Genesis of Games #5: General Chaos
Published By: Electronic Arts
System: Sega Genesis
Release Date: 1994
Genre: Real-Time Strategy
Players: 1-4 (Versus or Co-Op)
Other Platforms: None
Emulator Used: Kega Fusion 3.51
Starman: General Chaos was my first experience in the real-time strategy genre of gaming. While it doesn’t have all the elements like resource building in games like Warcraft, General Chaos removes the tedious features and adds in something more awesome - fun.
Karn listed this bad boy of war in his games he would like to see remade section on a previous post, and I can see why. With over the top violence and silliness, General Chaos appeals to a variety of gaming audiences - even if you have never heard of this game before.
Kin Corn Karn: Finally, a game that gives us what we all want - funny, pointless violence! I am of course talking about General Chaos for the Genesis. Starman and me used to rent this game a lot way back when, and it never got boring. Hell, how could destroying everything on the screen with a touch of humor not be great?
You take the role of either General Chaos or his brother, Major Havok. Each have an army at their disposal to destroy the other. Why, you may ask. Over a comic book. Yes, that is the cause of the war, one simple comic book. May sound kinda silly, but the game does have a great sense of humor about it. Now, get ready to kill and destroy, the funny way.
Graphics
Starman: Aww, just look at all the little soldiers running around and shooting each other. How cute! Each unit is represented in a different style, but the one drawback is each team has the same looking guys but a different color. Oh well, still a ton of fun. Sprites are all animated well, with facial expressions added into the mix. Backgrounds are also awesome, with interactive elements. When chaos does erupt on screen, you’re going to be surprised by the amount of action going on with no slow-down. Explosions, bodies and shrapnel are everywhere.
Kin Corn Karn: I really enjoyed what you got from this game. The sprites are all different, with each type of soldier having a different look. They all have a half crazy, tough appearance to them. You can get some really great facial expressions when they get hit, or duck fire. I really like the almost invisible little smirk you get when you shoot your opponent in the stomach after a fistfight. With so much action going on, you may miss a lot of the little details in this game.
Backgrounds are nothing special. They are what they should be for the game. You do get some nice military items on screen, like trucks and sandbags. But they are only average.
Sound
Starman: Oh no! The dreaded tin can effect on the Genesis has sprung forth and attacked General Chaos! I always found this problem with EA games, not sure why. There’s not a lot of music to be heard, thankfully. It will only be heard on menus. Sound effects fair a little better but still come off muted.
Kin Corn Karn: I honestly can't remember much of the music. It was only in the map screen. The game itself really doesn't have any. With all the war noises going on, you probably couldn't hear it anyway.
The effects are really good. Each weapon has it's own distinct sound, and reflects the weapons use. The explosions are nice and big. The one-on-one fights sound like they hurt too. Even the little chime the cursor makes did not annoy me. Much.
Controls
Starman: With explosions and gunfire surrounding you, the controls may seem a little awkward at first. Move the cursor on the screen, select where you want a unit to move. One button makes the unit attack, another cycles through available units. You’ll need to think quickly, as the enemy will be on you in seconds tossing grenades and firing machine guns to mow you down.
Now and then when two units get face to face they will engage in a one-on-one fistfight. Hit detection really suffers in this mode (as well as the main battle) as it’s not always clear if your blows are landing or not (think Blades of Steel on the NES). Kick, punch, block; that’s all you really need to know.
Since we often review games based on the fact you would have no access to an instruction book (emulation), General Chaos does give you a tutorial to go through to master the basics. This is in your best interest to go through if you’re new to the game.
Kin Corn Karn: You have three buttons. D-pad moves the cursor around the screen. One button will always fire all weapons. One will move the troop to the spot the cursor is on screen. The last one will change the trooper you move. If killed, but not reduced to bones and ash, move the cursor over the fallen soldier to use the medic.
If you pick the commando group, you can move one around with the D-pad instead of the cursor placement. The other troop will just move to the one you control instead of the cursor. It may seem confusing at first, but you should get the hang of it in no time.
