Game Boy :: Genesis :: NES :: Sega CD :: SNES :: TurboGrafx-16 :: Complete System Listings

Task Force Harrier EX review

Game: Task Force Harrier EX
Platform: Genesis
Genre: Scrolling Shooter (Vertical)
Developer: Jorudan

Staff review by Rob Hamilton

July 07, 2006

Growing up, my parents always told me that if I couldn’t say anything nice, not to say anything at all. Well, I never really got the hang of doing that, but (for the most part), I’ve found myself to be extremely diplomatic as far as at least making some sort of effort to temper my overwhelming negativity with something positive.

Case in point: Genesis arcade port Task Force Harrier EX did an admirable job of creating a consistent theme throughout many of its 13 levels. Between each stage, my pilot was given an objective that often was at least loosely tied to what I’d just done the previous level. Also, there was a logical progression, as I started over a tundra and advanced over oceans, cities and deserts on my way to the enemy base. I like there to be some degree of continuity in my shooters, so the effort Treco put into pulling that off was a pleasant surprise.

Too bad they screwed virtually everything else up, leaving me to muddle through a game that more resembled a low-quality remix of Raiden or 1943 than something I’d actually enjoy. It didn’t take me long to get my first hint this would not be a particularly fun experience. After completing the bland, but inoffensive, first stage, I noticed the second looked exactly the same. As did the third. And the fourth. Yep, this game possesses 13 stages and the first four were near-identical, with my plane flying over the Siberian tundra or some similarly frozen wasteland.

Fortunately, the fifth stage moved me from the icelands to an ocean and things started to improve as far as level variety goes. However, that improvement was negated by another problem that began making its presence felt. About midway through the game, Treco decided the action (which, with the exception of a couple bosses, had been very tame) needed to be more intense. And so, Task Force Harrier EX suddenly transformed into a manic shooter, with planes and tanks assailing me from all angles. One problem: the engine couldn’t handle all this intensity, causing me to suffer through periodic episodes of slowdown over a good number of stages. Nothing makes a merely unappealing game flat-out rancid quicker than consistent annoying technical difficulties.

But slowdown and boring stages weren’t the only things that annoyed or simply baffled me about this game. To not waste too much of your time (like I did with mine playing Task Force Harrier EX), I’ll be brief. The power-up system made little sense, as it seemed my plane would be stripped of powerful weaponry after virtually every level, forcing me to build it back up again. A couple of the more intense levels gave me a pair of small planes that seemed to act as a frontal shield to soak up a number of the plentiful bullets rained up me, but most simply had me rely on my reflexes and whatever power-ups I could scrounge from the enemy. Bosses were unbalanced, as one of the toughest and most frustrating fights I encountered was against a pair of small tanks at the end of the second level. I could go on, but you get the point....this simply is a poor, uninspired game.

But, hey! At least there is some sort of plotline connection from each level to the next and that has to count for something.....doesn’t it?

More Reviews by Rob Hamilton
	Space Megaforce (SNES) At heart, everything about this level is pretty simple and basic — heck, its boss fight really isn't much more than a large collection of those guns you'd been ...
	The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine (Xbox 360) In the priory basement is an enchanted pedestal which will convert this equipment into stronger versions as you increase in level. Since many rewards in this ga...
	Fuzzical Fighter (NES) Perhaps these two genres just weren't meant to be mashed together and that’s why they wound up feeling as compatible as the typical Hollywood relationship.

Feedback

If you enjoyed this Task Force Harrier EX review, you're encouraged to leave feedback and talk about it with members of the site's community. You don't even need an HonestGamers account to get involved in the discussion. Please remember to keep your comments respectful and on-topic or they may be deleted by a moderator. Thank you for your understanding!

comments powered by Disqus

© 1998-2013 HonestGamers
None of the material contained within this site may be reproduced in any conceivable fashion without permission from the author(s) of said material. This site is not sponsored or endorsed by Nintendo, Sega, Sony, Microsoft, or any other such party. Task Force Harrier EX is a registered trademark of its copyright holder. This site makes no claim to Task Force Harrier EX, its characters, screenshots, artwork, music, or any intellectual property contained within. Opinions expressed on this site do not necessarily represent the opinion of site staff or sponsors.