Label: Imagine
Author: Andrew Deakin/Ivan Horn
Price: £8.95
Memory: 48K/128K
Joystick: various
Reviewer: Tony Dillon
What is it with this Mrs Renegade woman? Does she walk around with a sign on her back saying "Kidnap Me, I'm Protected"? Does she enjoy the thrill of the chase and the excitement of abduction? Or is she just testing your love? Whatever it is she's gone again off with Mr Big and his cronies, and once again it's up to you to go get her.
Now, ol' Biggy, he knows that simply taking her to somewhere else in the city just doesn't work. He's learnt that lesson twice. Mr Big is clever. This time he doesn't just take her to another part of the globe, he also takes her to another time. Maybe that will stop you, he thinks to himself in an evil sort of way, but he's wrong. Nothing stops old Tardis Renegade, and as you close the blue doors and your central column starts rising and falling (Fnarkh - JD), you wonder wherer your adventure will take you. (Picture fades out of focus and starts wobbling). Huuuuuuuurrrrrrgh!
First stop is prehistoric West End. How do I know it's the West End? There are lots of clubs around, ha ha! But seriously folks, here you get to do battle with many prehistoric inhabitants, like cavemen and dinosaurs and pteire... petery... terry... birds that drop stones. From then on, you go to places like ancient Egypt (complete with living dead) and Gladiator Rome (complete with macho Romans).
Target Renegade was a huge improvement on Renegade, sadly the final chapter isn't much of a step forward. It's more of a slight sideways shuffle.
Graphically the game has been much improved. There is a humour in the style of the graphics that wasn't previously there. The actual Renegade character hasn't changed much, but both the backdrop and all the other sprites have been greatly improved. The backdrops are now much more integrated into the game than they were before. You can now climb the walls. There are ravines to jump etc. Sadly, it's still flip screen, but maybe that can't be helped.
Still, as a game, I find this a little disappointing. The playability seems to have sloped downhill quite dramatically. The number of fighting moves are pitifully low in comparison to other fighting games, and movement does seem to be a bit on the slow side. When you're under attack from four cavemen and two dinosaurs, fighting them off isn't very easy. I could say the game is difficult, but I won't because I know billions of readers will write in saying how they finished it after only playing it for three weeks.
The two player option is nonexistent now, as is the facility to pick up weapons. Come on Imagine, is this really a step in the right direction?
Renegade III is quite fun, but nowhere near as good as Target Renegade. Maybe Renegade IV 'oh alright, but this is the last time definitely' will be more of an advancement.
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