Flashback: The Quest for Identity

aka: Flashback, Flashback (Enhanced CD-ROM)
Moby ID: 555
Amiga Specs
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Description official descriptions

The year is 2142. The player takes control of Conrad B. Hart, a man who has lost his memory. After barely escaping from hostile aliens, Conrad's bike crashes on an unknown planet. Conrad finds himself in the jungle, and from that moment on his quest for survival and his lost identity begins.

Flashback: The Quest for Identity incorporates elements of platforming, shooting, and problem-solving. The game can be described as a "cinematic platformer" (commonly referred to as Prince of Persia-style), following a design philosophy that was also manifested in Delphine Software's previous work, Another World. Compared to that game, Flashback focuses more on platforming and exploration of large levels.

While a large bulk of the gameplay is dedicated to running, jumping, and shooting enemies, there is also a considerable exploration element in the game, as well as some puzzle-solving. The player navigates Conrad through platform structures, performing various moves. It is possible to simply jump or do a longer run-and-jump, run, climb, hang off ledges, and pick up objects lying on the ground.

To defend himself, Conrad can shoot enemies with his gun and also use various objects (such as stones) to harm or distract them. Crouching and rolling are possible (and often essential) moves that can be executed during combat. The gun has unlimited ammunition; however, shields that Conrad uses to protect himself from attacks are depleted when he is hit and can be recharged at special stations. Though most environments in the game are hostile, there are a few locations that are devoid of enemies. The player is usually required to talk to characters, gather information, and complete tasks in an adventure-like fashion in these areas.

Most of the versions utilize cutscenes with polygonal vector graphics. The CD versions replace those with pre-rendered 3D animations. The Sega CD version also features voice-overs.

Spellings

  • פלאשבק: זיכרון גורלי - Hebrew spelling
  • フラッシュバック - Japanese spelling

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Screenshots

Promos

Credits (Amiga version)

25 People (20 developers, 5 thanks) · View all

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 86% (based on 60 ratings)

Players

Average score: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 308 ratings with 12 reviews)

Poor port of a great game.

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.

CD-i · by zemonn (174) · 2012

Awesome game, the Genesis version rocks!

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!

Genesis · by Tibes80 (1543) · 2002

A great platformer, but does not help sell the Atari Jaguar system

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.

Jaguar · by ETJB (428) · 2021

[ View all 12 player reviews ]

Discussion

Subject By Date
HELP!!_Flashback:Can't do fourth mission Stephen Labuschagne Aug 25, 2009

Trivia

1001 Video Games

Flashback appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.

Release variations

A bargain bin CD-ROM version of the game for Sega CD (which was later adapted to the PC CD-ROM, 3DO and CD-i) contained new cinematic sequences with voice acting and sound effects. This version of the game came only in a jewel case (no box).

Ports and conversions

  • Although Amiga version of the game was released as the first one in December 1992, it was in fact a port from the original platform which was Sega Mega Drive. However SMD version was released later in spring of 1993.
  • SNES port was slightly censored. Death Tower was renamed to Cyber Tower, New Washington's bar became a cafe and all the enemy mutants were recolored green.
  • Amiga version has cut-down introductory sequence and some cut scenes during the gameplay does not exist until the player enables them manually by pressing CTRL+C. The Amiga and DOS versions also had an option to zoom in on the action whenever Conrad opens fire. It was removed from all other versions. Zoomed in option in DOS version can be enabled in the game options screen while in the Amiga version by pressing F9 during the game.
  • DOS version contains changed message that Conrad writes in the ending.

Soundtrack

A two-track CD soundtrack was released featuring music inspired by the game, but not directly from it.

Technology

One of the materials in the box of Flashback is a coupon for a rebate on a Gravis Gamepad and a note to "try Gravis' Ultrasound 16-bit sound card." This is ironic because, amongst Gravis Ultrasound enthusiasts, Flashback is notorious for being incompatible with the GUS.

Programmers might be interested in the fact that Flashback is one of very few games that used a screen mode with a width of 256 pixels. This implies that the address of a pixel on the screen could be comfortably stored in a 16-bit register, say AX. The X-coordinate could then be manipulated through AL, and the Y-coordinate through AH. This might have contributed somewhat to Flashback's impressively fluent animations.

Awards

  • Amiga Joker
    • Issue 02/1994 – Best Genre Mix in 1993 (Readers' Vote)
  • Electronic Gaming Monthly
    • May 1993 (Issue 46) - Game of the Month (Genesis version)
    • November 1997 (Issue 100) - ranked #92 (Best 100 Games of All Time) (Genesis version)
  • FLUX
    • Issue #4 - #10 in the "Top 100 Video Games of All-Time" list
  • GamePro
    • 1993 (Vol. 6, Issue 2) - Action/Adventure Game of the Year (Genesis version)
  • Retro Gamer
    • September 2004 (Issue #8) – #65 Best Game Of All Time (Readers' Vote)
    • Issue #37 - #15 in the "Top 25 Platformers of All Time" poll

Information also contributed by Brian Hirt, Robert Schmidt, Apogee IV, PCGamer77, and Big John WV

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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by faceless.

Amiga added by POMAH. CD-i added by Corn Popper. PC-98 added by Infernos. iPhone added by Sciere. Jaguar, Genesis, SNES added by Rogee. Acorn 32-bit added by Kabushi. Dreamcast added by Iggi. FM Towns added by Terok Nor. SEGA CD added by Unicorn Lynx. 3DO added by Indra was here. Macintosh added by MAT.

Additional contributors: Trixter, MAT, Unicorn Lynx, Sciere, Alaka, formercontrib, Crawly, j.raido 【雷堂嬢太朗】, Zeppin, Patrick Bregger, mailmanppa, FatherJack.

Game added December 9, 1999. Last modified February 4, 2024.