0 to Z of Playstation 1 Games - BRAHMA Force The Assault on Beltlogger 9
The game first
released in Japan on the 15th of November 1996, with the North American released coming
in April of 1997. Europe would have to wait another eleven months for the game
release there, with a March 1998 release.
In addition to the
above releases the game was also later re released, first as part of the PS One
Books range of budget titles in Japan, with the game releasing on the 7th of February 2002.
A PSP and PS3 re release of the game also happened in 2008, both of these
releases were also in Japan only.
Notable people who
worked on the game, Makoto Kobayashi worked on the games Mechanic Design, he would later go on
to work as a Line Producer for Street Fighter IV, a role he would also hold for
Street Fighter X Tekken, Crimson Dragon, Drakengard 3 and most recently Street
Fighter V.
Tomoyuki Hamada has had a long career in the video game industry dating
all the way back to 1992. he has worked one the Sound side of development with
Hamada working on BRAHMA Force’s Sound Direction, was worked as a Composer and
Sound Director on the previously covered ADVAN Racing in 1998.
In 2003 he worked on
the Sound for Shin Megami Tensai and both DemiKids Dark and Light versions. The
same year he worked on Bloody Roar 4 as a Narration Recording Director. More
recently he worked on the 2012 release Senran Kagura Burst.
Over the course of the games 22 levels the
player will pilot a BRAHMA, otherwise known as a Bepedal Robotic Assault Heavy
Mechanized Armor. The player is able to equip their BRAHMA with a variety of
weapons throughout the game as they make their way through the Beltlogger 9
station, the game features a total of 18 weapon types to choose from, with
machine guns, missiles and rocket launchers at your disposal.
The game is played out in first person mode
with the player view positioned inside of the protagonists Brahma, while the
view is from inside the Brahma none of the actual cockpit is visible instead
your have various readouts on screen.
The very top right of the screen shows your hit
points, in the case of Brahma Force this is your durability level. This is
displayed as two numbers the first showing
your current durability and your current durability, while the second shows you
maximum durability. Below these numbers is your shield this is shown as a
yellow bar, the player can activate their shield by pressing the Circle button
On the opposite side on the top left of the
screen is the mini map, here the player is signified by a red dot at the centre
of the mini map, a yellow line comes out of that red dot and shows which
direction of travel you are moving in. Enemies are signified by a purple dot on
the mini map.
Below the mini map running down the left hand
side of the screen is the boost meter and just to the right of this is your
ammo count, this says bullet with a number below showing your remaining ammo.
On the bottom right of the screen is your energy bar, this bar is fully green
when full, this bar can be replenished by picking up energy modules that are
scattered around the levels, enemies will sometimes drop them as well as repair
modules. Weapons ammo can also be found scattered around the levels.
Movement of your BRAHMA is done with the D-Pad,
the player is able to jump using the X button with the game featuring some
minor platforming, the game will have you interacting with switches in and
around the levels in order to open doors to progress further, the player may
also have to interact with terminals the terminals are used to save your
progress, these are done by pressing the Triangle button.
Your starting weapon is a machine gun, firing
you weapon is done with the square button, as more weapons are unlocked you
will be able to switch the weapon class. This is done by pressing the select
button, running along the bottom of the screen is your weapon class bar, this
has rifle, laser, missiles, launcher and bomb, the player can switch between
them with the current weapon in use highlighted in yellow.
Movement is key in BRAHMA Force with the player
able to strafe in their mech, this is done with either the L1 or R1 shoulder
buttons to strafe in the corresponding direction. The player can also look up
and down this is done with either the L2 or R2 shoulder buttons, to centre the
camera the player presses these two buttons together.
The Start button will pause the game, it will
also give the player access to the command screen, this screen is where the
player can use the various items that they have picked up, the item menu is the
top left option in this menu. Once selected a new screen will be brought up,
this screen shows your current durability and energy level in the top left of
the screen, below this running across the screen are the available items.
The player can use items to repair their mechs
durability, the items used to repair the mech will do so in varying amounts,
with 200, 500 and 1000 durability repair available, energy levels can be
replenished in the same way, Once an item is selected the value of the item
will be added to your current durability number. Other items can increase you
durability and energy limit as well.
The games option menu also contains sections
for your weapons, key module, option unit, records and log. You can also access
the levels map as well as a separate map which shows your route. You can also
access your memory card and system options from the command screen.
You are a member of a rescue crew sent to the
Beltlogger 9, the space station on the edge of a Black Hole. All contact with
the stations command has been lost, you as part of an inspection team has been
displaced to investigate what is going on at the station.
Upon arrival and with
no response from the station you descend towards it and begin your
investigation. Could it be linked to the events of the Mina 3, or could it be
the Dionisio Vega out for blood and vengeance.
While there is not a huge number of critic
reviews for the game there is a decent enough amount, with the game being fairly
well received, earning itself a high of a 90 from one review publication, while
at the other end of the scale the game did not score below a 70.
As usual though we will start with the best,
which is that 90 rated review which came from GamePro (US) the review although
finding the game to be not as good as Doom, BRAHMA Force’s gameplay is
entertaining and arcade driven, with a speedy mech that has the ability to
jump. Concluding the reviewer said BRAHMA Force is still worth a weekend.
