Toy Commander (Sega Dreamcast review)

Developer: No Cliché
Publisher: Sega
Released: 1999

Toy Commander is an action game that's exclusive to the Sega Dreamcast.

+ Mission diversity is outstanding and the multi-layered tasks force you to think in a logistical, puzzle-like manner to succeed.

+ Objectives are playful in a similar way to Blast Corps (1997, N64) and there's even a hilarious nod to Godzilla in Room 2.

+ Usually gives you several missions to choose from, which is a great idea if you're struggling with a particular task.

+ Huge incentive to replay missions for top scores, as you can unlock comrades that will help you fight against the final boss.

- Tutorial does a terrible job of teaching players the basics, which leads to newcomers fumbling with the central mechanics.

- Mission objectives are usually ambiguous and the result is lots of trial-and-error until you stumble upon the solution.

- Controls are overly sensitive, while the camera angles often fail to provide you with an ideal view of your surroundings.

Super Runabout: San Francisco Edition (Sega Dreamcast review)

Developer: Climax Entertainment
Publisher: Interplay Entertainment
Released: 2000

Super Runabout: San Francisco Edition is a driving game that was released in Europe as Super Runabout: The Golden State.

+ Missions are enjoyable, with plenty of variety that sees you collecting items, destroying cable cars, and searching for bombs.

+ Lots of shortcuts to discover in order to shave off precious seconds, and there's a plethora of unique vehicles to unlock.

+ The city of San Francisco is beautifully realised with scenic routes and famous landmarks that act as a gorgeous backdrop.

+ Destroying the environment for high scores is fun, and the surf-inspired soundtrack compliments the madcap driving.

- There's only 16 missions (which typically take around 5 minutes each to complete) so there's not much lasting appeal.

- The Free Run mode doesn't let you drive around the majority of the city, and instead only includes four pre-set routes.

- Has an overall unpolished feel due to various gameplay bugs, as well as some clipping and collision detection issues.

18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker (Sega Dreamcast review)

Developer: CRI
Publisher: Sega
Released: 2001

18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker is a racing game that was first released in the Arcade in 1999.

+ Each route is scenic and aesthetically pleasing, while the track design tests your skills by mixing in wide and narrow lanes.

+ Routes have intersections where you can choose between two paths, and the various lorry loads increase the challenge. 

+ Locating and smashing into certain vehicles for extra time acts as a great risk-reward mechanic to keep the tension high.

+ Slip-streaming is gratifying and (despite their size) the vehicles are easy to manoeuvre around tight bends.

+ Parking mode's skill-based challenges are fun and the mini-games help you to improve your weaving / cornering.

- A.I. of your rival trucker features aggressive rubber banding and at times they randomly stop in the middle of the road.

- Only contains four routes, so it's over rather quickly and there's little to keep your attention once you've seen the credits.

Headhunter (Sega Dreamcast review)

Developer: Amuze
Publisher: Sega
Released: 2001

Headhunter is a third-person action game that was also released on the PlayStation 2 (2002).

+ Many standout moments, particularly the tense bomb defusal mission where you race around the city against the clock.

+ The duck and cover mechanics are terrific and the ability to peek around corners gives you total accuracy.

+ The puzzles help to break up the action and the bike sections add a new element to the Metal Gear Solid inspired gameplay.

+ The Leila tests feature beneficial mini-games that allow players to improve their skills in all areas.

+ Engaging story, bountiful cut-scenes, dramatic music that compliments the action, and some of the system's best visuals.

- Includes various game-breaking bugs that will force you to reload a previous save.

- Camera can be problematic at times without a second analog stick to fine-tune viewing angles.

Jet Set Radio (Sega Dreamcast review)

Developer: Smilebit
Publisher: Sega
Released: 2000

Jet Set Radio is an extreme sports game that was released in North America as Jet Grind Radio.

You're part of the GGs who compete for turf against three rival gangs in the streets of Tokyo-to. Completing missions usually involves collecting spray cans, locating spots to graffiti and then inputting specific movements using the analog stick, all the while being chased by the police or enemies. While the world isn't technically free roaming (each mission takes place in bite-sized areas), everything is beautifully designed and impeccably stylised; the locales are varied and interesting, and there are many cleverly arranged sections where you can link grinds and tricks together for some impressive combos. The main issue with the gameplay though is the repetitive nature of the missions, as simply running around tagging graffiti spots and attacking enemies isn't engaging enough; while the ability to unlock playable characters by repeating their combos is a neat idea, there's nothing else to break up the monotonous action. Also, the controls are sloppy and the erratic sensitivity of the inputs results in lots of unnecessary anxiety; the automatic grinding is a huge issue and you'll often try to leap towards the ground, only to latch on to a rail and end up facing the wrong way. Another problem is the camera, as without a second analog stick you need to press the L trigger to reset the current angle; in the heat of trying to avoid incoming enemies and finding a missing graffiti spot it can prove to be a very imprecise method of viewing the surrounding area. On a plus note, the cell-shaded graphics feature sharp lines and eye-popping colours, and the catchy music perfectly encapsulates the underground nature of the gameplay.

