You are Kyle Reese. The future is after you. Literally!
The war against the machines begins here, with these following reviews:
VGR: The Terminator
From Probe Software/Virgin Games
Played on Sega Master System
Also available on Game Gear
Type Sidescroller action game
There has been many, many countless videogames based on the original James Cameron Terminator film.
The Terminator game has been released on all sorts of videogame systems from home consoles to handhelds. Including early DOS computers starting with the first Terminator title released developed by Bethesda Softworks.
Radical Entertainment developed its own game for the NES while Virgin was responsible for the license on Sega consoles. Probe Software developed these later games (while Virgin Games USA took upon themselves to take care of the Mega/Sega-CD port).
While all of these games loosely follow the same source material, the Sega/Probe/Virgin titles keep the same structure as well. Meaning they were all roughly derived from the original Megadrive version.
Covering the entire storyline of the film in about six levels.
Let's have a look at the Master System game!
You know the story!
The future came around. And with it, judgment day, the rise of the machines.
The cyber entity Skynet took control of the entire computer network first and then destroyed the world.
Humans are few and scarce. A human resistance was formed under John Connor. These last survivors are about to finally change the tide of war.
That's when the machines decided to come up with a time machine. And get rid of John Connor before he was even born.
You play as Kyle Reese, a soldier specially picked by Connor to find the time displacement unit and save Sarah Connor in the 1980s. Future mother of the human resistance leader.
The game adapts the story from the film into 5 distinct levels. Taking you from the future, Los Angeles in the year 2029 to "present day". Searching for Sarah Connor first and then leaving a path of destruction as you try to lure the Terminator to its demise in a factory...
The Terminator on the Master System is not your usual typical generic sidescroller.
For one thing, while the overall gameplay stays the same through the game, the levels try to give the player something different each time, in how they are meant to be progressed through and even Kyle Reese's sprite* keeps changing through the course of the game.
You start in the futuristic battlefield. You only have 5 minutes to infiltrate the Skynet factory, find the time displacement and go back in time.
With only two buttons the Master System offer, one if for the jump and the other for the weapon attack.
Kyle starts the first level with only grenades.
The goal is to find your way while avoiding incoming missiles from the sky. (there's a rhythm to it you can find to zip through the open area)
Once inside the factory you will have to make your way to avoid Terminators (they only take one grenade to go down), blow up doors, blow up the power (there's a small generator in the second screen to find) and then make way for the time machine.
You can grab a machine gun at some point.
Does this give you an idea of the kind of challenge the games will make you face?
The story is told via little cutscenes that try to recapture the film. It's really important to read those since they will give you hints of the kind of tasks waiting for you in the game.
The second level, Kyle will take the fight to the streets of the old Los Angeles, on the search for Sarah Connor. It's personally my least favorite level since it's the closest to a more classic sidescrolling shooter. Lots of punks to shoot, building roofs to jump from...
Then it's a very short boss stage. The bar! The objective here is simply to shoot all you can at the T-800.
Then it's the police station. Don't try to face the gunfire, the Terminator's coming up after you! It really matches the chase tension from the film.
Finally the last stage is the factory. Another chase. A lot of things on screen will try to overwhelm you, but the goal here is to simply go to the bottom right of the screen while luring the Terminator beneath the hydraulic press.
It doesn't seem like a very challenging game nor a very long one, but it's very Arcade-ysh.
It takes a lot of trial and error.
The game is actually quite difficult.
It's probably one of the best licensed games on the Sega Master System, let on 8-bit systems as well. Probably one of the best Terminator games along the Mega-CD port. Much better than its Megadrive model and miles from the awful NES game.
The graphic visuals look gorgeous in this limited 8 bits palette.
At least it comes close to recapturing the tone of the original film.
The music is also great, providing a lot of atmospheric cues.
Overall, a fantastic unexpected title!
The Master System Terminator does a pretty good job at capturing the general feel of the film.
It's maybe a bit too difficult at first try. This game requires some getting used to. There's a learning curve, learning to identify the objectives of each new stage. But once mastered you will be able to zip through most screens.
Much better than the original Megadrive game. The game was also ported on the Game Gear. It's an exact identical port more zoomed in.
If you like the Terminator series or happen to have a Master System, it's simply a must play!
The Master System Terminator does a pretty good job at capturing the general feel of the film.
It's maybe a bit too difficult at first try. This game requires some getting used to. There's a learning curve, learning to identify the objectives of each new stage. But once mastered you will be able to zip through most screens.
Much better than the original Megadrive game. The game was also ported on the Game Gear. It's an exact identical port more zoomed in.
If you like the Terminator series or happen to have a Master System, it's simply a must play!
I give it:
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