Bravoman (TurboGrafx-16)

It's based on an arcade game apparently, so it's probably not going to be an epic rpg adventure.

Whoa, that hair is amazing. That whole outfit is amazing.

It's like he realised he was going bald and thought 'well fuck, if I can't have my hair the way it was, then I'll dye it purple and have it look like someone just nuked my head.' Just to as a 'fuck you' to nature itself.

Hmm, I don't know if I can trust this guy. He seems pretty friendly, but it's a little suspicious when people I meet have to tell me that they're my friend. Surely if we were such good friends I'd already know who he was, right? And all I know about this guy is that he and Bravoman get their shoes from the same shop.

Uh... accident! Total accident, sorry mate. Well I guess he ain't my friend no more.

On the plus side, I've figured out I've got super extendible kicks.

Ah, I'm allowed to punch these guys. Hitting things is easy when you have awesome stretchy arms. Plus holding the button longer lets me punch further.

I just wish he wouldn't shout 'Bravo!' every time he did it.

Damn! More games need to have a kick like that. Got that guy from half a screen away.

This game looks a bit rough, but it does have some charm to it. Also I've got to give it credit for putting the hero off center to the left, so I can see what's coming up.

Hey, so the game isn't just about walking right and punching waves of enemies! Sometimes I get to jump up barrels too.

I can also backtrack, but only a little bit. Just enough to let me walk back and have another attempt at a difficult jump I guess.

Chouzetsu Rinjin Beraboh Man (Arcade)

The arcade version is very similar, but has more enemies, more colours, better scrolling etc. The Turbografx version definitely has shinier barrels though.

Oh darn, it's an evil totem pole.

This seemed like a good idea at the time, but his neck is going to be aching so bad when he wakes up tomorrow.

Chouzetsu Rinjin Beraboh Man (Arcade)

Weirdly the totem monster isn't the final level boss on the arcade version. Once you beat him you have to fight DARK BRAVOMAN as well. But he hasn't bothered to turn up in this port so the totem pole is all I've got.

If food gives me extra health, then hell yeah I'll take whatever you've got! Wait, I don't have to pay for this do I?

I don't? Now this guy is a real friend! Not like that useless Alfa guy who bailed on me right at the start.

Level two, and Bravoman has switched to amphibious mode. Now the game's become a pure shooter.

It's hard to tell, but I've switched to firing bombs instead of torpedoes. These things arc downwards, so I've got some options in combat.

The second boss is the weirdest looking water dragon I've ever seen. That top head is actually on the end of his tail. And of course both heads fire little balls of hurt at me. Plus that green guy riding the thing fires off a third shot every now and again, making dodging out of the way just that little be more difficult.

And that's my excuse for why I just got killed.

Chouzetsu Rinjin Beraboh Man (Arcade)

Damn, the arcade version throws way more at you. Suddenly the TG-16 one doesn't seem so bad, I reckon I could take it. Yeah, I'm going to come back, and I'm going to win this fight!

Fortunately I've got extra lives in this game.

Yeah, it was pure luck that I was able to press that button within a ten second countdown.


LATER.

Dying put me back right back at the start of the level. But this time the enemy boss goes down.

It only took me three tries!


LATER.

Typical asshole boss, jumps around and throws stuff at me. And I'm being my typical idiot self and failing to get out of the way in time.

Stop moving for a second so I can hit you! Yeah this really isn't working out.


LATER.

This is my final life now, my final chance to defeat that boss. So it'd be really nice if I could reach it without losing any more health to these things.

This seems to be a second path through the level, though I can't tell if it's any better for me. I haven't been counting, but I get the feeling that this way has more snakes. But snakes are wimps so it's all good.

And... total failure again. I really don't know what to do about that 'pin me in a corner and drop stuff on me' attack.

And I don't really feel like replaying the entire game to give it another shot.

You got that right.

Chouzetsu Rinjin Beraboh Man (Arcade)

And Bravoman decides to call it a night and goes home to his family. The end.


Well it's all right. It's not broken or massively frustrating to play. But it's no Jackie Chan's Action Kung Fu either. Next game.