![]() ![]() Thankfully, there is more stage variety in Forsaken 64 than simply defeating every enemy and the levels do ramp up in complexity over time. In fact, the very first level is a multiplayer map where the player is tasked with emptying the stage of enemy opponents. It looks great, but once you dive into the game, it quickly becomes apparent that this is a different beast entirely with different objectives and stage layouts. On the surface, it looks remarkably similar to the 3D accelerated PC version: perspective correct, filtered textures, bright, colourful particle effects and garish lighting galore. Not only is Forsaken 64 the creation of a different team entirely, it's also a completely different game. It recalls a very different time in game development when platform differences extended beyond visuals. Then there's the Nintendo 64 version and this is where things get interesting. Yes, in busy scenes there was a slowdown but by and large, this port was exceptional judged by the standards of the time, let down only by poor analogue controller support - Forsaken arrived in the early days of Sony's dual-analogue controller, the predecessor to the Dual Shock set-up still used today. Affine texture warping is, of course, a problem as in other PS1 games but in motion, it's still one of the most impressive technical achievements for the system. Vehicle and stage complexity appear virtually identical to the PC version. Much of the game's visual identity is retained with full colored per-vertex lighting used throughout along with many shared assets. ![]() A detailed look at all versions of Forsaken - and the new remastered edition. It was content complete, with the same levels, gameplay and Redbook CD audio. The PS1 delivered the full Forsaken experience, and it did so at a super-smooth 60 frames per second - a remarkable achievement bearing in mind how far ahead PC 3D acceleration was compared to PS1 specs. It's clearly a product of its time but in 1998, it looked incredible and Forsaken's wide-ranging 3D acceleration support saw it adopted as a benchmark amongst hardware publications.īut it wasn't the only platform where you could enjoy the game, and one port in particular stands out. Enemy ships seemingly average around 200 polygons while larger foes can be anything up to four times more detailed. It's visually basic by today's standards, with entire maps featuring roughly 18,000 triangles in total - significantly less than a single model in a modern game. With its fast 3D engine, Forsaken could fill the screen with coloured, dynamic lighting - a look so 90s it hurts - along with large, detailed stages to explore and lots of enemies. It was also a showpiece for 3D accelerator cards at the time. The action features a Doom-like quality to it with large numbers of enemies swarming the player at any point - and this mix of hectic action with fluid controls and puzzle solving feels great even today. Forsaken featured much the same gameplay formula as Descent, but thanks to its more advanced graphics engine, the visuals are less abstract than Descent, making it easier to navigate the complex structures. It was developed in the UK for PC and PlayStation by Probe Entertainment while Iguana Entertainment UK handled the N64 version. ![]() The original game launched in 1998 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation and Nintendo 64. And now, thanks to the efforts of Nightdive Studios, Samuel 'Kaiser' Villarreal (the developer behind the EX versions of Turok, Doom 64 and Powerslave) and other talented coders, Forsaken has returned. Interplay's Descent popularised the concept, but other brilliant games followed in its wake, including Probe Software's stunning Forsaken. Dropped into a labyrinthian mass of tunnels, players are tasked with navigating complex spaces utilising a full six degrees of freedom while dealing with enemies, hunting for keys and finding exits. If there's one gaming genre that embodies the spirit of late 90s PC gaming, it's the six degrees of freedom shooter. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |