Genesis REVIEWS: ESWAT: City Under Siege
Shooters in the 16-bit generation are a dime a dozen. First, we have the top-class tier like Contra and Metal Slug, then we get all the rest. ESWAT is one of the earliest 16-bit shooters, and as such, was not compared to the great advances those two series made to the genre, nor was it able to learn from them.
Even though this game is actually a fairly capable shooter, it could have been much better if not for a few serious shortcomings.
Other than the robot suit and one rather atmospheric level, there is nothing here that has not been done before. From the generic cannon fodder to the nearly mandatory helicopter boss. ESWAT feels like it could have easily had carbon copies, SWATE, and ESWET lying around.
It doesn't help that the game is, as expected, short, with no reason to revisit it after beating it once.
"Guard Silent City"
Before you get the robot suit, you can only shoot the lame handgun, and you have very limited health. If you played any other shooter, you basically know the drill, and at this stage in game development, there was no diagonal shooting.
Once you don that robot suit, it's a game-changer. Now, besides the increased health, you get access to an expanded arsenal as well as a jet pack.
You still have that lame gun, but now you can have access to a rapid shooting weapon that completely outclasses it. Also, there is the missile weapon, which solves some of the diagonal shooting problem because it travels diagonally downward. Then there is the plasma cannon, which auto-charges a strong plasma shot. Finally, you have the one-time super move, which I personally only used once. Best of all, you can switch between these weapons at will, provided you have them.
What is truly a game-changer, however, is the jet pack, which, through the use of fuel, can allow you to hover, glide, and simply fly around. The best stage in the game uses that power to a great degree, and the game could have been much better if it actually asked you to use the jet pack more often.
Unfortunately, except for two stages, the game seemed afraid to deviate much from the confines of its genre. It focused too much on its mediocre shooting, while ignoring the potential of the jet pack.
This can be clearly seen in the pedestrian boss battles. Initially, you might believe these are some tough adversaries until you realize that they cannot adequately deal with your flying power. Most bosses are rendered ineffective if you glide a little bit into the middle of the edge of the
screen, and shot them with the diagonal missiles.
With that tactic, ESWAT becomes one of the easiest shooters I played.
"Infiltrate Cyber Prison"
With as many shooters out there, any one that aims to make a name for itself must be technically sound, and have some solid presentation.
Thankfully, ESWAT does just that. The sprites are big and well-detailed, and while the backgrounds are nothing special, they are not bad either. Especially well done are the animations, which make the sprites pop that much better.
For instance, there was no need to have the robot morph into a ball, as it crawls beautifully.
Additionally, all the extra effects, such as shots and explosions, are well rendered and actually have solid sound design behind them.
Speaking of sound, there are some nice tunes in the game, although the soundtracks' attempt at being more complex sometimes backfires. The second track I could imagine being much better in the SNES, where the sound chip is more advanced.
Generally, this is some solid stuff.
In Conclusion:
ESWAT is a classic example of a game not recognizing its own strengths. If this game actually utilized the excellent jet-pack mechanic better, it would have designed its bosses and stages to accommodate that; it might have been a strong enough game to warrant a sequel. Even with a silly-sounding name like ESWAT.
As it is, ESWAT is merely a solid shooter in an overcrowded genre, one which could have been much better than it ended up being.
Final: 6/10 (Not Recommended)
Series:
For those reading one of my Genesis review blogs for the first time, here is the basic concept:
I already reviewed a bunch of SNES games, so, naturally, I am going to review the games of its prime competition. Does the SEGA Genesis stand a chance against the legendary SNES library?
My review series is based on the top 100 list of Retro Sanctuary
Originally, I posted most of my content on a football forum called "Goallegacy," which was the first online community I had ever joined. I found it to be the best place for a football fan (the REAL football, not handegg) to hang out on the internet, but the forum is not as active as it was years ago.Next Game:
Maybe a 6 is not too bad for the first Sega-made game on the list, but it could have been better. Hell, it could have EASILY been a better game if it had a little more ambition.
For #89, we are actually getting an ambitious game from EA, General Chaos. A real-time tactics game, whatever that genre is.For Previous Genesis Game Reviews:
Even though this game is actually a fairly capable shooter, it could have been much better if not for a few serious shortcomings.
90: ESWAT: City Under Siege:-
Year: 1990.
Genre: Shooter.
Publisher: Sega.
Developer: Sega.
"Break E.V.E's Plan"
While the game's cover features a man in a robot suit, you actually start the game as a fairly ordinary blonde cop. This cop only has a limited skill-set and can only use a handgun. Only after the first two stages do you get the robot suit, and it makes a world of difference.
The decision to limit you in those two stages is brilliant because it perfectly underscores how awesome the robot suit is. Once you get it, you feel its power in relation to your previous limitation, and with that power, you are tasked with bigger missions.
Unfortunately, here is another game that doesn't bother to craft an engaging world design. The lack of narrative is to be expected in these early games, but the lack of a cohesive or interesting world is not.
While the game's cover features a man in a robot suit, you actually start the game as a fairly ordinary blonde cop. This cop only has a limited skill-set and can only use a handgun. Only after the first two stages do you get the robot suit, and it makes a world of difference.
