Developer: Sega Technical Institute Publisher: Sega Release: 1995 Genre: Beat em up
By the end of the 16-bit era the side scrolling beat em up was starting to get stale. Despite the presence of monsters in the arcade like Alien vs. Predator and Denjin Makai too many generic brawlers were flooding the market and drowning out the classics. Unlike shooters that would undergo a renaissance in Japan brawlers would all but disappear during the 32-bit era. But before then Sega would grace us with one of the most innovative takes on the genre to this day. Comix Zone is a beacon of originality in a genre that is accustomed to doing the bare minimum. For all of its creativity however a few niggling issues keep it from being the legendary game it has the potential to be.
In Comiz Zone you play as Sketch Turner, a comic book artist who gets literally pulled into his own comic by the villain he created, the Mutant Mortus. The villain tries to kill Sketch to hopefully gain a body of his own in the physical world. Sketch receives assistance from his very creations to escape the Comix Zone, including Alissa, a freedom fighter battling against Mortus.
Comix Zone is a single lane beat em up with a simple control scheme. There is only one attack button however in combination with the d-pad you can execute a variety of moves. Sweeping attacks, high kicks, uppercuts, throws, and a few leaping attacks round out your arsenal. Admittedly next to later brawlers from that generation it is simple. But it is just enough to get the job done. In addition you can carry three items in your inventory including weapons like grenades, health, and an item that turns you in to a super hero.
While it is easy to call Comix Zone a brawler it is more than that. The game has elements of platforming and puzzle solving making it a hybrid. It is this element that trips up first time players and leads to early deaths. As you move from panel to panel you will beat up a few enemies before progressing or must solve a puzzle. Some of these are immediately obvious such as destroying rocks blocking your progress. Others require Roadkill to activate switches or tear off the background to reveal necessary items. Solving puzzles will usually reward items or reveal alternate paths which are cool. The game tries to nudge you but is not always clear. Even worse it is easy to screw up and have to sacrifice precious health in order to move on. This would not be so bad if the game were not so ridiculously fucking difficult.
It is no exaggeration to say that Comix Zone is one of the most difficult games of its era. Both puzzles and combat present a significant challenge. You do not face continuous waves of enemies: in any given room you will face maybe two or three. However their AI is ruthless as they are aggressive and know how to block and counter your attacks. Few encounters will end without you taking damage. It says a lot when the bosses are easier than the regular enemies. Healing items are rare and they do not restore your life between levels! To make matters worse you have one life with no passwords or battery backup to save progress. You can earn continues but it is extremely hard. They stack the deck against you pretty heavily.
These factors pale in comparison to the game’s puzzles however. Although you can destroy and interact with objects in the background doing so takes health. Although these are part of the puzzle element of the game there are many instances where it is necessary which is dumb. Trial and error is a natural part of the puzzle solving process. But here they make failure deadly which is unfair. I love that they added these elements to the game. It gives Comix Zone depth beyond basic combat. But the fact the game is lacking in balance and is so ridiculously difficult brings it down. Slowly making progress by dying and retracing your steps because the game lacks lives is frustrating not fun. With a little tuning Comix Zone would be a stone cold classic. In some ways it still is.
The comic book theme of Comix Zone permeates every aspect of the game. Even today, it remains one of the most visually creative ideas ever executed in a video game. Each section of a level is a panel from a comic book. Enemies are drawn in and have thick comic ink outlines. Certain attacks rip through the pages to reveal the paper underneath which is cool. You do not simply walk from one room to the next, you smoothly transition between cells. All characters are highly animated and expressive and the comic style sound effects add that last perfect touch. There is no doubt the game is stylish as hell and among the finest visuals ever on the Genesis. Too bad you have to jump through so many hoops to appreciate it all.
In Closing
Comix Zone is a bold, inventive, and visually stunning Genesis swan song, one that still feels fresh and inventive decades later. But its punishing structure keeps it from being as fun or replayable as the best beat-’em-ups. This one is kind of hard to outright recommend despite how much I value its creativity. If you appreciate style, creativity, and late-era 16-bit technical fireworks? It is a must-play. But if you want a relaxed, accessible brawler? Proceed with caution. You might want to look elsewhere for your beat em up fix.
