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DEVELOPER
Iguana
PUBLISHER
Acclaim
AVAILABLE
Now
MEDIUM
Cartridge
PLAYERS
Four
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 he developers of Forsaken 64 have clearly played the PC hit Descent. This game so closely resembles the classic PC game that it could almost be mistaken as a sequel. Of course Forsaken 64 uses different weapons, better graphics, and a few other tricks to set itself apart from Descent, but in the end it's a serious case of déjà vu.
In Forsaken 64 you control a scavenger on a hover bike that can maneuver at high speeds through many different environments. At its core the game is simply another 1st person shooter with the only difference being full 360-degree movement in each level. The game does a great job of conveying speed and the feeling of weightlessness. In essence Forsaken 64 plays like Doom except you can flip around and fly upside down at a moment's notice.
Unlike the PC and PlayStation versions of Forsaken, this one doesn't have much of a story. At the beginning of each level you will be given instructions on what needs to be done. Most of the time it consists of killing all the enemies and gun turrets in a level. There are a few levels that require you to complete other tasks, but for the most part it's kill or be killed. Luckily there are weapon power-ups scattered throughout the maze-like levels to aid you in your mission. Your main gun can be powered up by finding the appropriate parts. Other weaponry, like missiles and scatter guns, can be found to improve your chances of survival. Each weapon is unique and has its advantages. Some of the effects of the different weapons are pretty cool. The most deadly weapon in the game is the Titan missile. Upon impact it will generate a huge explosion taking out anything in its path. If you're too close to the explosion you'll be fried to a crisp as well.
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Graphically, Forsaken 64 is above average.
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The one-player missions become boring after about the fifth level. Thankfully the game supports up to 4 players simultaneously for some serious butt-kicking action. Most gamers will enjoy hours of fun with the multiplayer option. The levels aren't so big that you won't find the other players, but an option to add a radar screen would have certainly spiced things up a bit. It's also a bit too easy for someone to rack up a lot of one hit kills if they're in possession of the Titan missile. The multiplayer mode is easily the best part of Forsaken 64.
Graphically, Forsaken 64 is above average. All of the levels have a slick design to them, which makes them look great while moving along at a brisk pace. Many of the areas feature light sourcing effects, as do all the weapons when fired. The enemies could have used some improvement though. Most of them are flat looking polygons with no originality to make them stand apart from one another. There's not really any noticeable slowdown with 4 players going at it, but the screens are somewhat small for a game like this. It can become frustrating to control such a game with only 1/4 of the television being yours. Of course, if you have a big screen TV then you won't have any problems.
The music tries hard to be good, but in the end it really fails to deliver. The techno beat just doesn't cut it due to the limitations of the cartridge. The PlayStation version featured much better music and was actually enjoyable to listen to.  The explosions and laser blasts all sound authentic though. Just don't expect much from the music department.
Control is a mixed bag. The analog stick does a tremendously good job of accurately pointing your ship in the right direction. However, the rest of the controls seemed a bit sluggish. I found myself upside down more times than I care to remember, and even though there's an option to automatically flip you right-side up again it caused me to stop flying, which really made the game less dramatic than it should have been. It's extremely easy to get lost in the various tunnels, especially when you're flipping around so much. After spending a couple hours with the game I think most people will come to grips with the 3D environment and they will learn to like the controls.
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It's extremely easy to get lost in the various tunnels, especially when you're flipping around so much.
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 Having played both the PlayStation and N64 versions of Forsaken, I'd have to say that this one delivers more fun in the multiplayer mode and is a bit easier in the one-player missions. If you're itching for another fun game to play with a bunch of friends and have already bought GoldenEye and Mario Kart 64, then this is the next one to purchase. Likewise, if you want a game in the vein of Descent, Forsaken 64 might just be the game you're looking for. Just don't be looking for anything original, because you won't find it here. Oh yeah, that girl that's in the ads and on the front of the box has nothing really to do with the game. Marketing at its finest.
-- Craig Majaski
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