On this occasion I feel like I want to review title screen because it’s quite essential and iconic part of the game. Some of title screen is combined with main menu (usually in home console or PC game) and some of them is presented after demonstration which usually can be found in Arcade game. I will try not to show you the demonstration along the title screen example. You probably think “Aren’t you always talk about title screen on every video game review already, Werdito?” Yes, but I will pick the title screen example from video game that I won’t review ever (because the game is either too long or bad or even not interesting enough). Or maybe not yet. Besides, I will rate the screen title with 5-stars rating system. But there’s a twist. The star rating is not homogenous. I will use 3 types of stars: 1) Gold, for overall good score. 2) Silver, for overall average score. 3) Lastly bronze, for bad to meh score. Without further ado, let’s begin!
Doom (1993) - PC/DOS
For the very first pick, I choose the legendary title screen of Doom. It captures the feeling of the player being surrounded by demons in hell, pretty well. I like the Cacodemon near letter “D”. He has the sneaky smug expression “Imma gonna get you, Doomguy” because he’s confident that he can land his stinky fireball at the player’s backside from that position. Then there’s imp (blended with red background) is about to run away. “F***k this, I’m out! They didn’t pay me enough to die here” is the expression that I can get from him. Although I really like this title screen and I’m aware that this may anger every Doom player in whole earth, but I have to deduce half a star from 5 golden stars because there’s slight misinformation. I’m talking about the submachine gun that Doomguy currently using at the title screen. As far as I know there’s no such a thing. Definitely not the Gatling Gun because it’s way too big. The closest thing that resembles that submachine gun from Brutal Doom mod made by Sergeant Mark IV. So, the score is:
But 4 and a half stars is already remarkable and astonishingly cool. Truth be told I use this title screen for my PSP wallpaper because I love it. Speaking of Doom…
Vice Project Doom aka Gundeck (1991) - NES
From this title alone, you will expect a game about cop busting crime like in Miami Vice and I can’t blame you for that because the game wants you to believe that. The pink color on word “Vice” is intended to parody Miami Vice but there’s metallic tone on it which may indicate that it’s not entirely crime drama like the American movie. The game is pretty famous probably hailed as one of best platformer game on NES yet fairly obscured. If you happen don’t know what’s the game is about, I will gladly tell you. The protagonist is a police detective that investigate narcotics case (but it’s censored in USA version) and the similarity with Miami Vice ends there because the game goes wild beyond that basic premise. The detective encounters various monsters and mutants. There’s also war machine and black magic thrown into the mixture. Also corrupted conglomerate but that sounds trivial. The game is mixture of vertical shmup car, gallery shooter, and mostly platforming that can be difficult like Ninja Gaiden.
Anyway, back to the title screen. It’s simplistic and there are some bullets which informs you there’s gun that you can use which is correct information. Leonardo Da Vinci once said that “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”. But in my opinion the title screen is too simple yet it’s good enough. So, 3 silver stars out of 5.
If they added more item like car’s key, stick grenade or handgun, I would give the title screen at least one more star.
We move on to game that I like less. This is FromSoftware’s Kuon on PS 2. You heard that right, folks. It’s made by FromSoftware before making huge success on Demon’s Soul series and in the middle of developing King’s Field series and its kin. I say this title screen is significantly scarier than any of Resident Evil’s so it’s huge plus. Especially when “Sadako” there is blinking her eye once in a while. But strangely, the torches besides her aren’t flickering. Also, there’s eerie song in the title screen. I say, it’s 3.5 silver stars out of 5.
But we’re not done yet with Kuon because there’s another title screen…
This one also creepy and “Sadako” eye blinks too. There’s a butterfly which usually associated with death in Japanese or so I learn from Yuyuko Saigyouji. I don’t want to spoil the story too much but i will tell you a bit that's related to the butterfly. The plot involves scary supernatural ritual of making people into cocoon so the butterfly part of the title screen tells us quite essential info. Also, I can’t complaint about torches not flickering because there’s none here. I give this one solid 4 silver stars.
Another reason why this title screen gets more score than the other because in the first ones “Sadako” reveals bit of her thigh. Sexiness and horror don’t mix well in my opinion.
Jurassic Park - Rampage
Edition (1994) – Sega Genesis
Next is Jurassic Park - Rampage Edition. Obviously, the main feature of the title screen is this Velociraptor. Blood keep dripping on his teeth while keeping his teeth white. I believe blood don’t work like that in real life. Occasionally, the Velociraptor gazes at you. I don’t think it’s supposed to make him scary. It’s more like “Can you press start button already? I’m tired and I need to clean my mouth from this cough syrup. It’s sticky and disgusting”. So, the title screen looks more humorous than anything else. It deserves 2 gold stars.
On to another title screen
with Dinosaurs. Here’s the one in “Prehistoric Isle in 1930”, a horizontal
shmup made by SNK where you pilot a biplane and shooting various dinosaurus
that -somehow- have capability to fire projectiles. The Tyrannosaurs’ roar
sounds like Godzilla’s but no one -including myself- can’t prove that
Tyrannosaurs have different voice than the king of the monsters himself. I like
to think that the king of terrible lizard screams in pain as the explosions
happen. “Arrrgh! My eyes! Curse you, flashing explosions!”. The presence of Tyrannosaurs
Rex is pretty informative as he’s the final boss of the game. Overall, 3 and a
half gold stars.
Speaking of 1930, next title screen is in....
Cuphead is not exactly video game made in 1930 but it’s in 1930 cartoon style. I take the title screen screenshot when I bought the DLC so you can’t accuse me being lazy by just taking screenshot from previous review. I even make it animated too! By buying the DLC, the title screen changes a bit with the addition Ms. Chalice between Cuphead and Mugman. It’s huge plus aesthetic score! While the goblet brothers look smug, Ms. Chalice look cute. There’s pile of poker chips which tell us there’s gambling relation in the plot although the goblet brothers get into the trouble because they lose gambling in dice game. However, stacks of poker chips are more stable as foothold than dices so that’s why they settle with poker chips in title screen. I think I’m biased on this but I give this title screen full 5 gold stars anyway. I do this because of Ms. Chalice.
Guardian of Paradise (2005) -PC
Lastly, we move on to indie Legend of Zelda likes game. To be more accurate, Guardian of Paradise is like Sega’s Beyond of Oasis but lesser combat aspect and more puzzle aspect. Instead of various tools or equipment like in LoZ, GoP utilize elemental friends to aid the protagonist on his journey. Anyway, the title screen has vibrant yet soothing color. The protagonist is there too. There’s not much information you can get from this title screen. Summary is: 3 gold stars out of 5.
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