Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram

Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram(Điện 脳 chiến cơ バーチャロン オラトリオ・タングラム,Dennō Senki Bācharon Oratorio Tanguramu)is a 1998arcadeaction gamefromSega,a 3D fighting game where the player assumes control of a giant humanoid robot. It was developed initially on theSega Model 3arcade hardware (M.S.B.S. Ver.5.2). Updated versions (Ver.5.4/5.45) were ported to theDreamcasthome console in 1999 and to North American arcades in 2000. A third update (Ver.5.66) was developed on theNAOMIboard in 2000 and was ported to theXbox 360in 2009.Ortario Tangramis part of theVirtual Onseries and is the sequel toVirtual On: Cyber Troopers(1995); it was followed by the Japan-exclusiveCyber Troopers Virtual-On Force(2001).

Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram
Developer(s)Sega AM3
Sega AM2(XBLA remake)
Publisher(s)
SeriesVirtual On
Platform(s)Arcade,Dreamcast,Xbox 360,PlayStation 4[4]
ReleaseArcade
  • WW:March 1998[1]
Dreamcast
  • JP:December 9, 1999
  • NA:June 7, 2000[2]
Xbox 360
April 29, 2009
PlayStation 4
Genre(s)Action,Shooter,Fighting
Mode(s)Single player,multiplayer
Arcade systemSega Model 3 (first edition)
Sega NAOMI (second edition)

Gameplay

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As with its predecessorVirtual On: Cyber Troopers,Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangramuses two joysticks for its controls.[5]

Plot

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The game starts 20 years after the events ofVirtual On: Cyber Troopers.After the defeat of Z-Gradt, the mightiest VR and the final boss of the first game, humans continued to battle in their VRs, searching for supremacy. However an unknown AI known as Tangram has awakened and became self-conscious. With the directive to destroy humanity, Tangram infects Earth's mother computer with a virus called "Tangram Virus" and hacks into all VR systems, except for the player's VR. It plans to use the infected VRs to destroy the last human colonies that survived the previous war. The player character begins the mission to defeat all VRs and destroy Tangram.

After defeating all VRs, the player character is teleported to the Earth's mother computer system to fight Tangram. Depending on the final battle outcome, there are two endings.

In the good ending, Tangram is erased from the computer and the player's VR is teleported back to Earth's stratosphere, where its armour is critically damaged during the fall but is saved by VRs that came on the Floating Carrier. Fei-Yen is saved by Angelan or the opposite and the others (Temjin, Raiden, Dodray, Bal-Bados, Specineff, Cypher, and Apharmd) are saved by the same model VRs. Alternatively, If the player's time counter reaches 0, Tangram hacks into the player's VR system and shuts it down, resulting in a Game Over screen.

Development

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The new Virtuaroids were all designed byHajime Katoki.[5]

Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangramwas unveiled at the 1997JAMMAshow, at which six Virtuaroids were playable: Temjin, Raiden, Apharmd, Fei-yen, Grys-Vok, and Cypher.[5]The game was also exhibited at the February 1998AOU Show,where it drew large crowds.[6]

Reception

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The Dreamcast version received favorable reviews, whileVer.5.66received "average" reviews, according to thereview aggregationwebsitesGameRankingsandMetacritic.[7][9]Stephen Frost ofNextGencalled the Japanese import of the Dreamcast version "an impressive game, and practically a perfect conversion, marred by difficult controls and a lack of 'compatibility' with the standard Dreamcast controller. However, if you're willing to invest the necessary time, you'll eventually discover that the game provides one of the most addictive and deep gaming experiences currently available on Dreamcast."[32]Jake The Snake ofGameProsaid in one review, "For dedicated gamers longing for a fast-paced clast of metal,Virtual-On: Oratorio Tangramwill deliver many hours of mech-smashing mayhem. "[34][b]In another review, Cheat Monkey called it "a must buy-if you have the Twin Sticks. If not, the game will still be fun, but it will not feel quite right to arcade veterans."[35][c]GameZonegave the same Dreamcast version seven out of ten, saying, "If there wereTwinsticksor cerebral implants available in the US for use with the Dreamcast, then it would have scored higher. As it stands, it's another in a long series of arcade games that have been shoehorned onto a console to make a buck. "[36]Later,Retro Gamergave the Xbox 360 version 72%, calling it "a great port of the DC conversion [that] looks incredible with its hi-def sheen, but the 360's analogue stick just doesn't do the game justice."[37]

