Snatcher is a gaming classic, but this port fails to add anything new and shows its age on this newer hardware.
First thing that is wrong is the introductions in the game which has been rendered in computer animation. Not only do they look out of place with the hand-drawn 2D graphics, but they are poorly animated and look disgusting. Because of the more powerful hardware, all the game has been re-drawn for the 32-bit processor with the characters now in more detail then ever. The characters look incredible and very serious looking in comparison to previous versions of Snatcher which had a slightly cartoon look. This in a way suits the game's mature theme, which is quite refreshing. Also the backgrounds have much more depth and the cut-scenes now features slicker animation then seen in previous versions of Snatcher. Giving the cinematic sequences more life then ever before. A new soundtrack has been recorded with a few tracks from the older versions. What has been composed doesn't give the game the same fear and suspense that was felt in the earlier incarnations of Snatcher. Sometimes the music has been foolishly dimmed into the background and hardly can be heard at times.
Developers have definitely went through the game's content with a fine tooth brush and have made the game more tamed. The scene with a man's head broken off is now rendered in black and white with his head only visible to the player for a short period. A rotting corpse in the morgue has now been blurred; however they strangely didn't eliminate the nudity and numerous mature terms. Which makes any of the censoring the scenes pointless.
Gameplay is the same as the previous releases of Snatcher. The player must interact with the area and people in a certain way to move the story. The story hasn't changed in any major way, so if you have played the PC-Engine or Mega CD version of Snatcher don't expect anything new. It still has the however is the same great story that made the past incarnations memorable classics, however some major changes to it would have been welcomed. Some minor dialogue has been cut and some additional has been added, but none of it contributes to the overall story. In order to add some excitement to the slow paced gameplay some shooting sequences have been thrown in. Taking place in a first person perspective the later ones can be quite challenging for a person with rusty reflexes.
While this game may be a port of one the finest cinematic games of all time. Snatcher on the Playstation isn't as superb as the Mega CD or PC-Engine version, but is far from being dreadful. It just doesn't feel right on this type of hardware and the lack of any additional content makes this game not worth playing for those who have experienced the previous 16 bit Snatchers.
GAME SUMMARY
Graphics – 6/10
While it contains the most detailed graphics and animation of all versions. The graphics however could have been more detailed and some of the graphics rendered by a computer feel out of place.
Sound – 5/10
The great voice performance is still there, but the new soundtrack sufficates the atmosphere.
Gameplay – 10/10
While the pace of the game is slow, the near limitless interaction with the game makes you a part of the time and place.
Length -7/10
Snatcher will only take a short 8 hours at the most to finish, but it can kid you in to playing a second time.
Overall - 7/10
Snatcher is a gaming classic, but this port fails to add anything new and shows its age on this hardware.