Kaspian
08-17-2006, 10:37 PM
As one of the most unusual, unique light guns to hit the NES' library in the 1980s (and possibly one of the most unique games of its sort ever), Gumshoe, has marked itself as a good example of how undefined and experimental a genre can be in its infancy. With that, the Armchair Empire has posted an article (http://www.armchairempire.com/classic_gaming/gumshoe.htm) looking back at the game, and what made it so interesting whether intentional or not.
“Demo movies” were always a kick in these early games: if you left the title screen running for a little while, the game would take the opportunity to play itself and show you “how it was done”; sometimes a game was reckless with its character, sometimes restrained – ah, but Stevenson. The very first demo shows Stevenson starting out okay, until we see a rogue projectile soaring directly toward him; will he jump over it at the last moment or will it be blasted out of the air? Neither; it strikes him and he perishes. The next demo shows the second level up in the clouds; Stevenson leaps off the starting ledge and casually drops into a bottomless pit (and there are a few more of these!). How cold and callous -- not even the game cares!
“Demo movies” were always a kick in these early games: if you left the title screen running for a little while, the game would take the opportunity to play itself and show you “how it was done”; sometimes a game was reckless with its character, sometimes restrained – ah, but Stevenson. The very first demo shows Stevenson starting out okay, until we see a rogue projectile soaring directly toward him; will he jump over it at the last moment or will it be blasted out of the air? Neither; it strikes him and he perishes. The next demo shows the second level up in the clouds; Stevenson leaps off the starting ledge and casually drops into a bottomless pit (and there are a few more of these!). How cold and callous -- not even the game cares!