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Retro|Spective 090: Saturn and Those We Left Behind

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    Retro|Spective 090: Saturn and Those We Left Behind

    Here we are at the 90th thread, this time looking at Sega's true 32 bit generation contribution and the notable games that the system gave us but never managed to find life away from the system. Each of these games help to define the experience of owning a Saturn whether they were successful or not.




    Entry 01 - Dark Savior
    Other Formats:
    None
    Considered by some as a sequel to Landstalker despite not sharing that much in common with it. The isometric action RPG from Climax mixed playstyles from platformers, fighters and puzzlers to create a sprawling adventure. One of the key features of the game is it's leaning towards repeated playthroughs with your journey through the game having significant changes on how the game unfolds. The design of the visual elements proved a challenge to the point that the game wasn't developed for PS1 because the team felt Sony's console wasn't capable of running it.



    Entry 02 - Last Bronx
    Other Formats:
    Arcade, PC and Playstation 2
    Developed by AM3, Last Bronx took place in an alternative Tokyo where street gangs brawled in the streets. Using a similar fight system to Sega's own Virtua Fighter series, the game was a hit in Japanese arcades but it struggled to gain traction in the US thanks to it being taken as being overly similar to Sega's own fighter titles resulting in its limited appeal causing the shelving of the property.



    Entry 03 - Baku Baku Animal
    Other Formats:
    Arcade, Game Gear, Master System and PC
    Heavily well received when the Saturn edition launched, the puzzler saw players line up coloured blocks to also align food types against their associated animal type who would then chomp their way through the spaces to clear up connected blocks. Despite being another Tetris style release it was a big pull for a while though Sega largely let it lie afterwards rather than exploit it as much as they did Columns.



    Entry 04 - Burning Rangers
    Other Formats:
    None
    Coming in later into the Saturns life was the third person futuristic rescue action title, Burning Rangers. Controlling a team of fire fighters, players explored dangerous environments that were susceptible to explosions as they sought out survivors. The system pushed transparency and lighting effects which were typically a frowned on effect on the system as well as a vocal navigation system that was a fairy new development at the time. The game was a difficult ask from the hardware making the end result highly impressive despite some of its visual niggles. Like Panzer Dragoon Saga, Sega released the game as one of the very final titles to come to the system and as such gave it a very low distribution and marketing push. For some reason they never attempted to return to the series or to port the game elsewhere leaving BR as a Saturn jewel.



    Entry 05 - Deep Fear
    Other Formats:
    None
    Coming from System Sacom and AM7, Deep Fear was Sega's attempt to cash in on Resident Evil's success after that franchise failed to stick with Sega's console past a belated port of its first entry. Using pre-rendered locations under 3D characters and objects, the game marked itself out dealing with items usage etc in real time and giving the player and oxygen limit to battle against. Stuck in a facility beneath the waves that has been overrun with mutants, you were tasked with rescuing survivors and escaping. The game was yet another that suffered from Sega's odd approach to the Saturns final days and as with Rangers, Saga and Shining Force the game was sent to die, played by remaining Saturn die hards only. It released in Japan and was the systems final European release, never launching in the US or on any other format at all despite also receiving solid reviews.



    Entry 06 - Steep Slope Sliders
    Other Formats:
    Arcade
    A snowboarding game largely like others but this time moves were based on use of the face buttons rather than holding various directions during air time. It never attracted the same success that rival such as Cool Boarders did though Cave did eventually attempt a fully rebranded successor project for the PS1 that was less well received.



    Share your thoughts and memories of these forgotten Saturn heroes

    #2
    Gotta say that I never quite got Steep Slope Sliders. I know some people really love it but I played it after 1080, and could never get into it.

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      #3
      Only had a Saturn many years later, and of the games above, the only I've played was Last Bronx, and that was on the PS2, not the Saturn.

      Burning Rangers looks worth a play, but I assume it's hard to come by.

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        #4
        Burning Rangers is such a fantastic game, if a little over ambitious for the host hardware. I can only imagine what the game could have become had it been a Dreamcast title…

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          #5
          Originally posted by _SD_ View Post
          Burning Rangers is such a fantastic game, if a little over ambitious for the host hardware. I can only imagine what the game could have become had it been a Dreamcast title…
          Agreed. I imagine it looking a lot like Phantasy Star Online or Outtrigger.