In Japan,Famitsugave the same Dreamcast version a score of three tens and one nine for a total of 39 out of 40.[17][38]Game Machinelisted the arcade version in their May 15, 1998 issue as the second most-successful dedicated arcade game of the month.[39]

The Dreamcast version was a runner-up for the "Game No One Played" award atIGN's Best of 2000 Awards.[40]

Notes

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  1. ^InGameFan's viewpoint of the Dreamcast version's Japanese import, three critics gave it each a score of 98, 99, and 95.
  2. ^GameProgave the Dreamcast version 4.5/5 for graphics, two 4/5 scores for sound and fun factor, and 3.5/5 for control in one review.
  3. ^GameProgave the Dreamcast version two 4.5/5 scores for graphics and fun factor, 4/5 for sound, and 3/5 for control.

References

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  1. ^https://archive.org/details/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/page/n133
  2. ^Roether, Julia (June 7, 2000)."Activision Ships Virtual-On: Oratorio Tangram[,] the Explosive Sega Dreamcast Sequel to Arcade Hit Virtual-on".Activision.Archived fromthe originalon January 7, 2001.RetrievedSeptember 22,2019.
  3. ^Romano, Sal (September 13, 2019)."Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Masterpiece 1995~2001 for PS4 launches November 27 in Japan".Gematsu.Archivedfrom the original on June 10, 2023.RetrievedSeptember 18,2023.
  4. ^Romano, Sal (October 18, 2018)."Virtual-On, Virtual-On: Oratorio Tangram, and Virtual-On Force coming to PS4 [Update]".Gematsu.Archivedfrom the original on March 31, 2023.RetrievedSeptember 18,2023.
  5. ^abcHarrod, Warren (December 1997). "Coin-Operated: Cyber Troops Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram".Sega Saturn Magazine.No. 26.Emap International Limited.p. 88.
  6. ^Webb, Marcus (May 1998). "Sequel Mania at London and Tokyo Expos".Next Generation.No. 41.Imagine Media.p. 33.
  7. ^ab"Cyber Troopers Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram for Dreamcast".GameRankings.CBS Interactive. Archived fromthe originalon May 5, 2019.RetrievedOctober 10,2020.
  8. ^"Virtual-On: Oratorio Tangram Ver.5.66 for Xbox 360".GameRankings.CBS Interactive. Archived fromthe originalon January 7, 2019.RetrievedOctober 10,2020.
  9. ^ab"Cyber Troopers Virtual-On: Oratorio Tangram (X360)".Metacritic.Fandom.Archivedfrom the original on September 18, 2023.RetrievedSeptember 18,2023.
  10. ^"Virtual-On: Oratorio Tangram (DC) [review wasn't archived before December 12, 2014]".AllGame.All Media Network.Archived fromthe originalon November 14, 2014.RetrievedOctober 11,2020.
  11. ^Franklin, Eric (June 8, 2000)."Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram (DC)".Gamecenter.CNET.Archived fromthe originalon August 18, 2000.RetrievedSeptember 19,2023.
  12. ^Edge staff (February 2000)."Virtual On Oratorio Tangram (DC; Import)"(PDF).Edge.No. 81.Future Publishing.pp. 76–77.Archived(PDF)from the original on July 7, 2023.RetrievedSeptember 18,2023.
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  18. ^"Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram (DC)".Game Informer.No. 88.FuncoLand.August 2000.
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  20. ^Chau, Anthony "Dangohead" (March 2000)."Cyber Troopers Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram (Import)".GameFan.Vol. 8, no. 3. Shinno Media. pp. 72–75.RetrievedOctober 11,2020.
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