Renegade

A thoroughly entertaining fighting romp through New York.

Are you a rebel without a cause? Well, here's one that'll keep you on a knife edge for months to come. Imagine's Renegade is a new breed of game, a type of gutsy, streetfighting action movie set in the gangland ghettoes in which you play the starring role - a tough martial arts expert called Renegade. Based on the chart topping coin-op by Taito, its pure violence in graphic detail is a must for all closet reprobates.

The things you do for girls... Having arranged to meet Lucy across town, you find yourself getting off a train at a station filled with disreputable types intent on mugging you - or worse.

This version has a much better feel than the one produced for the Spectrum - it is most gratifying to take on dozens of attackers, all out for your blood, and to win against seemingly impossible odds. It is enough to make you forget that this is essentially little more than just another fighting game.

Renegade is an extremely playable and addictive game, with some of the smoothest graphics ever seen on the Amstrad. Although there are only five levels the game will not be finished in a hurry; it is real tough out on the streets.

The graphics aren't as impressive or detailed as those of the Amstrad version, but they are smooth and feature some good animation. The keyboard is required for punching and kicking, which adds to the frustration of dying in the heat of the moment. A minor drawback for this otherwise excellent coin-op conversion.

Control is simple and effective, you are always given a chance (which probably has more to do with the game's original success than anything else) and the graphics are excellent. Anyone who's played the later games may find it a little easy, but everybody else will have a ball.

The graphics are surprisingly clear and detailed, and move extremely well, enhancing the overall fee - which is what makes Renegade so exciting to play. A worthy addition to your software library.

Whilst the graphics and animation aren't brilliant, they are not by any means bad. Renegade does play extremely well though and you will be struggling and cursing with this for hours, mind you that is not just because it is addictive - it is, but it is also very hard. Harder than the coin-op in fact.

This is going to sell zillions. Renegade - converted from the coin-up of the same name - is quite possibly the most visually violent computer game I've ever seen.

Compared to the far superior River City Ransom and Double Dragon, Renegade is certainly found lacking as an example of the NES beat-‘em-up genre. And the Virtual Console release schedule didn’t do the game any favors by having it come out last on the service, right after those two more notable titles have already made a play for gamers’ same stock of 500 Wii Points. But taken on its own merits, Renegade is still a fair experience and one that could be appreciated by fans of the brawler genre, especially since it’s the game that, historically, served as the foundation for the entire genre. Put your money toward River City or Double Dragon before this one, but if you’re feeling nostalgic and don’t mind some unrefined aspects of presentation and control, consider an additional investment of five bucks here to explore the roots of side-scrolling street fighting.

This side scrolling brawler looks looks like a Double Dragon clone but has a few tricks of its own. The controls are unusual, as the B button attacks thugs to your left, and A attacks those on your right. It takes some getting used to, but it's cool how you can engage bad guys approaching from both sides. You can also "daze" an opponent with repeated punches, and then grab him and throw him off a platform or into other bad guys. Double-tapping the directional pad allows you to run, although it's hardly necessary. The action is definitely repetitive, and the bosses are a serious pain in the ass. I really wish there were some weapons laying around. Half the thugs are approach with sticks and smack you all over the place. I do like the cool motorcycle sequence where you can kick other riders off of their bikes. And you have to love inspired dialogue like "You ain't tough enough for me!" Renegade isn't great, but it may have influenced later brawlers like Streets of Rage.

Renegade's major flaw is that it borrowed from Kung Fu Master the idea of tromping between screens and fending off Warriors-esque armies of street punks. Renegade added some varied locations, freedom of movement, extra moves, and defined a genre that other games grabbed and ran with for impressive successes. But ultimately, this initial effort is kind of rubbish. Even if I had no foreknowledge of the similar games to come, I'd still be saying that Renegade showed potential, but isn't a great realization of the concept.

There had to be one bad apple in the bunch, and they don't come much worse than this. You could find better games written in Basic, so avoid this like the plague.