Snatcher

[Arkham Inmate]

Developer: Konami

Publisher: Konami

Designer: Hideo Kojima

Platform(s): NEC PC-8801mkIISR, MSX 2, PC-Engine, Sega CD, PlayStation, Sega Saturn

 

 

Snatcher is a cyberpunk-themed adventure game published by Konami, written and directed by Hideo Kojima. It was first released in Japan in 1988 for the NEC PC-8801mkIISR and MSX2 computer platforms, followed by a remade CD-ROM version for the PC Engine in 1992, as well versions for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn in 1996. An English version was released for the Sega CD/Mega-CD in 1994 in North America and Europe.

 

Snatcher is set in a bleak future where a breed of artificial lifeforms, the titular "Snatchers", are killing humans and taking their place in society. The player takes role of Gillian Seed, a newly-recruited agent of the Anti-Snatcher organization JUNKER, who is assigned to investigate the menace.

 

The game is set in a primarily first person perspective and uses a menu-based interface that allows the protagonist (Gillian Seed) to interact with his environment. The player can choose to "Look", "Investigate", "Talk", "Ask" and "Move" (in addition to other options) to acquire key items or receive vital information from other characters. The player can analyze items in Gillian's belongings or show it to other characters. The player uses Metal Gear (Gillian's robotic assistant) to communicate with other characters via a videophone or save their current progress. During key points of the game's story, the player must pass shooting sequences to defend Gillian from assailants. These shooting segments uses a 3x3 grid which the player can target to fire at enemies. A shooting trainer, called "Junker's Eyes", is accessible at Junker HQ that allows the player to measure their accuracy.

 

Plot:

On June 6, 1996, a chemical weapon known as Lucifer-Alpha under development in Chernoton, Russia, is released into the atmosphere, resulting in the death of 80% of the Eurasian population which in turn results in the death of half of the world's population. The contaminated area becomes uninhabitable for a decade, when Lucifer-Alpha mutates into a non-lethal form. This tragic event later becomes known as "the Catastrophe".

 

Fifty years later, a breed of artificial life-forms or bioroids known as "snatchers" began appearing in the artificial island of Neo Kobe City, killing their victims and taking their place in society. Nobody knows exactly what they are or where they come from. As Gillian Seed, an amnesiac working for an Anti-Snatcher task force called J.U.N.K.E.R., the player's goal is to track down the source of the snatchers and discover Gillian's mysterious connections with them.

[Arkham Inmate]

Just finished the game...its a must play for fans of Kojima. The game reminds you of Blade Runner and even has a few references to

Metal Gear