Time Commando

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Time Commando
Time Commando box cover
Developer(s) Adeline Software International
Publisher(s)
Platform(s) PC (DOS and Windows)
PlayStation
Sega Saturn
Release date PC PlayStation Sega Saturn
Genre(s) Action-adventure
Mode(s) Single player
Rating(s) ESRB: T (Teen)
Media CD
Input methods PC PlayStation Sega Saturn

Time Commando is an action-adventure computer and video game developed by Adeline Software and published by Electronic Arts in Europe, Activision in America (United States and Brazil), and Virgin Interactive (PlayStation version) and Acclaim Entertainment (Sega Saturn version) in Japan.

Contents

[edit] History

It was originally released for the PC on July 31, 1996 in Europe, United States and Brazil, and was later ported for PlayStation and released on September, 1996 in Europe, on September, 1996 in the United States and on November 15, 1996 in Japan. A Sega Saturn version of the game was also released in Japan on March 5, 1998.

[edit] Premise

The game takes place in the near future, and the military, with the help of a private corporation has created a computer capable of simulating any form of combat from any point in history. However, a programmer from a rival corporation infects the system with a virus that creates a time-distortion vortex, which threatens to swallow the world if it is not destroyed. The player controls Stanley Opar, an employee at the center who enters the vortex to try and stop the virus. In order to accomplish this, the player must combat various real-life enemies throughout different time periods. These eras include Prehistoric (featuring cavemen, saber tooth tigers, and cave bears), Roman Empire, Feudal Japan, Medieval, Conquistador, Wild West, Modern Wars (World War I and possibly World War Three), Future, and finally, a showdown with the virus.

[edit] Control

As the player goes through each level, he/she collects various weapons exclusive to the time period. For example, the Prehistoric level features rocks and clubs, feudal Japan throwing stars and katanas, the Wild West pistols and rifles, and the Modern War levels has submachine guns and rocket launchers. Stanley has a small life bar that grows larger further into the game, when the player picks up life power-ups. Along the same lines, Stanley has multiple lives. As the player plays through a level, a time bar, which counts down time until the virus completely takes over and the player dies, slowly fills. This bar can be emptied by depositing computer chips collected throughout the levels in various "orb pools," which resemble the vortex Stanley first entered.

[edit] Weapons

In each time era, Stanley is able to use weapons unique to that era. Each era has 5 weapons:

  • Prehistoric: Rocks*, stone knife, stone club, spear, giant wooden club
  • Roman Empire: Dagger, gladius, sling*, trident with shield, battle-axe
  • Feudal Japan: Fans*, throwing stars*, katana, dao, fireball*
  • Medieval: Morning Star, sword and shield, double-handed sword, crossbow*, parchment*
  • Conquistador: Sabre, halberd, handgun*, wooden club with obsidian blades, blowgun*
  • Wild West: Pistol*, double-rifle*, shotgun*, dynamite*, dual-wielded pistols*
  • Modern Wars: Enfield revolver*, bayonet*, submachine gun*, hand grenade*, rocket launcher*
  • Future: Laser pistol*, submachine gun* (attached to Stanley's left arm), yo-yo, atomic grenades*, astronaut suit
  • Virus World: Crystal stars*
  • * Denotes this weapon has a limited number of uses (i.e. until ammunition is depleted).

[edit] Bosses

In each era, there are enemies whose energy is four bars, the game's maximum. Stanley must defeat these bosses to continue on in some eras and advance onto the next in others.

[edit] External links