Blaster Master: Blasting Again
Blaster Master: Blasting Again (known as Blaster Master in Japan) is the fifth video game in the Blaster Master series. It was released for the PlayStation. The release of the original game had a different plot, but this title is a follow-up to the Worlds of Power adaptation in all regions. It was released in Japan on July 13, 2000, and was supposed to be released in North America on November 7, 2000,[1] but issues with the game caused it to be delayed until it got a release on May 6, 2001.
Blaster Master: Blasting Again | |
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Developer(s) | Sunsoft |
Publisher(s) |
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Director(s) | Kiyoshi Kitabayashi |
Producer(s) | Naoki Matsunaga |
Programmer(s) | Kiyoshi Kitabayashi |
Writer(s) | Junji Miyoshi Naoki Matsunaga |
Composer(s) | Satoshi Asano |
Platform(s) | PlayStation |
Release | |
Genre(s) | Action-adventure |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Gameplay
Blaster Master: Blasting Again is a third-person 3D platformer that puts the player at the controls of the high-tech, all-terrain combat vehicle SOPHIA J-7. The player navigates through several areas of caverns to uncover and ultimately stop the treacherous plans of a mysterious alien race of Lightning Beings. On some occasions the player's character must exit SOPHIA and go solo through alien complexes. As the game progresses, the player will earn upgrades for SOPHIA, and be able to salvage weapon upgrades for the pilot. The player views cut-scenes that convey the key elements in the story. The character will fight a boss at the end of each stage.
The player's character is Roddy, a sixteen-year-old boy at the helm of an all-terrain combat vehicle, SOPHIA. The player pilots SOPHIA through a labyrinth of 3D rooms in search of clues to the enemy's movements. Occasionally the player will encounter enemy installations or limiting topography that will force Roddy to leave Sophia, and advance on foot. As the game progresses, new equipment will be made available for SOPHIA, allowing access to new areas.
Plot
Development
Although the game is a sequel to the original Blaster Master for the NES, the writers of Blasting Again used elements from the Worlds of Power novelization of Blaster Master in the game's storyline. Particularly, the character of Eve, an original character from the novel who was not in the NES game, was introduced in Blasting Again as the wife of Jason and the mother of Roddy and Elfie. The novel's author, Peter Lerangis, felt "honored" for the privilege.[2]
Reception
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The game received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[3]
References
- Helgeson, Matt (December 2000). "Blaster Master: Blasting Again". Game Informer (92): 112.
- Struck, Shawn; Sharkey, Scott (August 3, 2006). "8-Bit Lit: Inside the NES' Worlds of Power Series (Page 3)". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2011. Retrieved November 22, 2008.
- "Blaster Master: Blasting Again for PlayStation". GameRankings. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
- EGM staff (December 2000). "Blaster Master: Blasting Again". Electronic Gaming Monthly.
- Provo, Frank (September 7, 2000). "Blaster Master: Blasting Again Review". GameSpot. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
- "Blaster Master". Official UK PlayStation Magazine. Future Publishing (62). September 2000.
- "Blaster Master: Blasting Again". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. November 2000.