Similar Snatcher experiences

A forum for discusion, suggestions and information on any Snatcher-related material. Music, games, versions, differences and references.

Also the space for feedback regarding the Snatcher Music Arrangements section by MrRudi.
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Similar Snatcher experiences

Post by Mod2k2 »

Apart from the very obvious Policenauts and from the Neo Kobe reminiscences that Speed King brings within, is there any other game that manages to create a similar atmosphere to Snatcher's? Preferably some retro gem that has been forgotten in time. I was thinking of purchasing the Japanese version of Rise of the Dragon but I have read very mixed reviews of the game, and would also like to know if someone has some opinion about it 8)

Thank you
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Post by Artemio »

Rise of the Dragon was quite good, but it is sufficiently different to stand on it's own and not to be a direct competitor/filler/substitute. I recommend playing it, but it is more american. It does have that feeling. The game was created by Dynamix.

What it indeed shares is the ambient of decadence, albeit in a different way. But I do have fond memories of some scenes, and humour is good (That birthday suit scene...). Also, having a lot of voice actng gives a great feeling.

I would also recopmmend playing the PC Blade Runenr game by Westwood studios, also difefrent in most aspects, but it is a great game.
Last edited by Artemio on Wed Oct 13, 2004 8:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by Mod2k2 »

Thanks, I forgot to mention the Blade Runner game, I played that one throughly so many years ago when it came out. I found it absolutely fantastic but sadly it didnt have much of a replay value to talk about...the game was great, and the atmosphere simply perfect, but it just doesn't keep calling me back the way Snatcher does. Anyway, I agree on the opinion in other post that it would be a good idea to open a Blade Runner game forum as well. I may even feel like re-starting it again and all! And perhaps some comments regarding that C64 version could be thrown in...

As for The Rise of the Dragon, I think you convinced me. I can get the Japanese version easily so I will have it sent to me, too bad that there are virtually no resources about the game in the web at all, at least none that I have found so far.

Thanks---- :wink:
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Post by Snake Plissken »

my similar snatcher experience? Deja Vu 1 & 2 :P Its about a private eye waking up not remembering who he is, and as he progresses he finds out himself and his past.....hmmm that reminds me of snatcher ahahahahahahaha :P


The Rise of the Dragon!!!!! MAN thanks!!! I havn't played this game in ages!!! I'm gonna go look for it in my game collection, or at either suprnova or underdogs for the cd copy. :wink: I swear I might still have it.
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Post by Johnny Undaunted »

Well, there's quite a few "Snatcher"-style adventure games released in Japan. There's Metal Slader Glory by HAL (makers of Kirby), which was released for the Famicom (and later remade for the Super Famicom), which is quite an excellent adventure (and very sought-after too) with a mecha theme. And then there's the Famicom Tantei series too.

Kojima's actual inspiration for Snatcher was an even older game called Portpia Satsujin Jiken, although it's a very early Famicom title (also released for the PC88 I believe) and quite dated to be honest.
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Post by MrRudi »

In one word: Shadowrun (SNES)
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Post by Marc »

Walk through Akihabara or Shinjuku at night, when it's raining, wearing a brown trenchcoat... :)
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Post by Snake Plissken »

Osiris wrote:Walk through Akihabara or Shinjuku at night, when it's raining, wearing a brown trenchcoat... :)
:D Man I wanna go back to Japan, its been so long.
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Post by Artemio »

Osiris wrote:Walk through Akihabara or Shinjuku at night, when it's raining, wearing a brown trenchcoat... :)
I want to go back to Akihabara... I feel like I belong there =P


Walking at night there is great, specially in the streets that Takamichi took us into....

And walking in Shinjuku to watch Innocence on cinema... at 1am, was also a great experience in more than one sense...
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Post by Snake Plissken »

Snatcher wrote:
Osiris wrote:Walk through Akihabara or Shinjuku at night, when it's raining, wearing a brown trenchcoat... :)
I want to go back to Akihabara... I feel like I belong there =P
quote]

8) damn I love this place :D
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Post by Mod2k2 »

Ok, so we all get so nostalgic here :) Yes, definitely Akihabara and its back alleys are places to spend a LOT of time at. Gotta return to Japan someday...

