Final Zone Wolf
released on Jan 01, 1987
Final Zone is an overhead run-'n-gun action game like Capcom's Commando, but it's not just that. The program contains an extensive story with lots and lots of dialog between each map. The game tells the story of the special forces team Black Cobra, on a mission to prevent a devastating missile attack from being launched. While the squad consists of five characters, the player is always in control of the leader, Harward Bowie. Before each stage, however, two of the others can be picked as sidekicks.
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I think I should have been told not to play Telenet games again when I started this one. I’ve played the other Final Zone games and they range from OK to Good. When I remembered the first one was on MSX, I wanted to try it. Telenet games are usually interesting despite their quality. This one presents a ton of dialogue that I couldn’t read not because it lacked a fan translation, though it does lack one but the japanese text was bugged on the ROM I used. So if I can’t enjoy the story, is the gameplay any good? Sadly no it is not.
The game is a top down run n gun like the sequel if you’re familiar with that on the PCECD. You first can choose from two of the four characters that work with the main one to be by your side and then you select the main guy and you’re off. You can choose to bring just one or none but don’t worry if they die in a level as there’s no punishment after the level is over. Be warned though you only have one life and it’s game over, you even have to watch the credits if this happens. Though you won’t have to worry cause the game is so flawed and easy once you learn some things.
Alright let’s go over the fact that just rushing towards the end is better than actually shooting enemies. I can’t comprehend how you make a game like this and just have that be optimal. Your helpers just shoot automatically and be warned that they kind of move in a formation and can even get stuck which means you can’t move either but don’t worry just hold up and the game will push them out eventually. Nothing about the game is that satisfying and it’s only six levels long. The bosses aren’t too challenging either especially when four of them just have blind spots meaning they can’t hit you. Even the final boss is like this. The enemy AI also just feels like they don’t even know you exist and blindly shoot forward. There just isn’t really anything fun about the game which is a shame.
At least it graphically isn’t too bad and the music sounds nice too but there isn’t much of it. It also does that thing I think Valis 1 did where being at low health plays this you’re about to die tune. The cutscenes look nice but are pretty still looking though shoutout to this hilarious moment from the bios given on the title screen. Honestly there just isn’t much else to say. It’s disappointing that I can’t really find much good here as again the sequel is a good game. Now it’s not fair for me to say seeing as I can’t read it but it feels like a game that probably was more impressive for the story than the gameplay and when I can’t read it, it wasn’t the best use of my 20-30 minutes playing through this game. Oh well at least you can skip them fast but all you have now is a badly designed game.
The game is a top down run n gun like the sequel if you’re familiar with that on the PCECD. You first can choose from two of the four characters that work with the main one to be by your side and then you select the main guy and you’re off. You can choose to bring just one or none but don’t worry if they die in a level as there’s no punishment after the level is over. Be warned though you only have one life and it’s game over, you even have to watch the credits if this happens. Though you won’t have to worry cause the game is so flawed and easy once you learn some things.
Alright let’s go over the fact that just rushing towards the end is better than actually shooting enemies. I can’t comprehend how you make a game like this and just have that be optimal. Your helpers just shoot automatically and be warned that they kind of move in a formation and can even get stuck which means you can’t move either but don’t worry just hold up and the game will push them out eventually. Nothing about the game is that satisfying and it’s only six levels long. The bosses aren’t too challenging either especially when four of them just have blind spots meaning they can’t hit you. Even the final boss is like this. The enemy AI also just feels like they don’t even know you exist and blindly shoot forward. There just isn’t really anything fun about the game which is a shame.
At least it graphically isn’t too bad and the music sounds nice too but there isn’t much of it. It also does that thing I think Valis 1 did where being at low health plays this you’re about to die tune. The cutscenes look nice but are pretty still looking though shoutout to this hilarious moment from the bios given on the title screen. Honestly there just isn’t much else to say. It’s disappointing that I can’t really find much good here as again the sequel is a good game. Now it’s not fair for me to say seeing as I can’t read it but it feels like a game that probably was more impressive for the story than the gameplay and when I can’t read it, it wasn’t the best use of my 20-30 minutes playing through this game. Oh well at least you can skip them fast but all you have now is a badly designed game.
I almost missed this one, I thought there was only Final Zone for the Mega Drive and Final Zone 2 for the CD Turbo. Turns out there's a game for the MSX and PC-88, the latter being more detailed, with more scenes and a cleaner sound.
In Final Zone Wolf, you play as 3 characters, one being Bowie, the protagonist and 2 other selectable characters from your squad. In classic schmup fashion, you move forward with your squad shooting enemies. There's an issue here, you control bowie and your squad follows a certain fixed formation, and they can get STUCK, which doesn't let you continue. This happened to me multiple times, specially on the PC-88 version which led me to finish it on the MSX (and it also happened once lol). So your best bet is to go solo or just go forward non-stop and avoid tight spaces.
Thankfully this is a 15 minute game and it's piss-easy, but there's not much to see here. The intro for the PC-88 has a funny newspaper introducing all the characters with broken english.
In Final Zone Wolf, you play as 3 characters, one being Bowie, the protagonist and 2 other selectable characters from your squad. In classic schmup fashion, you move forward with your squad shooting enemies. There's an issue here, you control bowie and your squad follows a certain fixed formation, and they can get STUCK, which doesn't let you continue. This happened to me multiple times, specially on the PC-88 version which led me to finish it on the MSX (and it also happened once lol). So your best bet is to go solo or just go forward non-stop and avoid tight spaces.
Thankfully this is a 15 minute game and it's piss-easy, but there's not much to see here. The intro for the PC-88 has a funny newspaper introducing all the characters with broken english.