Flashback: The Quest for Identity

The Good
I want to be very clear : I played the game when it was released (and many more times after), I talked a lot about it with PC and Amiga gamers, so I just can't understand the reactions here.

First, let me get this straight : Flashback IS NOT a sequel to Another World. Yes, it is the same publisher, and then ? This very good game is due to Paul Cuisset and his team, while Another World is the work of one man only, Eric Chahi. Yes, it's the same kind of gameplay, and then ? The graphics are very different and so is the story.

Apart from that, Flashback is a very good game so it's no surprise it was a real hit at the time. It got very good ratings by video games magazines and sold quite well.

The first thing it offers is amazing graphics. The game has a very special style, quite easily recognizable although there are many different environments (jungle, futuristic city streets, underground stations, bars, a very special TV show and even a reactor you must repair... and I'm sure I forget some). The cut-scenes, in simulated 3D, are also nice. But what makes Flashback such a pleasure for the eye are the beautifully rendered, super smooth characters animations. The only other game which equals Flashback on this subject is Prince of Persia 2, but I really prefer Flashback.

Which leads me to the other key point in Flashback : controls. Ok, you might find it difficult at first. There are more keys than in your average platform game. But once you master it, oh my god how fun it is :-) Yes, I confess, I have spent some time just playing around, running then jumping and then rolling and pointing my gun at every tree, then getting up, climbing, etc... There is a real pleasure just manipulating your character. The only other title I had the same impression with was Tomb Raider (the first one). You do lots of combinations in every direction you can think of, and the result is smooth, fast and natural, beautiful. Tomb Raider was in 3D what Flashback was in 2D.

And this comparison is also not stupid when it comes to gameplay. Both are mainly action, platform games. Both have a few puzzles without which it would be too much repetitive. BUT Flashback also has a real story. I admit it, it's not extremely complicated. But to me, who have never liked consoles platform games, it was essential because it keeps you playing, wanting to know more. I see it like this : the gameplay is so well done that you have fun just because of the action ; but when it becomes a little bit harder, or a little bit long, then you accept it because you know it will soon change, and you will be told more about yourself.

Oh, yes, and the game becomes better after the beginning. When you arrive in the city, you'll have more freedom in your actions (and some nice new equipment, too). Oh, it's still pretty linear, but it's more than action/platform nevertheless. Well, it's more like Another World, in fact. This moment is a bit short, sadly, but it's really very good.

Last point, the Amiga version has superb sounds & music. On PC, it is just ok, and the sound setup may be difficult in these times of various and complex sound cards (if you have and old Sound Blaster 16 for example, no problem). I remember playing it with the Amiga connected to a good hi-fi system, that was awesome.

The Bad
First of all, yes, there is a lot of action and a little bit of adventure, not the opposite. But if you ask me, Another World had lots of action too, and I find Flashback easier.

Second, you need to master the controls. I think that's why some people don't like it nowadays. It's really similar to Prince of Persia : you have to be good in making jumps and so on. I personally don't play platform games, and I never had any problems with these two, on the contrary ; but I know a friend which just hates this kind of gameplay. So it's up to you.

Apart from that... Oh, yes, the end is much more difficult. The enemies (I won't tell you what they are...) are very fast, and you have to hit them many times. Prepare yourself to a few tries before getting used to them.

Which makes me think : there's a code-based protection. So check you got it if you traded this game or downloaded it on an abandonware site.

The Bottom Line
If you enjoyed the Prince of Persia or even the Tomb Raider series, don't hesitate, you should have fun playing Flashback (but note it's NOT in 3D, of course !). If you liked Another World and you don't mind a little more action sometimes, give this game a chance. It has (in my opinion) nicer graphics and a fine story, and, at least in France, it's a classic.

The Good
I love dark sci-fi. I mean movies, games, stories, anything. That's why Delphine Internationals' Flashback: The Quest for Identity has been on my top 5 list since it's 1993 heyday. The story is top notch. It's about an alien plot to take out the "human vermin" and make our world their own. Sounds generic, but the story never gets too confusing, or too vague. The graphics are great. The motions, captured from actual people (big at the time, digitized graphics were!), are numerous, making every movement look fluid. The sporadic music is perfectly placed. The levels present a challenge, and make for a near perfect game!! ------*1/2-------

*The Bad
Less frequent save points, and single hit kills (the green force coming out of the ground, electric ground) are kind of annoying, but once you learn where they are, it's cake. The control scheme has confused people, myself included. I know peeps that have given up after 5 min. but loved everything else!!

