Dreamcast Review: Outtrigger (2001)

Is the world craving a new review of an old Dreamcast shooter? Thrasher sure thinks so! Join him on this journey of discovery and find out the answer to the burning question: should you play Outtrigger? The answer? Ummmm, maybe. Depends.

Outtrigger is about half Crazy Taxi (or maybe half Time Crisis) and half TimeSplitters. It's a multiplayer-focused, arena-style FPS with virtually no plot and an ever-present timer at the top of the screen. Matches last about two to three minutes and the backdrop is often little more than "Collect these coins!" or "Shoot these guys!" Wikipedia's plot summary is probably too good: "The story revolves around a counterterrorism organization called Interforce, set up in response to terrorist attacks on military research facilities." I didn't get even the faintest whiff of this story, such as it is, while playing the game.

Outtrigger's two main single-player modes, Arcade and Battle, task you with completing various training exercises and eventually missions, in which you ostensibly deal with vaguely-defined threats. Really, though, there is nothing to connect the single-player exercises and missions with anything. The Arcade and Battle modes have much more in common with Crazy Taxi's "Crazy Box" or TimeSplitters' "Challenge Mode" than anything else. Though the single-player is occasionally frustrating in spots, it can be easily completed in the course of a day. And like the Crazy Box, Outtrigger's single-player experience is seemingly designed to train players for the heart of the game, which in this case is the multiplayer.

Multiplayer matches in Outtrigger play by the same rules as the "Thief" mode in TimeSplitters 2: each kill is worth one point, while another point, rendered as a coin, can be collected by any player from the kill spot. Other than a team variation on the same thing, all multiplayer matches in the game play by the same rules. This can make for a rather repetitive experience, even with Outrigger's considerable variety of weapons and maps. Given the relatively small size of the arenas in the game, deathmatches can only realistically last for about three minutes before the map in question loses what little novelty it had in the first place. And while the multiplayer mode can be played with AI bots, many of the maps feature pits, which the AI cannot successfully navigate.

In terms of controls, Outtrigger really shows its age. Dual analog control has been a standard of console first-person shooters for a long time, and returning to the single-stick controls of the Dreamcast is difficult. Although some of the options approximate dual analog controls, none of them really come that close, and I never truly felt comfortable with the pre-set schemes. The game does allow you to switch on the fly from first-person to third-person view, which is neat at the very least, but it's hardly useful.

Like many other arcade-style games for the Dreamcast, Outtrigger is enjoyable in short bursts only. Dreamcast aficionados may want to find a copy simply for the sake of curiosity, because it is a truly strange game, but everyone else can probably find something else to play.

Thrasher Presents: Thrasher's Top Ten Video Games, Part Two

Let's recap my choices so far, huh?

NHLPA '93 (SNES)

Strange start, I admit, but trust me on this one, it's a great game. And they'll just keep getting better. As you may have noticed, I have followed Chicken Man's lead and dropped the process of ranking my picks. That's truly a bunch of rubbish. How could I pick a favorite? I love them all for different reasons, I'm telling you. Keep that in mind as I reveal my next choice:

Crazy Taxi (PS2)
It certainly helps that this one has all original music, instead of the neutered soundtrack that popped up on my recent 360 purchase. Besides all that, though, this is one of the best, most complete arcade games ever put together. The whole package is unified nearly to the point of perfection, and that is precisely why I put such a high premium on the Offspring/Bad Religion soundtrack. When you remove one of those highly integrated components, you lose a significant element. PS2 and Dreamcast got it right the first time. Not only do you get the full arcade game, but you have an additional city to cruise, and a full set of Crazy Box challenges to complete. Quite simply, this game is the total package.

Crazy Taxi, Sega Sans Offspring

Speaking of game soundtracks, listen to this:

A couple months ago I purchased the Dreamcast Collection for my Xbox 360 and, though I have yet to try either Sega Bass Fishing or Space Channel 5 Part 2, I've been enjoying the opportunity to play through Sonic Adventure, something I missed way back when. It's not perfect, not by any means, but still an interesting time warp. Of course, rounding out the collection is Crazy Taxi, one of my personal favorites and a game I had mastered on the PS2. Unfortunately, my disc for the PS2 version is no longer in working condition, so I purchased this retrospective as a way of replacing it (and getting a few extra games thrown in for fun). Much to my chagrin, however, the Offspring/Bad Religion soundtrack had been completely replaced with generic punk rock. Now, I'm not particularly a fan of either band outside of Crazy Taxi, but within that world I enjoy them tremendously. Replacing them changes the dynamics of the game in a strange, unique way. Sure, the game plays just the same, but nevertheless, something is irretrievably lost without these diddies. Not to mention, all the advertising is gone. Who knew I would miss crazy sliding into Pizza Hut?

