🚀 go-pugleaf

Remember Raptor: Call of the Shadows by Apogee?  Well just released Tyrian
brings back thoughts of that game.  But how do the two compare?

First off, my thoughts on Tyrian.

When I first downloaded the game and loaded it up, the control seemed
really bad.  It still is (see ranting post on Tyrian Control), but the
ship drifting to the left is not so noticeable.  The game would be
much better with fixed control, but I can stand it, for now.  Please
hurry on the Patch, or tell me what the problem is Epic.

The graphics were good, but not great.  Animation was smooth and there
was a lot of color.  The music was great, being a midi composer makes
me appreciate the music more than the average gamer.  As to the 
sound effects, they are sufficient. Nothing stunning, your average shooting 
and explosion sounds.  I do have to note that the jukebox was cool; it
would make a great screensaver.

I noticed that there was quite a lot of different enemies and a lot of
power-ups.  This is what I like about shooter type games, a mass
amount of weapons and a mass amount of baddies.  It adds variety.  In addition,
the scrolling of the screen changes.  Sometimes it slows down to let you
shoot all the enemies, and sometimes it speeds up to let you blow
by obstacles.  It reminded me of the old EGA shooter by Apogee, Major
Stryker.

Now, Raptor and Tyrian:

First, the graphics on both games a good.  The enemies in Tyrian were
more numerous than in Raptor.  And there was more variety too. Animation wise
Raptor's and Tyrian's enemies both had good animation and were very fluid.
Both backgrounds were well done, but not spectacular .Tyrian probably could have made
SVGA, andthe graphics SVGA, and put more detail on the backgrounds, 
but parallax scrolling is a plus over Raptor.  Raptors graphics were good,
but limited parallax scrolling (if any) was a constant reminder that it 
wasn't up to the level of the video game consoles back then (SNES and Genesis).
Tyrians claim that this game stands up to the best of those console shooters
is more plausible. But still, it's not quite correct.  The consoles have a
lot more parallax scrolling, and a bigger playing area.  The bosses are 
MASSIVE, and there are usually many more sprites on the screen.   Tyrian 
has much smaller bosses, and the playing area is about 3/4 of the screen. 
It feels too small.  But it still is a good shooter.  Overall, Tyrian had
better graphics than Raptor.

The sound on both games was excellent.  I'd give the edge to Tyrian's
midi though, it was much more involving.  Raptor's music sounded old
(because it is, I guess).  On the area of sound effects, though, Raptor wins
this one.  Tyrian's sound effects were weak, while Raptor's were LOUD
and explosive.

Playability is much better on Tyrian.  In Raptor, you were forced to
play the story style (not very many powerups during the game, only when
you passed the level could you buy more weapons).  Tyrian gives you
two choices, arcade, and regular.  I prefer arcade as it seems more
random and exciting with new powerups appearing quite rapidly.  In addition,
Tyrian has an exciting TWO player mode which Raptor sorely lacked.  Being
able to play with a family member or friend makes the game twice as
fun and competitive (your friends get pretty angry if you get in the way
of their powerups).  Epic does need to make the interface a little better
on the Two player mode.  Many times, I found myself running connecting
with my brother's ship to make one massive ship when instead, I wanted to 
control my ship on my own.  Epic should make this an option; one could
turn the combining of ships on and off.

Tyrian also tops Raptor in other miscellaneous ways.  Tyrian has the aforementioned
jukebox in its setup.  This allows your to hear some of the tunes, and 
also test your Midi music.  This was a great addition, as one can
just let it run and watch the screen fill with color and/or listen
to the music.  Tyrian also has a better story line.  Though not much,
the unanswered questions about Microsol and the death of Buce gives
a better background than the marauder for hire story of Apogee.

All in all, Tyrian beats the pants of Raptor.  It is in no means
a perfect game, but it is a fun and enjoyable one.

p.s.  Epic remember that PATCH!



                                Jared Ong
                           jo...@coyote.csusm.edu
                   ---------------------------------------
                       We are spinning our own fates 
                    good or evil, and never to be undone
               Every smallest stroke of virtue or of vice leaves
               its never so little scar...Nothing we ever do is, 
                  in strict scientific literalness, wiped out.
                            - William James