The Fun Factor 5.28.07: Apocalypse
Posted by Cory Moore on 05.28.2007
Now forgotten in the bottomless sea of mediocre titles released on the original Playstation, this third-person shooter featuring Bruce Willis is not short on heart-racing thrills...or dry humor, for that matter.
In the movie industry, it takes a special kind of actor to pull off a believable, honest performance in an action-comedy. Sometimes you have a guy who is known for his slapstick antics more than his fighting style, but still gets the job done at the end of the day. Chris Tucker in Rush Hour is a perfect example of this. Then you see the bad ass with the sharp tongue, ala Will Smith in Men in Black.
Brilliant performances of this nature are rare for movies, but they're even scarcer in the video game industry. It's hard to pull off, no doubt. After all, do you really want the character you are controlling to be falling on his backside when you're in the heat of battle with a warlord? No, because that probably means you'd be flame-broiled and fed to the dogs. Likewise, if you had a hijacker from Grand Theft Auto cracking jokes every time he stole a car, not many people would take him seriously.
Back in 1998, though, we had a wise-cracking movie star providing the identity for a character that set what could've been another run-of-the-mill game apart from the pack. Bruce Willis wasn't afraid of the future in The Fifth Element, and he wasn't about to back down from Armageddon, either…
Apocalypse
Playstation
1998
The Controlled Substance
In Apocalypse, a scientist-turned-madman named the Reverend hatches a theocracy based on a forthcoming apocalypse. To help him carry out his plan, he recruits the "Four Horsemen" of the Apocalypse, namely War, Plague, Death and Beast. As Trey Kincaide (portrayed by Bruce Willis), your job is to escape from jail and ensure the Reverend's plan does not come to fruition.
Apocalypse is your standard third-person shooter, but with a twist: the Dual Shock controller's left analog stick (or D-Pad) controls the player's movements, and the right analog stick (or the four symbol buttons) allows for a free range of motion with your weaponry. If you direct the right stick up (Triangle), Kincaide fires his gun in the direction of his footwork. If you punch the analog stick left (Square) or right (Circle), Kincaide aims and fires over his respective shoulder. Meanwhile, you have the ability to jump (R1) and the option to change your gun selection (L2).
The Fun Factor
On the surface, Apocalypse looks like yet another typical, third-person shooter. There's non-stop action throughout. This game doesn't give you many breathers, and you have to be on your toes at all times. Of course, what good is a shooter without effective weaponry, right? Thankfully, there are plenty of options for every situation. Your green, energy-blasting Pulse Laser will do the trick for effective close-range shots. When you have enemies firing away from overhead helicopters, it's probably a good idea to man yourself with the Homing Missles, which dodge environmental obstacles for a surprisingly accurate shot. My favorite is the Rip Laser, a continuous stream of light that homes in on the closest targets. It's about the closest you'll get to being a Ghostbuster in a video game!
This game combines the sheer quickness of a shooter with the tricky situations of a platformer. A platformer, of course, is not complete without its exciting and innovative levels to keep the player from getting bored too quickly. Thankfully, Apocalypse excels in this area. Your first mission is to escape the prison, and you immediately feel as though you're thrust into the action by dodging searchlights, blasting guards, and obliterating control panels to gain your freedom. It doesn't stop there, though. Once in the city, helicopters level the streets in an attempt to thwart your efforts, leaving firey pits for you to dodge. On the rooftops, you have dozens of minions shooting at you while you jump from building to building. It doesn't take a genius to navigate, but the stages are well-designed and make for an enjoyable experience that is refreshing each time you come back to it.
But Apocalypse is more than just a mindless shooting platformer. Bruce Willis does the unthinkable by stepping into a cocky, wisecracking superhero role. The comedy in this game really makes the experience memorable. I personally can't stop chuckling when Willis' character torches two pathetic henchmen, and then says very calmly, "You want some? Ooohhh…you want some too?" Of course, it's even better when the minions get fed up with his runaway act and yell, "Forget his rights, just shoot him!" The social commentary-esque character placements of Plague, Death, War and Beast also add some flavor to the Kool-Aid.
The 411
Apocalypse is a pretty obscure title, despite receiving above-average reviews when it was released. It is overshadowed because shooters were a dime-a-dozen on the original Playstation and deeper games like Resident Evil were much more enticing. It's a shame because Apocalypse is great game that is now grouped with the sea of mediocrity. The game serves as a nice throwback to the third-person shooter, a genre that has faded since the first-person craze has gained momentum. If you can ever find this title cheap, pick it up and give it a try. It may be outdated in terms of graphics and lack a mind-blowing story, but it's still undeniably fun to fire a variety of weapons ‘til your heart is content.
Next week, I'll be in the basketball spirit once again to coincide with ABC's coverage of the NBA Finals that begins June 7th. If you've ever had conflicting opinions on just which NBA Live game was the best of the series, I'll set you in the right path.
