Elevator Action Returns

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Elevator Action Returns (エレベーターアクション リターンズ), released as Elevator Action II in North America, is a side-scrolling action game by Taito Corporation originally released for the arcades in 1994 as a sequel to the 1983 arcade game Elevator Action. Elevator Action Returns retains the elevator-based gimmick from the original, but expands the gameplay system and replaces the spy motif with a new scenario involving a paramilitary team fighting against a terrorist group.

The mostly well-received game was ported to the Sega Saturn and released as a Japan-only title named Elevator Action² Returns in 1997, and later included in Taito Legends 2 compilation release for the PlayStation 2, Windows and Xbox in 2006.

Gameplay

The controls consists of an eight-way joystick and two action buttons (shoot and jump). The objective of the game is to enter all the red-colored doors in each stages and then proceed to the exit. If the player misses a door, he or she will not be allowed to go any further after a certain point. Each player has a health gauge that shows the amount of damage that his or her character is allowed to sustain; when the gauge reaches zero, the player will lose a life. Many additions have also been made to the play mechanics such as four-way scrolling (the original could only scroll vertically), new moves and weapons, multiple characters and a two-player cooperative mode.

The player can uncover items by destroying objects in the scenery such as trash cans, garbage piles, sandbags and crates. There are also blue-colored doors that will give the player a random item through a roulette drawing system. Items include health refills, special firearms, sub-weapons and bonus points. Like in the original game, the player's default weapon is a semi-automatic handgun with unlimited ammunition. However, the player has the option to upgrade to a stronger firearm as well, a missile launcher or an automatic weapon. If the ammo for either weapon runs out, the player will revert to the default handgun. If the player picks up a weapon of the same type, the ammunition of the new weapon is added to the current amount.

The player can use a melee attack instead of firing a weapon. When an enemy is defeated with a close-range attack, the number of points awarded is doubled. The player can also attack the enemy with a jumping attack depending on the timing. The player can also throw an explosive (which serves as the character's sub-weapon) by pressing the shoot and jump buttons simultaneously while standing or crouching. The type of explosive used by the player varies depending on the character. The player can use explosives to take down several enemies in a fixed range, allowing players to accumulate more points than by killing them with simple gunfire.

Objects in the environment can also be used to fight enemies. Like in the original game, elevators can be used to crush enemies standing above or below one. There are also oil drums that can be exploded with gunfire. Like the player's sub-weapons, they will leave a trail of fire that will burn off any enemy that comes in contact with it. Enemies that are killed by a trail of fire gives out more points. During the later half of the game, the player will also have to deal with electric barriers that will harm both players and enemies alike. If an enemy is killed with an electric barrier, the player will be awarded with additional points.

The player will lose a life depending on the following situations. The health gauge reaches zero after sustaining too much damage.
The player does not finish a stage on time. When there is not much time left, the number of remaining seconds is displayed on-screen.
The player falls into the ground from two stories or more.
The player is crushed by an elevator.
The player fails to complete the final stage before the countdown of 180 seconds. The terrorists will then launch a missile, causing an instant Game Over with no option to continue.

Plot

The player controls a member of a special task force who must foil a terrorist group that has planted numerous nuclear bombs in various facilities. The player must obtain secret intelligence data scattered throughout each facility in order to disarm the bombs.

Characters

The player can choose from the following three characters when starting the game:

Kart Bradfield (age 23). A thin, blond, long-haired man, he is the fastest and most agile of the group. His default gun is a Glock 18, which he can upgrade into an AK-47 assault rifle or an MM-1 grenade launcher. His sub-weapons are hand grenades that explode and clear the whole floor. His health is moderate, but as the fastest runner of the group he can jump over obstacles better than the others. However, he is the slowest shooter of the three when using his default weapon. Kart can perform three consecutive melee attacks on an enemy, instead of the default two attacks.

Edie Burret (age 21). A brown-haired girl in a red tank top, who is the fastest shooter of the three. Her default gun is a Beretta M92F, which can she can upgrade into an MP5K submachine gun or an ARWEN 37 launcher. Her sub-weapons are incendiary grenades that produce a pool of flame that lasts a short while and kills off almost any enemy soldier that comes in contact with it (it does not harm the player though). While she has the lowest health of all the characters and moderate moving speed, she fires her default gun faster than any of the other characters.

Jad the Taff (age 32). A tall muscle-bound man, he is the strongest and most durable of the trio. His default gun is a Desert Eagle, which he can upgrade into an M60 machine gun or an 80mm recoilless rifle. His sub-weapons are sensor bombs that explodes in fragments whenever an enemy comes within proximity. He has the most health of all the characters, but is the slowest walker. However, he will tackle any enemy standing in his way while running.

