Namco Museum Vol. 4

"Mediocre, but fun nonetheless!"

Many people feel that this compilation wasn't the best of the five. Although I do agree to some extent, I will say that it is definitely fun nonetheless.


Graphics: 8/10
While most of the Namco classic games weren't very graphically detailed, the games here actually do shine in some ways. Most notably of them are Assault and Ordyne, which actually seem 16-bit (I might also add that the latter appeared on the TurboGrafx-16.) The rest, The Genji & Heike Clans, Pac-Land, and The Return of Ishtar, are also well drawn. The museum itself has some new features, which I'll leave to you to discover yourself.


Sounds: 7/10
There are a few speech samples within the games, but they're in Japanese, so it's impossible to know what they're actually saying. The music is above average, even by today's standards. The museum music is kind of nice too. It's melodic and memorable.


Controls: 6/10
You may want to use an analog stick for Assault. Otherwise, you'll be forced to use the D-Pad and the four standard buttons to control each tank tread. A similar problem in The Return of Ishtar, in which you must control two people at once. Pac-Land plays like a Mario-style game, but the method of moving is truly bizarre. The Genji & Heike Clans has a standard run-n-jump formula which most people can easily accustom to. Ordyne is a simple shooter. This is what brings the 4th installation's score down a notch.


Replay: 7/10
Assault is a tank game which I have played in the arcades, and I will agree it's easiest when played with two joysticks. The Return of Ishtar is the sequel to Tower of Druaga (Namco Museum Vol. 3) in which you control Princess Ki and Sir Gilgamesh both at the same time. Pac-Land involves you guiding Pac-Man through his hometown trying to dodge those meddling ghosts while he escorts a lost fairy home. The Genji & Heike Clans is a strange tale about a revived samurai who goes through ancient Japan killing evil demons. Ordyne is a silly shooter where a professor's fiance has been kidnapped, and you must rescue her. It's not a lot to go on, but it's there.


Overall: 8/10
If you're a collector of classic gaming packages (like myself), then give Namco Museum Vol. 4 a rental before you pick it up. While it does have some good games, the unusual controls make the games seem less than classic.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 10/28/00, Updated 07/16/01