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In 1991 the French developer Delphine Software released Another World (Out of this World). It was an excellent game, hailed as one of the best ever on any platform. Gamers all around the world impatiently waited for the next game from the French mob, and given the sheer quality of Another World, this new game had very big shoes to fill in.
So two years later Delphine released Flashback. Was it a good game? No. It was superb. As the word 'good' does not do this game justice. If you have not heard this name before, yo are browsing the wrong site.
Following in the same vein as Another World, Flashback is a 2D arcade adventure, with gameplay similar to Prince of Persia. In Flashback you are Conrad B. Hart, an agent working for the Galaxia Bureau of Investigation. You find out about aliens plotting to take over Earth. These aliens are called and can take any shapes and a lot of them are disguised as government officials. You get kidnapped by the Morphs and your memory is wiped out. Left on an unfamiliar alien world you must regain your memory and of course save the Earth at all costs. This is how the game start in the intro movie: You wake up in a place you don't recognize, and try to escape. Your ship is hit by the aliens and you crash in a jungle.
The story unfolds as you advance in the game. The first level is in the jungle. You have to find your way out. There are platforms to climb, guards to avoid and elevators to manage. You can walk, run, jump, crawl and climb. Your only weapon is a gun with limited ammo. You have a protective shield that can guard you against four attacks, but it is rechargeable. The jungle level is basically a warm-up that prepares you for the levels to come. Since I don't want to spoil the game, I will not go through the tasks that need to be done in order to finish the level.
After a cutscene you fall in the second level, a city. In there your friend Ian you helps you to regain it. Well guess what...now you remember that the Morphs have plotted to destroy the earth. That's why they erased your memory. Now you have to get back to earth no matter how...but how? Well there is a TV show that is offering a ticket to earth as the prize. Well let's appear in the game. But how can we get the ticket? Jack has one. Unfortunately he wants a lot of money for it. Time to get a job then. The rest of this level is Conrad working as delivery man. A bit repetitive but highly challenging and rewarding.
The third level starts after another cutscene. This level is basically beating the game show. It is all about dexterity and reflexes. It make take a few tries to beat but definitely worth it. And it is nothing compared what is awaiting you in the later stages...
Again since I don't want to spoil the game I will not go through much details. In the fourth level you finally return to earth, get captured again. In the sixth level you escape from the prison and teleport yourself to the alien motherplanet. Now the sixth level is just out of this world (no pun intended). It is a very challenging level, where you have to destroy the auxiliary brain controlling all the aliens. Doing so opens the access door to the main brain, and level seven which is the last. In this level you destroy super-brain and escape the planet.
Aside from a very well designed story presented by excellent cutscenes, Flashback also features excellent graphics. The backgrounds are simply superb. The jungle level is very beautiful. The city levels are full of small details that give them a unique atmosphere. But the last two levels are just what I call a masterpiece. The amount of creativity and imagination used to present the alien planet is simply awesome. It is impossible to play these two levels and not respect the brains who designed them.
Conrad and all the NPCs and enemies are very well drawn and animated. The animation is much smoother than Another World or Prince Of Persia. The same goes for the game mechanics. Very realistic, you do feel that you are controlling an actual human being. Another things that definitely deserved to be mentioned is the design of the aliens in the last two levels. They are a in a form between liquid and solid. They can come down from platforms by falling in the form of a water drop and they climb in the same way. Their AI is also very good. Extremely agile and deadly, they present a mighty challenge. The game is full of power ups and creative methods to advance. Stones can distract the guards or blow up mines. Doors can be used to trap enemies...you must experience them for yourself.
The sounds and music are also as good. Cutscenes play a major role in this game, and they do not disappoint neither in audio or video department.
You have unlimited saves, but only at limited save-stations. While this may put some people off, I don't care as long as the game is so damn fun.
The thing that made me really fall in love with Flashback was the ending. The best ending I've ever seen on a computer game.
Flashback was (and is) a milestone in gaming history. It had everything; good graphics, FX, gameplay and plot. Delphine later released two more games in the same vein, Heart of the Alien and Fade To Black. Despite both being excellent games, they did not have the success of Flashback and Another World. A lot of games that were released later owe a lot to Flashback. Names such as Bermuda Syndrome and the three Oddworld games (also superb games) come to mind.
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A true work of art. Not just beautiful but also very creative and innovative. Play the game and see for yourself.
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Very appropriate and mood-setting. They play an important role in the game.
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This game is the 'definition' of gameplay. The atmosphere, the plot, the challenge, the mechanics... this is the perfect game.
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| This is it. This is IT. I have over 50 reviews on the Lemon sites, and this is the first time I'm giving a game a full score of 10. Because it deserves it. |
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