Comix Zone

Comix Zone var ett "Beat 'em up"-TV-och datorspel, producerat av SEGA, som utgavs till Sega Mega Drive och PC 1995.

Handling

Serietecknaren Sketch Turners skapelse, den onde mutanten Mortus råkar bli utsläppt ur sin serievärld genom ett mystiskt åskväder, och bestämmer sig för att fånga in Sketch i hans egen serie. Inuti serietidningen hamnar Sketch i en post-apokalyptisk värld, och möter snart generalen Alissa Cyan, som tar honom för en superhjälte som kommit för att rädda hennes folk från ondskan.

The game's most remarkable feature is that it is set within the "panels" of a comic book. Each level consists of two "pages" and secrets are discovered by shredding the "paper" and revealing items. Dialogue is rendered within talk bubbles with the typical comic font. Sprites and backgrounds possess the bright colors and dynamic drawing style favored by superhero comics. Although many comic-themed games have come out since it release (most notably XIII and Viewtiful Joe), none has ever been like Comix Zone's implementation of the theme.

The music was composed by Howard Drossin, a known video game and movie composer. Graphics were done mainly by comic artists.

The plot concerns Sketch Turner, a cartoonist who becomes trapped in his own comic book. The villain of his story, a powerful mutant named Mortus, comes to life in an unusual thunderstorm, and he decides to trap him in his own world. Inside the comic book, Sketch meets General Alissa Cyan, who believes he's a superhero that came to save their post-apocalyptic world from the evil.

The "drawn on paper" theme is held throughout, and the player can even rip shreds out of the backdrop and fold them into paper planes to throw at enemies. But because this paper world is also part of themselves (because they are drawn on it), this action takes a significant slice off the player's health bar. Certain combos will send enemies hurtling, and if a fragile border between frames is in the way the enemy crashes through it, tearing it to shreds. When confronted with an unbreakable frame barrier, the hero merely swings himself out of the frame, over the top of the border, and back down into the next scene.

There are three episodes in the game, each consisting of two pages in a distinct area (levels):

• Episode 1: "Night of the Mutants" (Newer York City)
  • Streets/Sewers
  • Mutant base
• Episode 2: "Welcome to the Temple" (Himalayas)
  • Mountain path/Tibetan city
  • Temple
• Episode 3: "Curse of the Dead Ships" (Zealand Atolls)
  • Caves
  • "Abandoned" ship

There are no lives whatsoever in this game, falling down a hole or being killed by enemies leads immediately to the bad ending, but Mortus did intend to give him a sporting chance. After the first area, Mortus will give Sketch another chance by saying "Oh, come on -- that was just too easy!" and allow him another chance. After the second area, Sketch will get another such chance. Also, there are many powerups you can obtain while playing. One is his pet rat, Roadkill. Another is the super fist, which turns Sketch into Super Sketch for a brief second, destroying all enemies on screen.

Like in many arcade games, the player has access to "berserker" moves that will deplete their health each time they are used, but ONLY if they hit an opponent or a breakable object. There are several such moves. Some work better in some situations or on some enemies better than others and the player must learn how and when to use each.

Spelteknik

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