction and altitude meters to know where and when to pull your chute.
There’s sniper sections, where you see only a small scope-view on a black screen and have to search for and save hostages, and there’s even ‘Twin Cobra’ style vertical shooter levels in which you pilot a helicopter and attack air and ground targets.
With a bit of research I’ve discovered that this is the first of three games in this series. The others were exclusive to the GBA and it isn’t difficult to see why. With the exception of memory card functions, the PlayStation offering is identical to that on the handheld.
Password saves notwithstanding, I’ll certainly be looking into getting hold of the other games, as this short game is so full of character and creativity that I’m itching to play more.
No comments:
Post a Comment