Dreamcast

Floigan Brothers: Episode 1

Numerous minigames and difficult objectives abound, yet the most satisfaction is garnered through the interaction with Moigle. You just can’t help but laugh at his highly animated and overly vocal actions. With innovative gameplay, striking visuals, and witty story breaks, this is a must for any action/adventure fan. It’s a tad short, but well worth the $20 price point.

Just about the time you’ve finally mastered getting him to go do what you want, the game comes to an end. However, the short game time doesn’t change the fact that Floigan Bros. is a unique experience that I think many gamers will enjoy. I know I did. Plus, you can go online to download new game elements every month.

Floigan Brothers is Sega doing what they do best; it’s them trying different things and revolutionizing the industry. Unfortunately, this attempt doesn’t live up to the likes of Crazy Taxi and Jet Grind Radio. The gameplay seems to be jumbled at a lot of times and the overall fun factor just isn’t high enough, and don’t forget about the insanely short playtime. I would say that it is worth a purchase though, twenty bucks isn’t much to ask for this fairly enjoyable gaming experience. Plus, it’s a SEGA!, so you must buy it.

With a premise that feels as though it were DESIGNED to be later replicated as a video game, The Floigan Brothers should have been so much more. While the child inside, underneath, sitting next to, or in the other room of (respectively) us should get at least a little kick out of it the first time through, the tedious core elements prevent it from being a classic. It still has a fun, sordid history, and is a great title to add to one's collection. It "coulda been a contender" but will, unfortunately, never give Mario and crew a run for their money.

Bilan mitigé pour ce titre qui distraira facilement les amateurs de cartoons loufoques, mais qui avouera trop vite ses limites à cause de sa courte durée de vie. Impossible de ne pas sanctionner également l'absence de mode deux joueurs et l'absence totale de traduction.

The biggest problem the game faces though is how ridiculously short it is. Clearly aimed at younger gamers, Floigan takes little over an hour to complete. That's shorter than most movies, which makes Floigan Brothers a decent rental if you can find it, but otherwise worth missing. It costs less than most games, but you would expect that for something released on the Dreamcast in this day and age. There is online support to swap different skills and costumes, and there is the promise of continued downloads from Sega to consider, but the game has very little longevity to start with, and unless Sega intends to offer new adventures every month, we can't see this helping a great deal. Pick it up in a bargain bin when it costs a fiver, or buy it for a younger relative, but don't expect another Mario. Laugh out loud funny though Floigan Brothers can be at times, it's far too short to be taken seriously.

Sega is no stranger to taking risks. Over the life span of the Dreamcast, Sega has released some of the most daring, innovative, and genuinely fun software of modern console gaming. Games like Shenmue, Jet Grind Radio, and Phantasy Star Online have, if nothing else, proven Sega's willingness to think outside the box. Of course, this risk-taking doesn't always pay off as one would hope, and sometimes the audacious vision lacks focus. Floigan Brothers, the latest from Sega Sports collaborator Visual Concepts, most definitely falls into the latter category. There are hints of inspiration throughout, with the game sporting some good-looking visuals, a catchy soundtrack, and a distinct sense of style. But the game's length, uneven gameplay, and atrocious camera negate these virtues.

Sega is een ster in het leveren van originele games maar dit keer resulteert dit eens niet in een spel dat de moeite waard is.