Shadowrun for NES? The name rings a bell, but if you could provide some more info on the game or a link, that would be great.
Cheers :)
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Post by Johnny Undaunted »

Mod2k2 wrote: Shadowrun for NES? The name rings a bell, but if you could provide some more info on the game or a link, that would be great.
Cheers :)
Shadowrun was for the SNES (the added letter makes a huge difference you know). It was published by Data East. Anyway, it's an Action RPG based on the Shadowrun series of gamebooks. Quite a fun game and it mixes fantasy and cyberpunk elements in one (there are mercenary ogres and elf hackers for once). There was also a Genesis version, but it's a different game made by another developed based on the same license.
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Post by Ninja Kurosai »

Yes, Shadowrun for SNES was a gem. Anyone know the differences in the Genesis and SNES versions?

Blade Runner for the C64 is actually an enjoyable experiance. You play as Deckard running down a street chasing a Replicant, and you have to shoot him down while avoiding citizens as well. Once you kill him, you start at a higher difficulty (i think its been forever since I've played it). On the PC I just adore that game, I love how it weaves itself throught the Movie, like a scene in the Bradbury Hotel 8)
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Post by Warrior Bob »

I just bought the Genesis version of Shadowrun about a month ago actually.

The differences are pretty significant. I think the overall story is kind of the same (avenging a brother's death that turns into something deeper) and the setting is of course the same, as it's based on the Shadowrun role-playing system and its world, but the gameplay is worlds apart as RPGs go.

In the Genesis one, you are presented with a game world in which you can pick one of three classes, and you need to make a name for yourself in order to unravel the mystery. The game is almost action-y at times, but in general is pretty nonlinear with nice bits of writing now and again. Unfortunately the best way to play it is by powerlevelling your character (which isn't really hard to figure out how to do) which kind of detracts from the immersiveness of it, but I still really like it all the same.

The SNES game is more linear: you get only one character class that's kind of a jack of all trades, the combat feels much more menu-driven, and the game is played from an isometric perspective as compared with the genesis' top-down perspective.

It's pretty clear that the two games were done by different teams that probably never spoke to each other. I know the Genesis one is pretty spiffy and I've heard the SNES game is great too, but I personally haven't played that one for more than a few minutes. Most people I've talked to said they liked the Genesis version better, but that's only a few people, I'd say anyone interested oughta hit a used game store, it's not too hard to find. That or hit the internet if emulation's your thing, that's always fun too =)
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Post by Johnny Undaunted »

Warrior Bob wrote:It's pretty clear that the two games were done by different teams that probably never spoke to each other.
Well, duh! I've already mentioned. Hasn't anyone paid attention? They're two different games that just happens to be based on the same license. Nothing more and nothing less. It's kinda like the difference between the SNES and Genesis versions of Aladdin.
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Post by Biglife »

I was going to suggest the Genesis Shadowrun as well. One of my favorite games on that system.
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Post by Szczepaniak »

The closest Snatcher experience you will find I'd say is Shadowrun on the SEGA CD.

what?! I hear you all cry, TWO snatcher style games on the same console? Well, three if you include Rise of the Dragon. But yes, it will delight you to learn, this is true.

I am a huge Shadowrun fan, so when wandering around the Akihabara, I stumbled across it, mint with spine card. It was an impulse purchase, and only about 4000 Yen, so I bought it.

Basically the game interface is like a carbon copy of Snatcher, with the battles being fought Shining Force style. (large strategy style grid, plus extra features such as dice rolling which is in line with the board game origins of it, plus some wandering).

But I digress.
Basically, from loading the game up, you are introduced to the same menu driven interface as Snatcher on the Sega CD. You choose to examine or look at stuff, talk to characters, talk to your group or move on to a different area. You can also access a net connection you have to connect to the net and read news stories found within the game world. You can also email fellow Shadowrunners for info.

I've never completed it due to the massive language barrier, even with 6 years of learning Japanese it is a very tough game to understand everything.

But it starts with you collecting clues on some cyber Ronin you must kill.
The whole atmosphere I would say is even more cyberpunk than Snatcher at times, with biker gangs, nightclubs, slums and data networks to hack.