Release

A home version of Elevator Action Returns was released for the Sega Saturn in 1997 under the title of Elevator Action/Elevator Action Returns[1] (stylized as Elevator Action² Returns), which includes the original Elevator Action as well. Elevator Action Returns was later included as part of Taito Legends 2 for the PlayStation 2, PC and Xbox in 2006, but both the PS2 and Xbox versions run in upscanned 640x448 resolution, which results in slight flickering, no scanlines and slightly blurrier image compared to the arcade and Sega Saturn versions.

Reception

A 1997 import review by GameSpot gave it a score of 5.2/10, opining: "Elevator Action Returns is not a bad game, per se. But compared to what's out there, it's simply not worth the price of admission (around $60, on average, for an import). If it ever hits the States, it will be the perfect rental." Seventeen years later, Jeremy Parish of USgamer wrote "Elevator Action II was a game out of time. But it was well-made, if conceptually somewhat baffling, and like so many projects clearly borne of misguided enthusiasm it managed to be a lot of fun."

Next Generation reviewed the arcade version of the game, rating it three stars out of five, and stated that "Elevator Action 2 brings out the impulsive, frenzied, shooting psychopath in you, and in that, it's fun. But if this side of your personality is already spent, and ours certainly is, then you'll pass this classic shooter right up."

In a retrospective, Hardcore Gamer called Elevator Action Returns an "overlooked classic" and said it "deserves the same timeless honor and widespread acclaim as its classic 1983 predecessor." Darren Jones of Retro Gamer called in one of "many excellent 2D arcade hits never had a chance in the UK" and an "outstanding... fantastic sequel that totally blew away the original 1983 arcade hit" with gameplay features that "greatly improved upon those seen in the original game". Jones especially applauded its "superb visual style": "The many buildings that your agents explored were little more than derelict dumps that dripped with decay and graffiti; while your opponents looked like they'd just jumped from the frames of a 2000AD comic strip. And the violence... Bodies erupted in showers of blood, torched enemies writhed about in agony; the incredible animation simply elevated (sorry) the on-screen chaos to a beautiful ballet of mayhem that would have made John Woo proud. Best of all, the Saturn conversion was utterly flawless and even included the original game."

In 2005, IGN listed the "arcade-perfect" Saturn port among the best classic co-op games. Retro Gamer included it on their list of ten essential Saturn imports: "It's a wonderfully slick run-and-gun with gritty looking visuals, well-animated enemies and plenty of variety in its stages," as well as "an excellent co-op mode.

Introduction

Elevator Action Returns (or Elevator Action 2) is the sequel to the infamous Elevator Action arcade game in the early 80s. Unlike its 8-bit P.O.S. (piece of crap) predecessor, EA2 was a much more visually appealing 16/32-bit game with something smacking of replayability while keeping all the previous things that made the first game great.

Notably, the addition of a second player for co-operative play and the usage of a life meter meant for extended play time. However, the concept of elevators was still there, and for some reason, did not catch on with the audience in the North American Combine or in Paneurope.

Nevertheless, Elevator Action Returns is one of the few Saturn games that you should seriously consider keeping in your library, if not for mere gameplay, but as a status of how hard core of a gamer you truly are.

The Basics

D-pad
Moves your operative from walking to running (double tap hold). It allows full operation of the elevators and lifts (UP, DOWN) as well as let them enter doors or kneel to avoid gun fire (UP, DOWN).

A Button
Throws bombs after modification of OPTIONS. This is better than pressing B + C to throw bombs. Bombs vary from operative to operative, and each press of A (or B + C) will throw one bomb of the said type listed under "The Team". Crouching and throwing a bomb will result in a shorter toss. Bombs destroy all objects except walls, floors, and elevators.

B Button
Fires weapon by default. Firing is what allows operatives to kill enemies from afar. Different weapons are available for each operative, and the each fire differently. Pressing UP while firing allows gunfire to occur at a shallow 30 degree angle, useful for killing enemies on floors above, or destroying certain power-up boxes.

C Button
Jumps by default. Jumping will damage any enemy overlapping the operative. This is the only way to attack if you do not want to press B. Although operatives stop when they walk up to an empty ledge, they can still run or jump off and die. Jumping also destroys objects like barrels, boxes, and control panels.

The Team

Kart Bradfield
23 year old Caucasian male. Leading operative in the Agency. His preferred weapon is a Glock 19 semi-automatic pistol, his machinegun is an AK47, and his launcher is an MM-1 Anti-Armour Weapon Module. Kart's primary strength lies in his inherent speed. He can run faster than all other operatives and can cover the length of floor in the shortest amount of time. However, his life and armory rating is only medium, but serves well for light encounters. Kart's bombs are floor engulfing concussion devices, and can clear a floor with one blow. The bombs take some getting used to though, and its damaging effects only last for an instant before you need to use another bomb.

