Review

Coming from such illustrious pedigree as Polyphony Digital it's hard not to view Omega Boost as a bit of a disappointment, but when your previous game is Gran Turismo your follow-up is always going to be put under tighter scrutiny than most games. A trifle unfair maybe, but it's a sad fact of life, especially as Omega Boost is an decent game in it's own right.

If there's one thing the PlayStation is short on, it's decent shoot'em-ups. The last few months have been kind though with excellent releases like R-Type Delta, more than satisfying the fans. Omega Boost features more bangs per pound than any other release currently doing the rounds.

It’s vaguely reminiscent of Sega classics Space Harrier or Panzer Dragoon crossed with Zone Of The Enders as you control a very large, heavily armed robot, taking on hoards of increasing larger enemies across nine levels. There is a plot, of sorts, but frankly it does what it's told and sits quietly in the back seat, letting the action do the driving.

As you'd expect coming from Polyphony the graphics are excellent. Each enemy is superbly detailed and the explosions are as big and flashy as you'd wish. There's also a superfluous replay mode that lets you relive your best performances from various angles.

The biggest disappointment with the game is the lack of variety in both the weaponry and the action. The weapons you begin with are the ones you finish with, there are no power-ups or bonuses to collect, even when you destroy the bigger end of level bosses. This standard weaponry is fortunately more than powerful enough to get you through the first four levels within a couple of hours.

Each level has a unique look from the rest to spice up the proceedings but they all essentially follow the same structure. You begin under attack from a few waves of weaker bogeys before moving onto a mid-level and end-of-level boss. The smaller craft should pose no threat to seasoned gamers with the main challenge coming from the bosses themselves.

Ultimately it's this lack of variety that will turn off most potential buyers. The graphics should draw in the crowds but very few people will, we fear, stay for the duration. For those willing to give it a chance however, unlocking all kinds of cool secrets each time you complete the game will reward your perseverance.

You could argue that it's all a bit shallow and you'd be right. But sometimes it's good to just indulge in a bit of mindless, non-stop action and there are few games that allow you to do so with quite so much style.

About the Review

Platform

Sony Playstation

Developer

Polyphony Digital

Publisher

Sony Computer Entertainment

Released

14th September 1999