Armor Alley (DOS)

They said "War never changes". To some extent, that's true. Men keep marching toward enemy's base although there's enemy's chopper landing behind them and proceed to slaughter them with bullet barrage. That's what happens in: Information Access Technologies Inc's Armor Alley (1988-1991). 

The chopper image looks good but that paratrooper looks like childish drawing though. I played this game back when i was kid and i gave up because i miss some important controls. So in order to avoid the same mistake, i will consult to help before starting the game.

 

So you take control of a helicopter by keyboard and mouse. Also you can or rather must summon ground troops to aid you on defeating the enemies. They can be summoned/purchased by pressing the button of their first letter which is pretty handy. "V" button for calling Van, "T" button for calling Tank, etc. As for helicopter, that's just your "life" reserve. Needless to say that once you're out of helicopter, you're practically defeated.

 

Here's what young me missed back then. The helicopter's control for its armament. The helicopter isn't only for scouting ahead, y'see. "Left shift", "Z", and "X" button are quite good arrangement but if you press too many "Left Shift" button you may summon. "Sticky Keys". You can either disable it or change the button to fire the machine gun. To reconfigure the control, you have to click on "Special" tab on top menu. But you can only do so after you start the game. You can pause the game by holding "Alt" button and pressing "P" button. Do mind that to selecting menus on every tab on top menu you have to hold down the mouse button as opposed to nowadays interface navigation where you only need to click once on the tab you want.   

 

The ground units (or as the game dub them as convoy): 1) Van, that has ability to jam radar 2) Missile launcher, which is missile-carrying truck that once launch a missile on enemy's helicopter, it will self-explodes. God bless it. 3) Tank, is arguably the strongest ground unit that you can purchase. It will decimates infantries pretty easily. You probably think the tank will tread or blast them with its cannon like that tank in Mass Destruction. Sadly that's not how it works. The tank will parks near enemies and spray them with either bullet or flamethrower within very close range. Nonetheless, tank has strong defense capability allow it to take many damage. Wait a minute! This tank has the same method of working like in Tank role of MOBA, huh?  4) Infantry, is the footsoldiers that are destined to die miserably in many cruel way. Ok, i admit i'm being too harsh to them. They're essential to take over bunkers that exist throughout the map. You can take them with your helicopter to move them significantly faster to enemy's zone. 5) Engineers, are pretty much like infantry but in smaller quantity even with same price. Infantry consists of 5 men per deploy while Engineers only consist of 2 men. Engineer carries big backpack to make them different from regular soldiers. When you pick engineers with helicopter, they will slightly refill your armament and fuel. 

 

Here's of the explanation on some structures. Bunkers will fly a balloon that's lethal to touch. It's only hostile for the opposition's helicopter. But if its chain is severed, the balloon can kill anyone's helicopter that come in touch. The balloon can respawn if infantry get inside of the bunker. There's also landing pad that built near bases that's helicopter's starting point. You can refill your ammo and fuel by landing on it.

 

Here's the scoring system that apparently there's morality on it. You will get penalty for prolonging battle, which sounds too idealistic for me. Destroying building seems negative but it's useful in my opinion.

 

Okay without further ado, this is the game. Or to be more precise the training battle. So there's my tank currently battle enemy's in very close range as conventional as can it be. [Tank sized sarcasm]

 

There's the balloon that i mentioned before. You can tell the difference between your ground unit's from enemy's because they're in different color. The green colored ones are on your side while the grey colored ones are enemies. But that's not the case with bunkers. Their color remain the same regardless who occupy them. The only way to differentiate them is by looking at the yellow arrow mark on them. If it points left (like in this screenshot), the bunker is enemy's because enemies attack to the left (which is your base located) and vice versa. If you can grasp this fairly weird logic, that is. The balloon serves as obstacle for the helicopter. You or your enemy is forced to stay still for awhile to shoot the balloon down by using the machine gun or you can fly above it when it's on low altitude.

