Welcome to the future! Or should I say the past? We're talking about 1996, folks, a time when baggy jeans were cool, boy bands ruled the airwaves, and video games were just starting to scratch the surface of full-motion video. Enter *Creature Shock*—an ambitious attempt at a sci-fi action-adventure that didn't quite land (think of it as a space shuttle crashing instead of orbiting). Developed by Argonaut Software and published by Virgin Interactive, *Creature Shock* was a mix of rail shooter and first-person dungeon crawler, which sadly left something to be desired—like a good plot or worthwhile gameplay.
So what's it like to dive into *Creature Shock*? Imagine you're a space commander named Jason Barr (I know, very original), piloting the UNS Amazon through the cosmos. In a world that looks suspiciously like a VHS tape gone wrong, you battle against hordes of alien creatures in an on-rails shooter that makes you feel like you're on an amusement park ride gone awry. Did I mention this ride takes place inside an organic asteroid? Ah yes, nothing says 'don't eat the space food' quite like a giant floating rock that wants to obliterate you. The gameplay is split into two main parts: the rail shooter portion and an adventure-style section where you make choices at different junctions (you know, like trying to decide whether you want to ask your crush out or hide in your room). Unfortunately, the choices are far from profound, often feeling more like you’re following a shopping list than making important decisions.\nThe shooting itself is reminiscent of classic arcade shooters but lacks the tight controls to make you feel like a space hero. And the cutscenes?! Let’s just say I've seen better acting in a low-budget home movie. As you blast through enemies, you'll find that your ship controls like a brick in water, offering zero finesse. You ever tried to shoot down an enemy ship while dodging asteroids? It’s like trying to do the cha-cha while balancing a blender on your head. Spoiler: it doesn’t end well.
Now, let’s talk about the graphics, which could only be described as ‘ambitiously outdated’. Back in ’96, pre-rendered graphics were all the rage, but while some games made it work, *Creature Shock* seems like it peaked at ‘passable.’ It's like that kid in school who thought wearing neon green pants would make them cool. Sure, it grabs attention, but not for the right reasons. Textures lack detail, and the full-motion video—oh dear, don’t get me started! It looks like they filmed it on a potato. Browsing through this game feels like you're watching someone else's vacation videos from a road trip, and the highlight is a flat tire. Expecting a feast for the eyes? Grab a snack; the visuals might leave you feeling quite hungry.
In a world where games like *Resident Evil* and *Final Fantasy VII* carved their names into gaming history, *Creature Shock* felt less like a contender and more like that awkward cousin at the family reunion who nobody really wants to talk to. Sure, it had some high-flying ambitions with its mix of genres and usage of FMV, but when it comes to actually executing those ideas, it seems many aliens were laughing at our expense. So, should you give *Creature Shock* a spin? Unless you’re craving some serious nostalgia (or just want to see how far games have come), you might want to steer clear and leave this adventure where it belongs—in the folders of gaming history, collecting digital dust. Grab your PS4, pop in a modern classic, and let *Creature Shock* remain a footnote in the annals of gaming that proves not every dated title deserves a space on your shelf!
Another SquareThought Site