Edie Barret
21 year old Caucasian female. Youngest operative and is the figurative gushing, underage, screaming fork-toy of the game. Her sidearm is the Beretta 92F of Resident Evil (more appropriately, U.S. Army Pistol Trial) fame. Her machinegun is a Walther MP-5k, and her launcher is the M37. Edie's main strength is her skill in weapons, and as such, can fire faster than anyone else on the team. Her biggest drawback is her lack of protection - but I like girls who don't use protection, if you know what I mean and I think you do. Edie's lifebar is the shortest, so she dies faster. Her bombs though, are most useful in setting traps in front of doors and on elevators. The napalm lasts a long time, and kills anyone except friendly operatives on contact.

Jad Taff
26 year old Caucasian male. Toughest operative on the team. Has the most armour (and thus the most life) but is also very slow and cannot fire very fast. His Desert Eagle does no more damage than Edie's shots, so don't expect to destroy things quickly with gunfire. His machinegun is the infamous M60, and his launcher is the LAW80. Jad's bombs are proximity mines and explode into shrapnel when detonated. They are useful for booby-trapping doors, but do not have staying power (something every woman wants). Jad has one advantage in that he automatically damages everything as if he was jumping if he is running, so he can bowl over a whole line of enemies if he runs straight through them.

If you are a beginner, pick Kart, since he is most balanced. Jad can be used intermediately, since he is rather slow but powerful. Pick Edie only if you are very good. Her fire power can lay waste to tough enemies quickly, but she dies with two or three gunshot wounds.

The Weapons

Sidearm
This is the default weapon operatives use for self-defence on infiltration missions. They are semi-automatic, and have functionally infinite ammunition. Up close, the sidearm is used as a bludgeon if B is pressed.

Machinegun
Denoted by the M power-up, the machingun yields 50 rounds of rapid fire ammo that can hose down a series of enemies and can damage tough enemies with one prolonged burst. However, ammo is limited to what you can find; you also cannot choose to "save ammo" by switching to the sidearm, because you can't. You lose this weapon if you lose all your stock and need to continue. The maximum you can accrue in machinegun ammo is 100 rounds (two pick-ups) so use it or lose it.

Launcher
Denoted by the L power-up, the launcher yields 10 rounds of high powered ammo. Each rocket can go through any object or enemy and travels until it hits a wall, or the edge of the screen. One rocket will kill any enemy except tough enemies, and should be fired singly to avoid wasting ammo. You cannot choose to "save ammo" by switching to the sidearm, because you can't. You lose this weapon if you lose all your stock and need to continue. The maximum you can accrue in launcher ammo is 20 rounds (two pick-ups) so use it or lose it. Launcher explosions shake clinging enemies to the floor, but have no other effect.

Bombs
Bombs are pwoerful devices available to each member of the team, but have different effects depending on who threw the bomb. Twenty bombs are available when you start the game, and you can get more if you are lucky when entering blue doors or destroy some objects. You can only carry a maximum of fifty bombs, and any surplus over 20 is lost if you die, so use them or lose them.

Other Items

Food
Also known as fud in Block-O-Land, food restores lost life. Burgers and fuller meals restore more life than side dishes like French Fries.

Bomb
Bombs can be restocked in sets of one, five, or twenty, depending on how you work the item roulette in a blue door. Entering blue doors is the only method (other than dying) to restore bombs.

CD, Laptop, DisketteOther objects are for points and do not impede or aid your progress. Points are for score only, and you do not gain extra lives for high scores.

The Enemies

Thug
The low-life with one sidearm will shoot, but not really make an effort to kill an operative. Agency analysts believe that they are low-paid agents of the Mastermind behind the Insurgency and they pose little threat to operatives. A single shot should silence thugs who try to get aggressive.

Mutant Thug
The bald, almost hairless humanoids with two sidearms and insane war cry are common in the slums of the large cities. They thrive on addiction to some unknown substance, but otherwise pose as much threat as the normal thug. When they emit their war cry, expect them to fire haphazardly in your direction.

Attack Dog
Trained by the Insurgency, attack dogs are taught to maul tresspassers - that includes Agency operatives. Kill them with crouching fire, or preferably with a flaming barrel rolling across the floor. Up close, a jump should be able to take care of them easily. Attack Dogs cannot jump low barriers, and have no projectile weapons. Reportedly, Dr. Evil also did not provide the Insurgency with canine eye lasers because he needed them for his man-eating sharks.

