Originally released in 1993 for MS-DOS computers, Bio Menace is a 2D side scrolling action, run and gun with some thinking required, style game. Not so much like Contra by Konami but more like Mario with guns, Bio Menace was one of those games PC gamers pointed at to show off their computer can “do those types of games too”. The upcoming GoG.com release will apparently feature many quality of life improvements including a fourth episode never before seen.
Enhanced for Your Gaming Enjoyment
The original BioMenace was limited by the colors available on PCs at the time. There were tradeoffs for more colors and such but gamers only care about how the game looked at release. In Bio Menace, you played a dude that looked like he spent WAY too much time tanning.
The enemy assortment was the usual, aliens, slime creatures, oversized aliens that were not interested in getting up from their comfy chairs for a boss, etc. Bio Menace was a sci-fi style run and gun action game, we expected nothing less.
The remastered edition fixes the color situation, our hero looks normal now, healthy not tanning too much. There is parallax scrolling in the backgrounds, enemies explode in nice meat piles when eliminated. The music has been improved as well.
The Real Meat and Potatoes
There is little information available on what exactly Episode 4 will entail at this time. It is great news just knowing they are doing more than just a slight upgrade to graphics and sounds here.
At first I was going to tear this “remaster” apart but the more I watched the trailer, embedded above, and read comments from fans, the more I softened and realized how I would have been wrong. Not all remasters have to be powered by Unreal Engine or Unity Engine and running in 8K, 120+ frames per second and require SGI workstation levels of power to play decently.
No, BioMenace Remastered is doing exactly what a remaster should do. Giving a classic game an upgrade in several ways while keeping the feel of the original alive and well.
There is also a level editor coming with this remaster which is great news. I just hope sharing levels with others is easy, that could breathe tons of new life into this game long after it is commercially “not viable”.
What are your thoughts on 2D action games on PC prior to Windows taking over? I knew of them but none would run on my meager Color Computer II that I had at the time so I just looked at packages and read gaming magazines covering them.