BATMAN (The Movie)
Publisher : Ocean
Release date : 1990
Genre : Platformer / Racing
Players : 1
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"Batman is a shadow in the darkness, as elusive as a dream. High above the seamy streets of Gotham, he is a criminal's nightmare. A legend has returned.. Batman"
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Programming :
Mike Lamb
Graphics :
Dawn Drake
Music/Sounds :
Matthew Cannon
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Download ROM
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Download Manual
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Editors review...
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Ocean ... move licence ... Batman ... can't fail right? You betcha! This game is ace and rightfully regarded as an 8-bit classic. Based on the hit movie of course, the game follows the course of the film in several key stages consisting of 2 platform, 2 driving and 1 puzzle based levels. All are brilliantly executed and presented, with first rate graphics, animation, SFX and music. A quality product.
So what's the main issue here? Simply that it's just a re-released tape/disk original that at the time was already selling on the HitSquad budget label at £3.99! Why pay £24.99 for the cart when all there is is an updated loading screen? Oddly the SFX between starting levels is missing, other than that I can find no difference in the game.
Really I don't need to say much more but play the game and enjoy if you haven't before. If you don't have the original tape/disk then this is a worthy purchase, but at the time you would have wondered if Ocean were taking the mick. In fact, I've often wondered why Ocean didn't package several games together on one cart in a compilation - it's certainly possible and how ace would have been having Batman, Robocop and Untouchables on one cart for example? That's worth £30 of my money I reckon. So it's just laziness on their part either way. A great game for sure, but in the context of a full price cart release it's gotta drop marks. Even without using any GX features I would have rated this in the 90% zone, but not when it's just a stock re-release.
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Graphics
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Despite being released a year earlier on tape/disk the graphics are still top notch. Brilliant details, not too blocky but very colourful.
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Music
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Mr Cannon does it again ... wicked tunes throughout!
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Sounds
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As to be expected from Ocean, sound effects are to the highest standard.
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Presentation
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New title screen using the GX's colours start the game nicely, standard opening text between levels etc - could have used some nice Bat graphics to illustrate the movie however. Not as good as Robocop2's but at least they've animated in Napiers fall into the vat of chemicals and a nice ending of the Joker falling off the cathedral!
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Programming
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Another sterling effort, can't fault it - smooth scrolling, excellent bad guys and animation, everything moves at a good pace... and the best bit - Batmans bat rope where you can extend in different directions and swing across or up onto new platforms. You can even swing further back and forward building up speed ... all this could have been horrendously done, but is expertly implemented.
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Playability
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Lots on offer here, Ocean's standard movie licence formula mixing platform action, with puzzle and actions bits (this being the Batmobile and Batwing sections). All done excellently.
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Lastability
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Again there's lots on offer, and its good fun to play. I still keep coming back to it now and then after all these years, despite being able to complete it.
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Concept
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It's Batman!! And following the excellent movie! The important bits are all implemented here... Batman action, Batmobile, Batwing, etc!
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AI & Challenge
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Standard bad guy stuff, although they learn to duck and shoot at you if you are, and if below them on a platform above they'll aim down and take shots at ya.
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GX4000 Features
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Loses big marks here, all that's been added is a new loading screen (which looks excellent). Could have implemented a nicer palette like on Operation Thunderbolt.
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Summary
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One of Ocean's best movie licences, bunged straight over onto cartridge format. Could have improved the graphics and colours if they were bothered - bad Ocean! But the game was brilliant in the first place...
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Final Score
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88%
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Further more...
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Amstrad Action final score : 94%
GX4000.CO.UK game ranking : #
Game value (boxed + instructions) : £10 - £30
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Credits...
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Manuals and some sleeve scans by mochilote at cpcmania.com
ROMS taken from NVG FTP Site maintained by Nich Campbell, see his other site - CPC Game Reviews
Cheats (various) taken from CPC Zone contributed by Hermol, cpc4eva, Malc and others
Inspiration generally taken from John King's PCW King GX4000 site
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