 

I reckon i need some ammo and fuel resupply so i pick those engineers. Soldier_thanks02.wav

 

Of course, i'm not the only chopper in this game. Enemies has one too. The main method to deal with other chopper is firing missiles that lock on to it but note that they can't turn up or down quickly so they have limited reliability. In this case, i'm not sure the enemy can dodge those 2 missiles coming from its top. Heavy_specialcompleted01.wav     

 

By pressing Space Bar, i can send my men to the ground with parachute. If i fly too low while doing so, they don't have enough time to deploy their parachute and goes *Splat!* instead. The safest way to send them is to dispatch when i land on the ground. As you can see, that i made stupid decision by sending paratrooper before enemy's infantry and tank. Someone please inform their families about their courageous to be deployed by some imbecile chopper pilot!      

 

While my chopper is currently being refilled on landing pad, i like to talk about the radar on the top. Choppers are represented by big arrow. The balloon represented by dot in mid air. My convoy is presented by green dots along the ground while enemy's convoy is presented by grey dots along the ground. Yellow dots on the ground represent bunkers. You can see your money on top left while on top right is the name of the mission map. Initially, the border on the radar is green which mean you can purchase/summon ground units at the time. The border will goes white afterward which mean you can't  purchase/summon ground units temporarily.

 

Then our helicopter collide at each other making some spectacular explosion. No, game. Hide in bunkers, doesn't help in this situation. The bunker doesn't fit, anyway. I notice there's scrolling tutorial messages throughout the game. Here's some of them...

 

Some of them are functional. But some of them are cryptic or puzzling. Tips about dodging are fine. "If you can hit it, it's not yours" means there's no friendly fire. Your bullets will go through allied bunker or balloon. "Smoke is a dead giveaway" means if vehicles emit smoke, they're dying. "Beware of lightning". As far as i know i don't see any lightning so that message is probably dud. Same goes to "Don't burn the trees". I don't think i bring harm to any tree in this game. But then there's this message...

 

Never believe everything i read? Is that also mean i can't believe this message too or not? It's quite abhorrent to put this kind of text in this modern game. All those obedient players will go crazy or become slightly mad philosopher because of this trolling text. The point is some tutorial message are believable and other are not and exist only for comedy purpose.   

 

Enough of that mind puzzling matter! There's enemy's tank and i bombard it with bombs which is sensible method. Keep in mind that your bomb drop is affected by momentum of your chopper so you have to stand still for accurate bombing. It takes 3 bombs to destroy a tank. I notice that bomb isn't efficient to clear enemy's infantry because it doesn't make big splash explosion when land on ground. How disappointing.

 

Occupying bunkers on left-half of the map is easy. The rest are not. because naturally enemy's convoy can reach them more easily. So the easy way is to destroy them. I aware that will earn me some negative score but in other hand my tank automatically engages them instead of occupying them because tank can't do that. I naturally think the bunkers as checkpoint but in practice they aren't. Bunkers only provide balloon that slightly hinder enemy's chopper and nothing more. If my infantry manage to occupy them, we will get extra fund but keeping them intact seems not worth the effort in my opinion.

 

I'm men of my word so here's: enemy troopers about to be gunned down by me from their behind. Any ground units will only moving and facing toward their opponent's base so they're all susceptible to attack from their behind. Note that: pressing Left-mouse button will make my chopper turn around swiftly.

 

Hold on! That message is very suspicious. I heard that in some Real Time Strategy game, the enemy bot can see our base location or whatnot. Let me see...

 

Forsooth! Those bastard computers are clearly cheating! They have unlimited free helicopters at their disposal while i have to save for bloody 20 money to expand my life by 1. The enemy's helicopter isn't eager to engage combat with me. It doesn't launch any missile or firing machine gun unlike me who like to empty my armament at it whenever it flies in my detection. Even so, having unlimited helicopters without any cost, is clearly advantageous cheat!   

 

Besides earned by occupying bunkers, i have no idea how to increase my fund. I thought it was periodically regenerated. Then this message sheds a glimpse of hint about it. If i travel further to enemy's territory, my fund is indeed increasing or even if when i go back to my base to resupply. So the fund is generated based on the length of my flight travel, apparently.   

 

I can't be bothered with struggling over bunker anymore. I just bombard this one even though bunker take lots of damage before destroyed.

 

Finally! We win the war! Cm_sniper_gamewon_07.mp3

It's not easy to win the game. You have to make allied van reaches (near) enemy's base, then their base blow to bits! Demoman_specialcompleted11.wav

 

Time for the real game. Don't mind me, my sworn enemy! I'm just bombing your tank in order to safe mine, that's all.