The Bottom Line
A futuristic sci-fi platformer, a departure from gaming conformity. Rules were broken and created with this one. Patience is a virtue, and well worth it once you're warmed up. For any gamer, Flashback is like avant-garde 101.

The Good
Flashback: The Quest for Identity (1994) is a fast paced game that brilliantly combines the fast paced, action elements of a traditional side-scrolling, platformer with the more intellectual elements of an adventure game. Its superior graphics, character animation and tight game play similar to "Out of the World", without the bitterly high difficulty level. Movie buffs will note some homages to cult class films such as 'Total Recall', 'They Live' and 'Phantasm II'. In the distant future, our hero has discovered that a race of space aliens have been impersonating humans! Before he can go public with this information, his space ship is shot down over a tropical jungle, causing him to crash land and lose his memory.

The Bad
The lack of a hardware upgrade for the Sega CD forced many of its games to offer only slight improvements from their cartridge based counterparts. If you played the Genesis version you will notice no differences in the graphics or game play. Instead, the CD version features better music, more character animation and improved CGI sequences. Along with different passwords, the only addition to the cartridge version is decent voice acting to go alongside the text based conversations.

The Bottom Line
Flashback: The Quest for Identity (1994) is a difficult game to judge. In comparison to the Genesis version, the extra features are nice, but do not drastically improve the game. However, if you judge the game on its own, it is one of the best single player, action, adventure titles for the Sega CD.

The Good
Flashback is probably one of the best platformers every released. It offers up a compelling storyline, influenced by several films, and excels in terms of graphics, character animation, music, sound effects and gameplay mechanics.

The Bad
Flashback does not help sell the Atari Jaguar because the game was already published on the "inferior" game systems, such as the 16-bit SNES and Genesis.

The Atari Jaguar version of this game does not help justify the existence of a "Next Level" gaming console.

As a cartridge-based title, it does not feature the cosmetic changes seen in the CD edition of Flashback.

Also I never really get use to the Atari Jaguar game controller, which seemed like a throwback to the 4-bit Atari era.

The Bottom Line
Flashback is a great platformer, but its appearance on the Atari Jaguar does little to demonstrate the Jaguar's hardware potential.

The Good
Flashback! This game is definitely in my top ten list of all time... so there must be lots of good things about it right? The graphics are top notch; rotoscoped animation is the flavour, over the top of handpainted backdrops. I'll probably get persecuted here, but I think it's much more attractive and stylish than Another World (the prequel).

The sound is good, with some digitized snippets even on the genesis and the music is really, really good, not because of the music itself, but the lack of it. By this I mean that most of the time the game is eerily silent, and only when something very significant happen does the game pipe up with the music. It gives the game a great atmosphere!

Gameplay-wise I love it! Another World was much more artsy and story driven; this is a hardcore platform game. The controls are sublime - especially the run-jump feature which is activated by running, hold jump and release run and the character will keep running and then do a running jump to a higher ledge. It's hard to explain but opens up much more possibility for navigation than in games like Prince of Persia.

It's quite a hard game and I admit to having finished it (after quite a lot of play-time!) There are a few less interesting levels (the game show level springs to mind) and your success is fairly dependant on your skills with the shield, but all in all this is as good as puzzle-based platforming gets.

I should point out too that the Genesis version is much, much better than the SNES version, despite the console's limitations (and gives the others a run for their money too!). The SNES CPU just isn't clocked fast enough to do this kind of animation. Full marks to the developers of this Genesis version!

The Bad
The only things that are a bit irritating is the repetitive nature of some of the gun fights (particularly later in the game against the blobby alien doods) and the difficulty which is pegged pretty high.

The Bottom Line
Still fun after all these years, I play through this game fairly regularly still! I was never a huge fan of Another World, but loved this game to death ever since it was released. It's a different sort of game, not much of a sequel and is more like a cyberpunk Prince of Persia. Pick it up and give it a go, you won't regret it!

The Good
I read that FB is an underestimated game but I don't think so... at least the magazine articles and reviews I read, exalted this game.. and I think justly, because it is a game that combines all: graphics, animation, action, realism, a fake in-depth of the FB universe and a great ever evolving plot...

At first I'd say it is a Prince of Persia-clone platform game with realistic rotoscoped movements climbing to platforms, jumping and ducking, set in the future... the plot is a great pro for the game, which was absent in Prince... The French producers have impressive and active stories coming with their games and as usually, they have 'stolen' some ideas from known movies, notable Total Recall..

Anyway I don't understand why people perceive it as a sequel to Another World... it is clearly another game in another universe... I expect someone who liked the first, will like the other as well, as long as he won't bother comparing them

The Bad
To be honest I can't think of anything negative!! Maybe the music was not one that you are going to remember, but it was not a vital part for such a package

The Bottom Line
if you see it around, be sure not to miss it!

