Sega’s Super Scaler arcade games were some of the best looking games on the market for a very long time. The simulated 3-d looked better than the majority of the early 3d games that hit the market as well. As much as many wanted home versions of these games they presented a problem; no affordable console could accurately replicate the technology powering those games. Each title was still ported to many platforms with mixed results. The Genesis version of Outrun is spectacular while Galaxy Force……they shouldn’t have even bothered. After Burner II isn’t as dire as that mess but suffers in many categories and is not worth buying.
Calling After Burner II a sequel is being generous. Even in the arcade it was merely a slight update of the first game with three new levels tacked on. In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t make much of a difference; Sega simply took what was already a good game and made it better. Unfortunately the Genesis home port doesn’t fare as well and while it isn’t as pathetic as Galaxy Force 2 it deserved better.
There is no dancing around it, the main source of disappointment comes from the visuals. After Burner II was an exceptionally pretty game in the arcade with the super scaler technology used to simulate rolling hills, fields, and canyon walls to great effect. Almost none of that made it here intact. The Ground textures are almost completely gone; all you are left with is a single colored piece of land with occasional bushes and rocks. It hurts the game even more since the background detail was used to distinguish one level from the next. Now the only distinction is the color of the sky.
At the very least the scaling of the ships is as smooth as could be expected considering the hardware lacking capabilities in that regard. There is some sprite flickering when the screen is really crowded but all in all the game manages a similar level of intensity to its arcade counterpart. The music as well as the few speech samples are pretty good.
The main reason for After Burner II’s creation were the addition of speed controls. With these you can slow down, speed up or use the afterburners to avoid pursuing enemies. The controls have been simplified as a result: slowing down or boosting each have a dedicated button as well as missiles when you have a target lock. Your ship is always auto firing by default to compensate. It’s….functional but not very satisfying as it is hard to line up shots or to even tell if your bullets are even hitting their mark.
At its core this is a very simple game. Enemies approach in the distance and you’ll either take them out with your machine gun or lock-on missiles. Despite the appearance of a wide open playing field the space you have to maneuver is very small, making it hard to dodge incoming missiles. Missiles are in greater supply this time so you can be a bit reckless in their use as refueling occurs every few rounds. The pace is blindingly fast to the point where it is hard to react. In the arcade this was combined with a rotating cabinet that probably made a few people hurl. The home port captures some of that same intensity and is memorable if a bit repetitive.
Technically there are 23 levels in all although not all of them place you in combat. Stages 5 and 13 are simply a resupply for your ship. Stages 8 and 17 could be considered bonus rounds as you are flying in a narrow canyon taking out non-aggressive military targets. The rest of the levels all focus on combat with the final level seeing you land on the carrier for a job well done. It sounds like a lot but in reality if you can somehow survive until the end it wraps up in about 30 minutes. Good luck on that however.
The chances are pretty high that you won’t reach the end of the game for a very long time as the difficulty is extremely high. You only get three lives and three continues and that seems woefully inadequate for the chaos that lies ahead. The difficulty ramps up considerably after a few levels as enemies and missiles that attack from behind are introduced. Even with the addition of controlling your speed it’s a crapshoot whether you will be able to avoid both consistently. And this is on top of whatever incoming enemies are approaching. By the midpoint its borderline insane how chaotic it gets. A near limitless supply of missiles does little to help either. Only those with a large amount of patience need apply.
In Closing
Thoroughly disappointed is the best way to sum up my feelings about After Burner II. I only had the chance to play it in the arcade about two times before it was switched out for something else so I anticipated the Genesis version. After Burner II only manages to capture a little of what made this game so great. You are better off with the 32X version or the 3DS 3D classic edition.
3 thoughts on “After Burner II”