Is Po'ed any good?

[JohnnyDude]

I remembered PO'ed fondly, so I tried it out again. I had remembered fumbling with the controls, though, so I was somewhat prepared to chalk it up to a problem exacerbated by the framerate limitations. On the hardware, the framerate was pretty annoying. So I put it in the emulator instead. PO'ed seems to behave pretty well with the double-resolution and/or higher CPU speed in 4DO, so that made an instant improvement! (I feel as if I'm talking about 4DO a lot lately, sorry! )

Even with both of those going for it, I still find the game aggravating, and the primary reason was that I felt like I was tangling with the "slippery" movement of the character nonstop. I initially felt conflicted on this, because Immercenary's controls are pretty cumbersome too, but I love Immercenary! I think the difference is that PO'ed tacks on jumping puzzles and a jetpack. In Immercenary, it's mainly one big flat terrain.

I'd have other complaints, but that's the only significant one I had. I'm certainly not above hitting walking butts with frying pans or the meatball gun. As far as 3DO FPS-es with crippling frame rate, I'd have to say I prefer Killing Time.

[Trev]

I still find the game aggravating, and the primary reason was that I felt like I was tangling with the "slippery" movement of the character nonstop. I initially felt conflicted on this, because Immercenary's controls are pretty cumbersome too, but I love Immercenary! I think the difference is that PO'ed tacks on jumping puzzles and a jetpack. In Immercenary, it's mainly one big flat terrain.

I was thinking the same exact thing. Even though both games are pretty wide open, the vertical aspects of the levels of Po'ed makes the control take longer to get used to ... not to mention making it harder to find your way out.

[JohnnyDude]

I still find the game aggravating, and the primary reason was that I felt like I was tangling with the "slippery" movement of the character nonstop. I initially felt conflicted on this, because Immercenary's controls are pretty cumbersome too, but I love Immercenary! I think the difference is that PO'ed tacks on jumping puzzles and a jetpack. In Immercenary, it's mainly one big flat terrain.

I was thinking the same exact thing. Even though both games are pretty wide open, the vertical aspects of the levels of Po'ed makes the control take longer to get used to ... not to mention making it harder to find your way out.

I was definitely running into the problem of not being able to find my way out. If I remember right, sometimes it requires knowing about a secret or false wall!

And where's the danged music?

[FrumpleOrz]

Ah, reviving dead posts is fun.

I've been playing PO'ed the last couple of nights and it is really one of my favorite games. It probably helps that I played it when it came out as a kid and I was the PERFECT age for the fart monsters to seem like the greatest things in the world. The game's always stuck with me and I finally got a copy a few years ago but I never finished it because I was playing it on a Goldstar model and unknown to me at the time, it's one of the games that glitches out on that model. I was pretty upset.

Now, I've got it running on an FZ-1 and man, this game is a blast. I'm on Pompous (Medium Rare) right now and hopefully I'll actually finish the game this time! I just love dodging out of the way with the turbo jet pack and having to figure out which direction the threat is coming from after blasting out at the speed of sound. So much fun.

[a31chris]

What was interesting in the reviews ewhac did was how this version turned out better than the PSX with more colors. The why was very interesting.

[FrumpleOrz]

I think the PS1 version may be easier too. I think you might get unlimited jetpack fuel in that one. Can anyone confirm that/ I forget off the top of my head if that's for sure or not. It's been a while since I've played that version.

[Martin III]

I think the PS1 version may be easier too. I think you might get unlimited jetpack fuel in that one. Can anyone confirm that/ I forget off the top of my head if that's for sure or not. It's been a while since I've played that version.

Can you tell from this video?

[FrumpleOrz]

Yeah, it looks like there's no fuel bar in the PS1 version. In the 3DO edition, there's a bar that's right next to the Jetpack Icon in the upper left. The fuel is shared with the flamethrower ammo too.

[a31chris]

I bought this for my cousin on the PSX last year. Meant to grab it for 3do myself and see the differences but they sold the copy they had down here at the local retro store.

[NeoGeoNinja]

I have this on 3DO, but will have to pick it up for PS1 too.

Can never have too many old-school FPS's, even if it IS the same(ish) title on different platforms

[johnnycash]

It isn't just good, its the best FPS on 3do, maybe even the best game on 3do. And as the views seem to oppose that, i shall explain why:

It is quite smooth for a 3do game, and very ambitious for a FPS. You can fly about, the weapons are genuinely inventive (remote flying rocket) while also serving a purpose in the game and the graphics are decent. Its very playable and the levels are well designed.

Killing Time is ok but the endless mazes and lack of direction wear thin.

Space Hulk could have been ok with a bit more playability but actually it turns into pointless messages and inconsistent - unwinnable fights with genestealers. Very linear in scope, design, villains and weapons. And its slow.

Wolfienstein - Alright its ok, but basic to say the least.

Monster Manor - too basic. One weapon, boring levels.

Doom - no comment.

Po'ed shouldn't be played retrospectively and judged if you didn't play it first time round. Compared to Halo etc its awful of course, but at the time it was leagues ahead of anything on 3do and most other consoles too. Bearign in mind Pc fans were getting excited that Doom 2 had a DOUBLE BARREL shotgun, whoop te do. On the 3do you could fire a rocket and get inside it to direct it into a baddie.

I remember an Edge preview of it and the deisgners were actually even more ambitous than the game indicates, with a motorbike and tank to be included too bu they must have ran out of processing power.

It is excellent, get it and remember the FPS landscape at the time.

[3DOKid]

Woah.Wait.What? Space Hulk? You say what?

[sparker]

I have this on 3DO, but will have to pick it up for PS1 too.

Can never have too many old-school FPS's, even if it IS the same(ish) title on different platforms

The Wikipedia page states that there was a PC version developed but not released. Anyone come across this?