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HARD EDGE
review | PLAYSTATION
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a.k.a. T.R.A.G.: Tactical Rescue Assault Group - Mission of Mercy
Publisher: Sunsoft. Developer: Sunsoft. Released: May 1999 (Europe). Genre: Action/Adventure. Posted 26th April 2026. By Shane Battams © 2026 |
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As Sunsoft would throw their hat into the pool of Resident Evil clones, Hard Edge would emerge at a time when a slew of developers would try to put their spin on the successful formula. A surface description would state this is “RE in a skyscraper”, but like most obscure copycats, there’s a bit more to it as you begin to delve deeper. While certainly not on the same level as its inspirations, this action/adventure game still packs enough action, interesting tweaks and solid mechanics to prove worthwhile for genre enthusiasts, even if a lack of challenge and some seriously poor localisation dampen these positives.
In the year 2046, a military-owned skyscraper called the Togusa Building is taken siege by a wild assortment of terrorists, taking a lead scientist hostage and setting in motion a devastating plan. With entrances blocked and most forces perishing upon trying to enter, all hope rests on two commandos who managed to breach and enter the complex. Alex and Michelle are the only hope to stop this incident from escalating further. It’s not a bad setup, as moving the formula into a skyscraper could make for an Under Siege-esque scenario. Unfortunately, in an issue all to familiar to the genre, the voicing and the translation are poor. Hard Edge lacks the charm of competing titles, its narrative delivered in a stilted manner, and when you factor in oddities such as Michelle’s voice changing between the opening FMV and the main game, it makes investing in this siege story more difficult.
Hard Edge offers a solid dose of static-camera action, with players able to switch between four characters
Hard Edge doesn’t stray too far from the established template, but little tweaks will be appreciated by genre aficionados. As you navigate around prerendered locations, you’re tasked with uncovering key items to open more pathways while using either guns or melee attacks to deal with a slew of enemies. You’re not locked to a character and can switch freely between Alex, Michelle and two other characters you meet. They all feel distinct, with varied speeds, attack combos, and special moves. It works infinitely better than Martian Gothic, and it encourages experimentation, though it’s worth mentioning that some characters are forced to fight certain bosses during the story. The game lasts around seven hours, but defeating bosses with certain characters rewards extra costumes and potent weapons for repeat plays, and with two endings to discover, it’s not a short trip.
It’s a decent take on the formula, with enough tweaks to distinguish Sunsoft’s effort from competing games. However, a couple of missteps hold it back from the genre’s upper tier. On the whole, Hard Edge is easy, and lacks the resource management needed to generate tension. Enemies respawn, which sounds like a bad thing, but combat loops feel straightforward and allow you to get frequent health and ammo drops. While items are scarcer in the environment, it’s not much of an issue. On the flip side, bosses can feel cheap and unsatisfying. The tank-controls, while a staple of survival horror, feel too slow to combat the rapid combos of the big bads. It feels like you take damage with little chance to riposte. Some bosses also come with unskippable cut-scenes, which grates immensely. The last issue with Hard Edge is its skyscraper setting. While it features plenty of quirky scenes and mysterious locations, it’s bland to explore at times, lacking dynamism and failing to take advantage of how many floors there could be.
It’s a decent take on the formula, with enough tweaks to distinguish Sunsoft’s effort from competing games. However, a couple of missteps hold it back from the genre’s upper tier. On the whole, Hard Edge is easy, and lacks the resource management needed to generate tension. Enemies respawn, which sounds like a bad thing, but combat loops feel straightforward and allow you to get frequent health and ammo drops. While items are scarcer in the environment, it’s not much of an issue. On the flip side, bosses can feel cheap and unsatisfying. The tank-controls, while a staple of survival horror, feel too slow to combat the rapid combos of the big bads. It feels like you take damage with little chance to riposte. Some bosses also come with unskippable cut-scenes, which grates immensely. The last issue with Hard Edge is its skyscraper setting. While it features plenty of quirky scenes and mysterious locations, it’s bland to explore at times, lacking dynamism and failing to take advantage of how many floors there could be.
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That’s not to say the backgrounds are ugly, as the prerendered visuals look excellent. Featuring attractive lighting, some distinctive scenes such as the projector room and plenty of decent FMVs, parts of Hard Edge look great. The 3D, sadly, isn’t quite as good, lacking the refinement of the best-in-class despite a clear anime aesthetic. Cut-scenes that are in-engine run pretty poorly, and there are clear slowdown issues during intense moments. On the whole though, it looks good. The sound is not quite as strong. As mentioned, the voicework and delivery border on laughable. The music, while distinctly toned in spots, doesn’t fit the scenario at points, while the effects sound acceptable, if a bit crunched-sounding.