Mega Score were next up with a good 84 rated
review, the review had the following to say on the game. Another frenetic
shoot'em up in a futuristic 3D environment, with one of those touring stories
that says nothing to anyone but promises, in between the lines, heaps of action
appealing to the fanatics of the trigger.
Absolute Playstation are next up with a good 82
rated review, the review commenting on those calling Brahma Force a doom close,
the reviewer however finding that to be not true, with the game being more of a
Doom comparison because of the shoot to kill mechanics and strafe to survive
mechanics.
The reviewer found that the game will appeal to
those who appreciate shooters in the style of Duke Nukem and Dark Forces, with
the game moving extremely smoothly, which is essential when enemies are
lighting quick. While the reviewer did finish the game within a week they did
find the game has replay value, with a completion time of within one and half
hours unlocks upgrades to your mech, these upgrades will allow you to fly and
search out all of the secret locations.
Concluding the reviewer had the following to
say. Better than Doom? dangerous ground as the Williams classic touched a part
of gamers hearts (and that sensitive part of your bum) that no other shooter
has come close to reach. Let's just say that certain aspects have been improved
while that feeling of sheer terror (you know, when you go to pick up the blue
key and all hell breaks loose) is sadly lacking. Enjoyable game but lacks a
little atmosphere.
Game Players were next up with a decent 79
rated review, the reviewer finding that the game from its environments to the
enemies are built from Polygons, which after a while the review found all start
to look the same. The reviewer also found that the games levels could have done
with being a little larger.
They continued by saying, but found with 22
increasingly challenging stages to work through, it isn't too horrible a
shortcoming. Concluding the reviewer said. BRAHMA Force isn't going to blow
anybody's mind with it's originality, but it is a solid game and it does right
by the first-person mech genre.
Heading to Germany for the next review and the
publication Video Games who rated the game at a decent 78, the reviewer finding
Brahma Force a real surprise for mech fans and those who want to become mech
fans. The reviewer praised the level of detain in the game, with its countless
rendered sequences, pros and cons, visualized radio messages and digitized
explosions, testifies to an incredible love of detail at Genki / Jaleco.
The reviewer found that visually however the
game is not as strong as fellow mech shooter Armored Core, they however
compensate for that with varied missions and the exciting story. The reviewer
did however have some issues with the game namely the difficulty level or the
therefore lack of difficulty.
GameSpot are the penultimate review with a
decent 77 score from them, the reviewer found BRAHMA Force The Assault on
Beltlogger 9 is a compelling title. They continued by saying. If you like
strategy, action, or adventure games, there is definitely something here for
you -the intricate plot won't get in the way of your enjoyment.
Unlike publication Video Games, the GameSpot
reviewer found the game to be on the challenging side, the likes that the
reviewer feels has not been seen for some time. Concluding the reviewer said, and
the mixing of genre standards makes for a fresh play experience.
The final review and the lowest scoring review
for the game comes from IGN, even so the game still reviewer quite respectably
with a 70 rating from the IGN reviewer. The reviewer finding that while the
levels could have been a little larger, the AI works well at preventing you
from finishing the levels too quickly. The reviewer found that Brahma Force
offers solid gameplay within an established genre. Concluding the reviewer said
that while it won’t be the next Tomb Raider, it is a hell of a lot of fun!
This is the part of 0
to Z where is visit four online retailers and see what the availability of the
title is, and what price you would be looking at if you wanted to pick this
title up, the sites that I will be using for this are Amazon.com,
eStarland.com, retrogames.co.uk and Gamedude.com I know the last one is very
location specific, but from a podcast I listen to, I’ve heard they have a huge
stock of older games, Ebay has now been dropped unless the game is unavailable
at other retailers.
So lets get down to
business with Gamedude, where if you are looking to trade in your copy of
BRAHMA Force you will be looking at $4 for your copy. If on the other hand you
are in the market for a copy from Gamedude you will be looking at around $9 for
a copy of the game.
Moving on to
Retrogames.co.uk where sadly we don’t find the game available or even listed,
So we will quickly move on to eStarland.com where we find one copy of the game
available. This one copy comes complete, and is priced up at $7.50. Also on
offer is a trade in with up to $3 paid for a complete copy of the game, this
price however will reduce for an incomplete copy, with a disc only copy worth
just $1.05 at trade in.
Lastly we have
Amazon.com where we find both the North American version and the PAL version
available. Starting with the North American version we find a modest supply of
the game available, we find a good condition copy for $7.51 but this copy does
not state it’s completeness. The next copy that does state that it comes with
the case, disc and manual but nothing about cover, this copy is priced at
$7.51.
We do find a
confirmed complete copy on sale, the first we find and the only one on the
first page of listings, this complete copy will set you back $9.53. Moving on
to the second page of listings we find two more complete copies, these two are
in very good condition and priced up at $13.99 and $16.55 respectively.
We find one like new
copy on the market as well, this copy will cost you $22.97 once shipping costs
have been factored in. In addition to the handful of complete used copies we
also find a new copy of the game available. This copy is significantly more
expensive coming in at $52.50.
Next up is the PAL
version of the game where we find just 3 copies on sale at Amazon.com. W find
two very good condition copies available for a similar price, neither of these
copies state their completeness however. They are however priced up at $36.46
and $36.85. In addition a single new copy of the game is also on offer, this
will set you back $46.43.
Written by
P J Gibbon
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