VG Mad

Terminator 2 Judgement Day

System: Amiga
Developer: LJN
Publisher: Ocean

11 Apr 2015

Back in 1991, the greatest ever movie sequel arrived, Terminator 2. Alongside it's launch came lots of movie tie-in merchandise, and the game license was acquired by Ocean, as usual. Film licensed video games are very often cash grabs, with a shoddy game. Was Terminator 2 Judgement Day going to be another half assed attempt?

The Amiga version of T2JD, has intro audio, that very briefly resembles the actual theme tune. In other words, to put bluntly, it's shit. A title as huge as this, should at least provide the first few bars of a distinctive audio track related to film. There are very few exceptions to this rule, Robocop being one of them.

So, with the soundtrack botched up, your excitement level plummets. Salvaging a little hope back into you, are some intro FMV's. They're very simple FMV's, think of the modern day animated Gif, with a handful of frames, small Gif's at that. Though considering back then, floppy space was tight, so this is acceptable. Unfortunately, the intro animation misleads you into thinking awesome graphics await inside the gameplay.

Enter level one, a punch up in the hallway of a mall. Not only is level one hard as hell (to be fair, Uncle Bob is the underdog of the game and film), it also looks as if it were constructed in hell, a hell of a rush. The graphics of the main characters are extremely cartoon like. Animation of the fight seems sluggish, which is awesomely in keeping with how it feels from controller to screen. The scenery lacks any real detail, so little time spent on it, you would think it was a frame ripped straight out of a simple cartoon drawn by a caveman (or woman).

After multiple attempts, I finally make it to level two, the bike scene along the storm drains. Holy shit, is that really a bike? It's extremely responsive, as if you were gliding on ice. So you're trudging along, and hit an obstacle, some water. Water slows you down a bit, so that truck behind you is going to gain distance towards your ice bike. The water, hitting it, creates the most unimaginative and most unexpected visual ever.. The word 'Splash' in bright yellow appears from the water. The sound effect was obviously not enough.

And then you die again, you are just sat there, mouth gaping wide open, of how shockingly absurd the Amiga version actually is. Oh, and every time you die, it's game over. No continues. Even in the film, Uncle Bob had a continue ffs!

On to level three, eventually, you have to reconstruct Arnie's wrist. The animation is actually good, by far the best visually appealing part of the games graphics so far. Sadly, it's all too easy, as to the bottom of the screen is a picture of how it should look.

Level four, another one on one battle with the T-1000, with another simple as hell background.

Level five. Face reconstruction, another tile puzzle, again too easy as the target image is displayed again.

Level six. Seriously, this is beginning to annoy. Side scrolling gun fight, outside Cyberdyne. Complete this easily by just edging outside the enemy gun projectiles, and shooting back. Shocking.

I decided I had seen enough of the Amiga version.

This is a hard game on all systems it released on. Though the Amiga one on one battles seem somewhat easier due to having a gun, in fact, the Amiga version is too easy. The game can be completed in roughly 15 minutes on a good run. It may only take around an hour to master it, if that.

If you had never seen the film, then don't play this game, as the story is lacking. Instead, its very short FMV's between levels.

Only get this game for the Amiga, if you find it hilarious to piss a friend off, by giving them a POS to play.