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Hard Edge is a mixed bag, but one that still has enough strengths to outweigh its issues. While parts of the cloning process didn’t quite work and the translation is absolutely botched, little tweaks to the formula and solid mechanics ensure it will still appeal to genre enthusiasts. While not quite up there with the likes of Silent Hill or Chase the Express, Sunsoft’s stab at an action-orientated survival horror represents an acceptable example of the genre. Just make sure that you go in with an open mind, and a sizeable tolerance for dodgy voice acting.
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VERDICT
"Hard Edge has elements that don’t quite work, and its story translation has been absolutely botched. However, solid mechanics and little tweaks to the formula ensure genre enthusiasts will find some appeal." OVERALL: 6/10 |
PIXEL SECONDS: HARD EDGE (PS)
Imagine Resident Evil’s gameplay mechanics crossed with a Die Hard-esque plot of terrorists in tall buildings, throw in some wacky anime-styled protagonists, and you’ve Hard Edge. The ability to switch between characters is well-realised: simple, quick and it’s generally used quite cleverly. Character-specific traits add a layer of depth; Alex has some rather handy nightvision goggles, Rachael can squeeze through tight spaces, and Burns can push heavy objects. This distinction is helped further by each character describing and analysing environments in their own way. The pacing is a touch leisurely, with cut-scenes often lasting too long for what little they reveal, and dialogue that’s punctuated with uncomfortably long pauses. Also, when combing over the scenery, players are made to wait as the accompanying text slowly reveals itself, with no way to speed up or immediately end descriptions. Hard Edge scores well for its combat, though, and as only Alex is armed with a gun, there’s a surprise emphasis on close-quarters combat. Graphically, it’s slightly dated, with characters and animations appearing shabby next to Resident Evil 2, though the prerendered locations look good, packed with detail and enhanced by varied, dynamic camera angles that rarely impede fights. Indeed, I barely noticed the subtle switch to a tracking camera for a couple of boss battles. Unsurprisingly, the English dub is awful, producing a bizarre emphasis on certain words and lines. Occasionally, it will make you laugh, but more often than not, Hard Edge’s storytelling borders on pantomime. It’s relatively short and fairly easy to finish, taking around six hours to polish it off. Nothing special, all told, though it goes about its business with an assured competence, offering a few ideas even Capcom hadn’t tried before. [5] – Tom Clare © 2026
Imagine Resident Evil’s gameplay mechanics crossed with a Die Hard-esque plot of terrorists in tall buildings, throw in some wacky anime-styled protagonists, and you’ve Hard Edge. The ability to switch between characters is well-realised: simple, quick and it’s generally used quite cleverly. Character-specific traits add a layer of depth; Alex has some rather handy nightvision goggles, Rachael can squeeze through tight spaces, and Burns can push heavy objects. This distinction is helped further by each character describing and analysing environments in their own way. The pacing is a touch leisurely, with cut-scenes often lasting too long for what little they reveal, and dialogue that’s punctuated with uncomfortably long pauses. Also, when combing over the scenery, players are made to wait as the accompanying text slowly reveals itself, with no way to speed up or immediately end descriptions. Hard Edge scores well for its combat, though, and as only Alex is armed with a gun, there’s a surprise emphasis on close-quarters combat. Graphically, it’s slightly dated, with characters and animations appearing shabby next to Resident Evil 2, though the prerendered locations look good, packed with detail and enhanced by varied, dynamic camera angles that rarely impede fights. Indeed, I barely noticed the subtle switch to a tracking camera for a couple of boss battles. Unsurprisingly, the English dub is awful, producing a bizarre emphasis on certain words and lines. Occasionally, it will make you laugh, but more often than not, Hard Edge’s storytelling borders on pantomime. It’s relatively short and fairly easy to finish, taking around six hours to polish it off. Nothing special, all told, though it goes about its business with an assured competence, offering a few ideas even Capcom hadn’t tried before. [5] – Tom Clare © 2026
OTHER GAMES WITH PRERENDERED VISUALS REVIEWED
Resident Evil 2 (1998, PC)
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Parasite Eve (1998, PlayStation)
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