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All RIGHT. Now
this is quite a cool prototype ROM that just hasn't gotten the exposure
it deserves. This is what appears to be a VERY early beta of Bare
Knuckle II, a.k.a. Streets of Rage II in the states.
This game is quite a bit different
from the released version. First off, take a look to the left.
You will notice all of the character faces on the select screen are different.
The game itself only has one
level. Most of the sound effects are completely missing, save for the same
repeating/looping diddy that the demo plays - it bears a resemblance to
what is in the final game, but is very different.
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| Now, another
major difference comes in with the main menu. You have the usual
1-player, 2-player, Options menu. However, 2-player freezes dGen
and Generator HARD - as in they need to quit the emulator before the game can be run
again. 1-player works perfectly, however the options screen is
completely different, and, in my opinion, the COOLEST part of this
beta. Instead
of the usual options screen - a screen appears where you can see EVERY
animation of every character in the game. Have fun! |
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Well, into the
game
itself. While this is arguably one of the greatest prototypes of
all time, the first level presented here in this beta is nearly identical
in layout to the final level. I mean, there's a few differences,
like nothing to smash to get Turkeys or Apples to recharge your health.
In fact, there is nothing but enemies in this level to fight. No
weapons, no powerups, no health recharges, NOTHING. Not to mention
that the collision detection isn't finalized as of yet - which if you
look at the picture to the left, Axel is standing on an open sewer... interesting.
Oh, and by the way, the game is hardwired to its absolute hardest dififculty...
good luck! |
| Collision
detection
means absolutely nothing to this game. When you reatch the first
boss of the first level, the guy that chucks all the knives at you,
he has the knives, but with one minor detail - you
cannot pick the knives up yourself to use against him! By the end of this scene, since
you are playing the game at its absolute hardest difficulty, there are
about 20 to 30 knives lying on the ground - this fight would take a minimum
of half the time it does if you could pick up the weapons and actually use
them against the boss.
Once again, please note the two trash cans that
are usually here, with the full-life turkeys are NOT present here... you're
on your own with no life recharges to help you! |
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Well, there's no between area
transitions - so
you just suddenly appear in the bar - and once again, there are no bonus
objects for you to destroy, so you're on your own as far as health goes.
I suppose that it should also be mentioned that the female characters are
NOT in this game - the two women that are the bosses in the bar are replaced
by normal enemies that are just 4 times as
hard. Bleh. |
| Welp, here's the boss you're all used to
for
the first level - the bartender runs out in the middle of the fight between
you and the boss in the bar and fights you outside. One minor detail
- he has *FOUR* stars of health. This may cause some problems for
you - he's just as difficult as he is in the usual game at the hardest
setting, except he has more life and does more damage. He still has
his posse - the four normal enemies that drop doun just to grab hold of
you and hold you for the boss to beat the shit out of you. The pathetic
special moves you have will not help you here. |
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Well, as usual in a proto, there are some problems.
Most have been described above, but there is one plaguing the final boss
of the level you can play. The bouncer/bartender will glitch-out
- as depicted to the left, and you CANNOT HIT the boss while he is glitched
out.
Fun.
Once you beat the boss, he just respawns with
full health - I've beaten him 6 times in one game myself and he simply does
not die. I;ve beaten him 6 times in one game - it's an endless loop
with no end.... |
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All in all, this ROM is interesting for a
couple of reasons. First off, it's interesting to me at least to
see what changes are made in the development process - you will notice
as you play many of the moves were completely reanimated and changed -
for example all of Axel's super moves are different in this beta.
I also like the fact that this isn't perfect and polished - you can see
errors and what needed to be done. Give it a try - it's at the very
least, interesting...
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