3D Run 'n Guns (like One, for one)

[fingersmaloy]

So I picked up a copy of the PSX classic One yesterday (fun fact: It was published by Capcom in Japan!). It was sitting next to Apocalypse (featuring Bruce Willis) on the shelf, but since I've already owned Apocalypse once and have always been curious about One, I went with One.

It's crazy. It has all this intense action and these amazing set pieces that feel way ahead of their time, but everything's all but ruined by a few dated mechanics. Way too much crappy 3D jumping which causes instant death if you fail. The second level has a long segment where you're jumping from ledge to ledge, but the camera isn't any higher than the character, so you have to make like twenty blind jumps in a row, or you die and start over. Luckily, you have infinite continues and continues start you from the same checkpoint as a regular death, defeating the purpose of finite lives altogether (I suspect Capcom changed something to make it more forgiving).

Also, there's no life bar or hit points. Instead, killing enemies or destroying crap makes you more resistant to damage while simultaneously making your gun stronger and faster. If you take damage, your resistance/gun weaken a bit. When you pump your gun all the way up you can unleash a smart bomb, which begs the question: If you're doing well enough to kill lots of people without getting hit, do you really NEED the smart bomb? Shouldn't you start out with the smart bomb to help you in case you suck?

Overall, kind of an awesome shooter with some nearly unplayable segments.

Anyway, let's list all the 3D Run 'n Guns we can. It's kind of a neglected genre.

Assault: Retribution
Apocalypse
Neo Contra
Red Star
Cannon Spike

I've gotta run, so that's all I'll list for now. What other ones are good, bad, or otherwise notable?

[Hobie-wan]

Expendable - DC and others
Loaded - PS1 (Re-Loaded is terrible)
Shadow Grounds - PC
Shadow Grounds Survivor - PC ( haven't played this yet)

The 3d Gauntlet games sort of count.

[Bootaaay]

There was one on the Dreamcast...a launch title I think. It was in 3d and was a futuristic top-down/isometric perspective run & gun shooter.

*edit, Millenium Soldier: Expendable!

[fingersmaloy]

Is this all people got? Pretty slim pickin's. I'll concur that the Gauntlet games sorta count, but not that they're remarkable.

[J T]

Batallion Wars (GameCube)
Bionic Command Re:Armed (2.5D, but a great game for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC)
Contra: Shattered Soldier (2.5D, but a great game for PS2)
Crimson Sea 2 (PS2)
Gungrave
Gungrave: Overdose
Jak and Daxter series (PS2, PSP)
Lego Star Wars (multi-platform)
Madballs in Babo: Invasion (PC)
Maximo: Ghosts to Glory (PS2)
P.N.03 (GameCube)
Ratchet and Clank (PS2, PSP)
Silent Bomber (PS)
Synaesthete (Run n Gun/Music game, PC for free download)
Trine (PC, PS3)

[Metalcrack]

I suppose you can throw in Wet and Stranglehold for 360/PS3

[fingersmaloy]

Well, now we're just talking about any 3D shooting game. I'm looking for games more in One's specific style. Not sure how to qualify that. I would say Stranglehold and Wet are more like what that genre evolved into with Dead to Rights or Max Payne in between. The best examples I can think of are Apocalypse, One, and Assault: Retribution. Silent Bomber is close, except that you don't actually use a gun ever, which changes the way it feels entirely. I love that game though.

[Jrecee]

Charge n blast?

[J T]

Assault Heroes fits the description and is only $5 today on D2D:

http://www.direct2drive.com/2/5670/prod ... )-Download

[aaron]

JT, do you work for D2D or something?