As a kid, if you saw Arnold Schwarzenegger as the killer cyborg on a game cartridge, it almost always meant you were in for something epic. Almost. It didn't always work out that way (I still remember the first game from 1984), but "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" for the NES in 1991 definitely lived up to that expectation. It's one of those games that pull you in with their atmosphere, even if later you start noticing tons of gameplay inconsistencies.
The game closely follows the movie's storyline: the T-800 Terminator is sent back in time to protect young John Connor from the nearly indestructible T-1000. You get to play through key moments of the film-from arriving near the bar to the final showdown at the steel mill.
Considering the limitations of 8-bit systems, the story holds up well: the protagonist and the overall environment look decent, and the animation is surprisingly smooth. The game takes about 27-30 minutes to complete, making it a great candidate for speedruns. The developers managed to capture the film's major plot points in a way that, even years later, you can look back and feel like you relived "T2" in video game form.
Now, let's talk about the gameplay-the heart of the experience. And here comes the big question:
How does it make any sense that random thugs with bats, security guards, and even cops can seriously injure a killer machine from the future? Obviously, the developers had no choice but to balance the power dynamic between the Terminator and humans-otherwise, the game would just be a walking simulator with invincibility. As a result, you have to carefully navigate the levels, avoid unnecessary fights, conserve ammo, and resist the urge to fully embrace the role of an unstoppable killing machine-because every bit of lost health actually matters. And when the T-1000 starts relentlessly hunting you down in the final levels, you'll need to stay extra focused.
The levels are diverse. First, you'll have to teach some bar patrons a lesson, then comes a thrilling motorcycle chase. Speaking of which, that chase is one of the game's most frustrating sections. As a kid, I remember struggling for ages to figure out how to escape the massive truck chasing me down. The controls weren't immediately intuitive, but the level does manage to recreate the film's tension. Later, in the hospital, you'll have to break Sarah Connor out while exchanging gunfire with the police. Then it's time to destroy Cyberdyne by collecting explosive barrels scattered across different floors. And, of course, the grand finale at the steel mill, where you have to push the T-1000 into molten metal.
Despite its many gameplay inconsistencies, "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" is a solid game for its time. It lets you relive the legendary film in an interactive format. Sure, the balance between the Terminator and regular people is a bit questionable, but overall, it's an engaging action game with decent graphics and mechanics that provided some great entertainment back in the day.
9 out of 10.
