PlayStation – Megalextoria

Source: Electronic Gaming Monthly – Issue Number 98 – September 1997

From the ad:

“Zeus has answered your prayers. And now, it’s time to take your place among the gods in this hot new PlayStation game console adventure. Explore three worlds of 3-D game play right out of Disney’s Hercules movie – with the original character voices, sound effects and music. Mangle monsters like Hydra and the Cylcops. Terminate the Titans. Save Thebes from a hostile takover. Hey, this game can make you immortal!”

Hercules was published by Virgin Games in 1997 and is based on the Disney animated movie of the same name. This is sort of a hybrid 2D/3D platform game. Whereas the 16-bit generation included endless side-scrolling platform adventure games, 32-bit systems were transitioning to 3D. Games like Tomb Raider and Super Mario 64 popularized this genre but personally, I never really made the transition. Hercules fits in sort of a middle ground but for the most part feels more like a traditional 2-D side-scroller.

If you like 2D and/or 3D adventure games and are a Disney fan, this game isn’t bad. While movie licenses often make terrible games, it isn’t always the case and Disney really did an above average job most of the time. While not the masterpiece that games like Aladdin and Lion King were on 16-bit consoles, it is still reasonably solid.

Hercules does a good job of capturing the look and feel of the movie. Environments are colorful and varied (and of course match the movie), the animation is smooth, and the voice clips are even from the original cast. While the controls are nothing special, the mechanics are straightforward and there isn’t much that should frustrate the average player in that regard. The soundtrack also includes music from the film and this is another thing that Disney has typically always done a good job with. This game is no exception.

While the game overall is pretty good, it isn’t perfect and I would say it was made with the younger player in mind. This makes sense of course being a Disney game based on a Disney movie. The game is very short so experienced players will likely be able to complete it in a matter of hours. Even though the game is pretty good, I don’t think there is a lot of replayability here. Also, while the controls might be easy and straightforward, this is a double-edged sword. There is nothing here to frustrate you but there is also a lot of repetition when it comes to combat.

This game isn’t really my cup of tea but it isn’t a bad game. If you like Hercules, usually like Disney games, or just like this style of game in general, then you should definitely give it a try. In addition to being released on the PlayStation, it was also released on the PC. I was a little surprised to see that this game was available on gog.com. Often, licensed games don’t see these kinds of re-releases. While being more of a retrogamer I would probably prefer the original PlayStation version, but at only $5.99 it’s hard not to recommend this as a cheap and easy way to play the game.

Screen shots above are from the PlayStation version of the game. The ad (top and bottom) is from the September 1997 issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly.

MediEvil (PlayStation)

MediEvil is an action/adventure game released for the PlayStation in 1998. You play the role of Sir Daniel Fortesque, a knight who is resurrected from the dead to battle evil forces in the land of Gallowmere. During his life, Sir Dan was a coward but is resurrected for a second chance to prove his courage after the sorcerer Zarok returns from the grave to infect the land with evil. You, as Sir Dan, must redeem yourself by defeating Zarok and his army of monsters.

The gameplay is a mix of 3rd person action and puzzle-solving. The player must explore various levels while battling enemies and collecting items. New levels are unlocked as you progress through the game. The game world is divided into several distinct regions, each with its own theme and challenges. As you progress through the game, you unlock new weapons, magic powers, and other abilities necessary to defeat ever more difficult enemies.

One of the unique things about this game is its humor. While the theme is rather dark, the tone of the game really isn’t. There is a lot of dark humor and plenty of humorous characters. While Sir Dan may have been resurrected, he is still a skeleton. The game makes fun of this fact throughout. I guess you could classify this game as horror/comedy.

MediEvil is a 3D action game played from a 3rd person perspective. Combat is straightforward but chaotic. You will face many enemies and have a variety of weapons including a sword, crossbow, and magic spells. Perhaps the most entertaining is the ability to rip off your own arm and use it as a club. You start each level with a limited supply of life force which is replenished by defeating enemies and finding health potions. if your life force runs out, you lose a life and must restart the game from the last checkpoint.

In addition to the action, there are various puzzles to solve throughout the game. These involve doing things such as moving objects, activating switches, and finding secret paths. For some puzzles you must use specific weapons or abilities. The puzzles are generally not very complex but some do require a bit of trial and error.

For its time, MediEvil featured excellent graphics with detailed characters and environments. There are many spooky locations including haunted graveyards, scary forests, and more. However, unlike other darker themed games, this one features cartoon style graphics that give it a much more light-hearted feel. The animation of the main character is quirky and exaggerated adding to the humorous feel of the game. Due to the graphics, the game has a Nightmare Before Christmas feel to it which was intentional. In some ways it could also be seen as a 3D version of Ghost ‘N Goblins though it is not nearly as hard.

The sound a music of Medievil are also excellent. Orchestral music combined with more whimsical tunes do a good job of matching the tone of the game. Likewise, the sound effects are all well done.

MediEvil is a relatively simple game but a lot of fun to play and with a unique look and feel. If you enjoy 3D action games then this is one you should definitely try. There is also a sequel called MediEvil II, also released on the PlayStation, that you are likely to enjoy if you like this one. There have also been a couple of remakes of the original game including MediEvil: Resurrection for the PlayStation Portable and MediEvil for the PlayStation 4. While I always tend to recommend the original, the remakes remain pretty faithful to the original and are probably easier to obtain and play at this point.