SNATCHER (SCD)
Snatcher is not only a bit of a cult-classic, but also a real gaming journeyman. A fascinating, storied existence saw it gracing mostly lesser-known formats, starting life in 1988 with appearances on the uber-niche PC-8801 and MSX2, and for a long time, it appeared destined never to see the light of day outside of the orient. Six years later though Hideo Kojima’s hard-boiled cyberpunk homage to all things good about eighties sci-fi cinema found its perfect home on the Mega-CD, something of a victory for SEGA’s oft-maligned hardware. Despite its age, the revised CD version represented an impressive package, sporting standout presentation, a superb soundtrack and the unusual treat (at the time) of extensive English voicing.
As is to be expected of a Kojima title, Snatcher is a richly detailed adventure with oodles of depth for those wishing to delve a little deeper into its backstory, though the player isn’t force-fed. It’s a remarkably gritty narrative for its time, carefully localised in order to incorporate western-friendly in-jokes and references, with a script that reads beautifully and is tightly-edited too; there are no half-hour cut-scenes to bog you down here. Whilst Snatcher’s simplistic interface feels less point ‘n’ click and more interactive movie at times, it’s a veritable trove of hidden delights, with a range of clever puzzles and action vignettes to keep the player immersed. Like the best adventures, Snatcher leaves you itching to see what it has in store for you next.
It’s set in futuristic Neo Kobe City; a multicultural mix of slums, neon-drenched streets, trenchcoat-wearing amnesiacs, bodysnatching robots and all-things Blade Runner. The player controls Gillian Seed (who, despite the name, is indeed a man); he’s lost his memory, and to help get it back, he’s become a JUNKER (a part-detective, part-action hero pastiche – but a fun one nevertheless). He investigates the menace of cybernetic life-forms known as “snatchers”, who have been killing high-profile humans and taking their place in society. It’s played from a static first-person perspective, with a list of investigative options at Gillian’s disposal, including the ability to assess, investigate and use items/evidence in certain situations.
As is to be expected of a Kojima title, Snatcher is a richly detailed adventure with oodles of depth for those wishing to delve a little deeper into its backstory, though the player isn’t force-fed. It’s a remarkably gritty narrative for its time, carefully localised in order to incorporate western-friendly in-jokes and references, with a script that reads beautifully and is tightly-edited too; there are no half-hour cut-scenes to bog you down here. Whilst Snatcher’s simplistic interface feels less point ‘n’ click and more interactive movie at times, it’s a veritable trove of hidden delights, with a range of clever puzzles and action vignettes to keep the player immersed. Like the best adventures, Snatcher leaves you itching to see what it has in store for you next.
It’s set in futuristic Neo Kobe City; a multicultural mix of slums, neon-drenched streets, trenchcoat-wearing amnesiacs, bodysnatching robots and all-things Blade Runner. The player controls Gillian Seed (who, despite the name, is indeed a man); he’s lost his memory, and to help get it back, he’s become a JUNKER (a part-detective, part-action hero pastiche – but a fun one nevertheless). He investigates the menace of cybernetic life-forms known as “snatchers”, who have been killing high-profile humans and taking their place in society. It’s played from a static first-person perspective, with a list of investigative options at Gillian’s disposal, including the ability to assess, investigate and use items/evidence in certain situations.
Gillian is accompanied by a small robot called Metal Gear (ho-hum) who, as well as coming up with useful bits of information and allowing you to save your progress, also has a Videophone that’s essentially a less-bloated prototype of Metal Gear Solid’s marvellous CODEC system. It’s a lot of fun in itself and genuinely useful, whether you are calling up Gillian’s ex Jamie in order to shed some light on their past, or trying to organise a meeting with a shady informant. Sometimes finding the numbers is a task in itself; one important contact is displayed on an electronic billboard, and the moment the penny drops, you’re furiously scribbling it down. Within JUNKER HQ, there’s a computer database called JORDAN that allows players to type in a host of names relevant to the investigation, or read up on Neo Kobe itself for a bit of extra context. Gillian can collate and examine evidence, or build a suspect montage based on witness accounts. This proves a rare misfire for the game, as making a positive I.D. from one witness’s recollections is unnecessarily sketchy and frustrating, but it’s neat idea nevertheless.
Despite a linear beginning, Snatcher strikes a good balance between giving the player guidance and yet not holding their hand too much. You’re given the odd little pointer if you’ve become beached in one location for a period, but the big decisions are always left up to you. The story elements are punctuated with gallery-shooter sections, with the screen segmented into nine (one for each direction and diagonal, as well as a centre point), and they require quick reflexes in the later stages. As the game progresses, Snatchers employ smarter tactics, taking cover off-screen, before reappearing in different spot, giving you a brief period in which to evaluate where their weak spot may be exposed. Gillian also has to be mindful of shooting hostages and in one particularly clever instance, assess where his assailant is by looking in a mirror. Though used relatively effectively to add a little pace to proceedings, it’s actually a shame there weren’t a few more of these segments, as Snatcher even supports Konami’s Justifier lightgun peripheral.
