Reviews

This is pretty much the same as the original Space Harrier, but with 128K music and sampled speech included. Does it beat the original game? There's reasons to say yes but there's reasons to say no but rather than state which is better I'll just state that both Space Harrier games are really good games and worthy of your time.

1990 Grandslam Entertainments (UK)
by Nicholas Kimberley, Jason Wilson and Matt Furniss

Since there was no sequel in the arcades, at least that I'm aware of, this is basically a redone version of SH supposedly with better looking graphics, sound and gameplay. I may agree with the sound and some of the sprites, but I was disappointed with the game itself.

Some parts are too difficult and not well executed by the authors. Some of the aliens are difficult to spot against the background and appear out of nowhere, and the general confusion you meet at each level, where a lot of things happen at once, is a bit upsetting. This and more may have discouraged a lot of players. It had that effect on me.

Also it's less smoother than the prequel, the screen is smaller and it doesn't fell the same while playing. There are a few changes in the enemies and missions, and that's very welcome, but overall I still prefer the first by a mile.

Compared to the original this is more like it though it still possesses some flaws in the gameplay. Despite that the graphics are much better and the addition of 128K music and speech is very rewarding. Great upgrade.

Since Space Harrier II is pretty much Space Harrier with some modifications and adjustments to the graphics and sound, 128K music and speech at that, I would ought to prefer this over the original, but that's not the case.

While I enjoy the 128K features of the game, with cool music and the death cry and "get ready" sounds straight from the arcade game, plus a better look colourwise, the game itself is a backward step, in that I found it slower, less smooth and more awkward compared to the original. It's as if the goal of this upgrade was we'll improve the sound, the graphics and in return we'll downgrade the gameplay, scrolling and overall feel, or at least that's what it seems to me anyway.

So this in turn, I guess, is the 128K upgrade of Space Harrier I wished for in my review for the said game, and again I feel slightly disapppointed and I'm starting to even lean towards to original in preference.

So today's life lesson is a simple one - be careful what you wish for.