Tempest 2000 - quite possibly the most insane and frantic shooter in existence.

To tell the truth, I never really cared for the arcade version of Tempest ...sure, it had an amazingly original look compared to the other games of the past, and it sure was unique, but it never really got me hooked. That in mind, I didn't exactly have high expectations for Tempest 2000.

This game is fantastic. Hell, I'd be willing to say it's one of the best games I've ever played, it's that good. While it may take awhile to get the hang of it (keeping up with the frenetic pace of things), you'll be lighting up the webs in no time, and loving every minute of it.

If you weren't previously savvy to the concept behind this marvelous game, Tempest 2000 takes place on various colourful ..'webs', and you take the role of a little yellow claw that zips around the edge blasting everything that comes up from the bottom. And let me tell you, there are a lot of things that come crawling up from the pit of those damn webs...and that's why you have several weapons at your disposal, to aid in the clean-up of pesky enemies..

[GRAPHICS]

This game looks terrific. Sure, sometimes there's a little bit of slowdown, but you hardly notice it with all the action. At any rate, it looks great, with Melt-O-Vision graphics and pixel explosions everywhere, all the damn time. They get in the way of the web sometimes, but it sure looks cool...you'll find that you have to look through the trippy eye-candy sometimes.

It's hard to describe the webs - they're constructed of polygons, and go from simple designs (a circle) to frustrating behemoths (that damn four-pointed star), and are portrayed in brilliant colour (depending on the game mode you choose)...the enemies aren't quite as visually stimulating, but they look crisp and clean, although that may be due to the lack of textures.

The bonus stages are very impressive, as well. Especially the one reminiscent of an acid trip, where everytime you pass through a ring, the screen blurs, and total disorientation results...awesome!

There's even a starfield that zips along behind the webs, and the design that it portrays changes from level to level.

All in all, Tempest 2000 was the first system showcase of the Jaguar - it even looks great 9 years after its release.

[SOUND FX/MUSIC]

The tunes are pure techno rave, and the sound effects are...are...dare I say, perfect? Hell, I can't find a single thing to complain about. There are plenty of explosions, blaster fire, various zips and zaps, more explosions, and you can't forget the insane "YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!" when you collect a power-up while warping to the next level. Nice use of voice. And did I mention the music is great?

[GAMEPLAY]

Whoa ho, fabulous. I've read complaints on other people's reviews of T2K that the control is a little iffy, but personally I found no problems with it (well, maybe a few - this game was designed for a rotary controller, after all...). During bonus rounds, it's a little touchy, especially during the Jupiter River and Acid Trip - also, sometimes it can be hard to tell exactly where you are on the screen when in these bonus stages, and may sometimes miss the ring entirely if you're unlucky. But let's face it, Tempest 2000 excels in gameplay. Shooting fans should (if they haven't already) check this game out, it's well worth the time and effort, and it also happens to be one hell of a challenge (although I have beaten it, once -- difficult as hell, and I don't think I'll ever be able to finish off this game on Beastly Mode).

And here is yet another positive quality, it's four games in one. ..in a manner of speaking. Tempest 2000 includes Traditional, Plus, 2000, and Duel.

Traditional Tempest isn't bad, but it's bland compared to 2000. Tempest Plus is better than Traditional, but can't match 2000 (although there is an interesting 2 player mode that's worth checking out). Then there's 2000, the high point of the various games - it's a hideous amount of fun, but can be incredibly frustrating at times.

Finally, there's Duel ... which, I hate to say, isn't nearly as high quality as the rest of the cartridge. It's just not fun - simultaneous play in Plus mode is the way to go with two players.

[OVERALL]

Tempest 2000 is a GREAT game. I cannot stress this enough. If you have a Jaguar, you probably have this game already, or are planning on purchasing it very very soon. If you don't have a Jag, well...I guess you could settle for the PC version, or the Sega Saturn version, or even the Playstation version (Tempest X3). But personally, I prefer Tempest 2000, Jaguar style. One of my all time favourites, yessir. Great graphics, great sound, great gameplay; it all adds up to a nearly flawless game. Here's what I thought of it all, at a glance:

[GRAPHICS] - 9.5/10

[SOUND FX/MUSIC] - 10/10

[GAMEPLAY] - 9.8/10

[OVERALL] - 9.7/10 (not an average)