In the close quarter fistfight, one button for punch, one for kick, one to block. You can also press up and down and a button to vary the attack or block. If this seems a lot, there is a tutorial in the game too.
Gameplay
Starman: So you’re a couple of idiot generals fighting over a comic book in the fictional lands of…Viceria or Moronica. Thanks Electronic Arts for making us feel stupid. In an isometric view your goal is to sweep into the enemy nation and reclaim your birthright, err, comic book. Stages are played out in a single screen; the objective is to kill everything that moves. There are sub objectives like blowing up water towers or ammo supplies, but I didn’t really see if it was required to pass certain stages. Simple enough. Eventually you will get to the capitol city of your opponent where the game will be decided.
There are 5 different soldiers in the game, each with a different ability (Karn will talk more about these). These five are composed into 4 different teams for you to choose at the start of each battle.
The game is listed as strategy for a reason. If a team of guys is killed, you won’t get access to them again until a new game begins; so you must plan ahead. During battle, weapon ranges and angle of attack also play an important role.
Don’t stress about men dying though, there are medics on hand; awarded upon level completion depending on how well the player did during the battle or by item pick ups. Medics can only heal wounded soldiers though; if you’re nothing but a pile of ash then you’re boned. Nothing brings you back from a flamethrower to the face.
The AI is pretty stupid, no wonder they’re from a place called Moronica. For real war, grab up to 4 players, form alliances and have at it. Karn and I used to play this one a lot in multiplayer and now that I think about, neither of us really focused on the single player campaign whenever we rented General Chaos.
Kin Corn Karn: The game takes place in a single screen. You start off on the map screen, where the level you will fight in is chosen by the CPU. You then choose the squad you bring in. There are four to choose from. Four groups have five in them; Commandos give a group of two. Why go with two over five? The commandos allow you to move one using the D-pad, giving you a lot more mobility with him. Easier to dodge attacks and do strafing runs.
There are five types of soldiers in the game. A gunner, who uses a machine gun. He can fire quickly, but has a limited range. His gun can also jam on him. The Launcher, who uses a bazooka. He can fire across the screen, and instantly kill enemies but takes a while between shots. The Chucker throws grenades. These have a slow fire rate, but the blast can hit multiple enemies. The Scorcher uses a flamethrower. While the range is short, it is very fast and can burn multiple enemies. He can also reduce enemies to ash. Finally, there is the Blaster. He throws bundles of dynamite. He has a very slow fire rate, and cannot toss very far. The blast can hit multiple enemies, but more often than not, he is just a big fucking target.
The object here is simple - kill all the other guys. Move your troops around the screen, use cover and good positioning, and you should do fine. If you do get killed, you can use a medic (if you have any), to bring characters back to life. As long as they have not been vaporized and turned to ash. Then kiss 'em goodbye. If two running enemies slam into each other, a fistfight will ensue, throwing all people in the vicinity away in comic fashion. You then see meters on the top of the screen to show health. Beat your opponent down to zero, and you win. This may not always go as planned. Sometimes when you knock down your opponent, he will end up pulling out a piece and capping your ass. I always loved this, as it usually went against Starman.
The game play is fast and furious; although with some careful positioning, the game can be easy. That is where multi-player rules. You can have up to four people going at. Pick the commandos here for some real fun.
Replay Value
Starman: Playing single player gets boring really quickly. The campaign is way too short and not a challenge for an experienced gamer. So unless you have some peeps to play the game with, it really loses its appeal.
Kin Corn Karn: I still find myself playing this game a few times a month. I just love how they how they worked pointless violence with humor. And you should too.
Final World
Starman: To be fair, General Chaos is one hell of a fun game to play. Still, with weak single player and sometimes-clunky controls (the one-on-one fights) it only gets a 3 out of 5 from me.
Kin Corn Karn: This game still remains one of my favorites on the Genesis. While not long and very challenging, if you have some buddies with you, this game is a fucking blast. 4.5 out of 5.
Final Score:
Trivia: In 1994 the creators of the TV series Hogan’s Heroes attempted to file a lawsuit against EA for some of the quotes used in the game. Needless to say, the case flopped.
