''Generations Lost'' is a
platform game
A platform game (often simplified as platformer and sometimes called a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action game, action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform game ...
released for the
Sega Genesis
The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master Syst ...
in 1994 by
Time Warner Interactive
Time Warner Interactive (Group) (TWI) was a studio within Time Warner and a predecessor of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It was formed in 1993 after Time Warner bought a controlling interest in Atari Games, and was active until 1996 wh ...
.
Designer
Bruce Straley
Bruce Straley is an American game director, artist, designer, and studio director. He previously worked for the video game developer Naughty Dog, known for his work in the video games ''The Last of Us'' and '' Uncharted 4: A Thief's End''. Stra ...
described the game as a clone of the 1993
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in 1970 due to ...
(which he and other Pacific Softscape employees had worked on), after Pacific Softscape were unable to secure the rights to the
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in 1970 due to ...
franchise to develop a sequel.
Plot
The player takes on the role of a young man named Monobe who is searching for the past of his people. Monobe has always wanted to know the origins and destiny of his people. He is told by his tribal elder of the stories of old and given a set of technologically sophisticated armor and an arm-mounted gauntlet that projects a strange energy. He leaves his people behind and wanders through jungles and temple areas. His devices allow him to navigate hazards and stop dangerous foes. Along the way he must use the gauntlet device to open doors and to access different areas of the landscape which become increasingly futuristic and industrial.
Monobe discovers that this "world" he and his people live on is not a planet but a
generation ship
A generation ship, or generation starship, is a hypothetical type of interstellar ark starship that travels at sub- light speed. Since such a ship might require hundreds to thousands of years to reach nearby stars, the original occupants of a g ...
sent from Earth (via Luna Colony) in May 2037. Its purpose was to colonize a world named "Hope", in an interstellar voyage that would put them in orbit around Hope in the year 2385. The ship, ''Heritage'', was designed to support 20 generations of colonists. Monobe's discovery is made in August 2671; fortunately his ancestors built the ship to sustain life for at least 700 years. The breakdown of protocol on board the vessel throughout the many generations meant that key systems were not maintained and the automatic descent systems that would have brought the ''Heritage'' down safely on Hope were not engaged so that the ship stayed in orbit for more than 200 years after arrival, with its occupants unaware that they needed to disembark on shuttles to the planet below.
Gameplay
Monobe is equipped with an arm-mounted device called an "e-rad" and what is believed to be magic armor. These devices allow Monobe to project energy bolts and create energy ropes to swing on, in addition to basic fighting skills, running, jumping, and rolling.
Reception
''
GamePro
Gamepro.com is an international multiplatform video game magazine media company that covers the video game industry, video game hardware and video game software in countries such as Germany and France. The publication, GamePro, was originally la ...
'' commented that "Fans of ''
Flashback'' or ''
Blackthorne
''Blackthorne'' (released as ''Blackhawk'' in some European countries) is a cinematic platform game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. It was released for the Super NES and MS-DOS in 1994. The cover art for the SNES version was drawn by Jim ...
'' will immediately recognize and breeze through this game. ''Generations Lost'' should have been called Imagination Lost." They also complained of several minor issues, such as the player character's stiff movements, the generic music, and the lack of bosses. ''
Electronic Gaming Monthly
''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' (often abbreviated to ''EGM'') is a monthly American video game magazine. It offers video game news, coverage of industry events, interviews with gaming figures, editorial content and product reviews.
History
The ...
'' gave the game a 6.4 out of 10. Though they complained of somewhat imprecise controls and choppy scrolling, they concluded that "If you liked games like ''
Out of This World'' and ''Black Thorne'', then this will definitely appeal."
See also
*
Interstellar ark
An interstellar ark is a conceptual starship designed for interstellar travel. Interstellar arks may be the most economically feasible method of traveling such distances. The ark has also been proposed as a potential habitat to preserve civiliza ...
*''
The Sacred Armour of Antiriad''
*''
The Starlost
''The Starlost'' is a Canadian-produced science fiction television series created by writer Harlan Ellison and broadcast in 1973 on CTV in Canada and syndicated to local stations in the United States. The show's setting is a huge generational co ...
''
*''
Pandorum
''Pandorum'' is a 2009 German/British science fiction horror film, with elements of Lovecraftian horror and survival adventure. The film was directed by Christian Alvart and produced by Robert Kulzer, Jeremy Bolt and Paul W. S. Anderson, th ...
''
References
External links
*{{MobyGames, id=/generations-lost
''Generations Lost''at Sega-16
1994 video games
Generation ships in fiction
Platform games
Sega Genesis games
Sega Genesis-only games
Time Warner Interactive games
Video games developed in the United States
Cinematic platform games