Sentinel Returns
The remake of the other game that got it right the first time round (Tetris being the first one) according to PC Format reviewer Jim McCauley. In difference to Tetris, The Sentinel remains unique, nobody makes Sentinel clones, nobody seems to be inspired by The Sentinel. And it's not hard to see why either, the answer is right before you when you look at Sentinel Returns. This game is so fiendishly unique you can't really make a clone of it. The only game Sentinel Returns reminds me of is Vangers, and the only thing they share is the wierd and wonderful uniqueness. Sentinel Returns isn't about driving. It's a first person game, but without shooting. Actually, it's a first person game without movement as well. Also missing is a clear background story or setting, things just are there for you to accept and buy into. Personally I like that, did so about Vangers as well, things in the game world are the way they are and you have to accept that.
The landscape is basically a three dimensional checkerboard. As a level starts you view the enviroment from a robot host at the lowest point in said landscape. At the highest point resides the sentinel, an odd looking thing slowly rotating, watching over the world. Up there is where you want to be, replacing the sentinel and gaining access to the next level. And no, you can't move the robot host you're in! Sounds like a pretty difficult situation? Well, you can't move the host, but you can do other things. Using the energy you've got, you can create trees, boulders and other robot hosts. Trees are also spread around the landscape, each one worth one point of energy. You can absorb any object which you're at level or above the base of to gain more energy. Right, back to getting around! To move, simply create another robot host and transfer your consciousness to it. To gain height, create boulders on top of eachother and stack a robot host on top of them. Repeat the transfer trick and admire the improved view! Absorb all trees you see and keep climbing until you're at level with the sentinel. Then absorb him/her/it and fill the spot with a robot host. Transfer there, hit the hyperspace button and you're off to a new level! Simple, isn't it?
Of course, things are a bit more complicated. The sentinel rotates, which means it's viewing a bit of the landscape at any given time (28 degrees is the FOV appearantly). If anything worth more than one point of energy (anything but a tree that is) is within the field of view the sentinel absorbs it and redistributes the energy as trees. So beware, losing all your energy is losing the level! Some levels into the game the sentinel will also call upon the lowlier sentries, smaller guys doing the same thing as the sentinel itself, meaning a lot more eyes looking for you. Trust me, it gets difficult enough in due time ...
Being a release of 1998, there is one slight problem with the graphics. If you don't have a 3dfx card you're stuck with 8-bit software rendering, and it isn't pretty ... However, I'd like to say the gameplay and out-of-this-world feeling makes up for that. The highly suitable and moody music by John Carpenter also adds a ton to the game (the songs are normal CD tracks by the way, nice!). Being from 1998 also means it can be found for the price of a lunch in bargain bins, prices that don't really validate any complaints about graphics ...
Anyting I don't like? I really can't say anything about the gameplay. It's a very pure puzzle kind of game, set in a very wierd world, and the constraints are there because that's the game. Changing stuff around just wouldn't improve things. But the main interface screen is kind of disturbing, that screech when the needle goes in gets to me every time (you'll know what I mean when/if you play it) ... The longivety is also pretty decent, with 650 levels and random ones after that :-) ... If you find it in a bin somewhere, get it! Especially if you happen to have a 3dfx card (or a Glide emulator working better than the ones I've found) ...
