Phoenix 3

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Gunstar
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Phoenix 3

Post by Gunstar » Sat Sep 15, 2007 2:52 am

What do you guys think of this game? Are all aware that it's a combination platformer and 3D space shootem' up? I wasn't aware at one time. I got this game as a gift years ago, and played a couple levels of the platform/shooter part, but platformers and platform shooters have never been my favorite genre, even way back in the days of the 8-bit consoles and computers. So I never got into the game and it collected dust with me not knowing about the 3D space shooter half of the game. The only reason I still have it is that it was one of a few titles that didn't sell when I e-bayed half my collection last year. In that time I decided to give it a real chance and suffer through a few platformer levels for a while, and I'm not even sure if platformer fans would consider this a bad, average or good platformer. I suffer through the platformer levels just to play the 3D levels. The 3D half of the game is good enough for me to save the game as a whole, not being a platformer fan. I think it's the best 3D space shooter on consoles from that era, short of the Jaguar's Battlesphere. I just wish it was that part only. I hate to compare it or Battlesphere to Star Fighter, since Star Fighter is mostly planet-bound like a flightsim, where Poenix 3 and Battlesphere are deep space. If I were to compare ONLY the Star Fighter deep space levels it would lose to both Phoenix 3 and Battlesphere by a mile, but Star Fighter is so different and expansive. Then there's Wing Commander III (and even Super WC), but even though I think BOTH Wing Commander games blow away Phoenix 3 by light years, I think Phoenix 3's 3D engine is superior, gameplay, no. Talking strictly on the 3D engine level, on all of these games, not gameplay.

If you don't want to compare Phoenix 3 to any other games, just tell me what you think about it as it's own combo game; platformer/3D shooter.
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Post by Trev » Sun Sep 16, 2007 1:44 am

Here is a thread about this game from a few months ago ...

http://www.3do.cdinteractive.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=134

I never did stick w/this game for too long. I think I tried using some Game Guru codes w/it too but no success.

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Post by Gunstar » Mon Sep 17, 2007 1:42 am

Trev wrote:Here is a thread about this game from a few months ago ...

http://www.3do.cdinteractive.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=134

I never did stick w/this game for too long. I think I tried using some Game Guru codes w/it too but no success.
Thanks. So apparently most don't think it's a very good platformer, and though it doesn't seem bad to me for the genre, as I stated, I'm not the best judge becuase it's not a genre that I'm a big fan of. Although I do know when it's a hit game, like Gex on the 3DO or Rayman on the Jaguar/Saturn/PSX. I do like both of those platformers, and I always liked Flashback, but that's more of a platformer/adventure/RPG.

I was never into Sonic or Mario and similiar ilk.

But I do like the 3D space levels of Phoenix 3, and don't agree with negativity toward that part of the game. I agree overall it's another weak combination genre title.
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Post by Trev » Tue Sep 18, 2007 9:29 pm

I actually prefer the platforming levels, although they don't stand up to other 3DO platformers like Soccer Kid or Gex.

I still the think the ship levels are weak though (nothing stood out ... too generic) and I prefer most any other 3do space game (and there are many) to Phoenix 3.

Overall I think it is a title that has aged badly.

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Post by Gunstar » Wed Sep 19, 2007 2:05 am

Trev wrote: Overall I think it is a title that has aged badly.
I agree that overall it's not that good of a game, but to a vintage gamer like me, who still plays Pong and the Atari 2600 and other vintage consoles and computers all the way to present, your line above is irrelevent. :wink:
No games age badly to me, they are either good, bad or average to start with, and stay that way permanently.
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Post by T2KFreeker » Wed Sep 19, 2007 2:36 am

I still have a very strange love for this game I must confess. It's a love hate relationship though.
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Post by Trev » Wed Sep 19, 2007 7:54 pm

No games age badly to me, they are either good, bad or average to start with, and stay that way permanently.
I hear you, I do. But you gotta admit that sometimes games can get a free pass the first time around.

For example, Myst (one of the best selling games ever) no longer holds as high a regard for people, because the graphics are no longer cutting edge. They can no longer mask thin gameplay. So a game that was geat in '93 has mixed opinions now. I know this is an obvious example, but there are others I can think of as well.

For me, there were games I used too love, but hindsight has shown that I was to lenient (the reverse is true also ... Immercenary for instance :wink: ) And I say this as a console collector.

