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?