Code Redd Net Awards: Best Action Game

Up next we have the award for Best Action Game. And the nominees are...

Spy Hunter (2001)
Winback: Covert Operations (2001)
Second Sight (2004)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (2005)
Crazy Taxi (2001)

And the winner is...

Spy Hunter

Friday From the Archives: Editorial: Declination of the Arcades

Every Friday (or Wednesday when we're busy, like today) we celebrate the heritage of Code Redd Net by posting a retro-review from our considerable back catalogue of embarrassingly naive, but nonetheless entertaining and heartfelt, movie and game reviews. Please pardon the prose; most of these articles were written in our immediately post-pubescent years. Hopefully you find them as enjoyable as we do.

I find the title of this piece just as funny as you do, I'm sure. But I was reminded of this article, from our short-lived Editorial section, when I found myself playing Mrs. Pac-Man at an airport arcade. Arcades (true arcades) are difficult to find these days, and when you do find one they invariably disappoint. And if it was bad when I penned this editorial, it's only gotten much worse since then. My logic in this article is somewhat suspect, but the spirit is there, I can say that much. And just what the hell is "parallax scrolling"? Also, I want to play Metal Slug again.

"How many great games can you name that originated from arcades? Many, my friends, many. As a gamer who grew up playing Street Fighter II and Metal Slug in places like this, it's depressing to see such a tremendous decline. Why? Well, for one, I believe the power of the home console market is rapidly catching up technologically. In the old days (sound kinda old, don't I?) the arcades had awesome power and home consoles had parallax scrolling, and we liked it! Joking aside, consoles like the Genesis and SNES never could approach the power of the arcade. Now, though, it seems like the industry has caught up. People have realized that they no longer have to head to arcades to see something special. For instance, look at Time Crisis II. The game was a technical milestone when it came out, then about a year ago, it was released for PS2 with far superior graphics and a gund peripheral that matches the arcade unit perfectly. Arcade experiences are being brought home, and whether or not that's good or bad remains to be seen. As long as I still get arcade-style games like my Metal Slug X for PS1, I'll pipe down. Furthermore, what's with the price? Arcade cabinets cost a lot for the coin-op to buy and rent, but still, some of these prices are a little high. I can still play Metal Slug 2 (here I go again with Metal Slug, but it's a fine example) and beat it in under 4 dollars, which takes about 50-60 minutes to complete, while with some games I'll be lucky to get a good minute or so figuring out the controls at a rate of $1.50 a try. Sometimes, when I really get to thinking about it, I get the though of "maybe it's meant to be." Maybe arcades are as far along as they could possibly get, and all that's left for them to do is decline. And while I make this sound drastic, arcades will not disappear overnight. I just expect a slow decline in areas where the price is to high, and when home consoles inevitably pass by them, technologically speaking. Arcades have left their mark on the industry and it's sad to see them fall. Do the industry a favor; get off the couch, and go stand up and play some games for once. Darn tootin' kids!"

Dreamcast Review - Crazy Taxi 2 (2001)

As good as the original is, it seems as something is missing when going back after playing Crazy Taxi 2. Of course, that of which I'm speaking is the Crazy Hop - the ability to make your cab jump in the air, high enough to clear trucks, gaps, etc. It brings a whole new dimension to the already solid formula of transporting fares very quickly whilst dodging traffic and drifting around corners. The opportunities this creates for diverse challenges in the Crazy Pyramid scheme create a replay value which will provide plenty of return for your video game dollar. The drawbacks to this game, however, are that the directional arrow that guides you is a little trippy and takes some getting used to and the lack of B.D. Joe. Bottom line: this game is a Dreamcast exclusive, so if you have one, this is a must own for your DC collection.

Friday From the Archives: Crazy Taxi (2001)

Most arcade-to-home transitions severely lack replay value in those titles, but not Crazy Taxi. Instead of just your standard modes, CT includes one extra city map and the Crazy Box, a feature full of mini-games. And the regular game is all in there, and the good graphics and excellent controls only complement this fantastic title. On Both DC and PS2 there should be no reason that you do not own this game. There is only a few spots of slowdown, but it is so rare you won't mind. Rounding this game off is a stellar soundtrack that fits the mood of the game perfectly. And I must agree with my colleague, we have very good taste. This is a must buy.