Another World

[vapidsage]

So I got my copy from the third batch of Another World cartridges for Jag, and I'm pleased with my purchase.  Don't know if anyone cares about my review, but I wouldn't mind sparking a discussion about comparisons between versions that goes to interesting new places.

Another World is one of those interesting games that changes from platform to platform depending on the developers and the platform's capabilities, just like Doom, and in that way it's absolutely fascinating--along with the fact that it's just a damn good game.

The first version of the game I played was a Mac demo, then I got the SNES cart.  It wasn't bad at the time, being my first playthrough of the whole thing and considering that I hadn't yet become discerning in my assessment of games.  By the time I'd played the 3DO and Sega CD versions, however, I was spoiled by them and didn't go back to the SNES for that game.  After all, both those versions had CD-quality music, the 3DO had those excellent remastered backgrounds and the Sega CD had a whole sequel on it!  So, of course, in the 2020s I got an opportunity to see what could become of the game on the Jag, and I took it.

 

Another World, especially under the development of the people who ported it, demonstrates why the Jag is a worthy machine.  It's smooth and looks good, and the sounds are beefy and crisp.  It seems this version includes more sounds overall, perhaps--I noticed when I was kicking the slugs, Lester gave a little grunt every single time.  This is along with his yell if you go for the fine when the monster's not chasing you.  There's less music than other versions, and I'm not sure if it's because of the issue that prevented music in JagDoom or just a stylistic choice.  The best stylistic choice was, perhaps, the inclusion of the remastered backgrounds from the 20th Anniversary Edition of the game; though not presented in their full original resolution, the Jag is easily capable of their 256 colors.  And though they're not as pretty as the 3DO backgrounds, they're simple but elegant.

 

I'm not sure if I just didn't wait long enough, but the easter egg at the end of the second level didn't appear to have been included somehow.  It's not too surprising, though, considering that I've seen a playthrough by Eric Chahi himself on Youtube and he didn't wait around for it.  I don't even know if anyone here will know what I'm talking about, but let's find out.  After Buddy drops you into that shaft, if you wait around for a moment, the guard gets the door open.  You can see his feet approach Buddy's feet.  After not too long, his feet then disappear.  I figure that must mean Buddy's picked him up off the ground to beat him up.  Anybody else found this before?

[+jeremiahjt]

I do not have a lot of experience with Out of This World/Another World. I never played any version as a kid. I have the Super NES version and have only played through a couple of screens when I tested it.

 

I do have Heart of the Alien for Sega CD. I have played enough to get captured and escape the cage, but not much farther. I actually got farther just testing out my Jaguar copy today after it arrived in the mail.

 

Are all the versions pretty close? Do they at least have the same screens?

 

Edit: Apparently I have the 3DO version too, but I have no recollection of playing.

Edited May 16, 2022 by jeremiahjt
3DO version

[Zerosquare]

49 minutes ago, jeremiahjt said:

Are all the versions pretty close? Do they at least have the same screens?

IIRC some versions do have extra screens, but I think they play identically otherwise.

 

18 hours ago, vapidsage said:

There's less music than other versions, and I'm not sure if it's because of the issue that prevented music in JagDoom or just a stylistic choice.

Except for the backgrounds, the Jaguar version is basically based on the original Amiga version (but with a largely rewritten engine). That version only had music during the intro and the ending. The in-game music in console versions you mention was added by the publishers against Éric Chahi's wishes.

Edited May 17, 2022 by Zerosquare

[vapidsage]

10 hours ago, jeremiahjt said:

I do have Heart of the Alien for Sega CD. I have played enough to get captured and escape the cage, but not much farther. I actually got farther just testing out my Jaguar copy today after it arrived in the mail.

 

Are all the versions pretty close? Do they at least have the same screens?

 

Edit: Apparently I have the 3DO version too, but I have no recollection of playing.

I definitely recommend playing the 3DO version for the awesome backgrounds.  And Heart of the Alien for the one-of-a-kind cutscenes!

 

10 hours ago, Zerosquare said:

IIRC some versions do have extra screens, but I think they play identically otherwise.

 

Except for the backgrounds, the Jaguar version is basically based on the original Amiga version (but with a largely rewritten engine). That version only had music during the intro and the ending. The in-game music in console versions you mention was added by the publishers against Éric Chahi's wishes.

To address what you've both said about the screens, as far as I could tell, there were all the same screens I'm familiar with from all the other console versions I've played (and I guess the only one missing from my experience is Sega Genesis and, of course, recent re-released like Switch or PS4 or whatever the kids are playing now).  I thought I recalled reading about stages that weren't in the original, but I can't find anything about them currently. this stage is in the Jaguar version but not in the original Amiga: http://earok.net/game/another-world-lost-level.  That must be what you guys are talking about, as I recognize it from other console versions.  It is interesting that Cinemascope mode didn't make the cut from Amiga, and those scorpions in the first level didn't either.

Edited May 17, 2022 by vapidsage

[Stage_1_Boss]

The Jaguar version of Another World is awesome.  The one thing that stuck out to me that felt like it made the Jaguar version unique (other than speedy mode) was the color palette.  The underground being most noticeable to me with the glow of the green light.

[Editorb]

How much does it blur the line between game and cinema? I was dragged into the abyss by tentacles several times before I realized it wasn't part of the opening scene.

