Night Trap

I still remember the rage in the early 90's about violence in video games. You couldn't watch CNN for more than an hour without seeing clips of Night Trap and Mortal Kombat spliced in with some mad ramblings from US senators. It was the first of many arguments to come against what belonged in video games and what didn't. It eventually lead to a ratings system and while mature and outright morally bad games have come and went Night Trap will forever be remembered as a partner in what created it all. Which in hindsight is pretty funny - the news and all. I didn't get to play Night Trap right away. The only things I knew about it is what the biased news told me and some naive misinformed senators spouted off. Needless to say I wrote it off as pure garbage having not even played it.

It wasn't until years later under the ownership of a brand new 3DO system did I get to experience the self-proclaimed redefining moment in video game history. Here we were in a time when FMV-based games were all the rage. Some people were tooting it as the future. Real actors, real sets. An overall sense of "real" and Night Trap had spawned it all. It had spawned an entirely new genre -- the FMV based game. To think if it hadn't been for some senators flapping their gums Night Trap would have failed and the genre would have never been born.

But what about Night Trap itself?

For me it was a fun, cheesy game that one can't look back on without a smile. Gaming wise it wasn't much. The story on display wasn't that great and it didn't carry nary a characteristic of any of the most popular and influential games of all time, but you had fun watching and playing it and most importantly it worked for what it was. It wasn't overly seriously. They played it for camp in parts and unlike what the television told you the "violence" was pretty tame. For it's time and place Night Trap was a ball and for those who experienced it you will never forget that feeling the game gave you.

Now time has moved on. The FMV video game genre is dead and Night Trap is old news, but no one has forgotten it. The world continues to debate what belongs in video games and video game producers continue to push the boundaries, but whatever comes our way in the future Night Trap has paved the way and has been forever immortalized.

Night trap was considered a cult classic on the Sega cd/mega CD. It was a FMV game in which you explore different rooms in the Martins home to capture the augars which are these people dressed in weird black suits. You are a member of Scat and the objective of the game is to go to these rooms and capture them with traps that are funny/stupid. It's very short in that it only takes 25 mins to finish if you know what are you are doing. This game is hard if you playing the oringnal versions in that you don't have the screens moving In real time. The only way to master it is too play it numerous times to know when they show up as well changeing the color codes at the right times. Good news is that there is a checkpoint half way through and doesn't take long to get to it. Also the game is the same everytime you play it so it's not random. The music is cheesy yet entertaining, the theme is catchy and well Done, the acting and writing are terrible but in a b movie kind of way which makes it more enjoyable. The characters are funny if undeveloped, the FMV was good at the time, the game has multiple endings, and if you pick up the 20th anniversary version there are options like a survivor mode which is where you try to capture as many augars as you can. The game is repiptive and doesn't have much variety either. But there is something enjoyable about trapping the augers, the campy acting and storyline, over the top music, interesting idea and challenge. But don't expect to be the best thing the Sega CD has to offer. I would give it a try if you like these kind of games and that you are patient. It's also good for a laugh to.

I loved this game so much + it was one of the first FMV games. it's a shame that they don't make this stuff anymore, i mean games like Dragon Lair,MadDog Mcgree,Double Switch,Ground Zero. I know this games had a very litle gameplay compare to games this days but it was fun to play them. Does anyone remember Capcom's Fox Hunt for PSX :) , one of the last FMV games , that game was cool.

Despite all the trouble this game caused for the gaming industry, it was still an excellent game, especially for those who appreicate the B-Movie Genre. Dana Plato was great as Kelli and it gives you the feel that you are inside the B-Movie. Most of it you didn't understand but that didn't take away the feel of the game. I hope this gets re-released as a DVD, so we can actually watch the movie inside of playing the video game. If you find it at a used store, buy it. It's worth it just to see the small movie within.

The first time that I had ever played this game was back in May of 1992. I had received this game and my Sega Cd as a First Communion present. I thought that this game was the greatest game ever. I have always been a movie freak, and this was like a dream come true. I felt like I was playing in the movie. That was really cool. Just be warned. The original Sega CD version is not rated and it has some blood. Now I am not some complainer that complains that kids get corrupted by video game violence. But I am just telling you in case you are! No offense. I mean I played this game when I was 9 and I turned out just fine. My parents told me about violence and how it is wrong. In the games and movies, it is all staged and fake. I knew that it was wrong. Some kids just flip out over this stuff I guess. Anyway, The game is very cool. If you like FMV games, then this is a must buy! If you aren't really a fan, check it out anyway, but if you hate FMV then don't get it. I'd say that this game is a 10/10. Sure, when compared to todays graphical standards it isn't that good, but remember that the game is 10 years old. Wow, has time flown by. The game is still fun today. How many times can you say that about old games? 10/10 Highly recommended.