PlayStation

Blaster Master: Blasting Again

Although not without its flaws, Blaster Master's first foray into the 3D realm emerges a successful one. The gameplay may be slightly watered down and the visuals unspectacular, but the unmistakable feel that is Blaster Master still remains. So bosses aren't overly complex and the character models lack a certain je ne sais quoi - there's still a lot of fun to be had exploring dungeons, blowing things up, and hopping around like a madman. If you enjoyed previous titles such as Battletanx or Ghost in the Shell but found yourself left wanting more, Blaster Master: Blasting Again should be right up your alley.

Blaster Master: Blasting Again, as the name implies, is a really stupid game. You are this guy in a silly helmet who runs around in a tank with a womans name fighting aliens underground. You do it for a pretty good reason, though. Your dad died fighting them years ago, as told in the somber opening narration. So now its just you, Roddy, and your sister, Elfie, who are the last hope against the Plutonium Boss.

It didn’t help that Blaster Master: Blasting Again looks like absolute rubbish. The texturing and character models are laughable, with camera problems and seam tearing at nearly every turn. Playability is severely hampered by the camera, especially when out of the vehicle and the angle must be adjusted manually. I guess the developers had trouble fixing the camera, and just decided to make you do the work for them. Sorry guys, but you’ll have to pay me at least time and a half to play this stinker.

"Crappy-Crapper" might have been a better title for Blaster Master. Although I’m a fan of driving around in a jumping car and shooting stuff, this just didn’t quite float my boat. Maybe it was the subpar graphics, maybe it was the boring missions, or maybe, just maybe it was because this is a game that should never have been released. Some of the FMV was good, and a few of the lighting effects were worth watching, but that’s too little too late for a game that had a lot to live up to. Sunsoft! What’s the matter with you? Don’t you know better than to release a game that doesn’t have a prayer of success? Unfortunately, I think Blaster Master will fold faster than Superman on laundry day.

I felt like I was spending more time watching load screens than the game itself, and it's especially aggravating when you accidentally back up into the previous room! Worse yet, the confusing stage designs will have you going in circles. Upon losing a life you need to restart the stage from the beginning, and after sitting through dozens of load screens, that's really too much to ask. Fans of the original game may consider picking this up cheap, but you definitely want to hold onto you old NES cart.