The decision to limit you in those two stages is brilliant because it perfectly underscores how awesome the robot suit is. Once you get it, you feel its power in relation to your previous limitation, and with that power, you are tasked with bigger missions.
Unfortunately, here is another game that doesn't bother to craft an engaging world design. The lack of narrative is to be expected in these early games, but the lack of a cohesive or interesting world is not.
 |
| Generic Factory #679 |
Other than the robot suit and one rather atmospheric level, there is nothing here that has not been done before. From the generic cannon fodder to the nearly mandatory helicopter boss. ESWAT feels like it could have easily had carbon copies, SWATE, and ESWET lying around.
It doesn't help that the game is, as expected, short, with no reason to revisit it after beating it once.
"Guard Silent City"
Before you get the robot suit, you can only shoot the lame handgun, and you have very limited health. If you played any other shooter, you basically know the drill, and at this stage in game development, there was no diagonal shooting.
Once you don that robot suit, it's a game-changer. Now, besides the increased health, you get access to an expanded arsenal as well as a jet pack.
You still have that lame gun, but now you can have access to a rapid shooting weapon that completely outclasses it. Also, there is the missile weapon, which solves some of the diagonal shooting problem because it travels diagonally downward. Then there is the plasma cannon, which auto-charges a strong plasma shot. Finally, you have the one-time super move, which I personally only used once. Best of all, you can switch between these weapons at will, provided you have them.
 |
| Just you ordinary, everyday cop with the explosive bullets |
What is truly a game-changer, however, is the jet pack, which, through the use of fuel, can allow you to hover, glide, and simply fly around. The best stage in the game uses that power to a great degree, and the game could have been much better if it actually asked you to use the jet pack more often.
Unfortunately, except for two stages, the game seemed afraid to deviate much from the confines of its genre. It focused too much on its mediocre shooting, while ignoring the potential of the jet pack.
This can be clearly seen in the pedestrian boss battles. Initially, you might believe these are some tough adversaries until you realize that they cannot adequately deal with your flying power. Most bosses are rendered ineffective if you glide a little bit into the middle of the edge of the
screen, and shot them with the diagonal missiles.
With that tactic, ESWAT becomes one of the easiest shooters I played.
 |
| You'd better surrender, since you can't actually hit me |
"Infiltrate Cyber Prison"
With as many shooters out there, any one that aims to make a name for itself must be technically sound, and have some solid presentation.
Thankfully, ESWAT does just that. The sprites are big and well-detailed, and while the backgrounds are nothing special, they are not bad either. Especially well done are the animations, which make the sprites pop that much better.
For instance, there was no need to have the robot morph into a ball, as it crawls beautifully.
Additionally, all the extra effects, such as shots and explosions, are well rendered and actually have solid sound design behind them.
 |
| Look at that full bodied Plasma Shots |
Speaking of sound, there are some nice tunes in the game, although the soundtracks' attempt at being more complex sometimes backfires. The second track I could imagine being much better in the SNES, where the sound chip is more advanced.
Generally, this is some solid stuff.
In Conclusion:
ESWAT is a classic example of a game not recognizing its own strengths. If this game actually utilized the excellent jet-pack mechanic better, it would have designed its bosses and stages to accommodate that; it might have been a strong enough game to warrant a sequel. Even with a silly-sounding name like ESWAT.
As it is, ESWAT is merely a solid shooter in an overcrowded genre, one which could have been much better than it ended up being.
Final: 6/10 (Not Recommended)
Pros:
- Excellent jet pack mechanics.
- Good graphics and animation.
Cons:
- Boring world design
- Can get boring fast.
- Too short.
Tips:
- For the second boss, simply crouch down and shoot; your bullets can guard you against theirs.
- For a lot of bosses, hovering (not flying) mid-air at the age of the stage and lobbing missiles at them is more than enough.
- Missiles travel on the ground and are great at defeating enemies below you.
- The Plasma Cannon charged shot is great, and can destroy most enemies in one hit. It charges automatically if you don't shoot.
- You need to use all your weapons if you don't want to end up in dangerous situations.
Series:
For those reading one of my Genesis review blogs for the first time, here is the basic concept:I already reviewed a bunch of SNES games, so, naturally, I am going to review the games of its prime competition. Does the SEGA Genesis stand a chance against the legendary SNES library?
My review series is based on the top 100 list of Retro Sanctuary
Originally, I posted most of my content on a football forum called "Goallegacy," which was the first online community I had ever joined. I found it to be the best place for a football fan (the REAL football, not handegg) to hang out on the internet, but the forum is not as active as it was years ago.
Next Game:
Maybe a 6 is not too bad for the first Sega-made game on the list, but it could have been better. Hell, it could have EASILY been a better game if it had a little more ambition.For #89, we are actually getting an ambitious game from EA, General Chaos. A real-time tactics game, whatever that genre is.
Stay Tuned
For Previous Genesis Game Reviews:
This blog was originally posted in Destructoid Community Blogs on January 2nd, 2016. The blog was slightly edited to fit my newer review format.
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