What do others think?

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Post by Gunstar » Fri Sep 21, 2007 1:54 am

Trev wrote:
No games age badly to me, they are either good, bad or average to start with, and stay that way permanently.
I hear you, I do. But you gotta admit that sometimes games can get a free pass the first time around.

For example, Myst (one of the best selling games ever) no longer holds as high a regard for people, because the graphics are no longer cutting edge. They can no longer mask thin gameplay. So a game that was geat in '93 has mixed opinions now. I know this is an obvious example, but there are others I can think of as well.

For me, there were games I used too love, but hindsight has shown that I was to lenient (the reverse is true also ... Immercenary for instance :wink: ) And I say this as a console collector.

What do others think?
Well, as in most cases with video games, it comes down to personal opinion, some games are hits becuase there are a LOT of personal opinions in thier favor. Your example of Myst doesn't work for me, I loved the game when it was new, not for the great graphics of the time (I could always just look at screenshots of comparible art with no game attached), though they were a bonus, but I really like that type of adventure/puzzler. I liked the sequels too. I agree that Myst isn't that fun to play anymore, though I do still occasionally for the graphics. But only becuase I know it, it loses in the replayability factor becuase it's a linear story. If it was more extensive, with many possible endings, like a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' book, things would be different. But I would enjoy Myst today, just as much as I did back then, if I hadn't played it before. So I don't agree with the "free pass" theory, becuase I don't give games a free pass just for graphics or something. Every game I've ever liked, I still think is good, even if it's a game with a lack of replayability, but I'd recommend it to others. Myst is like a good book to me, and interactive one with illistrations and animations. I don't even really consider it a video game, I place it in the catagory of text and graphic adventures of old. Do you consider Zork to be a video game? I don't. And I STILL also like to play old-school text adventures if I find one I haven't played before!

I hear ya about being too lenient with games the first time around though, generally this happens with some first gen titles when a console is new, and am lenient due to a lack of other games to play,OR, too harsh, like I judged a lot of 2D games too harshly on the 3DO and Jaguar back in the day, becuase I wanted only the new-fangled 3D games. And when I throw the game I didn't like years ago in the console again, cause' I'm bored one day and say "what the hell," then I find out that after giving it another chance, I like it, this is actually the way I got into Poenix 3 and actually played long enough to discover it had 3D space levels (I got the game disc only with a used system I bought).
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Post by 3DOKid » Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:57 am

Trev wrote:
No games age badly to me, they are either good, bad or average to start with, and stay that way permanently.
I hear you, I do. But you gotta admit that sometimes games can get a free pass the first time around.

For example, Myst (one of the best selling games ever) no longer holds as high a regard for people, because the graphics are no longer cutting edge. They can no longer mask thin gameplay. So a game that was geat in '93 has mixed opinions now. I know this is an obvious example, but there are others I can think of as well.

For me, there were games I used too love, but hindsight has shown that I was to lenient (the reverse is true also ... Immercenary for instance :wink: ) And I say this as a console collector.

What do others think?

I agree. I also think there is an element of: "I paid £40 for this thing I AM GOING TO ENJOY IT" - which obviously doesn't happen quite so often with games that are 15 years old.

These days I'm much more lienent with retro stuff. I could never be bothered with the likes of Burning Soldier, Firewall, etc., etc., back in the day but these days - well, I kind of like them. I have a theory that I think I'm becoming a casual hardcore gamer, if that sort of makes sense. Most of the modern so-called casual games make me vomit but these simple older games can have gaming fun teased out of them.

Myst was always rubbish. ;)

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Post by UnholyTancred » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:49 am

I just played Phoenix 3 for the first time. I didn't think it was that bad until I came up close and personal with an enemy and realized after I killed him he took away half my health. It's really cheap. Jumping up and climbing up to very small platforms that have an enemy just walking casually on it. I got up to the 3rd side-scrolling level before getting frustrated with its cheapness.

The controls are fine in my opinion. Graphics are pretty good except for the simply ridiculous jump animation of the playable character. Also what the hell is up with those FMV's in between levels? He's just walking around with a gun all stealth like with a constipated look on his face and cheesy music.

I might give it a second chance some other time but the cheapness reminds me of Alien 3 for the Genesis.
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