Any reason why Codename Robocod is considered subpar on the PSX ?

[SquawkBox]

I would argue that James Pond II ~ Codename Robocod (1993) is a decent port of the 16-bit versions on the PSX (aka the PS1). Having said that, I've seen many bad reviews about it. Any opinion on the subject, folks ?

[dreadnought]

Tbh I wasn't even aware that it existed on PSX. Could be that it simply was completely out of its league, given the fact that Playstation was all about pioneering 3D, and even when it comes to 2D it had mindblowing titles such as Castlevania or Lomax.

[SquawkBox]

On PSX it was released in 2004, they couldn't stop there though! Robocod was released on the PS2 subsequently :
http://www.system3.com/games/james-p...e-robocod-ps2/

Dev. team tried to improve the level design and pacing but many people prefer the original version. I think it might be slightly unfair the way the Amiga crowd panned the PSX version, but it is open to discussion.

[dreadnought]

Oh, I thought you meant original reviewers. I'm not a platform gaming connoisseur so can't speak on that version.

On PS2? The home of Ratchet and Odin Sphere? Wonder what the price was

[Matt_H]

CD32 is the definitive version for me. At least PSX uses (most of?) its soundtrack.

The intro to the PSX version looks like it was done in a high school animation class. I don’t know why they would have done that when the excellent hand-animated intro from the CD32 version exists. Plus, no more penguins!

My overall thinking is that it offers nothing new in gameplay while losing a good bit of charm. Yawn.

[dreamkatcha]

Double plus, no input from the original dev team, barring Richard Joseph.

[rare_j]

I had a try of the PS2 version this week - nice to see the emotion engine put to good use

OCS version wins for me, under emulation with some settings to get rid of that janky scrolling.

[gimbal]

I was kind of surprised that it existed actually. I watched a youtube video on it not to long ago.

What I like:

Graphically it is okay, they added some lighting effects. I can imagine it is far less than what a Playstation owner would expect from a game on The PS1 or PS2.

Music is great, they combined some Robocod and James Pond tunes and added a few Christmas tunes (perhaps that was already in the CD32 version, I never played it). The music does not always tonally fit the level but whatever.

Can't comment on the gameplay itself, I didn't actually play it. It looks like it plays the same as the Amiga version, I assume with a PS controller it works quite well.


What I don't like:

The levels look quite boring. Streamlining is not always for the better, the original levels may have been a little hard to find your way in from time to time... but that is what adds the challenge and gives a need for exploration.

[kremiso]

I like it the same, despite being easier than the original.
Re-designed levels, much more linear, seems no secrets at all;
also strangely seems less details in the backgrounds (than the AGA/CD 32), but the rest of the gfx/ligh effects are well made.

[Shadowfire]

Wikipedia says that the PSX version of robocod was released in 2003, the PS2 version in 2006.
Ratchet & Clank was released on the PS2 in 2002. Which platform game would you rather play?
The fact is that robocod was slightly above average (when we consider what was available on then-current platforms) for its time (1991, which also saw the release of Sonic the Hedgehog), but it was a rather subpar game when it was released for the PSX 12 years later. Why are you surprised that it reviewed so low?
This question only makes sense if you look at it from the perspective of someone that only played games on the Amiga and didn't have access to a Megadrive or SNES, to understand how really bad almost all of our games/ports were, this made the ones that were in reality average, look like amazing titles.

[Matt_H]

Originally Posted by gimbal

What I don't like:

The levels look quite boring. Streamlining is not always for the better, the original levels may have been a little hard to find your way in from time to time... but that is what adds the challenge and gives a need for exploration.

If they'd included the original levels and the new set that would have given some added value... but they didn't. So many missed opportunities with this port...

[Jope]

Have to agree with the disappointment about the Playstation remake's new levels. Otherwise the conversion played fine, but the levels just weren't doing it for me.

[dreamkatcha]

If you think the intro is bad, check out the endtro finale bit...

[ Show youtube player ]

I bet it was a joke to see how the quality control dept. would react, yet thanks to a holiday scheduling glitch they were all off work simultaneously.

[aZtOcKdOg]

Originally Posted by Matt_H

CD32 is the definitive version for me.

Agreed! Although the original version holds alot more nostalgia personally I just cant go past the button jump and CD audio... I dont mind the PS2 version for something different (I only own the PS3 version that emulates the PS2(?) from how every many years back) atleast it’s silky smooth 50hz

[SquawkBox]

Originally Posted by dreadnought

Oh, I thought you meant original reviewers.

Here's a review of the remake from a huge fan of the original game (the SNES version more precisely) from 2010 :
https://gamecola.net/2010/06/robocod-james-pond-ii-ps1/
Through reading his mixed opinion, you will notice most of the arguments mentioned hereinabove are reiterated.