| paleface [sys=PCE; cat=Shooter_4way; reg=JPN] |
| | | Barunba offers several difficulties to the casual reporter. For one thing, it seems like it probably requires one of those freakish three-button pads, but unlike another three-button game, Forgotten Worlds (see entry 492), it does not have any optional settings for those who might still want to play without one. So you're stuck having to make due with rotating one way with the I button, the other way with the Start button, and firing all the time with the II button. Not easy to do. Plus, Select switches weapons, so you've got to be reaching over and hitting *that* on the fly too.
The other difficulty is that since Start and Select are taken, there is no Pause button function in this game as there is in pretty much every PCE game--and thus no way for me to snap easy screenshots, darnit!
So what with the controller situation I haven't really played the game as it was meant to be played, but even so it seems like a rather odd mishmash. The graphics are attractive but in a weird small and bloated sort of way. The game sometimes throws a lot of ships at you at once, but between waves you just sort of drift for seconds on end with nothing in particular to do except get your rotation set back where you want it. Some of the weapons are interesting, but many seem redundant, and they all take a while to power up. And of course to take advantage of the brilliant 360 degree gaming at work here, the levels have to pan left, right, up and down, in no particular order.
An odd little duck, that's for sure. Maybe some day I'll get a three-button pad... well okay, not unless some other better three button game comes along. |
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