The Good
I think the problem solving based gameplay is great. Obviously this game is like Prince of Persia and Another World (previous Delphine Game), but I think Flashback outdoes them. Another World had a great story, told through cut scenes, but the platforming and problem solving wasn't so great. I think in Flashback you get the sense that the game makers want to challenge you, but they also want you to succeed and beat the game. The game's cut-scenes are good and unlike Another World, there is also text to explain the story. Very good music too, co-composed by French pop composer Jean Baudlot.

The Bad
The combat in the last stage of the game could have been thought through better and improved. Dodging the blue aliens is a fun challenge, but there are tight spots where it's so hard to dodge and have proper battles. Also I think Conrad is a bit slow at drawing and pointing his gun.

The Bottom Line
Based on what I've played, I could probably call this the best platformer ever. Intelligent combat and problem solving and good cut-scenes and music.

The Good
Well for starters I thought the storyline was great, I mean it doesn't come up in many games where you have to try and get your memory back so I thought it was unique in that way. The graphics were awesome, so smooth and well rendered it must been really impressive when first released. The controls for the game were complicated at first by after about 5 minutes it's like riding a bike.

Music is another matter it wasn't really that good but some of the ambience effects were pretty cool and the cinematic to go with really went well together.

The Levels were well set out plus where they placed the enemies was clever, also the puzzles were great and weren't too easy it took me a while to figure them out but I got a very satisfactory feeling for finishing one.

The Bad
There was nothing really bad about this game, and I'm not going to compare it too "Another World" as it ISN'T a sequel to it and it is in no comparison. .

The Bottom Line
They don't make em like this anymore. Classic gaming at its best.

The Good
Supposing you could just ignore the perfect graphics(out of this world was 16 color /vectorized) and ignore the perfect animation and most fluid controls,you are still left with a piece of art,nevertheless.The story is far more than interesting,its evolving,you start off by knowing so little and by the end its a full blown alien invasion you have to deal with.Ignoring the heritage this game had to live up with,this game should be considered the monkey island of platformers.

The Bad
Okay,i suppose the story dragged a bit towards the end,and the music is sparse due to the limitations of the game size,but even with the music off and your skipping the cut-scenes you are still left with a work of art.

The Bottom Line
This game would be best described as perhaps the most probable game to attract people towards games and computers in general,it even got me in the scene all because of its wonderful graphics and responsive controls,it layed the soil for such marvels as Oddworld and Heart of darkness to appear,and most importantly introduces the kind of "heady" platform games to a most wide audience if you dont want to by it,at least get it at an abandonware site,you wont be dissapointed.

The Good
After the success of Another World, Delphine decided to cash in on its success and create Flashback. The game was supposed to be top secret. Most game magazines were offered no information about the game, and they assumed that it was the sequel to Another World, due to the development house and that it was based on games such as Prince of Persia. However, this is not true as AW's real sequel is Heart of the Alien.

In every action/adventure game like POP, the character's background is laid out for you and what the character must do first. However, Flashback is subtitled The Quest for Identity for a reason. After crash-landing on an alien planet, it is up to the player to discover who he is and how he got into this mess. The best way to do that is walk around and pick up something that will tell you what you need to do next.

There are a wide variety of moves that you must accomplish to get through the game. Every one of Conrad's movements was done with rotoscope animation, a technique used previously in Prince of Persia and Another World. A few moves, such as the run-and-roll, take time to get used to.

The graphics make you feel that you are actually walking around in the future populated by alien creatures who have no respect for humanity. I know that Flashback is set sometime in the a future, judging by the signage in some levels and the use of superior technology such as teleportation. The sound effects are excellent as provide a realistic experience. As soon as you enter the jungle planet, and hear the sounds of insects chirping in the trees. And on each level, you always get to hear any creature activity in the distance.

As usual, there are a wide variety of alien creatures that get in your way. Most of the creatures are a bitch to deal with, especially those slime creatures you encounter near the end of the game. It's just a matter of timing and the right moves. For example, it's easy to roll left or right to get away from the aforementioned slime creatures, but performing the roll at the wrong time causes damage to yourself.

Like most action/adventure games of its time, Flashback allows the player to pick up a huge range of items - including ID cards, keys, force fields, and even his own gun - and you can actually see Conrad pick up something. The most useful item is the tele-receiver which you get much later in the game; and with it, you can throw it anywhere, and using the equipped controller, you can immediately warp there. This method is not only ideal for getting past some obstacles in the game, but also attacking enemies at different angles. Everything that was present in most action/adventure games is included in the game – locked doors, lifts, on/off switches, and the like.

