Vectorman
What Is It?
It would be easy to simply label Vectorman as Sega's answer to the popular Contra franchise, however most Genesis fanboys already know that this title belongs to Treasure's unbeatable Gunstar Heroes. Even if this 2D side-scroller isn't as solid as Gunstar Heroes, you shouldn't hold that against it. Vectorman's gimmick is that it uses pre-rendered 3D models for to create its character, giving the game a very unique look and feel. This visual style doesn't really change the gameplay much, this is still a run and gun action game for those people who can't get enough senseless violence and explosions. The basic gameplay is simple enough, you take the basic Contra gameplay and combine it with futuristic weapons and enemies. What keeps this game fresh (beyond the unusual graphics) is the fast-paced action and interesting locales. If you're a fan of games like Contra, Midnight Resistance and Gunstar Heroes, then there's no reason not to pick up Sega's newest Virtual Console game.
If you can get over the extremely unfair difficulty (which comes with the territory with this type of game), then you'll find that Vectorman is still remarkably entertaining. The graphics aren't nearly as impressive as they were a decade ago, but they haven't aged as much as you would think. The characters animate smoothly and the gameplay is about as fast as you can get. Vectorman may not be as good as Gunstar Heroes or Contra III: The Alien Wars, but that shouldn't keep you from having a great time with this 16-bit Sega classic.
Is It Worth The Money?
If you're a fan of Contra-style action games then you owe it to yourself to pick up this phenomenal shooter. It may not have the name recognition of some of the other shooters on the Virtual Console, but don't let that keep you from picking this up for $8. My only reservation is that you can get this (and its amazing sequel) for under $20 on the PlayStation 2 and PSP. Eight dollars does seem a bit high for a Genesis game, but I'm still going to recommend it based on its solid gameplay and replay factor. If you've been waiting for a good 2D shooter that doesn't have anything to do with spaceships, then Vectorman is the perfect game for you!
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