I've become a big Vigilante fan since the PC Engine version arrived in the offices last month - and I've been awaiting the Sega version with anticipation. However, when I finally played it I came away with mixed feelings.
If you didn't read last month's C&VG (Naughty, naughty) you won't know that Vigilante is a five-level horizontally scrolling beat-'em-up in the same mould as the ageing arcade game, Kung-Fu Master. The objective is to walk through each level, kicking and punching a variety of thugs and the big end-of-level baddies, and rescue your girlfriend Madonna, who is bound to a crane on the final screen.
If you manage to beat the aptly-named Mr. Big on the last level, you can rescue her - fail, and she's doomed.
The arcade game is one of the fastest beat-'em-ups round, but unfortunately the Sega version has speed restrictions. The controls are sluggish, which makes the game quite tricky, and the collision detection is very finnicky - sometimes your kicks and punches seem to go through opponents, which causes immense frustration.
A flaw, which, incidentally, also applies to the PC Engine version, is that it's too easy. There's a continue option, which means you can easily go all the way through the game - I did on my first go!
Vigilante is nonetheless an enjoyable game - it's just a shame that it's marred. The graphics are pretty good - the backdrops are colourful and the sprites are nicely detailed, if a bit flickery at times, and the soundtrack is a note-for-note rendition of the arcade music.
Fans of arcade violence should enjoy Vigilante - but I don't think it'll appeal to anyone else.