Summary
- Release Year: 1995
- Genres: Shooter
- Platforms: Arcade, Sega Saturn
- Developers: Taito
- Publishers: Taito
Elevator Action Returns: A Gritty and Intense Arcade Classic
Introduction
Elevator Action Returns, also known as Elevator Action II, is a 1994 run-and-gun arcade game developed and published by Taito. It is the sequel to the classic 1983 arcade game Elevator Action, and features a much more gritty and realistic setting. Returns retains the elevator-based gimmick from the original, but expands the gameplay system and replaces the spy motif with a new scenario involving a paramilitary team fighting against a terrorist group.
Gameplay
Elevator Action Returns is a side-scrolling run-and-gun game in which the player controls a member of a paramilitary team tasked with infiltrating a building and rescuing hostages. The game is played across multiple floors, each of which is filled with enemies and environmental hazards. The player must use their weapons and the environment to defeat the enemies and progress through the building.
The game’s most unique feature is its elevator system. The player can use elevators to move between floors, and can also use them to crush enemies. Elevators can also be used to create shortcuts and to flank enemies.
Elevator Action Returns features a variety of weapons, including pistols, machine guns, shotguns, and grenades. The player can also collect power-ups that grant them temporary abilities, such as increased speed or invincibility.
Setting
Elevator Action Returns is set in a gritty and realistic urban environment. The game’s levels are filled with industrial machinery, concrete walls, and flickering lights. The game’s enemies are also more realistic than in the original Elevator Action, and include terrorists, SWAT teams, and even giant robots.
Story
Elevator Action Returns has a simple but effective story. The player takes on the role of a member of a paramilitary team that has been tasked with infiltrating a building and rescuing hostages. The building is controlled by a terrorist group, and the player must fight their way through hordes of enemies to reach the hostages and complete their mission.
Graphics and Sound
Elevator Action Returns features impressive graphics for its time. The game’s sprites are large and detailed, and the backgrounds are filled with intricate details. The game’s soundtrack is also excellent, and features a mix of catchy tunes and intense sound effects.
Reception
Elevator Action Returns was a critical and commercial success upon its release. The game was praised for its intense gameplay, gritty setting, and excellent graphics and sound. Returns is still considered one of the best run-and-gun games ever made, and is a must-play for fans of the genre.
Legacy
Elevator Action Returns has had a lasting impact on the video game industry. The game’s unique elevator-based gameplay has been imitated in many other games, including Metal Slug and Contra. Returns is also credited with helping to popularize the run-and-gun genre in the early 1990s.
Conclusion
Elevator Action Returns is a classic arcade game that still holds up today. The game’s intense gameplay, gritty setting, and excellent graphics and sound make it a must-play for fans of run-and-gun games. If you’re looking for a challenging and rewarding arcade experience, then Elevator Action Returns is the game for you.
Tips for Playing Elevator Action Returns
- Use the elevators to your advantage. Elevators can be used to crush enemies, create shortcuts, and flank enemies.
- Use cover to avoid enemy fire. The game’s levels are filled with cover, so use it to your advantage to avoid getting hit.
- Be careful of the hostages. The hostages are essential to completing the game, so be careful not to harm them.
- Don’t be afraid to use grenades. Grenades can be very effective at clearing out large groups of enemies.
- Practice makes perfect. Elevator Action Returns is a challenging game, so don’t get discouraged if you die a few times. Just keep practicing and you’ll eventually master the game.
Review Score
8.5/10
Art
Cover Art
Screenshots
