PowerSlave Reviewed by Josh Dollins on . Rating: 78%

PowerSlave

If you're a proud Sega Saturn owner then chances are you've heard that it's a great 2D machine, but an underpowered 3D console. You've probably even heard that its incapable of light source shading and other special effects. Neither of these claims are true ... at least not entirely. The Saturn wasn't underpowered, it was just so difficult to utilize its power properly that few games reached their full potential on the Saturn.

One of the few games that did utilize the Saturn's potential is PowerSlave. The game saw release on the PlayStation and PC, but the Saturn version is the best of the three. Graphically its superior to the PC version and the PlayStation version has shorter levels with less detail, due in large part to memory issues. Make no mistake about it, the Saturn game is the version to own.

Lobotomy (the developers of PowerSlave) did an amazing job with this game on the Saturn the engine is amazing and it's probably one of the best looking games on Saturn. The graphics are crisp, fast and smooth. The maps are well planned out and completely 3D. There are plenty of enemies to fight, passages to navigate and sights to see.

The controls are spot on. Movement is quick, easy and precise. The game offers an option to remap the controls should you need to do so and it also has auto aiming which it does very well. You'll start with a machete and move on to a handgun; all in all you'll use eight weapons to choose from. Power-ups are revealed when opening doors, kill enemies or breaking vases. You'll need to solve some mild puzzles along the way as well.

The music sets the mood nicely and helps pull you into the game but it can get a bit repetitive as time passes.

If you're a first-person shooter fan and enjoy games like DOOM, Quake and Duke Nukem, then this is definitely one you'll want to try on your Saturn. When you pick up your Saturn you may not immediately think of the first-person shooter genre, but PowerSlave proves that it can be done. This is easily one of the best shooters on the Saturn, and definitely one of the best games on the system.