Sega8bit.com - Review: Dead Angle


	Review Information

	Reviewer Name:	Stan

	Game Difficulty:	Medium
	Difficulty Options:	False


	Game Information

	Full Title:	Dead Angle
	Year Released:	1989
	Game Type:	Misc/Other
	Max Players:	1

Introduction

Sigh, here I go again. You know, I see games like this and it doesn't surprise me Sega didn't do so well in America. Seriously, why release this thing? Dead Angle is a perfect example of a unique idea gone horribly wrong. The arcade version was actually pretty cool, but I'm not sure what moron was behind porting it to the Master System. Hopefully they had the same thing happen to them that happens to Robert at the end (good inside joke that you'll have to suffer through this game to see should you not understand).

Gameplay

Dead Angle is an interesting twist on the first-person shooter. At this time, the genre was still in its infancy, so don't expect Doom or anything even close to Operation Wolf. Basically, you control an aimer that you move around the screen, which is theoretically in front of a character silhouette (of course, this is you). As you move the aimer around, you have to take out various gangsters while avoiding their fire. Sounds kind of cool, huh? FORGET IT.

Though a nice idea, Dead Angle really, really, and I mean really fails in the implementation. It's incredibly difficult to not get hit, due to the way your aimer and silhouette move around the screen. I should add, though, that it actually wouldn't be too difficult if the enemies didn't stinking appear out of thin air right in front of you. When this happens, of course, it can often be in the line of fire and you get immediately struck.

It's still possible to make it to the end by doing some fancy button mashing as you frantically move the aimer around and attempt to dodge enemy fire, but don't try any of the tricks the manual mentions, like the 'duck' feature, because they're useless. Basically, you just keep moving to the side while firing in the direction you're going, looping up and around to avoid enemies and that will do it.

Wait, up and around? That's right, somehow your legless, torso silhouette is able to HOVER in mid-air about freaking eighty feet of the ground. You can essentially fly everywhere. To add to this ridiculous look, as you move around the stages and fly into the sky, enemies keep leaping from everywhere, even from like ten stories up, hitting the ground full tilt as they continue to fire. What in the hell kind of gangsters are these? Damn. The bosses are probably the only interesting feature of the actual play in my opinion. You have to attack them in certain ways. Then again, the more I think about it, I seem to remember just FLYING above most of them and doing fly-bys with my gun. Seriously, imagine from their perspective what that would look like. A G-Man, flying like an eagle, holding a Tommy Gun and shooting at them. Can't make that stuff up.

Anyway, to continue, Dead Angle has hardly any power-ups or things to collect, awkward play, blah it just sucks all around. About the only thing going for it is the ending boss and finale. Not sure if you want to wade through this muck, however, to see it.

Graphics

The graphics are generally pretty detailed. Nice atmosphere here, and the movements look fine. The only problem is that they're incredibly slow and choppy. The enemy gangsters, for the most part, almost look like they're moving in pieces. Really hard to explain, but it's sort of like they forgot to create parts of the character animations, giving them this weird, broken motion. Otherwise, not the worst. Could have done better, though.

Sound & Music

Hmmm, I'd say I don't have too many problems with the sound effects and music overall. The music seems fitting and creates the right environment, I guess, and the sound effects do their job. Can't say I really have too many problems with it, or any that even come to mind, but some of the songs are really cliqued and have their points of hardcore suckage.

Controls

I guess the controls are pretty fluid, they just don't do much of anything. Move here, move there, you just end up button mashing. George moves so painfully slow amongst all of the magical gangters that you thank the heavens they allowed you to fly. At least the buttons respond, I suppose, otherwise you'd die even faster and hate it even more.

Replay Value


	Scores

I played this game to say I beat it in my quest to complete every Master System title that can be completed. The one thing I did like about Dead Angle was the ending. Awesome. That's all I have to say. It actually made sitting through it worth it. Probably one of the best, if not THE best ending for of any Master System title. Not really a reason to play it again, but if I wanted to it would be the only one.

Conclusion

Dead Angle is a good example of a good idea that was not well structured. This could have been a pretty cool game had they stuck more to the arcade. I'm not sure why they opted to allow George to fly all over the place when the original was just left and right all the time. Really makes the game look stupid. Anyway, it's a unique title in certain ways, but also in how it sucks.