There's some difference between practice battle compared to real ones: 1) The player's helicopter can carries more ammo and fuel, plus more durable. 2) Ammo & fuel refill in landing pad is faster. 3) Fund generates faster. 4) You can select level you want. In real battle, the game keep tracking of your score so you can put it on top score table. Yeah, that's the only benefit you get from real mode.

 

I manage to destroy bastard helicopter but the pilot manages to jump...into tank's tread. Talking about "Out of the frying pan into the fire". There's also the same metaphor in Indonesia: "Lepas dari mulut harimau, masuk ke dalam mulut buaya". The translation is: "Out of tiger's mouth, goes into crocodile's mouth".   

 

No, game! Low fuel isn't the most useful thing on the game. Scout_jeers10.wav    

 

Oh, i see. Now i understand with the message says "Don't tailgate the enemy". If i do that, their base launch missile to me swiftly. There's no other way to deal with it, except having allied van arrives to it.

After some prolonging battle...

 

Hey! I win again and in very tight situation. I'm down to my last helicopter and that missile is about to hit me. Cm_engie_matchwon_04.mp3

On next battle...

 

I manage to destroy enemy helicopter in very close range. The question is: whose missile is that which destroy my helicopter a brief moment later? I don't think enemy chopper ever launch missile at me. It only know drops some bombs or gunning down balloon. Also i don't think i ever see it order missile launcher. So the conclusion is: it's allied missile or i get hit by shrapnel of the enemy's remain as hinted by the flying texts. It must be the latter because it's very stupid to get hit by my own missile.

 

The game kindly gives me initial convoy for free and i saw 2 tanks walk in tandem from it. That gives me an idea how to build my convoy. Purchasing 2 tanks in consecutive seems a good idea. Believe it or not! That the most front tank get obliterated by the 5th man on enemy infantry. Given 1 tank cost less than a batch of infantry by 1 fund. But at least i have another tank to accompany me.  

 

Using machine gun also valid method to deal with other chopper. Here, i unleash bullet barrage at the enemy until it's smoked. the bullets are tiny yellow dot that can easily mistaken with stars on background so you have to take my word for it. In motion, they will be more easily visible.

 

In this map, there's automatic anti-air gun on the center. It's hard to tell whether it belongs to ally or enemy except when it starts shooting at me now i know it's enemy's. It's inadvisable to take it out yourself. Because it only engages helicopter, you ground unit can deal with it safely. So let your tank and infantry do the counter anti-air measure for you. Once it turns into rubbles, your engineer can rebuild it and it will engage you enemy's helicopter while you can pass its detection harmlessly.

 

My engineers are about to face with enemy's tank. But don't worry, i'll "Tenchu" it with my gun. Whoever ask "Why not use bombs from above?" You hush up!

 

Well, this is new. Apparently there's capacity of how many infantry or engineers are allowed in the field a time. No need to rush them to kill themselves that fast, y'know.

 

Of course! Low fuel means low fuel, game. No need to point out something so explicit like that!

 

The last escort has been exterminated by enemy's chopper. So no one else that protect van except me. I manage to fend off  the cheating git by emptying my machine gun. There's another way to deal with the chopper but it's very stupid idea. Bomb it from above.

 

Oh no! It flies higher than me. But i manage to distract it from  allied van. It's all up to you, little dude. Soldier_moveup03.wav

 

Yes, you did it! I mean we did it. Cm_heavy_gamewon_05.mp3

It takes more or less 2 hours to finish this one. What a grueling war!

 

There's 4 mission in total. So i beat half of them. Thus i call it quit and save the game for later.

 

Because it always takes quite forever to win the war, i figure i want to change the game speed. This is the default setting, it's on slow setting. I'm afraid that if i make it faster, the helicopter will goes beyond controllable than as it is. So i choose not. Besides i never change game speed setting in any real time strategy game.    