Flashback uses a ton of movie references. But the most obvious one is on level three where you participate in a game of Death Tower which is based on The Running Man, in which the object is to reach the top of the tower to win a ticket to Earth, blasting enemies and getting past obstacles in the process. Before that, you hunt down a cyborg on the second level – a homage to the Blade Runner movie. Earth itself consists of nothing more of large towering structures in a smoggy sky. Not to mention the reference to the Alien films in the final levels.

Delphine decided to make the game a bit easier for people that have just gotten into the game. First, there are save points scattered throughout the levels, and also energy generators which you can use to recharge your shields. The best thing about the generators is that they recharge your shield at full capacity and not by individual increments, allowing you to take hits while you are defeating creatures, and going back to refuel. Without the use of generators, you are allowed to inflict damage five times before it's game over.

Although there were a handful of ports, I believe the Sega CD version is superior. Not only has it got a number of pre-rendered cinematic sequences with accompanying voiceovers, replacing the cartoon look of the cut-scenes, but it also has voiceovers during gameplay. The included CD-Audio tracks for each level further add atmosphere to the game.

The Bad
There is nothing that I noticed during the game.

The Bottom Line
Flashback uses some elements from Another World and takes them to the next level. It is also unique in the way that players are given no story on the character and must find that out for themselves by walking around each level and picking up things then using them. The rotoscoping is excellent, and there are plenty of moves that you have to perform if you want to survive. The great graphics make you feel that you are actually there, and the sound effects bring atmosphere to the game. If you like Another World and want more of that puzzle-solving and action, then give Flashback a go.

The Good
Flashback itself is a great game, and they didn't change anything in the missions or actions of the main character (Conrad). The graphics are really clean and the cut-scenes are an improvement on the SNES, Genesis, and Sega CD versions (about the same as the 3DO).

The Bad
Sluggish controls, slowdown, lack of dedicated button for the menu, bars on the sides of the screen.

The Bottom Line
Flashback is a great game for the unique character movement, challenging action, and fun levels. Just to provide some background, I've played this game on the Sega Genesis, Sega CD, 3DO, SNES (and Super Famicom), and...unfortunately, the CD-i. So, I've got a relatively good feel for how the game SHOULD play. The graphics and animation show a substantial polish uncommon for action games and the story adds a neat sci-fi flavor. The game is broken down into digestible chunks accessed using easy to remember passwords. All these positive traits are present on every release of the game. The CD-i adds three negative aspects to this fine game: slowdown, poor controller layout, and odd screen layout.

First, the most distracting problem: slowdown. The CD-i is a "more advanced" machine than either the SNES, Genesis, or Sega CD. So why, when the game plays fine on those systems, does it suffer so much on the CD-i. When more than three characters are moving on the screen at a time, the controls become sluggish and unresponsive. Of course, this is in the heat of battle and failing to get the character turned around in time to dispense some copper-jacketed justice results in more untimely deaths than warranted.

Speaking of deaths: the controller itself bears a little of the burden for the failures as well. Maybe this is just me, but it seems when I need to draw the gun quickly and fire I tend to instinctively hit the wrong buttons. I think part of the issue is that the button layout on the CD-i controller requires you to access the item menu by holding "down" and hitting one of the buttons. I think this subconsciously makes it harder to associate the primary purpose for the button due to it having two functions. Additionally, it seems very difficult to roll without having the gun drawn. Not critical, but a bit of an annoyance factor.

The final issue for me is the presence of two static, non-game related bars with kind of a camo/marbled design on the sides of the screen. These bars eat up a substantial amount of real estate. Also, sometimes it's unclear whether there is a wall to the side or you can walk to the next screen. I'm not sure why they did this except for, perhaps, a resolution difference between the CD-i and other systems. Again, this is something that is only on the CD-i release, not any other system.

Overall, this is really only recommended for CD-i collectors. While it is the worst version of Flashback, it is one of the best games for the CD-i (as sad as that is). It's significantly more expensive than the other versions (except for the Atari Jaguar version) so if you just want to play the game get it for another console.

The Good
I was incredibly surprised but this interactive story fostered my ability to live, work and continue to do both things, for some time. The graphics are...how to say...very dynamic. I would associate the style of game with ambient - style of music. Ok, I liked much the motion engines in game - they're alive even for 2003 AD, music is very special, too. I liked the hero for he's not a Hero at all. My opinion - it's not a quest for Conrad's identity but a quest for myself..

The Bad
It is one of it's kind, that's not enough. I can't really find any other disadvantages, sorry.

The Bottom Line
Never forget it's teachings.