Centipede

"Re-vamped...but..."

Centipede is an age old game that can be commonly found in some ancient party store in the backwoods of some rest stop on the way to someplace else. It's usually dusty...probably doesn't work quite right...and doesn't seem like something that you'd throw quarters into.

However, to Centipede players of old, it'll always hold a special place in their heart as one game in the arcade or at the roller-rink that was worth wasting a few quarters in. Now that it's been brought back to life in the late 90's, there are a few differences that make this a game that should have been left in that run-down old store.

-Visuals 7/10-

While it's been changed to a 3D environment, it lacks a few things that make a good 3D action game. The first of these issues comes up with the way that the camera angles are set. You have an overhead mode, which isn't too bad, but you're left looking at the overhead view of the stage, and it takes away from the detail {however fuzzy it is}.

Or you can switch to the near-first person view which is completely useless. You're left with a front view, but you can't see what's coming up behind you, and then you're getting killed everytime you turn around. While this may all seem daunting, the levels are rather well constructed, and set the mood.

One other decent aspect is the fact that you have several different cut-scenes to take a look at in-between stages. However, you'll be left short, because they come few and far between, with little more than a brief glint of innovation thrown in.

-Audio 7/10-

The audio tracks for Centipede don't sound any better than the arcade version did, and quite frankly, you'll probably get tired of it within the first few minutes of play. For the most part, the music overlaps in a hybrid of techno and dance music that really hurts the ears. On top of that, the sound effects are bland, with bleeps and random explosions that don't seem to fit the bill at any given time.

-Control 7/10-

What a player wouldn't give for a spin control to use during the game. The in-game control is rather loose, and you'll find that shooting or moving in the direction that you want to go can take quite a bit of practice to figure out. The learning curve on how to use the firing button..and then to move the ship around to catch the bugs as they fly at you from all directions is relatively steep. Beginners and novices may find that moving from stage to stage can be difficult and in the end, near impossible with certain situations.

-Gameplay 7/10-

It's a new twist on an old game. Placing you in a 3D world, you play as the decendant of a famous bug hunter to take on a horde of evil and destructive bugs that are looking to ransack a world. This is where the fun stops, and the aggrivation begins. Being placed in a world where movement is relatively free, you're forced to jump and move, as well as destroy bugs that come at you from all directions.

The stages go by worlds, and each one has a set of dezins that you have to save from the bugs. Mainly, the game revolves around these annoying things that range from spiders to centipedes, to ticks to fleas...after about twenty minutes, you'll find that the game isn't that much fun, and it's rather repetitive...

-Overall 7/10-

Centipede is one of those games that was brought back in the wave of nostalga video games of old. Where it tries to impress, it merely falls flat with some lack-luster visuals and horrid sound. Couple this with loose control and repetative gameplay, you're left with a longing for the arcade machine...and not this. Fans of old games will find some memories in this...but gamers new to Centipede would do well to rent before they buy.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 04/28/01, Updated 04/28/01