 

Information Access Technologies Inc's Armor Alley (1988-1991) is hybrid between horizontal shoot 'em up and real time strategy. The idea is great although it stills need some tweak in execution. The victory condition feels tedious because it depends on the weak armless unit to get throughout entire map. Also the van moves slow. Actually, every ground unit have the same movement speed. If only the enemy bot doesn't have unlimited helicopter, the game will be more enjoyable, significantly. Because enemy can be defeated by depleting their helicopter. Because that's not the case, the practice battle feels more fair or at least enjoyable. Besides if you're against unlimited helicopter, might as well as playing as stronger helicopter all the time. Occupying bunker feels not worth the effort. While repairing anti-air gun is very beneficial. Each ground unit is worth your fund. Van is essential for winning the game. Tank is the strongest ground unit. Infantry is useful to occupy bunkers and rebuild balloon. Engineer is useful to repair anti-air gun and resupply your fuel and ammo in the middle of the map. Missile Launcher is perfect to deal with other helicopter. You can make some pincer attack: by firing missile after the missile launcher does that. I witness, the ai tend to be overwhelmed with that trick and one time it accidentally bump into balloon. So satisfying. Speaking of missile, it's quite often that my helicopter refuse to fire it because no available locked-on target yet or so it feels. The ai most likely can dodge single missile without breaking a sweat. It seems the ai has some Firebrand/Red Arremer's (from Makaimura/Ghosts 'n Goblins series) intelligence. Worse of it, i can only carry 2 missiles at a time (in real battle)! My complaints about the machine gun is i can't fire it downward unlike in Choplifter III. If that happens, i can bombard enemy's convoy more easily. The bomb drop is certainly excellent to destroy tank. The enemy chopper sometime like to fly below me so i can decimate it with bomb. Sounds silly but it works. The music is nowhere to be found so feel free to put anything in your music player while playing this game. The explosion sounds is as crispy as the one in Metal Slug. Remarkable!

 

Armor Alley (1988-1991) is fun to play even though the graphic is pretty simple. I surely can recommend you to play this one and i suggest that you just play the practice mode. Apparently, this game has multiplayer mode but i don't how the connection works nowadays. In demonstration, i see 2 helicopters at the same side so you can play this co-op. If both players have their own fund, the game will be easier. But if they share same fund, the cooperation will be hectic and they will break up and start to exchange swears. Oh my goodness! That's horrible.

Carrier (DC)

 When i heard Jaleco, i remember arcade games (including Break-out clone with porn picture) and not Resident Evil clone on Dreamcast: Carrier (2000). 

Not bad title design, that blood is just good. There's complex molecule structure on background which reminds me notorious part on my Curriculum Vitae. I mean i hate chemist course in every education stage. But there's voice over saying "Carrier" everytime i enter a menu which entertains me well. I know that everyone try to make their Resident Evil in 2000 or so but i never heard this one. But then again, i never own Dreamcast. *sniff*    

 

I hope you like rolling text because i made the prologue into this gif. Long short story, there's terrorist organization that's probably anti north America. To overcome those terrorists, they construct super aircraft carrier named Heimdall. Yes, sure. There's Battlecruiser KMS Odin, might as well as name ship with other less-famous Norse God. So the Heimdall is dispatched to sort those terrorists out. They succeed on doing so but HQ can't make contact with them since then. So rescue team is dispatched...   

 

...but they gun down the rescue chopper! Soldier_negativevocalization04.wav

The rescue crews only consists of 2 persons: Jack Ingles, and Lt Manning who carries a suspicious tube with her. I suspect it's: 1) Narcotic drug for her serious health problem or 2) Counteragent of the virus that we will be up against. I hope it's the latter for the sake of all of us. As why we are only 2 persons crew (excluding Leonard the chopper pilot)? Probably so the chopper can evacuate more survivor. It's not like we need bigger rescue group for this situation, right? [Average deck of aircraft carrier-sized sarcasm]

Leonard somehow survives that crash even though he keep piloting the helicopter. HQ contacts Jack and later he informs that they're all gunned down by the anti-air gun of the carrier and he lost the trace of Lt. Manning. After mending Leonard's leg, Jack leaves him here in flight deck and proceed to go down via elevator.

Then a zombie fell down. His head grown into monstrous mouth! Jack shoot him to death thus he revenges Leonard's death. Leonard is killed by the zombie? Yes, of course. See that helmet that drenched with blood near Jack's foot? That's his helmet. To be fair, Jack heard Leonard's scream and tries to get up there but the elevator console refuse to take him back to top. After bit more self-talking, i takes control of Jack Ingles himself. As soon as i open that door...  