 

I seem to have a penchant for letting worms kill me. I managed to lure the creature to the vine and start making way back once. Then I gave up ... for now ...

[vapidsage]

I mean, a lot and not a lot.  It's limited by graphics, obviously.  But it's really the closest thing in video games of the time.  You had the option of full-on RPGs like Final Fantasy or whatever, but I never liked those.  It manages to be cinematic in the way a video game should be--cinematic in action.  So you're playing out the scenes for the most part rather than, say, reading them.  And it is pretty scripted regardless.

[MikeA]

I'm stuck in this game. 

 

Password is CJEA, right after the escape, about 5-8 minutes in.  I go to the right, take the elevator to the top and look out at the view, which gives me a cutscene.  I take the elevator down two levels and go to the left.  I am in a room where I need to charge up my gun to destroy the wall.  The problem is that as soon as I charge destroy the wall, the guard below INSTANTLY reacts, destroys all 3 walls blocking him instantly, and begins firing nonstop.  I have no time to get downstairs before he begins firing, so that means I instantly die when I fall down to the level below.  In all the Youtube walkthroughs I've seen of this part, the guard reacts slowly and gives you plenty of time to escape. 

 

Is the Jaguar version broken or am I just missing something?

[+jeremiahjt]

29 minutes ago, MikeA said:

I'm stuck in this game. 

 

Password is CJEA, right after the escape, about 5-8 minutes in.  I go to the right, take the elevator to the top and look out at the view, which gives me a cutscene.  I take the elevator down two levels and go to the left.  I am in a room where I need to charge up my gun to destroy the wall.  The problem is that as soon as I charge destroy the wall, the guard below INSTANTLY reacts, destroys all 3 walls blocking him instantly, and begins firing nonstop.  I have no time to get downstairs before he begins firing, so that means I instantly die when I fall down to the level below.  In all the Youtube walkthroughs I've seen of this part, the guard reacts slowly and gives you plenty of time to escape. 

 

Is the Jaguar version broken or am I just missing something?

Go to the floor under that one and knock out the power center, or whatever it is, first. With the power off the guard now has to charge his blaster each time to get through the three doors. The power center is also guarded.

[MikeA]

1 hour ago, jeremiahjt said:

Go to the floor under that one and knock out the power center, or whatever it is, first. With the power off the guard now has to charge his blaster each time to get through the three doors. The power center is also guarded.

Thank you! Just passed this part with your help.  How did I miss this?  Kinda laughing at myself a bit.

[UHATEIT]

This is definitely a tough game. Online there are codes for basically every other system but nowhere did I find the level codes for the Atari Jaguar version. I made it pretty far but am completely stuck at one spot where I'm standing there just recreating barrier walls for myself as these guys run in with lasers and they always end up breaking them down. But here are the level codes I have thusfar if this helps anyone looking through this thread or for years to come until someone gets all the codes: 

 

level 1 - CJJJ
level 2 - RNGA
level 3 - TXAJ
level 4 - CJEA
level 5 - ACCG
level 6 - CJXW
level 7 - TGGE
level 8 - GWXP
level 9 - LJEX
level 10 - PTCA
level 11 - LXGR
level 12 - XLPX
level 13 - PLNT
level 14 - XCPJ
level 15 - WCRR
level 16 - NNAN
level 17 - TELN
level 18 - RJRX

[+-^CrossBow^-]

My first time playing the game was under the name Out of this World when I played it for MsDOS on my 286 way back when. I believe I had my soundblaster card by then so I remember all the sounds taking place pretty much the same as on the Jaguar version. I also own the 20th anni release for the PC and near as I can tell, aside from the resolution differences, they look and play the same way between the PC and Jag versions of the game.

 

I think it is safer to say that the Jag version was ported more from the 20th anniversary release vs any of the original console platforms back then.

 

I'm not sure I've even known about the wait around bit being discussed earlier in the thread though? I will have to look that up and see what that is about?

 

[sirlynxalot]

I recently learned about Future Wars Time Travelers, a game Eric Chahi worked on before Another World.  The graphics in that game bear some resemblance to the beautiful style used in Another World imo. Seems like there is an Atari ST port... would be cool to have on Jaguar ?

 

 

 

 

[Paul Westphal]

I just found a STe DMA port of the game :

http://www.atari.8bitchip.info/SCRSH/fuws.html

[dilinger]

There is a recent tentative port of Heart of the Alien: Out of this World part II for Atari Jaguar. No optimisations and no audios.

 

Intro

 

Gameplay

[UHATEIT]

So we may see a port of Heart of the Alien on the Jaguar? 

[dilinger]

32 minutes ago, UHATEIT said:

So we may see a port of Heart of the Alien on the Jaguar? 

Not really, the amount of work to make it commercial doesn't make much sense. The game is (very) short too.

[sirlynxalot]

Another world is also extremely short if you're able to do a perfect play through and avoid all the cheap deaths. Seems like the speedruns for both games hover around 9 minutes.

Edited June 17, 2022 by sirlynxalot

[youxia]

Maybe, but speedruns aren't really good indicators of a game's real length. Apparently you can finish Zelda: Ocarina Of Time under 4 hours, but that's not how it was for most people...