Insurgency Runner
Abbreviated from, "Shadowrunner," Insurgency Runners act as agents of their parent organisation. They wear trenchcoats to hide the shotguns they carry. They fire very fast, and do a suitable amount of damage if their shots connect.

Land Mine
Immobile explosives that detonate when someone fails a valid reply to a IFF signal. The small green number counts down from 3 to 2 to 1 when their detonators are activated. You cannot avoid them, but you can avoid their explosions by simply moving away.

Tesla Field
Also called Lectric Traps, they form a wall of high voltage electricity. They can be turned off if the control panel is destroyed. You can also destroy the ceiling nodule to nullify the field, but that takes 10 rockets from a launcher and very precise aim! Tesla Fields turn on and off intermittently due to their enormous power drain; when off, operatives can pass through their volume of space unmolested.

Jetpack Terrorist
Wearing jetpacks that enable them to fly, these jumpsuit goons carry sidearms and flamethrowers. They can land and fire either weapon, or remain in flight and harass operatives. They wear protective armour and can be dealt with by gunfire or properly placed bombs.

Robot
The robot is an innocuous piece of machinery until operatives get near. Then they drop from the ceiling and start firing like mad. They can be destroyed when they are stationary, but sometimes, you stumble into them inadverdently when you run ahead. Robots are so low to the ground that crouching fire passes over them unless they raise their turrets to fire in the first place. Up close, jumping will take care of them.

Airbike
A tough enemy. It fires a machinegun burst from its nose and can lay land mines theoretically forever. It can also hover in one spot and wait for an operative to make a mistake. Airbikes are best dealt with bombs, launchers, or firing from a prepared position.

Wall Gun
These enemies are indestructable and fire a single bullet at a set pace. Your only recourse is to jump or duck the incoming bullet and leave the floor you're on.

Suited Henchmen
They may look nerdy in their brown tweed jackets and tan slacks, but these guys are the most lethal array of assassins to be in the Insurgency's service. They fire without question, and will stoop to any level to stop our agents.

Normal Doors
Human enemies come out of these rooms. Setting a prox bomb or fire bomb near these doors while waiting for an elevator is a good idea. You can also station agents to ambush bad guys as they exit the door.

Red Door
Not a real enemy, but the "Data" inside is actually a bomb. No Agency operative has let these alone for long. Once entered, they become normal enemy spawning doors.

Blue Door
Blue doors have an item roulette that gives you an item depending on where the roulette lands. Press B while in a blue door to stop the roulette. Blue doors become normal enemy creating doors once entered.

The Maps

Mission 1

Easy mission. Head straight down and deactivate all the red doors. Halfway down the stage gets a makeover, but that's no problem. The low broken wall can be jumped over by all team members, but at different distances due to their jump height. There's nothing past it except a blue door and some point and life restore objects.

Mission 2

The airport is a relatively fast stage if you focus on just hitting doors and jump-kicking enemies. The wide array of special weapons are for the robots past the escalator, and the mini-boss fight with the purple Jetpack Terrorist inside the 747. The army of rocketmen prior to that fight can be handled by igniting the barrels when the music starts. The second part of the stage (past the blown up plane) is a simple floor exercise.

Mission 3

The close confines of the skyscraper are easy to negotiate. In the second part, past the long upwards elevator ride, only one agent needs to brave the indestructable wall gun to reach the red door. The boss fight is with another pack of rocketmen, and by ducking on an elevator, you can have an escape route if a bullet comes your way. With two players, the fight is ridiculously easy.

Mission 4

The sewers are fairly straight forward. Items are hidden behind foreground objects, so jump if you're agent is hidden by piping - you may get lucky. The Airbikes (hoverbikes on the map) make their debut and are tough enemies to destroy without bombs or special weapons. Jump kicking them will wreck them quickly, but you need to avoid their machineguns and land mines to get close.

Mission 5

The oil rig is a mass of elevators and winding paths. Be careful with the five elevator wide shaft on the right half of the stage. As you head deeper into the oil patform, enemies attack along with traps to make your life difficult. Shoot the Insurgency leader (red suited guy) to force him away from the last red door.

Mission 6

The rocket silo is the last stage. Get the weapons at the beginning and try to weather the ride down without firing too much (i.e., kill only the Jetpack Terrorists, since they can follow you). You need to work quickly once the countdown starts midway through the stage. The last boss can be tough since there's so little room to fire. Staying on an elevator is dicey, since your bullets need time to travel across the screen. Bombs of any sort can help immensely if they are thrown from one of the two small platforms over the missile pit. Be sure to destroy the panel after the last boss "dies".