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It seems appropriate that this is the first 3DO game reviewed on this forum since it was one of the first releases for the system. While not as good as Crystal Dynamics other launch title (the pack-in Crash n' Burn) Total Eclipse offered much excitement, as well as a great deal of hope for 3DO's early adopters in late 1993.
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Like most sci-fi shooters the plot is pretty cliched, but atleast the developers tried to add a little spice to it. Instead of aliens taking over our planet, they'd rather destroy it by blowing up the sun, thus causing a permanent or 'total' eclipse. Whether or not you think the title is clever, you probably will agree that the game delivered in the graphics & sound department. Let's take a look at both.
Graphically, the game starts off on the right foot with a slightly grainy but very cool introduction. It was quite clear that this was leaps & bounds beyond what other cd consoles (Duo, Cd-i, Sega cd, Cd32) were doing. The game itself is very attractive with smoothly scrolling terrain and a solid variety of enemy targets. While many space games are dark and drab, Total Eclipse is bright and colorful. Green grass, blue lakes, orange lava, white snow, and background planets of various colors help one to overlook the rather similar landscapes in each level (the exception being level 3 which seems to be just an ugly tan color throughout) Between missions you are treated to brief animated cut scenes that are just as nice as the introduction scene.
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On the downside, the weapons you fire are rather ugly. While the bombs have a nice graphical effect (shame they are so limited) the main weapons are too big and look out of place. In some parts they crowd the screen so much that it is difficult to see what is going on around you. Also, the enemy explosions seem more like something you would see on the Jaguar cd's Virtual Light Machine.
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Sound wise, this game rocks ... literally! While this may not appeal to some, the music is loud & clear and certainly takes advantage of the cd format. Some may argue that this type of music is a bit out of place for a space shooter game but it certainly is not out of place on 3DO. Many of its games (including other shooters like Burning Soldier) feature similar music. I personally like the music, especially the level 2 track. My only complaint is that it is sometimes overpowered by the sound effects.
Speaking of sfx, they don't fare as well as the music in my opinion. The sound of your weapons firing and your ship crashing sound like something off of a cartridge. Atleast they don't detract from the experience.
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Of course the main area of importance is gameplay. Sadly, this is the weakest part of Total Eclipse. For one, your ship is constantly being drained of energy. I can understand what the programers might have been trying to accomplish with this but it is implemented too poorly. In order to gain energy back you need to destroy enemy targets. Fine, except there are many sections where enemies are sparse or non existent! Ironically, this usually happens when you need energy the most (at the end of tunnels, before a boss battle, etc.) While this may allow you to catch a much needed breather, if your energy is low it means certain death! It is a frustrating experience to watch your ship slowly lose energy, to know that you are going to die, and being unable to do anything about it. It is worth noting that you can also catch a breather during the long load times that follow your ships explosion (10-15 seconds). These can quickly add up during difficult levels.
And there are plenty of difficult levels. 3DO Games Secrets called it 'over-the-top-difficulty' and I agree with them. What makes this game so hard? For one, it it too easy to hit the terrain, especially in some of the tunnel sequences. They are narrow, and full of a variety of enemies, as well as obstacels such as closing doors and shifting walls.
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Also, sometimes your weapons appear to fly right through enemies, even when you are at point blank range. Finally, there is no save option, and with few lives & limited continues you are sure to be slapping your head in frustration over and over again (I thought I'd rip my hair out at the end of Magma Prime!)
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That being said, I did enjoy Total Eclipse and still do. Despite the shortcomings in gameplay (chalk it up to new developers & new hardware) the game offers an attractive audio/visual package that was amazing in '93 and still holds up decently today. The game is fun in short bursts and thankfully there are some nice codes which make the game much more playable. Most importantly, this game gave us a glimpse of all the good things to come from Crystal Dynamics, one of the premier 3DO 3rd party developers (second only to Electronic Arts). Fire up Total Eclipse for a challenging, nostalgic glimpse at the early days of next-geneartion gaming!
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-Trev
(Crystal did a sequel, 'Solar Eclipe', which sadly appeared on the Sega Saturn, not the 3DO. Worth checking out, especialy if you are a fan of the great tv show Babylon 5
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