Windows

Sinistar Unleashed

Most remakes of classic arcade games tend to appeal only to those who love that genre. I would classify this game as an exception to the rule. This is an overall fun game that will likely appeal to many people who don�t necessarily like classic games. This game is a pure action 3D shoot-em-up and it is relatively simple to get the initial feel of the game, but it is complicated enough to keep even the best players entertained for a while, which is why I give Sinistar Unleashed as score of 87.

There is no doubt in what little is left of my mind after playing all the way through Sinistar Unleashed that this is not a cerebral experience. There will certainly be both buyers and reviewers who will bash this title mercilessly, bemoaning the absence of complicated missions and tactical planning. But you will not find me among them: To me, this is like a breath of fresh air, fulfilling my need for a mindless "shoot-em-up" frenzy that frankly has not been satisfied for many months. Rather than treating this as a "B" title with minimal improvements over the original, THQ and GameFX have created a true arcade classic, the only remake of video arcade games from the 1980s to achieve this status (with the possible exception of Hasbro's Centipede). Sinistar Unleashed is now unquestionably my favorite arcade space shooter.

With the Sinistars still taunting you as they did back in 1983, and the gameplay essentially unchanged, those who enjoyed the ageing classic will find Sinistar: Unleashed a worthy successor. In fact, for them, this updated version is essential. The rest - those brought up on more modern space games like Wing Commander and Freespace - may prefer to hold off. A cliche it may be, but here the old adage rings true: try before you buy. The demo was on last month's coverdisk, and you'd be well advised to try it before spending your money. Mind you, at £30, Sinistar: Unleashed is more than sensibly priced.

Een lekkere, felle, grafisch imponerende, vermakelijke maar nergens opzienbarende knal-maar-raak arcade space flightshooter waarbij na een tijdje de verveling toch dreigt toe te slaan.

Графика Sinistar: Unleashed смотрится очень достойно даже на фоне последних космических псевдо-симуляторов. Разноцветные туманности, многочисленные звезды и скопления светящегося газа создают особое, так и хочется сказать, “аркадное”, настроение. Хороши и игровые объекты — величественный портал, постоянно перетаскивающие кристаллы транспорты, юркие истребители. Не обошлось и без дискотеки — вас постоянно окружают разноцветные взрывы, вспышки и выстрелы, причем все эти события не только красиво выглядят, но и прилично звучат. Космические бесчинства органично дополняет музыка — очень легкая, атмосферная электроника.

Lite mer variation hade gjort att betyget höjts med, tja, 10 procent. Nu är spelet snyggt och trevligt, men det räcker nog inte för de som vill ha lite svängrum i sina spel.

Wie die meisten anderen Arcade-Shooter leidet auch Sinistar Unleashed an einem großen Problem: Die erste halbe Stunde macht das knallbunte Ballern großen Spaß. Danach läßt dier Faszination trotz des durchgehend hohen Spieltempos und der zahlreichen Effekte deutlich nach. Die Insektenbeseitigung im All eignet sich zweifellos perfekt als kleine Action-Einlage für zwischendurch; um dauerhaft zu motivieren (und das sollte man bei einem Vollpreis-Produkt immerhin erwarten können), fehlt es Sinistar Unleashed letztlich aber an Substanz.

Fehlt einem der nostalgische Bezug, wirkt das Remake wie ein zwischenspannloses Wing Commander. Alle Level wieder setzt ein geduldiges Warten auf das Oberinsekt ein, welches bei Erscheinen mein Raumschiff mit grausamer Präzision wegputzt. Schilldernde Grafik, Schiffupgrades sowie Bonuslevel mildern den aufkommenden Frustrations-Resignations-Mix sicherlich, heben Sinistar: Unleashed aber nicht aus der spielerischen Mittelklasse.

In a market glutted with first-person shooters and brimming with strategic games that require combinations of skill and intelligence, Sinistar Unleashed hearkens back to the days when all you needed was keen hand-eye coordination and a pocket full of quarters. If you miss the days of the arcade shooter, then Sinistar Unleashed will provide a pleasantly nostalgic experience. If you were glad to trade in your Atari consoles for the modern PC, Sinistar Unleashed might leave you asking for more.

Unfortunately, as we've always known, great graphics do not compensate for lackluster gameplay. While the Sinistars make enjoyable competition, most of the game is spent biding time, awaiting their arrival. Further, there is no evidence of a driving plot to make things interesting. Despite a connection to an old and revered arcade game, Sinistar: Unleashed seems truly uninspired.

Neben der Optik hätten die Programmierer auch das Spielprinzip überarbeiten sollen: Diese 3D-beschleunigte Neuauflage des Ballerklassikers Sinistar wird schnell langweilig, weil sich die Levels zu sehr gleichen.