System: Sega Genesis
Release Date: 1994
Genre: Real-Time Strategy
Players: 1-4 (Versus or Co-Op)
Other Platforms: None
Emulator Used: Kega Fusion 3.51
Starman: General Chaos was my first experience in the real-time strategy genre of gaming. While it doesn’t have all the elements like resource building in games like Warcraft, General Chaos removes the tedious features and adds in something more awesome - fun.
Karn listed this bad boy of war in his games he would like to see remade section on a previous post, and I can see why. With over the top violence and silliness, General Chaos appeals to a variety of gaming audiences - even if you have never heard of this game before.
Kin Corn Karn: Finally, a game that gives us what we all want - funny, pointless violence! I am of course talking about General Chaos for the Genesis. Starman and me used to rent this game a lot way back when, and it never got boring. Hell, how could destroying everything on the screen with a touch of humor not be great?
You take the role of either General Chaos or his brother, Major Havok. Each have an army at their disposal to destroy the other. Why, you may ask. Over a comic book. Yes, that is the cause of the war, one simple comic book. May sound kinda silly, but the game does have a great sense of humor about it. Now, get ready to kill and destroy, the funny way.
Graphics
Starman: Aww, just look at all the little soldiers running around and shooting each other. How cute! Each unit is represented in a different style, but the one drawback is each team has the same looking guys but a different color. Oh well, still a ton of fun. Sprites are all animated well, with facial expressions added into the mix. Backgrounds are also awesome, with interactive elements. When chaos does erupt on screen, you’re going to be surprised by the amount of action going on with no slow-down. Explosions, bodies and shrapnel are everywhere.
Kin Corn Karn: I really enjoyed what you got from this game. The sprites are all different, with each type of soldier having a different look. They all have a half crazy, tough appearance to them. You can get some really great facial expressions when they get hit, or duck fire. I really like the almost invisible little smirk you get when you shoot your opponent in the stomach after a fistfight. With so much action going on, you may miss a lot of the little details in this game.
Backgrounds are nothing special. They are what they should be for the game. You do get some nice military items on screen, like trucks and sandbags. But they are only average.
Sound
Starman: Oh no! The dreaded tin can effect on the Genesis has sprung forth and attacked General Chaos! I always found this problem with EA games, not sure why. There’s not a lot of music to be heard, thankfully. It will only be heard on menus. Sound effects fair a little better but still come off muted.
Kin Corn Karn: I honestly can't remember much of the music. It was only in the map screen. The game itself really doesn't have any. With all the war noises going on, you probably couldn't hear it anyway.
The effects are really good. Each weapon has it's own distinct sound, and reflects the weapons use. The explosions are nice and big. The one-on-one fights sound like they hurt too. Even the little chime the cursor makes did not annoy me. Much.
Controls
Starman: With explosions and gunfire surrounding you, the controls may seem a little awkward at first. Move the cursor on the screen, select where you want a unit to move. One button makes the unit attack, another cycles through available units. You’ll need to think quickly, as the enemy will be on you in seconds tossing grenades and firing machine guns to mow you down.
Now and then when two units get face to face they will engage in a one-on-one fistfight. Hit detection really suffers in this mode (as well as the main battle) as it’s not always clear if your blows are landing or not (think Blades of Steel on the NES). Kick, punch, block; that’s all you really need to know.
Since we often review games based on the fact you would have no access to an instruction book (emulation), General Chaos does give you a tutorial to go through to master the basics. This is in your best interest to go through if you’re new to the game.
Kin Corn Karn: You have three buttons. D-pad moves the cursor around the screen. One button will always fire all weapons. One will move the troop to the spot the cursor is on screen. The last one will change the trooper you move. If killed, but not reduced to bones and ash, move the cursor over the fallen soldier to use the medic.
If you pick the commando group, you can move one around with the D-pad instead of the cursor placement. The other troop will just move to the one you control instead of the cursor. It may seem confusing at first, but you should get the hang of it in no time.
