With a hero called Wayne and a damsel called Lucy, Sega s latest 8-bit beat-‘em-up sounds more like lemonade than Renegade. So does it play like fizzy pop or flat beer? Read on...

The trouble with having a girlfriend in New York is the minute you leave ‘em on the street while you pop to the loo, some motorbike gang (hired by an evil boss) comes along and kidnaps them. You have to spend the whole of the weekend up to your eyeballs in fists trying to find ‘em!

Such is the case with Wayne. His nearest and dearest, Lucy, has gone missing and he just has to find her. Off he sets, armed only with his wits, a Pierre Cardin shirt and deadly knowledge of the martial arts. Wayne can call on one of his friends for a two-player battle.

The first scene is down in the subway, where knife-wielding maniacs surround you. They’re not very sporting and love to gang up on you.

Thanks to the control method, lethal back-kicks and overarm throws can be used, so when you’ve got your back to an opponent, you can kick crud out of ‘em while punching the bloke in front of you! Other moves include a standing kick, knee butt and flying kick.

After two stages of normal fighting, you face an end-of-level baddy. These come in all shapes and sizes, though most of them have a skinhead haircut (probably use the same barter as Ade!).

Later levels include docks, palaces and even a motorway, where you get the chance to ride a Harley while kicking other bikers off a cliff!

Dust off your knuckledusters and practice you macrame ‘cos Lucy’s waiting for ya. If you don’t get her home in time for Oprah Winfrey she’ll be well annoyed! Take to the streets and dish out some action. It’s a tough world out there so you’ve got to be tougher. Can you handle all out action and excitement? You better pal!

Paul snarls... ‘KNUCKLE-BUSTING ACTION!’

What a refreshing change, an ancient 8-bit computer game converted to the MS. Admittedly, this doesn’t sound too hot an idea, but when I tell you Renegade was a great beat-’em-up in its day, the idea sounds more palatable!

Renegade has been converted well. Unlike computer versions, the graphics aren’t blocky and it moves and plays extremely well. The control method’s been changed for the joypad and it’s a change for the better. Moves are instinctive and because of this the action comes thick and fast.

Renegade offers some great knuckle-busting action to anyone who’s prepared to forget about the Streets Of Rage and Street Fighter IIs of this world. It’s very simple without being boring and fun without being too much of a pushover. You’ll probably complete it in a day or so but you’ve always got the two-player option to keep coming back to.

If you want an MS game with that magic ingredient — fun! — you could do much worse than to check out Renegade.

PAUL 79%

Warren snaps... ‘SWITCH IT OFF’

You might think Renegade’s a completely new game. It’s new to the MS, but the concept is so old it won’t thrill 8-bit fans. The gameplay of the Renegade coin-op was Double Dragon but with grittier, graphics and moves. Translated to the Master System, the visuals have lost their edge.

Sprites are attired in jeans and T-shirts and sport slicked-back hairstyles. They hobble around in basic animation and fight in remarkably tidy streets. Likewise, music and FX are bland and inoffensive.

I have to disagree with Paul. Yes, the baddies come thick and fast, and the control system’s clever. But play a level or two and there’s little variety in moves and gameplay.

I found it all rather dull actually. You’d better try this before parting with your dosh.

WARREN 55%

SF Rating

Presentation

78 - Intro sequence, selectable difficulty level and two-player simultaneous game

Visuals

80 - Great for an MS. Big, bold, bright and well suited to the game

Sonics

60 - Typical bouncy MS theme, but rock ‘n’ roll for a beat-em-up?!

Playability

70 - Well thought-out controls. The baddies get a bit overwhelming a times

Lastability

65 - On Hard level it won’t take long to. The two-player option is more fun

67

Above-average beat-’em-up. Definitely worth a look

Producer

Sega

MS

Out now

Players

1-2

Price

£34.99

Rating

67

Reviewer

Sega Force magazine

Region

UK

Scans

Sega Force - Issue 16

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