Loaded

Developer - Gremlin
Publisher - Gremlin
Players - 1-2
Extras - Memory card

The bit on the box

"What did you expect? If 6 of the most twisted characters you could ever hope not to meet are wrongly imprisoned, you've got to expect big trouble. Mamma, Bouncer, Butch, Fwank, Cap'n Hands and Vox have got to escape and they're going to annihilate everything in their way - animal, vegetable or mineral. So join the Teamus Horribilus! Make your way through the intricate 3D morphing terrain, over 15 fast and furious, gut burstin' levels. Power up your weapons and suspend reality as you wreak utter mayhem on your captors. It's time for revenge."

Graphics

Loaded immediately reminded me of certain games of old, namely Gauntlet and The Chaos Engine. The action is viewed in a semi-3D bird's eye view, and can be zoomed in or out to get a better look at the action. The graphics themselves are very sharp, and although the characters and enemies are sprite-based the environments you roam inside are made up of polygons. As a result the animation leaves much to the imagination, but it doesn't effect gameplay, and everything moves very smoothly with slowdown only occurring with multiple enemies and explosions on screen (although seeing as explosions are a common place event in Loaded, you may have to get used to the drop in frame rate a fair bit). The game has a few cut-scenes, but they are disappointingly short (especially the ending).

Sounds

Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!!! This sums up the sound effects quite nicely, although there are also a few death cries and shouts from the enemies (usually right before they go "Boom!"). The music fits in well with the action, with a heavy metal/grunge feel to it, which sounds good as you prowl corridors killing everything in sight. The main problem I encountered here was having to turn the volume down a little to avoid getting a headache, as when the song runs out it loops and replays, and if you aren't a fan of the music it can get quite irritating, no matter how much it fits in with the gameplay.

Gameplay

Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill! This is pretty much the premise behind the entire game, which doesn't have much in the way of puzzles or storyline. Between the killing and destruction the player has to collect key cards and/or items that help to unlock doors and progress further into a level, and this is about as far as the puzzle/inventory elements go. There are many pick-ups strewn about the levels, and these are sorely needed to power up weapons and heal yourself. The also adds to the multiplayer co-op mode as you and a friend can fight over who gets what bonuses and medikits. Just be prepared to take a punch in the arm if you swipe something the other player desperately needed!

I feel a verdict coming on

Although repetitive and lacking depth, Loaded is still fun to play, especially if you need to let off some steam. It is the sort of game you can keep around when you need to take a break from that RPG or adventure game you have been toiling on for hours on end. In two-player mode it's overall value and entertainment increases, as you and a buddy blast everyone, including yourselves, to hell and back. A few more puzzle elements would have been welcome, but as it stands Loaded is a real "no-brainer" of a game, which satisfies the players short-term need for action and violence. It also makes a good rental, especially if you have friends around.

Review by D.R.T.Barrett