In the close quarter fistfight, one button for punch, one for kick, one to block. You can also press up and down and a button to vary the attack or block. If this seems a lot, there is a tutorial in the game too.
Gameplay
Starman: So you’re a couple of idiot generals fighting over a comic book in the fictional lands of…Viceria or Moronica. Thanks Electronic Arts for making us feel stupid. In an isometric view your goal is to sweep into the enemy nation and reclaim your birthright, err, comic book. Stages are played out in a single screen; the objective is to kill everything that moves. There are sub objectives like blowing up water towers or ammo supplies, but I didn’t really see if it was required to pass certain stages. Simple enough. Eventually you will get to the capitol city of your opponent where the game will be decided.
There are 5 different soldiers in the game, each with a different ability (Karn will talk more about these). These five are composed into 4 different teams for you to choose at the start of each battle.
The game is listed as strategy for a reason. If a team of guys is killed, you won’t get access to them again until a new game begins; so you must plan ahead. During battle, weapon ranges and angle of attack also play an important role.
Don’t stress about men dying though, there are medics on hand; awarded upon level completion depending on how well the player did during the battle or by item pick ups. Medics can only heal wounded soldiers though; if you’re nothing but a pile of ash then you’re boned. Nothing brings you back from a flamethrower to the face.
The AI is pretty stupid, no wonder they’re from a place called Moronica. For real war, grab up to 4 players, form alliances and have at it. Karn and I used to play this one a lot in multiplayer and now that I think about, neither of us really focused on the single player campaign whenever we rented General Chaos.
Kin Corn Karn: The game takes place in a single screen. You start off on the map screen, where the level you will fight in is chosen by the CPU. You then choose the squad you bring in. There are four to choose from. Four groups have five in them; Commandos give a group of two. Why go with two over five? The commandos allow you to move one using the D-pad, giving you a lot more mobility with him. Easier to dodge attacks and do strafing runs.
There are five types of soldiers in the game. A gunner, who uses a machine gun. He can fire quickly, but has a limited range. His gun can also jam on him. The Launcher, who uses a bazooka. He can fire across the screen, and instantly kill enemies but takes a while between shots. The Chucker throws grenades. These have a slow fire rate, but the blast can hit multiple enemies. The Scorcher uses a flamethrower. While the range is short, it is very fast and can burn multiple enemies. He can also reduce enemies to ash. Finally, there is the Blaster. He throws bundles of dynamite. He has a very slow fire rate, and cannot toss very far. The blast can hit multiple enemies, but more often than not, he is just a big fucking target.
The object here is simple - kill all the other guys. Move your troops around the screen, use cover and good positioning, and you should do fine. If you do get killed, you can use a medic (if you have any), to bring characters back to life. As long as they have not been vaporized and turned to ash. Then kiss 'em goodbye. If two running enemies slam into each other, a fistfight will ensue, throwing all people in the vicinity away in comic fashion. You then see meters on the top of the screen to show health. Beat your opponent down to zero, and you win. This may not always go as planned. Sometimes when you knock down your opponent, he will end up pulling out a piece and capping your ass. I always loved this, as it usually went against Starman.
The game play is fast and furious; although with some careful positioning, the game can be easy. That is where multi-player rules. You can have up to four people going at. Pick the commandos here for some real fun.
Replay Value
Starman: Playing single player gets boring really quickly. The campaign is way too short and not a challenge for an experienced gamer. So unless you have some peeps to play the game with, it really loses its appeal.
Kin Corn Karn: I still find myself playing this game a few times a month. I just love how they how they worked pointless violence with humor. And you should too.
Final World
Starman: To be fair, General Chaos is one hell of a fun game to play. Still, with weak single player and sometimes-clunky controls (the one-on-one fights) it only gets a 3 out of 5 from me.
Kin Corn Karn: This game still remains one of my favorites on the Genesis. While not long and very challenging, if you have some buddies with you, this game is a fucking blast. 4.5 out of 5.
Final Score:
Trivia: In 1994 the creators of the TV series Hogan’s Heroes attempted to file a lawsuit against EA for some of the quotes used in the game. Needless to say, the case flopped.