          Comment


            #6
            The best console ever.




            Entry 01 - Dark Savior Loved this game, the gfx were amazing and the parallel was so far ahead of its time and sadly is a overlooked part of this great RPG.

            Entry 02 - Last Bronx This was my fav 3D fighter on the Saturn. I loved the setting and the game charcaters, the music and gfx were stunning too and it was such a close port of the Model 2B game

            Entry 03 - Baku Baku Animal Nice fun puzzel game that really comes alive in 2 player mode

            Entry 04 - Burning Rangers Can't help but feel this was a tad overrated at the time, but it was still great and fun to play. So wished for sequel on XBox 360 using LIVE.

            Entry 06 - Steep Slope Sliders The Sega Rally of the snowboarding game world. Perfect controls and such fun to play, I loved how the turns used the left and right sholder buttons. This game was just a joy to play thanks to perfect controls

            Comment


              #7
              It's weird how this has just cropped up, as only in the last couple of weeks I've been thinking about buying a Saturn again. Owned one for a little while back in the day (sold a load of SNES stuff to pay for it... not sure how I feel about that now), before ultimately selling it and buying a PS1.

              ...Which I traded in a year later for a Saturn again. Unfortunately by this point the console was dying off (around the time Sega Saturn Magazine was mainly covering Japanese imports only), so after playing some other stuff I missed, it got traded in for a PS1 once more. Being young and not having much cash meant I couldn't feasibly keep both unfortunately, otherwise I would have.

              All the games mentioned above I didn't get to play (Dark Savior I really would have liked to, but never saw it in any shop at the time... closest I got was a demo video). Panzer Dragoon Saga perhaps should be on that list though, as it looks as if it will never appear on another format.

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                #8
                I never got into Dark Savior. I tried but it had a weird feature where the game started off with a scenario, and your actions during this scenario are supposed to have a huge impact on the rest of the game's story. I spent ages replaying the starting bit to try and get the "best" version and I think I just lost interest before getting further.

                That being said, it was visually great; one of the best looking games on the machine. There's a thread, actually.

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by Asura View Post
                  I never got into Dark Savior. I tried but it had a weird feature where the game started off with a scenario, and your actions during this scenario are supposed to have a huge impact on the rest of the game's story..
                  I enjoyed the game 1st more as a showcase for Saturn visuals, but had issues getting into it thanks to the 'tank' like controls. But then Sega Saturn did a mini guide and I played it soild for over 2 weeks and I then started to see and appreciate, just how increabile the Parrerel system was. You had so many totally different outcomes depending on your actions, it was quite increabile and even the controls didn't bother me after I got used to them.

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                    #10
                    I never got into the Saturn.

                    I've played one once and it just felt a bit tired playing more Street Fighter, when on the PlayStation I was raiding tombs and wiping out and solidifying metal gears.

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                      #11
                      I remember thinking Last Bronx looked quite amazing when I first saw it in action. It really was great how Sega pushed the hardware further and further each year. I also think it's a really fun game to play.

                      I remember liking the aesthetic design of Burning Rangers, but the gameplay felt quite clunky. It was obviously pushing the hardware too far. A Dreamcast version could have been really nice.

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                        #12
                        I felt like I was keeping the Saturn alive on my own in the UK buying nearly all of the last games as they came out, though gutted I missed Deep Fear I even saw it on the shelf in EB ( or was it Game by then? ) and passing it up. Was waiting with baited breath for Virgin's X-Men vs Streetfighter to arrive to no avail.

                        Absolutely rinsed Burning Rangers, what a game, even watched the Sega Flash video demo at least 50 times just for the music I don't know if this is a false memory but weren't the layouts of each level changed every time you played it?

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                          #13
                          I’m sure the random-ish levels were unlocked after you completed the game.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Given Capcom is stuffing FinalBurn into that huge controller machine to run its games through, what's to stop Sega using a public Saturn emulator to rerelease titles like Burning Rangers or Panzer Dragoon Saga?

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                              #15
                              Clue for 091 - Charting the stability of the ISA

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