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2016/9/29: Genesis: Shadow Blasters, Risky Woods, James Bond: The Duel

Posted: September 29th, 2016, 7:50 pm
by VideoGameCritic
Let's hear your thoughts on these latest Genesis reviews.

Re: 2016/9/29: Genesis: Shadow Blasters, Risky Woods, James Bond: The Duel

Posted: September 30th, 2016, 5:32 am
by Sut
Not played the Sega version but I can remember playing it on my ST. So wanted to love it because the graphics and presentation were console quality. But your right it is an infuriating game and it's home computer roots seem to have carried over to the console port.

Re: 2016/9/29: Genesis: Shadow Blasters, Risky Woods, James Bond: The Duel

Posted: September 30th, 2016, 11:10 am
by goldenband
Shadow Blasters is just too easy, IMHO. Switching between the four characters makes it trivial to beat the game, and I had no trouble putting together a 1LC (completion with no lives lost).

I think Risky Woods is more playable than it seems at first -- a couple finesses, the details of which I don't remember, help a lot -- but James Bond is pretty rough. Funny line about the title screen, though the image of Dalton reminds me of someone else too: maybe Fred Schneider of the B-52's?

Re: 2016/9/29: Genesis: Shadow Blasters, Risky Woods, James Bond: The Duel

Posted: September 30th, 2016, 5:19 pm
by VideoGameCritic
Sut - I take it you were referring to Risky Woods, and I agree about the "home computer roots". It's more complicated than it should be.

goldenband - to be honest, I never remembered you could change characters during the mission, so I never did that. I guess that really raised the difficulty. You may want to try it.

Re: 2016/9/29: Genesis: Shadow Blasters, Risky Woods, James Bond: The Duel

Posted: October 2nd, 2016, 3:01 am
by Stalvern
The kneeling in Risky Woods is hilariously stupid. It's such a small detail, but it screws the game up SO BADLY. European 16-bit developers had some baffling attitudes toward platform game design - so many of those games seem like they exist just to take the cheapest possible shots at the player.

Re: 2016/9/29: Genesis: Shadow Blasters, Risky Woods, James Bond: The Duel

Posted: October 2nd, 2016, 7:21 am
by Sut
Stalvern wrote:The kneeling in Risky Woods is hilariously stupid. It's such a small detail, but it screws the game up SO BADLY. European 16-bit developers had some baffling attitudes toward platform game design - so many of those games seem like they exist just to take the cheapest possible shots at the player.


It's a great point, I think many European gamers moved away from the Amiga and ST once they started seeing Nintendo and Sega games and their more refined game design.

Re: 2016/9/29: Genesis: Shadow Blasters, Risky Woods, James Bond: The Duel

Posted: October 3rd, 2016, 8:57 pm
by Breaker
Since I've requested some reviews of Bond games, I've got to say "thank you" for reviewing The Duel. It's absolutely a cheesy platformer, though I'd say you were a little harsh with the F. I'd probably have it as a D+ or so, so I can't complain too much. It has some nice variation in level backdrops, but it is completed on rote memorization. You are absolutely correct that it can be difficult figuring out what can be jumped on and what is scenery. Hope there are more Bond game reviews in the works!

Re: 2016/9/29: Genesis: Shadow Blasters, Risky Woods, James Bond: The Duel

Posted: April 14th, 2017, 11:06 pm
by Arnold
The best 2D spy game ever made is Rolling Thunder 2 (Sega Genesis, 1991). "James Bond: the Duel" is not that bad, but pales in comparison.