Comix Zone

Pros • perfect comic book style graphics • comes with a music cd • great concept	Cons • nothing new in the gameplay department • crummy sound • it's a little short
Bottom Line All quibbling aside, this is one to grab. Was there a game with a cooler idea in 1995? If there was, I sure didn't see it. Comix Zone is exactly what I think of every time I hear the much overused phrase "Interactive Comic Book". This one doesn't ask much from you other than quick button pushing reflexes and an innate knowledge of when and where to release your special weapons but the design and execution of this title are so sharp, you just can't help but fall for it. The thing that kept coming back for me was why can't Batman games be this cool?

Was there a game with a cooler idea in 1995? If there was, I sure didn't see it. Comix Zone is exactly what I think of every time I hear the much overused phrase "Interactive Comic Book". This one doesn't ask much from you other than quick button pushing reflexes and an innate knowledge of when and where to release your special weapons but the design and execution of this title are so sharp, you just can't help but fall for it. The thing that kept coming back for me was why can't Batman games be this cool?

In all actuality though, Comix Zone does little to stretch past the Final Fightish formulaic construction that so many of these kinds of games come wrapped up in. Essentially, you can sum up the gameplay as: you jump into a frame and start punching and kicking everything in sight. Not completely satisfying but definitely enough to divert your attention for a while. The sheen and polish of the package were enough to sustain my interest for longer than I'd care to admit.

Comix Zone can't be faulted in the graphics department. The comic book panel construction has been expertly crafted. The graphics artists didn't go through Casper books for their ideas, they went straight to the creme de la creme DC and Marvel books and lifted ideas for framing and environment straight off their pages. The greatest complement I can give to the visuals of this game is the fact that they're good enough to print onto glossy graphic novel paper.

As for the story? Well, I'd have to say that the fictional proceedings in Comix Zone fall about 1000 feet below the level of Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns. We're not talking anything too complex here, just straight forward world dominating alien stuff and the much used concept of sucking the comic book creator, Sketch Turner, into his own paneled environments. I think that any comic book artist in his right mind would probably be dreadfully embarrassed to say that his first name is in fact "Sketch" - but that's just me.

One element of the story that really works is having Mortus, the evil boss bad guy who has escaped the artist-hero's pages and is existing in the "reality" dimension, draw a bunch of problems (read: baddies) for him as he progresses through the book. The animation of the gigantic hand popping into view and quickly illustrating a creature to take on Sketch is inspired and boy does it look sharp on the crystalline screen of the Nomad.

The audio of Comix Zone is pretty crummy. There's been some real work done here, don't get me wrong. There are tons of scratchy vocal samples and the options screen even features a juke box which will let you play the entire $99 dollar, 16 key, Casio electronic keyboard created score, one irritating track at time. Since the 32 bitters have fallen from the sky, these 16 bit anthems are just hurtin'. I did like the Elvis take on "Sega" at the boot up though.

One cool thing about sounds and Comix Zone is the free American Recordings CD that comes packed into every box. This disc features cuts from all kinds of artists. They crammed Danzig and MC 900 FT Jesus on here so you know the tunes will be fresh, varied and eclectic just how we like 'em here in the Playground. Look for a review on this platter later.

The controls of Comix Zone are about as complex as you remember every other variant of Streets of Rage/Final Fight to be. One button to jump, one to hit (punch or kick) and one to block and if you want to get fancy, 'X', 'Y' and 'Z' to activate those power ups you collect on the way. At least the game features a barrel full of combos and other assorted aggressive attacks. Watching Sketch perform the ballet of brutality is swell, but I'd sure like to be able to handle some of these attacks with more than one button. There's no reason why Street Fighter 2 moves couldn't have been utilized. Oh, well.

Comix Zone is one incredibly slick videogame. I had a pretty good idea that I was going to dig this diversion immensely and I do. I wish there was a little more variety to the gameplay and I'd like to have more control with the fighting. Perhaps there should be a chance to play the game from the enemy's perspective. And it should definitely be longer. But all quibbling aside, this is one to grab.

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