Developer: Treasure Publisher: Sega Release: 02/24/95 Genre: Action
Treasure burst on the scene with a level of technical and mechanical prowess that few developers can match. They created one of the best action games of all time in Gunstar Heroes and an actual good licensed game with McDonald’s of all licenses. And yet just when it seemed like they could not one up themselves they did it again with Alien Soldier, easily one of the greatest action games of the 16-bit generation. Too bad not many have played it. Like Golden Axe III and Pulseman this one was a Sega Channel exclusive in the US and I still hate Sega for that. If you even slightly like action games you need this game in your life.
In the year 2015 the A-Humans of A-Earth create genetically engineered humans with super intelligence and strength. A terrorist organization named Scarlett rises from these new humans with plans to dominate the Earth. They lock down the planet and a war ensues. The resistance fighters manage to injure Scarlett’s leader Epsilon Eagle and he is cast in to the space time continuum. But in his absence an even worse monarch, Xi-Tiger, takes over and begins his brutal rule. The members of Scarlett realize they preferred Epsilon Eagle and make plans to bring him back. Xi-Tiger gets wind of this and raids a facility where superhuman experiments are being conducted. But in his haste he unwittingly brings back Epsilon Eagle, this time in a new body and he begins his pursuit.
Alien Soldier builds on the mechanics established in Gunstar Heroes but takes them a step further. Epsilon Eagle can use fixed or free shooting but unlike that title you can switch on the fly. He has a variety of techniques executed using simple button combinations. Pressing down + jump performs a zero teleport, the most important skill in the game. This rapid dash warps you across the screen and you are invincible during its animation. You can double jump, hang upside down from most surfaces and hover in place. While hovering you can zero teleport in the midair too. It sounds a little complicated and at first it is. But the intuitive controls make these mechanics second nature quickly.
There are six weapons and you can equip four at any given time. Each weapon has separate ammunition and when depleted they are near useless. Luckily ammunition replenishes over time which makes weapon switching a crucial mechanic. But wait there’s more! The counter force turns enemy projectiles in to health orbs by double tapping attack. The timing is tricky but worth it, especially during the longer and more difficult boss battles. Lastly executing a zero teleport while at full health turns it in to the phoenix teleport, the most devastating move in the game. With the right timing a phoenix teleport can shave ¾ of a boss’s life bar. The drawback is that it uses varying amounts of health depending on the current weapon.
Although they are similar mechanically Alien Soldier has a different gameplay focus. Alien Soldier is essentially a massive boss rush. Technically there are twenty five “stages” with twenty six bosses. There are only the briefest of platforming and combat against weaker enemies in between each boss. These are basically interludes to power up between each encounter. This is the weakest element of the game as the large character sprite is not conducive to platforming. Take them as a reprieve before the next brutal encounter. You will need it.
Treasure knows which side of their bread is buttered and goes completely over board with the boss battles. If you thought their work on Gunstar Heroes and Dynamite Headdy was exceptional you are not prepared. Each of the game’s over two dozen bosses has at least four or five mechanics and very few battles are similar. At first they seem impossible considering the disparity in health. But once you learn their pattern it is manageable. Deciphering a pattern and execution are a different matter entirely. This is where mastering the controls come in. Knowing when to zero dash to negate damage, use counter force to recover health and hopefully use the phoenix force, these are what separate good players from the bad. Most will probably not measure up.
To say this is a difficult game is an understatement. Alien Soldier demands a certain level of skill from the player almost immediately as it does not hold your hand. There are only two difficulties, super easy or super hard. The only real difference is super easy allows you to slow down the action and has unlimited continues. You are still in for a rough time either way. Some intermissions between bosses offer few opportunities to recover health, meaning you will enter some encounters in less than optimal circumstances. If you have a less than ideal weapon load out it can be all but impossible to defeat some bosses within the time limit, especially as the limited ammunition is hard to manage. That being said despite the high challenge it feels incredibly rewarding when you succeed, and the skills you accrue with each encounter carry over to the next.
Alien Soldier represents the peak of Treasure’s work on the Sega Genesis, with visuals that push the system to the limit. The sprites are massive and the animations is fluid. You will instantly recognize their familiar art direction in the environments and sprites as they are detailed, colorful, and well-designed. Special effects are common and surprisingly despite all this splendor there is no slowdown. The multi-jointed bosses are the star however. Intricate and creative, they do an excellent job of making the game memorable. I could go on and on. Even the soundtrack is fantastic. For a swan song you cannot ask for more.
In Closing
Phenomenal. Superb. Classic. These are just some of the superlatives you can use to describe Alien Soldier. And it deserves it. In almost every category the game excels and pushes the Genesis to its breaking point. And to think, only half of the planned ideas made it in to the final product! I shudder to think what the “complete” version of the game would have been. Regardless, Alien Soldier is a masterpiece and regardless of how you play it do it as soon as possible.
