Here are some bullet points as to why Virtuoso is a special breed of awful (I'd much rather put a bullet in this game
)-Virtuoso is a poor “Doom clone”. That isn’t bad in itself, but if you are going to copy a popular genre at least do it well. Having the main character always visible in the center of the screen does make the game seem somewhat different ... but definitely not in a positive way (unless you like an obstructed view) Gimmicky.
-No actual plot, and no real goal (a game within a game, how clever
) What is the purpose? Your guess is as good as mine. This explains the lack of any introduction, and gives the game an unfinished feel.-Ho hum missions - There are 3 to choose from, with 8 levels each. But they all share the same foggy visuals, and jerky movement. A quick rundown …
*Marine – Better enjoy being shot at regardless of where you are on the play field (despite the fact that your own weapons usually won’t register a hit on an enemy unless they’re in plain view … even if you see their shadowed silohoute)
*Haunted House – Giant snowballs battle with motorcycle riding thugs for the title of lamest enemies ever, and mazes are already well established as video game cancer. Flashbacks of Calvin & Hobbes 'Attack of the Killer Monster Snow Goons' and enemies that look like Mr. Frosty from the ClayFighter series are the only things it has going for it.
*Mars – As Sherlock Holmes might say 'the best of a bad lot.' Not a ringing endorsement, but the least objectionable of the three. If you are gonna spend much time with Virtuoso, the Mars mission will probably be it.
-Recycled enemies – Why do the spiders from Mars look nearly identical to the crabs from the Marine mission? Why do the crows from snow levels look the same as the bats from Mars and the gulls from Marine?
Smells like a lazy way to cut corners.-Graphics don’t take advantage of the 3DO hardware. No attempt to update an older pc release? Already mentioned the fog and the weak enemy sprites, but how about the fact that the main character (who again, dominates center screen) is so pixilated!
-Music of limited appeal - Grunge gives the game a very dated sound. It really doesn't trigger any type of emotions. (On Mars I want creepy alien music, not grunge rock!) It does tend to separate you from the action. Not memorable.
-Control is lacking – Can’t shoot and move at the same time. That is all I have to say.
-Replay value is nonexistent. The game gets worse the longer you play (which thankfully shouldn't be long)
Too bad Data East couldn't have dipped into their solid catalog of back games for their 3DO debut ...
-Trev
