Dive Alert (Matt's Version/Becky's Version) Developed by Sacnoth, Distributed by SNK Reviewed by Orochi p_fish Adam@p-fish.com or p_fish@email.com Save: One singular save slot Released: right before SNK left us ;_; Works with: NGPC and it owns you **************************************************************************** Opening Snide Remarks: This is one of two games that led me to buy an NGPC. Unfortunately, it recieved bad reviews... I went into this game hoping for good, but preparing for mediocre. **************************************************************************** Gameplay Descripion: You control a lone sub, out in the middle of a Waterworld-style earth. There is a nice story and cutscenes after S-Missions. (The S stands for story, I suppose) The story has a Neon Genesis Evangelion feel to it, even though some plot twists you know have to hapen, you just keep waiting for them to do so. Conversations between characters sounds pretty realistic, amazing, a pocket game with a practically unmatched translation, I wish more games were like this. Subs are very upgradeable and even evolve o.O when you rack up enough experience points. There is supposed to be a trading aspect between the two versions of the game (Matt's Version and Becky's Version) of the tyoes of subs you've seen, I suppose this was supposed to be a pokemon-esque advertising scheme, but it doesn't intrude at all on the gameplay. The ammount of feeling like a realistic submarine simulation (weather or not it actually is) is amazing. When your sub isn't very speedy, you really feel it in the controls. The only thing missing I feel is a periscope or some sort of viewscreen you can switch to, if only usable when on the surface. Liked: Storyline that adds to gameplay enjoyment. Hated: This game suffers from lone ship/guy against an entire legion of badguys syndrome. I would have like a small crew to command. **************************************************************************** Graphics Description: The cutscenes are pretty average, but the talking animations of people are nice and big. The main action of the game takes place looking at a giant radar screen. Belive me, this could have turned out to be dull, cell based combat/movement, but luckily, it works. The little icons for your weapons like a couple of minutes to figure out, but once you get them down, it's no problem. Liked: Big talking animations! Hated: No periscope. **************************************************************************** Sound/Music Description: I usually turn off the audio on all of my handheld games to save batteries (with the music off, my NGPC goes forever on two batteries), but I just had to turn it up to see if it had passable music, or if it was just sonar sweeps. Luckily, fortune smiled upon me and the music was nice, and the sound effects were actually sort of helpful. The music isn't anything to write home about, but then again, the gameplay is an attention hog, so you have little time to worry about music. ^_^ Liked: Music that doesn't suck. Hated: nothing. **************************************************************************** Play Control/Game Design: Okay, here's the Uber-simple control sceme: Control stick/pad-thing moves you're sub around on the x/y plane. A button shoots whatever weapon you have selected, B brings up a menu to change weapons, float, dive, or release ballast. The option button sends out an active ping. Simple. The wide arrange of different types (and grades, oy!) of weapons mean that you have to really pay attention when you stock your ship. The menu, though, takes some time to getting used to, expecially when you want to release ballast quickly, then change weapons, then fire. At first, the sheer amount of things you can outfit your sub with will probably overwhelm you, but take heart, after a couple of N-Missions (The N probably stands for... um... not story?) you should be fine. Liked: Simple control scheme, everything works as it should. Hated: Menu is a little slow, IMHO. Switching menus at the docks takes also has some minimum slowdown. **************************************************************************** Improve: Oooh, add a periscope, please, that would be so cool, even if it wasn't that usefull, or practical. And please, there needs to be friendly subs or something out there besides my lone ship, expecially when I'm in a large battle where there are supposed tons of my side/the other side out there. RIYL: Umm... this is hard. I can't particularly think of anything on the NGPC or on the Gameboy. Silent Service for the NES is similar, but without the nice storyline. **************************************************************************** Final Words: Even though my sub's hull originally looked like a sunfish, when it reached lvl2, it looks like a normal sub, weird. I wonder what the turtle-sub looks like when it 'evolves.' **************************************************************************** Score Gameplay: 3.5 stars Graphics: 3.5 stars Sound/Music: 3 stars Play Control/Game Design: 3.5 stars Personal Opinion: 4 stars Total: 17 and a half stars Final Score: 85% (this is not a percentage based on the number of stars given) **************************************************************************** Currently Known Codes: For a game that barely made it out before the company went bye-bye? Fat chance of finding one. But I'll give you a tip instead. Don't like your begining choices for a hull shape? Start with any one, then at the first dock, buy a new one and sell your old one off.