 

...i find another zombie and i run away because i don't know how to aim my gun yet thanks to me who don't familiar with Dreamcast's (emulated) controller well. I should look into the controller setting more carefully. I wish Jack would like to do another auto combat for me but apparently he doesn't feel like it even though i'm doing so poorly.

 

I get it now. I must hold down the right slider to make  him draw his gun and later pressing "A" button (which also used to examine stuff around and open door) to fire the gun. Plus Jack's movement is controlled with tank control style. So far it feels like Resident Evil alright. But with addition "A" button can be used to perform quick turn.

 

Ok. This door is locked and i need some key to open it. It's going to be shield/helmet/sword lock all over again, huh?    

 

As i enter this security room, i find one of rescue crew that arrived before us. Quick question: How they're not gunned down like us? Do they come here by speedboat? If so why not do something with the anti-air defense before we arrive? Plus he claims that he doesn't meet any zombie along the way even though he come here before me! I don't trust this sergeant. He wears glasses like Albert Whesker from Resident Evil. Anyway, he ask for 2 security diskettes so he can open locked door. Diskette in 2023? So outdated and unrealistic! Medic_negativevocalization03.wav    

 

On the same room, i find this machine that save my progress without ink ribbon. Eat your feeling, Resident Evil!    

 

Do you hate rummage through stuff mindlessly? Good news for you! This game gives you hint of pickable object with those spinning pointer (i marked them within green circles). On the left is VHS tape and on the right is A-3 keycard. VHS in 2023? Again, it's so outdated and unrealistic! Medic_autodejectedtie01.wav  

 

Oh no! They got Steve! I find this body near the door of security door. Remember this dead body because it's important later on.

 

At the end of the corridor is barred door and when you inspects it a zombie scare jumps at you! This reminds me of Kuon. Well played, Carrier.

 

That jump scare door is locked and Jack said that it can only be opened with explosive. So my only option is go to this medical bay, which is unlocked with A-3 keycard. Then i find this relatively crazy doctor that tied that zombie. He gives me special BEM-T3N scope that allow me to see whether someone is infected or not. Then he shoots zombie several times and Jack tell him to stop. But then the chain that tied zombie suddenly fell. Thus the zombie bites the doctor from behind but he survives, run for the door, mumbling about "Ark" or something, then leaving me alone with the zombie. How thoughtful of him. But i find another keycard nearby here. So i make progress! Which means...

 

...enemies spawn on already secured corridor. Fantastic! [Average Sarcasm]

You notice that i use taser instead of handgun? Actually it's welder which i assume it's supposed to be engineering tool instead of legit weapon. Checkmate, Isaac Clarke from Dead Space! So the welder has unlimited ammo but the range is quite limited and also weak weapon. But knowing me who's acute cheapskate, i like to keep using this tool even though i need lots of space to run around when they get too near me.

 

Yup! He looks fine to me. For now. To bring the scope, you have to hold down "B" button. There's bit of static on early usage of the scope but your view will be more clear after a while. The ability to see surround in first person seems good to me and it's step up from PS1 era Resident Evil. I forget to mention that the game use fixed cameras from various angle but the transition between the camera is pretty smooth and i like it.  

 

Inside of newly unlocked door, i find interior that infested with plants. I try to shoot the butterfly because it's suspicious but to no avail. It's just decoration. Thank God.

 

Suddenly a colonel calls me. He's apparently on same team as that glasses guy. He's currently on deck level 3. Even though we're in 2023, the video call's quality is somehow worse than codec on Metal Gear Solid. That's static noise on his image and not his dandruffs, mind you.

 

I was terrified to see someone slowly approaching me in this long corridor. Turns out this survivor is 100% safe. Plus he gives me map for Deck 1 (where we're currently at). Engineer_thanks01.wav

 

You're probably bored with "vanilla" zombie. But how about invisible zombie for you? He's completely invisible and you have to use the scope to spot him. But you can just draw the gun and Jack can target him fine even when the zombie is clearly invisible.

 

After killing that infected one, this guy can come out from the locker. He said that he knows his fellow pilot Bob, Jack's brother. The Jack asks him to evacuate to flight deck and he does what he told right away.

