Cabal
System: NES
Release Date: June 1990
Developer: Rare
Publisher: Milton Bradley Company
Genre: Shoot ‘em Up
The terrorist group D.R.A.T. (sounds familiar) are planning an all out assault on the world in Cabal. Of course, there’s only one man who can save the world (or two if you have a friend). You’re sent to a secluded island run by the terrorists with the instructions to move through 20 screens and kill ‘em all.
Controls are convoluted. Moving left or right is handled by the d-pad. Holding the A Button shoots your assault rifle and allows you to move the crosshairs with the d-pad. Tapping the A Button once throws a grenade. If you hold the B Button and press a direction, you use advanced maneuvers in an attempt to avoid enemy gunfire. I couldn’t really tell a difference between when I should use the jump roll or the duck roll, but the running was never safe.
There is a cover mechanic, but it’s all destructible. This means that you aren’t safe, ever. You have to roll around the screen constantly to stay alive, but that means you don’t have time to aim and kill the bad guys. If you don’t kill them the second they come on screen, I wish you the best of luck. When you kill enemies there are some drops. Powerups for your assault rifle, extra hand grenades, and bonus points. But sometimes it’s not safe to grab them.
After 4 scenes of shooting galleries, you face off against a boss. I took on a transport helicopter and a submarine. I don’t know how the sub fit in that small looking pond, but that’s the least of the terrorists’ problems. Your 5 lives and 3 continues go quickly, so don’t get too complacent.
Graphics: 1.5
The characters and animations look bad. The background elements are alright, but light on the amount of colors.
Sound: 1.0
The beat that plays in the background doesn’t set the tone, and the fanfare that plays when you pick up an item is annoying.
Gameplay: 1.0
The controls are incredibly unfriendly. Having to stop to move the aiming crosshairs makes you a sitting duck. The rolls and jumps require you to be more precise than you can be.
Difficulty: 1.0
There’s too much coming at you that you think you’ve avoided. You don’t get any new powerups or abilities, meaning everything is more of the same.
Fun Factor: 1.0
Once I wasn’t completely fumbling around with the controls and could string together a series of kills, I got some enjoyment.
Overall Grade: 1.1
Cabal earns a D. The NES isn’t up to handling the control scheme necessary for this game, maybe twin sticks with triggers on them would work.