Jet Set Radio has its moments and can be mildly fun in short bursts, but it takes a very patient gamer to endure its temperamental controls and relentlessly dull mission objectives. While there's no doubting the top-tier level design and gorgeous art style, the rest of the game is unable to maintain similar high standards.

Random trivia: The game has many unused assets including alternate music and different voiceover takes from Professor K.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (Sega Dreamcast review)

Developer: Treyarch
Publisher: Activision
Released: 2000

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 is a sports game that was released in the same year as the original on the Sega Dreamcast.

This time the levels have been increased from six to ten and include locations such as New York City, Venice Beach and a Bullring in Mexico. What makes the skating so appealing is that you're encouraged to explore each one in depth as there are many hidden sections to be found; also, the objectives have been raised to ten per level with much more variety and trick-specific goals. The main control innovation is the introduction of manuals; these are performed by quickly pressing Up then Down on the d-pad and they allow you to link tricks together for much bigger scores. This seemingly minor addition opens up gameplay possibilities as it connects the levels and trick objects together in a way that felt much more isolated in the first game. Instead of automatically levelling up you gain cash for each completed objective which you can spend in the shop to increase your stats; this adds replayability, as you can challenge yourself to beat the game in both vert and street styles. The competitions return where you have one minute to get the highest possible score; these are a great place to work on tricks and it's fun scouting around in an attempt to find the best area to suit your skating approach. There's also a Park Editor which allows you to create your own arenas. Once again, the music shines and the variety of hip hop, rock and punk tracks really compliment the action. Compared to other versions, this Dreamcast port has a much better draw distance and higher resolution textures. Also, the entire set of unlockable skater and bail compilation videos are featured, unlike the N64 version (2001).

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 is an absolute gem that never gets old thanks to its supreme level design, top-notch presentation, enjoyable missions and awesome gameplay innovations. Everything comes together to create a cohesive whole that's a magical experience and one that you'll want to return to again and again.

Random trivia: At the time of writing, this Sega Dreamcast version is one of the highest rated games of all time on Metacritic, with an average review score of 97.

Sega Bass Fishing (Sega Dreamcast review)

Developer: SIMS Co., Ltd.

Publisher: Sega

Released: 1999

 

Sega Bass Fishing is a sports game that was first released in the Arcades in 1997.  

 

It consists of three modes and supports either a Dreamcast controller or the Fishing Rod. Arcade Mode plays in 1-2 minute increments and tasks you with catching enough fish to reach the required weight quota. It caters to all knowledge levels, as deciding your lure and cast point is intuitive. There's also some depth for experts, as the best results are achieved by carefully selecting the best lure based on the water temperature and time of day. Trying the numerous types of lure is entertaining (they control differently when a fish bites) and each one is like a unique mini-game! While the controller works fine, the Fishing Rod is recommended, as the physical act of reeling in and using the motion sensors makes the gameplay more enjoyable. Rather than feeling gimmicky, it's vital to the core experience and responds to small movements well, while the rumble pack provides tactile feedback to add to the immersion. My only complaint is that the camera angles don't always give you the best view of the lakes. Original Mode pits you against the CPU in four tournaments where the objective in each is to catch the heaviest total weight of fish across 3-5 sessions. The locations are different to Arcade Mode and I love how there's varying depths to the lakes depending on which lure you prefer. The challenge ramps up dramatically here though and due to the lack of skill settings you really need lots of practice to even place well in the leaderboard. The ability to Save and Load your progress is appreciated though. There's also a much-needed Practice Mode where you can customise the conditions and learn the game's nuances.

 

Sega Bass Fishing is an impressive title and strikes a great balance of being simulation-like, while challenging players against the clock in an Arcade-style fashion. The fact that newcomers and experts can find something to love is a testiment to the developers, and the ability to use the awesome Fishing Rod makes this a must-own.

 

 

 

Random trivia: A sequel called Sega Bass Fishing 2 was released on the Sega Dreamcast in 2001.