Despite a linear beginning, Snatcher strikes a good balance between giving the player guidance and yet not holding their hand too much. You’re given the odd little pointer if you’ve become beached in one location for a period, but the big decisions are always left up to you. The story elements are punctuated with gallery-shooter sections, with the screen segmented into nine (one for each direction and diagonal, as well as a centre point), and they require quick reflexes in the later stages. As the game progresses, Snatchers employ smarter tactics, taking cover off-screen, before reappearing in different spot, giving you a brief period in which to evaluate where their weak spot may be exposed. Gillian also has to be mindful of shooting hostages and in one particularly clever instance, assess where his assailant is by looking in a mirror. Though used relatively effectively to add a little pace to proceedings, it’s actually a shame there weren’t a few more of these segments, as Snatcher even supports Konami’s Justifier lightgun peripheral.
Konami deserve credit for an excellent localisation, one that not only reads extremely well but is amply-stocked with clever pop-culture references and witty dialogues. Kojima once again thinks outside the norm to create great moments, encouraging you to turn your TV volume up to hear the distant beeping of a time-bomb, only to then gleefully blow your ears off with an excessively loud explosion. Then there’s a black market store that appears to ‘borrow’ the Konami logo, leading Gillian to suspect that they’re “under the same management”. You can call Konami on the Videophone, or LoveLine for some hilariously cheesy innuendo-filled conversations, and there’s a fantastic nightclub where everyone’s dressed as Konami video game characters.
So why Mega-CD and not Mega Drive then? Whilst Snatcher starts with an unbelievably good FMV intro, the strongest justification lies in its sound. The musical accompaniment is as diverse as it is memorable; returning to the game a few years after playing it, it’s amazing how many of the songs remain rooted in your head. The action themes pulse with excitement, whilst the more atmospheric pieces add a tangible sense of foreboding. There’s a bit of everything, even the funky rendition of Jingle Bells is awesome. The novelty of voicing for 16-bit games shouldn’t be underestimated either, and though it’s a little frail (a touch over-dramatic and accompanied by a fair bit of fuzz) at times, they help bring Gillian’s exchanges with Metal Gear to life, and brought Snatcher a step closer to achieving the cinematic gravitas it was aiming for.
So why Mega-CD and not Mega Drive then? Whilst Snatcher starts with an unbelievably good FMV intro, the strongest justification lies in its sound. The musical accompaniment is as diverse as it is memorable; returning to the game a few years after playing it, it’s amazing how many of the songs remain rooted in your head. The action themes pulse with excitement, whilst the more atmospheric pieces add a tangible sense of foreboding. There’s a bit of everything, even the funky rendition of Jingle Bells is awesome. The novelty of voicing for 16-bit games shouldn’t be underestimated either, and though it’s a little frail (a touch over-dramatic and accompanied by a fair bit of fuzz) at times, they help bring Gillian’s exchanges with Metal Gear to life, and brought Snatcher a step closer to achieving the cinematic gravitas it was aiming for.
Snatcher is as beautiful as it is refined. The animated cut-scenes are bold and impressive, and special mention must go to an uncommonly good (and rare) attempt at matching lip-synch to the spoken dialogues. Taking its cue from anime classic Akira, the environments look stunning in their deep range of night-time shades, with dark blues and bold purples serving a grimy, bleak undertone utterly at odds with the garishly bright palettes more typical of its time. The characters look fantastic too; massive, superbly animated sprites are complimented by outstanding cut-scenes and facades that are brimming with neat little details, such as lights flickering in the cityscape, water drips, billboards rotating through a cycle and so on.
Completing Snatcher will take around eight and a half hours, and though the story is the main pull, it’s perfectly conceivable that players will want to tackle it again as there are so many little things to find that can be overlooked the first time through. Those who balk at the idea of game/film hybrids will likely remain unconvinced, but Snatcher tells a great yarn that caters fantastically for a “grown-up” gaming audience. And with a litany of gaming innovations thrown in for good measure, it represents one of the few graphic adventures of its time to feel truly at home on a console.
Completing Snatcher will take around eight and a half hours, and though the story is the main pull, it’s perfectly conceivable that players will want to tackle it again as there are so many little things to find that can be overlooked the first time through. Those who balk at the idea of game/film hybrids will likely remain unconvinced, but Snatcher tells a great yarn that caters fantastically for a “grown-up” gaming audience. And with a litany of gaming innovations thrown in for good measure, it represents one of the few graphic adventures of its time to feel truly at home on a console.