Name: Virtual On: Cyber Troopers (86.67% in 9 votes)
Type: FTG
Platform: WINDOWS
Company: Sega
Release date: 1997
Reviewed by: KurenaiJiku
Virtual On for PC is a pretty good transition from the arcade to the PC version. For those who don't know what Virtual On is, it's a game that was made back in 1995 which simulated Anime mecha combat. Taking a lot of very cliched Anime mecha like Macross and Gundam, and put it into a 3D action arena game. The game itself is extremely complex where the arcade version (original version) required players to grab a hold of twin joysticks each with two triggers. By controlling the joysticks much like a tank pilot would, you were able to perform slightly different actions with your mecha. Not like Street Fighter or any conventional fighter, but for example; by pulling the joysticks outward, your mech would jump, or by pushing the joysticks forward your mech would run forward.
Since this is about the PC version, I'll get right to the point. At the time VO PC came out, this was about the time of Voodoo 2/Power VR prowess. The PC version unfortunately doesn't take advantage of any of the 3 major 3D acceleration routines; Direct 3D, OpenGL or Glide. I would have liked to see some fog, volumetric lighting, anti aliasing, but I emailed Sega and they stated they wouldn't develop anything for VO PC in the future. However, there was a Power VR version to my knowledge which I have never seen online in shops or in local stores. The Power VR version though does support fog and much better rendering for the textures and models; from what I've seen.
The PC version though is still done quite well. It was the first game to specially use the over hyped MMX processor that came with newer Intel chips, and sometimes VO PC was actually packaged with certain computer packages as demo ware. Able to run in both 320 by 240 and 640 by 480, you need a computer of at least a P233 with 64 MB's of RAM. Anything less is pretty unbarable; and that's just for single player. For multiplayer features like network and modem play, (which is a nice feature by the way) is quite slow when I tested it with a P233 with 32 MB's of RAM, and a P200 with 64 MB's of RAM. Speaking of multiplayer, there's also a feature which allows two people to play on the same computer. Course it's in split screen, but the way this was implemented was incredibly idiotic. Instead of the typical both top and bottom stretched fully across split screen, the screen is divided into two totally independant screens. This shrinks the details so small that one might as well be playing another game. But that's the only fall back and usually I would want to play over a communications line of some sort anyway.
There are many many features for VO fans to fool around with, like color changing, round length, difficulty, sound and music tests, graphical customization so if your computer is too slow you can turn off some things to make it run faster, etc etc. Nothing too extreme, but it's much more than the arcade version; without access to the arcade machine's internal functions of course. hehe
The graphics are just about the same, models and textures are all there. Control can be done by keyboard, a joystick, two joysticks so you can simulate the arcade (I'm quite sure, haven't tried it myself though), or a game pad of some sort. The music retains it's beauty because it's in Red Book CD Audio; so you people who love the music can play the CD in your player. For those who are looking for a new avenue to follow; more like a cult, then get this game. To this very day, I still play it with a passion and I think will remain to be my favorite game. That's probably until I get VO 2 or something.
Graphics (technical) - 3.5/5
Graphics (creative) - 5/5
Sound (technical) - 4/5
Sound (creative) - 5/5
Technical Gameplay - 5/5
Fun Factor - 5/5
Diversity of Features - 4/5
Story - 3/5
Overall Value - 5/5
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