It also has a strong RPG side, which can kill it for those who don't understand Japanese. It gets tough when your augmenting your body and your guns, and you cant work out what the meaning of a particular Kanji is. There is also magic users.


Anyway, most who play it regard it as the best of the Shadowrun trilogy and even better than Snatcher which is takes so much inspiration from. Personally I think its a fantastic game, but thanks to the language barrier I cant comment on wether its better or not.



If you ever get bored of translating policenauts, you should try and have a crack at translating Shadowrun on the Sega CD. I would love a patch that enables me reburn a copy in English. :D
Last edited by Szczepaniak on Tue Dec 14, 2004 9:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Szczepaniak »

Here are some pics, courtesy of me, my PC, the screen grabbing capabilties of Wgens and also Mike of segacduniverse:

**************
EDIT:

I did try to have the images pop up on here, but angelfire wont allow it.
So instead, link yourself up with his actual site:

http://segacduniverse.cjb.net/

Then goto to the misc page, and scroll down a bit.
There should be links to the images called "Shadowrun game screens"
(feel free to steal them, it saves me having to email them to you)

Theres also a WAV somewhere on his site of one of the music tunes, complete with my voice in the opening.

Enjoy peeps

************


Very Snatcher Im sure youll agree.


Anyway, if anyone is serious about translating it, am I allowed to offer them my copy of the game? :wink:



EDIT2:
More screens, easily accessed.
http://www.mobygames.com/game/shots/p,20/gameId,14406/
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Post by Mod2k2 »

Wow, I really hadn't heard about that version before. Is it widely available in the Akihabara stores? According to the price you mentioned (4000 yen) it doesn't seem to be the case, but if in my next visit (which will surely take place very soon) I will be sure to "snatch" a copy of the game.

Thanks for the info! :D
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Post by Crowley »

Ah, yes. I've heard that is the best Shadowrun game out there. Too bad it was never translated. I've heard Microsoft has the license for Shadowrun video&computer games, should they ever decide to use them... It would be nice to have a game that has the third edition additions.
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Post by Szczepaniak »

It cost 4000 Yen which was about £20
That was on my first trip in 2000

When I went again I never saw it, and Ive heard the price has gone up. People have become interested in it, when I first saw it there was no info on the net regarding it.
Now its everywhere.

Check Trader and Trader2, it might cost a bit more, but they tend to have everything most of the time. Even saw sapphire when I went ehre last. Bloody expensive though.

I wouldnt hold out for M$ releasing anything though, I doubt theyd translate it and then release the trilogy as a whole. They didn't even want to release the arcade classics and Metal Slug games on the xbox (luckilly they did though).
Their policy is, that if its old, it has no place on the xbox. :x

Lousy blinkered attitude of theirs. Im surprised MS3 got released at all.

Still, Im holding out for a fan translation.


EDIT:
Ive heard rumours, and these are just rumours, that they are working on a Shadowrun game as a launch title for Xbox2.
Make of that what you will.

btw, although they own the title rights, they dont actually own the previouslly made games do they?
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Post by Crowley »

Shadowrun was originally a pencil & paper RPG published by FASA Inc. The console games used licensed name and source material from there, and currently Microsoft holds that license. MS has absolutely no control over the previous games.
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Post by Ninja Kurosai »

So basically Shadowrun on the SNES (although one of my favs) has nothing to do with the rest of the series ? :? I remember seeing a copy of the Genesis version and it was a shock to me. The novel series of which i have several books, seems to be based on neither the SNES or the Genesis :x
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Post by Szczepaniak »

Yup. The SNES, Megadrive and Sega CD games were all developed by different companies based on the FASA license. (they were also all published by different companies)

The books too, although based on the FASA license was a totally seperate storyline. In fact some of the books in the series I believe are also unconnected and are even by diffrent authors.

All of this is originally based on the RPG board game, which was based on the once popular dungeons and dragons board game, except with futuristic elements.

So basically yes. There is a vast ocean of Shadowrun merchandise and media available, but none of it is really connected except for the name, basic settings and some ground rules regarding the Shadowrun universe.


Damn, I sure do know a lot about Shadowrun. 8)


A quick google should bring up more info.
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