Review by: J.M. Vargas

"WHERE DID THAT 3000 COME FROM? IT AIN'T ON THE BOX!"

Studio 3DO gave owners of the Opera system some of the finest games the machine ever saw (although not of them reached AAA status): "BattleSport" (where is the Saturn version?), "Killing Time", "Captain Quazar" and "Bladeforce" pushed the machine but didn't sacrifice gameplay. A couple of games slipped through the cracks, though, and had their potential fun factor badly damaged: the side-scroller "Phoenix 3" (choppy scrolling, compressed FMV, uninspired level design...trademarks of Grey Matter Entertainment products The Dark Falcon endorses so enthusiastically!), and the space shooter "Star Fighter". Acclaim has picked up some 3DO titles for release on other platforms, and a Saturn version of "Star Fighter" has been available since last September (96). The buzz is bad and this is one of the cheapest games you'll find for Saturn (I got my copy for $12 at E.B., brand new!), which would give indications of a huge dog in view. Make no mistake about it: "Star Fighter" for Saturn has a truckload of flaws, but enough cool and covert silver linings to recommend you pick a cheap copy (at least a weekend rental).

It is the future, and you're a pilot for the Fed Net military organization; your job is to test a new military plane through a rigorous simulation of treacherous intergalactic combat. You have over 60 missions in which, gradually, you will pilot the plane into different situations that will test your skill and the machine's prowess. The learning curve is smooth and methodical; you will start by scorting other planes, docking with the mother ship, and defending ground stations from constant attack. Think of it as a mix of "Darklight Conflict" and "Starfox" on a planetary surface with no rails to constrain your movement. There is 360 degrees of freedom, and options for you to customize your controllers at will. But how's the game?

GRAPHICS / VISUALS: C

Krisalis (the U.K. developers Studio 3DO hired to develop "Star Fighter") pushed the 3DO hardware to its limits with this game, but those limits are barely expanded or even exploited on the Saturn. The graphics look barely mediocre: 20 frames-per-second visual mesh of colors and rough textures that seemed to have been put together by a novice game designer getting their first crack at the Saturn BASIc developer program. The resolution is quite low, and the shapes of the plane/environment/buildings are Lego-like in their blockiness. It looks like an alpha version of the recently-released Namco shooter "Xevious 3D-G" (ouch!).

The 3DO version had considerable pop-up and clipping bugs galore, with the upside being the ability to see miles into the horizon of your planet; the trade-off enhanced the gameplay. "Star Fighter" on Saturn masks the pop-up with a fogging effect, which slightly improves the frame-rate and the speed but kills the ability to see far away. All in all, the trade-off is fair considering this isn't Saturn-native code. The visuals are not dazzling and lack "Starfox 64"-caliber fireworks, but hold a surreal and unique look no other game I've come across has duplicated. I'm a sucker for multi-color, rainbow-like tones, and this game has it by the bucketloads. An acquired taste, but definitely not the best visuals that have graced yout Sony.

MUSIC / SOUND EFFECTS: A-

Although the game is constant dodging and laser-blasting, the music leans toward relaxation-type pop tunes that make for an eclectic mix. One particular tune, "Death by Stereo", is a new age-type song with a Mariah Carey sound-alike sharing your speakers with crystal-clear laser beans, explosions and thruster engines. Another acquired taste, but I liked the odd pairing of a soothing and calming score alongside an intense shooter. It is better than "Starfox 64", but not as good as Zuntata's finest.

GAMEPLAY / FUN FACTOR: B

I'm not a fan of shooters, but this game has an addictive element I can't quite put into perspective. Since the music and sounds complement an underwhelming visual spectacle, the gameplay is the sole reason "Star Fighter" should be played. Those missions flirt with the thin line between challenging and frustrating. The controls feel too light and sensitive for a game that asks for extremely precise maneuvers against enemies and installations that mesh and can be confused with the environment's textures. You also feel as if the air through which you're flying the plane is thicker and heavier than normal air; I kept saying to myself that this is another planet with different atmospheric conditions, and I got used to it.

If the blasting and objectives get too tedious for you, the game's go-anywhere environment encourages the reckless and goofy antics many gamers like to engage in (come on, who doesn't like to drive cars in the opposite direction?). You can crash against a building or laser-blast your way to the planet's surface until you reach the ocean bellow; it doesn't advance you to the next mission but it sure is a visual kick to see those blocky polygons go "boom!" with a display of multi-colored explosions that seemed induced by drug hallucinations. "Star Fighter" has average gameplay which is enhanced by the freedom it offers gamers, and because of its trippy visuals.

Thanks to the Saturn controller, the numerous commands and switches that cluttered the 3DO controller are a breeze to access: multiple perspectives (cockpit view, enemy point-of-view, etc.), different weapons, overview of the map, etc. Functional and precise, although the lack of analog support will have you going tap-tap in order to achieve the perfect mix of thrust-based momentum and gravity.

OVERALL: C+

"Star Fighter" isn't the best space shooter out for Saturn; I believe Electronic Arts' "Darklight conflict" pushes better visual tricks out of the machine. However, they both suffer from a lack of motivation and/or inspiration in the story behind the game; they lack the goofy inspiration a game like "Starfox 64" instills in those who play it to finish it. The opening FMV of "Star Fighter" and its cinematics are so dull and uninspiring (not to mention way too long!) they seriously detract from the game's feel.

Look past the numerous flaws, though, and you'll see that the game has a handful of inspiration in the design of its levels (and we know how level design can elevate a game to star status, like in "Tomb Raider"). Not the best 3DO could offer in its own machine, but a pleasing and harmless space shooter. "Star Fighter" won me over, but it is definitely my acquired taste doing the talking; rent before you commit or you may end up with a shooter that inspires you to go wild Lego cities (that you'll later itch to destroy).