 

You also need to keep your eyes peeled for this kind of toolbox because it contains ammo. There's also energy drink (the healing item on this game) inside medkit box like that one. I don't remember that the ammo and healing item is highlighted by spinning pointer, so you have to be very aware of this small boxes. 

 

I like to show you how bad i'm at Survival Horror game. Just look at this! I can't kill this parasite bug competently and it bites me in the nuts! To add insult to injury, an invisible zombie appears from the door where i came. By the way, this corridor is dead end so the purpose of this place is solely to humiliate me.   

 

I figure i have to show you the map. It's pretty better than the one in first Resident Evil. I can highlight the part of map that i discovered. For example this "Magazine" room is gun store room but sadly i can't ransack it yet because it's locked. There's also color mark on locked door so you can quickly recognize which door that require keycard to unlock. The black rooms are certainly not the one i discover yet. The yellow room allow you to descend/ascend to next level.  

 

Yeah. Yeah. Not nice to meet you. I'm busy now. Gotta go!

I just like to show you that the game has decent ladder climbing section instead of just  first person view of climbing ladder like in Resident Evil which also acts as fake loading screen.

 

I arrive at the bridge. That pick up object is just captain's log that contain rundown of what happens in this ship. I say that log is "Red Herring" keeping your attention from that survivor on right corner of the camera. As for me, i was distracted by that body and keep using the scope to see whether he's zombie or not but to no avail. Nevertheless, the survivor does nothing to help me anyway.

 

I feel like i want to backtrack to explore other area. Remember that skinned dead body that drop from above? Turns out he's alive and eager to bite my toe. This pathway is too narrow for me to run around him. So i must kill him.      

 

I'm on some kind of meeting room where i find a VHS player. Without hesitation, i insert the VHS tape and this video comes out: The captain gives the code number to that staff. Do you recognize that guy? It's Steve Benson that died near the security room. I have to check the corpse again.

 

On the dark corner of the same room, i find another survivor but this one is stressful and goes bit wacko. He says that the only way to know whether someone is infected or not is by shoot them first. Thank God and the professor for the special scope, i don't want to be paranoid like him. Later he agrees to put down his gun but he seems refuse to evacuate to flight deck as Jack instructed.

 

I can use the scope to scan for the pickable object which is nice feature. As soon as i get the memo that contains the code number from his cold dead finger, those 2 zombies near awakes and attacking me. Sniper_jeers06.wav

 

I get the code number but i don't where i have to put it. Another dead end. I'm in the first room that crawled with wild vegetation and there's wild banging all over the room. This giant plant is the culprit. I though it's going to break the fence and initiate the first boss fight but apparently not. Not yet, i think. I only have Glock handgun with several number of clip and welder. So i don't think i'm ready for this schmuck yet.

 

There's small stairway near the door of the previous bridge that leads to this lower bridge. There i find survivor who gives me another cardkey. This must be the one that unlock that gun store room.

 

This catapult crew room is also locked with the same keycard as the magazine room. There's two blokes fighting and they accuse each other as infected ones. We will see about that!  

 

Funny that they suddenly chill thus allow me to scan them carefully. So the infected one is the one who doesn't have moustache. Once i shoot him, he turns into the usual mindless mutant. If the zombies have ability to talk like normal human, then this situation is really dire! But this scope is truly a bliss for this incident. The survivor thanks me but he's reluctant to evacuate. At least he gives me level 3 energy drink for making good decision. Plus i find one of the 2 activation diskettes in this room.

 

Time to check the magazine room. I can't find new gun around here. Only some energy drinks and Glock's clips. Plus this plastic explosive. It's not exactly brims my heart with joy but i have to take whatever i can get.   

 

I find another diskette in this control room. Soldier_cheers01.wav

 

I give the diskettes to that glasses guy and he open the locked door that lead to the room that requires the code number. 5-1-0-3. There you go!

 

On said room i find another terrified survivor and hatch that leads to deck level 2. On this main alley i find the Bob's friend dead. I know it's common in Resident Evil that non player character can go everywhere even through locked door but this is still stupid nonetheless. Plus i believe Jack told him to go to flight deck. Either he's really dense or has secret agenda of his own or maybe he's another pilot and Jaleco reuses the same asset just like those survivors who have the same face.

