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One of the final Saturn releases was also one of its most original. Taking the action genre in a a new direction, Sonic Team had players take the role of a futuristic rescue team in a game that pushed Sega's 32-bit hardware to its limit. Burning Rangers is both a technological achievement and a lot of fun. Read the full review for all the details.
Never heard about this game,thanks for review.
One of my favorite games on the Saturn! Although my only real disagreement with you is in regards to the price to getting a copy today. For me, anything over $100 seems crazy and the US release is very expensive these days. I lucked out and snagged a NIB Brazilian Tec-toy release of the game about a year or so ago and it still ran me about $80. But aside from the crappy cardboard packaging and being in a standard CD jewel case, it is the same NTSC US version of the game. So if you want the english speaking version of this and live in the US, then the Brazilian Tec-toy release is the way to go for now. Otherwise your stuck with getting the JPN voice and language version that could still run you close to $100 USD.
I still own my original copy. Saturn is currently hooked up, and reading a new review is going to make me fire it up again (giggle giggle groan...). I never did find all the survivors; I wonder how many are on my save file. Truth be told I always get lost in the complicated levels. I am actually afraid to replay the underwater dolphin level because it is so stressful to me. I love blowing up the big plant boss. The water boss is difficult , I fall into the water too easily. The thing is, I never replayed those levels enough to learn the patterns and get good at them.
Melf rated BR as 8, I'd probably have given it 8 or 9 myself just because of its uniqueness and I viewed it as a parting gift for owning a Saturn. It isn't quite as instantly fun as the best Sega games, mostly due to the tricky control and difficulty of seeing the platforms and world around you at times, but it's still awesome stuff. Great detailed review and I like the pictures chosen too.
It hasn’t aged well imo, like all early 3d games from the n64 and ps1. I do own it (bought it for 10$ in local ads 2 years ago!) and got past the tutorial and few levels, and never got sold on the gameplay. I will fire it up and give it anothwr chance, but i think people see this game with nostalgia glasses, it looks like crap but im sure it was amazing in 97!!
It really hasn’t aged well. I replayed the first 2 levels yesterday several times each. You’re always fighting the camera! I Found all the rescue characters in level 1, and all but 1 in level 2. Since I’m replaying levels, the random map generator kicked in. I didn’t seem to play the same map twice , which is cool once you gain some game familiarity.
It takes too long to hear the victims speech and rescue them. Plus the dialog is super cheesy.
I still find it a great idea, it’s just the implementation on Saturn that holds it back.
I'll buy it off you for $20? That's a 100% return and a sweet deal, no? ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by PreZZ
I played through it completely for the review, and I think the score is accurate. The camera is definitely the biggest issue, given the lack of a second analog stick. This game screams for a remaster!
This game is not higher than a 6 out of 10. Graphics are simultaneously impressive and overtly glitchy. The camera is a mess, and the gameplay consists of graphically indistinguishable areas putting out fires and rescuing nameless civilians. No real story, only 4 levels, and a terrible camera. More than anything, Burning Rangers is a great concept far too ambitious for the Saturn hardware. The gameplay just isn't there...I played through the entire game years ago and loved it, but popped it in about a year ago anf was thoroughly disappointed.
I've long considered just buying the Japanese version and brute-forcing my way through instead of putting up with ebay scammers. How difficult is it to play through the Japanese game? I know the comm link gives you periodic instructions, but if they are the "Go left up ahead" or "Down to the right is a survivor!" variety, I can probably manage (like in Bulk Slash, where the constant chatter basically boils down to "turn left/right/straight!").
came to post this - finally ran through it last year, and yeah, it's very high on my list of most-needing-a-remaks! the ideas are cool, it just needs (as you said) better camera control, and maybe some level design tweaks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Melf
The best summation of BR I've ever heard.Quote:
Originally Posted by Baloo
I'm so glad Shenmue never came out on Saturn.
I'm still replaying BR , thanks to this review rekindling interest. Last night I replayed level 3 several times, trying to discover all the survivors and rescue them. Level 3 is on a space colony and is the most fun stage to me. I enjoy the level design as you battle huge robots with spinning blades and do a bit of back and forth running to acquire security keys and unlock the doors where more survivors are waiting. There is always a surprise around each corner here, such as flying wasp drones, or the huge corridor-filling robots, and also the dangers of outer space as the walls will collapse and suck everything in the room out into the void. I love the final huge boss , although he is easy to defeat, and the eerie feeling introduced here by the psychic female voice warning you to run.
I haven't played that game in years. The main issue with the graphics was that it used the NiGHTS engine which was great for when you're flying and terrible for when you're not. Why Naka decided to do this I really don't know but it was still a bad choice. This is also a game that should be remastered but it probably will not be.
What do you have to do to rescue Clariss or Elliott from Nights? I know they are the final two survivor slots for level 2, and I've rescued all the available survivors at times on this stage - but I've never encountered them. I'm tired of trying.