Tempest 2000 (continued)
by Kenneth Horowitz e-mail

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So, if everything is so similar, why should you get the Saturn version? Though the differences between all three versions are not outright noticeable, they have a huge impact on gameplay and the experience in general. Pop the disk into your Saturn and you'll find yourself wondering what makes this version so special. First off, you'll notice that the soundtrack is red book! You can go to the status screen and listen to all the awesome tunes or you can hear it in any stereo. Neither the PlayStation nor Jaguar versions had this feature (you had to buy a Jaguar CD unit to get the soundtrack on CD) and this is quite appealing, considering the incredible quality of Tempest's raging techno score. Playing this game in full stereo with the volume up is the only way to enjoy it fully. There are a total of eleven tracks, all masterfully done. I cannot emphasize just how much the soundtrack adds to the game. It's something you just need to experience for yourself.

The aural excellence of Tempest 2000 seems to have been a trade off with some of the graphic effects found in the PlayStation port. Gone are the psychedelic cloud formations that whipped by the fringes of the web. The empty space of the Jaguar version is what you'll find here. Does it make a difference? Not hardly. You will be too busy trying to stay alive to notice it. All the huge "two to warp!" and "1up!" explosions are intact, and while they tend to distract you a bit when things get hectic, they do add a very arcadey feel to the game. The Saturn version is almost graphically identical to the Jaguar edition, albeit a crisper, brighter graphic look . That would put it more or less on par with the PlayStation port (I haven't played it on PC so I can't comment there), with only the aforementioned cloud effects missing.

  

If there is one area where the Saturn port stands head and shoulders above all others, it's in gameplay. Nothing would be better than playing with the rotating knob used in the coin-op but the Saturn D pad does quite nicely. Not as stiff as the Jaguar pad and much fuller than the PlayStation's crosshair, the yummy Saturn controller makes playing Tempest 2000 easier than one would think with a controller. I did find it difficult sometimes to change direction quickly but this is present in all versions of the game and doesn't affect gameplay too much. Playing with a Virtua Stick makes things even better though it takes a bit getting used to.

One question I hear a lot concerning this game is whether or not Jaguar owners should upgrade to the Saturn port. Probably not, since those who have it on cartridge have probably become accustomed to it and are most likely partial to the original. I do strongly feel that the game plays much more intuitively on Saturn and those interested in a cleaner-looking and better-playing version, as well as those who want to hear the red book audio, should head that way. It's the superior version (yeah, I said it!) of an incredible game that deserves to be played. The overpowering sense of urgency and panic felt in the original as enemies slowly but surely advanced up the screen has been completely retained (and given a steroid shot in the arm). A few hours of play will leave you drenched in sweat and panting, with a massive smile stretched across your face. That is what Tempest was all about back in 1981 and Tempest 2000 continues that tradition in grand style.