 

There's recording machine behinds me. There's no other way of this alleyway besides that door  that blocked by this crates so it's time to use that plastic explosive. If i hold the right slider Jack begins to crouch and when i press "A" button while doing so Jack turn on the bomb and i have to make him retreat to safe distance within the allotted time.

 

Behind that door is another room filled with wild vegetation. This is the first time i encounter eyeball plant enemy. I have no idea what it can do as i kill him with single bullet. Heavy_domination02.wav

 

3 zombies on narrow passage? No, thanks. Actually if i run north from there, i will find wide area that's proper for bigger fight. Also there's medical box that contain energy drinks there.

 

Again, i'm questioning why non player character can gets ahead of me through those locked access. But the slightly-mad doctor here does me a favor by activating the elevator. Then he ends up become giant plant's food. So this is it, huh? The first boss fight.

It's not bad boss fight. The giant plant here has 2 attacks: slapping the ground with his  tentacles in 4 direction and summoning 4 parasite bugs. Sometime his polyp shows up and you have to shoot it to give his healthy bar some serious damage but you have aim at quite close range. Shoot the bugs then shoot the weak point. Avoid his tentacles and occasionally use energy drink to heal. That's about it.

 

Once his health bar is fully depleted, he's melting and vanish without trace. I can use this wide elevator to go to deck level 3. But i don't think i feel like to continue this game.

It's not really grotesque. Resident Evil series have bloodier tone than this game. Really. 

Jaleco's Carrier (2000) is standard Resident Evil clone. The gameplay is rather solid and nice. The control is good provided you're fine with tank control. You use analog to make Jack runs and you use d-pad to make him walk. There's "X" button to run but it's just extra viability. To see your weapon, you press left slider and to switch weapon you press it more. It's quite intuitive. "Y" button is shortcut for map view. The BEM-T3N scope is distinct feature of the game. It allows you to identify enemies and pickable object. Plus you can see the surrounding with first person perspective. This scope really reminds me of the my day at Area 51. The aiming system can be considered step-up than classic Resident Evil games. You have free degree when aiming vertically unlike the Resident Evil games that only has 3: low, middle, and high. There's blue mark on spot where Jack's aiming at. It allows you to shoot enemies in the head that hopefully deal critical damage. There's case where i cut zombie's arm by shooting it. I don't know whether it's beneficial or not. But i feel like you have to know that, that's all. Do mind that this game come out before Resident Evil 4 (which released 5 years later) that revolutionizes aiming in Survival horror game with laser pointer! The lock on system is fairly functional but i have hard time to lock on those parasite bugs. Worse of it, some of them can blend well within vegetated corridor. The health system is simple because it's represented by health bar on pause menu. There's also health indication by looking at Jack. When his health bar getting bad, he looks injured and moves slower like in Resident Evil 2. You don't have to bother about melee combat because Jack has unlimited electric shooter at his disposal. The map display is intuitive. The atmosphere design is pretty brilliant. Although there's not much blood or other grotesque decoration especially compared to Resident Evil 2 for example. But you're presented with survivors that are scared, traumatized, or even become "haywire". But don't expect the dialogues from voice acting is sensible. It's quite often, they're soapy like in first Resident Evil. The invisible zombies are something. They will force you to stand on your guard because they're invisible and sometime spawn at previously secured area. Think of them like Spectre from classic Doom. I reckon the graphic is standard good for Dreamcast game. The music is kind of "thin", that's all i can say.

If you really care about the story, here's what i get from the captain's log: The anti-terrorist mission was success. On their way home, someone at HQ tells them to pick something called "Ark" from some island. "Ark" is obviously the source of infection. One day, there's explosion on engine room and outbreak happens. Nothing too spectacular, isn't?

I don't think i want to continue playing Carrier (2000). Not because it's scary or at least it's not as scary as Kuon. It's just Survival Horror is not within my taste. Especially when i can only find plastic explosive instead of shotgun or assault rifle. Nevertheless Carrier is competent Resident Evil clone and i like to pass the marathon stick to you, reader. If you're big fans of the genre. Also this is important. The title is very brilliant because the game takes place in aircraft carrier that full of mysterious virus carriers. Amazing, right?