Somer Assault
Reviewed by Michael LoCascio
There's an old saying concerning the main characters in
video games that goes something like this:
In the world of video games, there's Mario, Link, and Simon
Belmont - and then there are all the characters who try to
be Mario, Link, or Simon Belmont.
Indeed, most game companies these days consistently refer to
the same old archetypes when designing characters rather
than taking a chance on their own unique creations. It's a
sad commentary on the state of the industry when the most
popular protagonists are angst-ridden buffoons (Squall from
Final Fantasy VIII) and half-naked heroines (Aya Brea of
Parasite Eve fame). It's unfortunate that more developers
don't take the same sort of innovative approach to character
design that Atlus took when producing Somer Assault for the
Turbografx-16. Ever the iconoclasts, the folks at Atlus
(designers of the adorably wacky Playstation RPG, Thousand
Arms) presented us with one of the more unique adventurers
to ever appear in a video game. The hero of Somer Assault
just happens to be a slinky - and he's quite a bad dude, I might add.
With such an astoundingly original main character, one can
forgive Atlus for slacking a bit when it comes to the main
premise of the game. The basic story behind Somer Assault is
so dull, as a matter of fact, that Atlus didn't even mention
it in the game's instruction manual; it isn't until you
actually power up the TurboChip that you are presented with
a brief cinema which outlines your mission. Apparently, some
mischievous evil sorceress wants to conquer the world. We
receive no background information whatsoever on the
intriguing protagonist or the sinister antagonist; we must
be content with the knowledge that this is an epic battle
between a powerful sorceress and a crafty slinky.
Things start to get interesting again when you are
introduced to the cast of villains who will be assisting the
sorceress. Quite the clever evildoer, the sorceress
recruited the twelve representatives of the zodiac symbols
to help her carry out her despicable intentions. Somer
Assault is divided up into twelve different levels, and each
stage concludes with a battle between your slinky and one of
the zodiac warriors. Leo, Aries, Scorpio - you name ?em,
they're all present here, they're all tremendously powerful,
and they're all out to wreak havoc on a certain little slinky.
Thankfully, Mr. Slinky won't be defenseless as he flips and
flops his way through each stage. Not only can he fire off
shots at various angles (the direction that your bullets fly
in is dependent upon the position that our flexible
protagonist is in while firing), but he can also nab some
helpful icons that will grant him, among other things,
invincibility, extra cannons, and best of all, additional
speed. There are very few things that are more enjoyable
than maneuvering a powered-up slinky at incredibly high speeds!
The game play in Somer Assault isn't all run-and-gun,
however. Each level is essentially a complex maze that
you'll need to make your way through before taking on one of
the twelve zodiac villains. The action is viewed from a
side-perspective, and the screen scrolls both horizontally
and vertically as you attempt to figure out each stage.
There are various contraptions contained within each level
that can either help or hinder your efforts at exploration,
including teleportation blocks that will warp your slinky to
distant locations. While you'll encounter a fair share of
enemies in each stage, the main challenge will be solving
the mazes before your time limits expire. Some of these
mazes are astoundingly intricate, and you'll more than
likely run out of time on many occasions before solving the game.
In keeping with the astrology theme of the game, Somer
Assault requires you to enter your birthdate whenever you
begin a new game. When you encounter the boss creature that
represents your zodiac symbol, you'll receive quite a
helpful surprise. Suffice it to say that your journey will
be a lot less strenuous after this encounter. While nothing
particularly astounding happens, it is still an amusing and
commendable little touch implemented by the game's designers.
The graphics in Somer Assault are not especially impressive;
there aren't any fancy scrolling effects or flashy
interludes to speak of. Most of the sprites are relatively
small, although they are drawn quite well. The mazes
themselves are extremely dull and repetitive, but a few of
the backdrops are colorful and attractive. I only wish that
the visuals had more to do with the boss creatures. While
there is plenty of water flowing in the background of
Pisces? stage, most of the levels are not at all connected
with the ultimate villain that dwells within them. At least
the bosses themselves are quite large and well-designed. All
of these tremendous villains feature bronze exteriors that
give them a rather mechanical look, and they all possess
their own unique (not to mention lethal) methods of attack.
Somer Assault reaches its highest points of excitement
during these dramatic encounters; Virgo is particularly
noteworthy for her daunting appearance.
Sound effects are sparse in Somer Assault. The sound of your
slinky plopping along is rather amusing for a bit, but the
sound in the game is essentially dominated by low key,
generic shots and explosions. The music, on the other hand,
is well above average. Many of the tunes are very upbeat and
help establish a somewhat lighthearted atmosphere, but the
best tracks are the grim, serious ones that play during
encounters with boss creatures and when your time is running out.
The controls in Somer Assault can feel a bit awkward at
first. Most people aren't exactly proficient when it comes
to maneuvering a battle-slinky, so expect to spend some time
getting acquainted with our protagonist's manner of movement
before ripping through the game. Once the initial stages of
awkwardness are taken care of, you'll more than likely have
plenty of fun controlling this flexible and intriguing character.
There's no question that Somer Assault will not appeal to
everyone. Some will be frustrated by the unfamiliar feeling
of maneuvering a slinky, while others will be annoyed by the
tedious maze designs. I personally found the game to be
refreshingly original and exciting, and I'm confident that
most players would concur. A true diamond in the rough,
Somer Assault represents innovation and creativity in game
design, and should not be overlooked.
Overall: 8 out of 10
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