LAST RESORT
by Loopz
|
|
Here's a blast from the past, an oldie-but-goodie that still
commands a decent coin. Now, most folks nowadays, when speaking of Neo shooters,
tend to carry on about the likes of Pulstar and Blazing Star. How does this old
bad boy stack up?
You might be surprised...
Last Resort is a horizontal scrolling shooter that plays similarly to R-Type.
However, the usual 'charge shot' mechanics have a little more going on in this
game, your 'unit' (the box even refers to this game as 'unit shooting') has this
cool ricochet effect that lets it bounce off walls and enemies. It comes in
really handy when trying to wipe out bosses' weak points. Besides the unit, you
also end up collecting other power-ups for speed, lasers, missiles, etc. Pretty
standard fare.
Graphics- (8.0/10) Last Resort has aged very well. It
features an art style very reminiscent of In The Hunt and Metal Slug. Not quite
as animated, but has a really nice use of color to create a dark, futuristic
mood (especially the Akira-esque city first stage.)
Lots of cool little details abound, like the little people that go flying when
you trash cars on stage 1. Very cutting edge for 1992, and still holds up today.
Music/Sound- (8.5/10) The music in this game is vintage SNK, great moody
synth melodies and burly guitar riffs. Sound effects are loud and crisp, with
shot and explosion FX having a really nice ring that compliments the dark
atmosphere of the game.
Playability- (8.0/10) This is a tough sucker. Not quite Viewpoint, but tough
enough to keep you playing for a while. I like the fact that this game has a
hint of that R-Type strategy, but doesn't totally force you to beat it one
precise way...you can run n' gun in certain parts.
Manages to be challenging without making you want to smash your joystick. 2
player co-op rocks!!!
Overall- (9.0/10) It's a cliché, but this is a game that happens to be more than the sum of its parts. Everything in this game really comes together to form one of the Neo's more overlooked classics. It isn't exactly cheap, but then again, it is compared to Pulstar/Blazing Star. It's the kind of game that really epitomizes the joy of NeoGeo... beautiful, challenging, and overlooked.
----------------------------------------------
More Reviews of This Game:
by Kazuya_UK - Courtesy of Kazuya's
Forums
| Neo
Collection | Master
List | AES
Price Guide | MVS
Price Guide
CD Price Guide |
Neo Store | Screenshots
| Reviews | Home
| Email