Criminally Overlooked Games #9: Osman

[SuperMytho]

This game is freaking awesome. Too bad the original PCB is so expensive.

[StarFoxAutobot]

A game set in the Middle East, a male protagonist, everything blowing up, and a female antagonist. Gee, why am I not surprised?

[myCATm1m1]

lots or Illuminati reference

[myCATm1m1]

i c he got sum chung li kicks going on there... lol lol nice reviewtho

[Sentinal6]

this gme looks awsome and i love how it has some blade runner influence

[Arunetto]

It's like a cross between an updated Strider's gameplay and Jojo's Bizarre Adventure's art direction. That said, it looks insanely fun.

[chengue21]

Come on people STRYDER HYRYU !!!! almost the same lvls cheap copy

[reignick1133]

@chengue21 heh it's not a "cheap copy" if the same main director and programer for Strider Hiryu made this game as well.

While not using Moromia Kikau's titular Hiryu character this is in essence a "spiritual successor" to the original Strider.

( Remember before 99 all we had was the shitty U.S. Gold /Tiertex unofficial "sequel" and NO ONE was happy with that crap.)

This game was made because it NEEDED to be, Moto wasn't allowing another game so quickly after Tiertex drug Strider down.

[NoeLPZC]

Wow, why isn't futuristic Arabia used more often?

[Jagged85]

@NoeLPZC

Considering how Dubai is becoming like a real-life Blade Runner city, it's about time a setting like that is utilized more often by movies and games.

[xDTHECHEMISTx]

shit looks funky^^

like a rip off of strider but in a very cool cool way though

[xerfes]

Where did you encounter all this games?

[BigBangBlitz]

I read an article on this from some kind of old magaine, and when the opportunity arose to play it on MAME, I took it.

The others I played in Canada or just local places.

[hyp3rj0s3ph]

Could you do a video of Gaiapolis?

[indydaisy1]

the father of strider made this game and his new game has just landed on psn/xbox live called moondiver, he calls it a futuritic strider, pretty awsome demo go to it strider fans.

[RokuroCarisu]

This game reminds me a lot of Hagane, but with way better moves and even crazier design. ^^

I think the main char would be awesome in Mugen too. ^^

[neobogard]

@RokuroCarisu this game is not better then hagane.

[RokuroCarisu]

@neobogard It is. Hagane's only advantages are multiple weapons and (for some players) the lower difficulty - less enemies and easier special moves.

However, its graphics are not that good, it has a rather straigthlined level design, there are no throws, the "fatal attack" is a generic smartbomb and most of all it's nowhere near as action packed as Osman.

I'd also like to point out that; at the end of their games, Osman rules the world while Hagane simply shuts down and rusts in peace. ^^°

[ClubSyNXTremeTV]

4 people couldn't get past the first stage..

[newjeddah]

cool fighting graphics. in what console?

[ryanc519]

it would have become a classic if it was released for the genesis

[LegacyCrono]

That's an amazing amount of blood. I like it.

[RocMegamanX]

I couldn't beat that game. The last level is bull.

[BigBangBlitz]

It is exceptionally difficult and lacks necessary checkpoints.

Verified!

[heroteen16]

whoa that's some fluid sprite movement.

[seraphim123]

this game was hard as all hell but it looked too damn awesome to walk away.

[RealBlkShinigami]

that would;ve been a hell of a game to play back then

[BFG8000]

Damn this game has some sweet strider gameplay

[RileyOcelot]

The first stage has a kick ass song.

[Left4eggs]

This games style is very surrealistic. It's an interesting, if not terrifying, way to imagine the future.

[Ganbareg]

Devs from strider worked on this game, sweet title

[O4M2N]

this looks pretty cool and its more awesome sence my name is osman as well if you dont believe me then look at me my name o4m2n=o$m@n=osman

[Grooveraider]

Wow, very interesting and impressive even by today's standards. I would love to hear the development story surrounding Osman. Correct me if i'm wrong but didn't the company Mitchell work with Capcom on the game "Buster Bros." ? And why didn't Capcom back this game even if it wasn't a direct Strider sequel? Hmmmmmm... Great clip btw ^_^

[BigBangBlitz]

Yes, they did.

No, they didn't support this at all. They weren't opposed either.

[reivenlocke]

Abdullah the Slaver? I wonder if there is any relation the Abdullah the Butcher?

[GirlsHateMeVeryMuch]

Looks and plays like Strider, I have to say if they made a sequel this would be it

[ihearduliekgoatse]

this is copied from strider.

and there are strider sequels. 1 unauthorised one on the genesis/megadrive and then the REAL strider 2 made by capcom on the PS1

[BigBangBlitz]

It's not.

I don't care to explain since I typed it out all those other times on this page.

[ihearduliekgoatse]

i know now it's made by the same guys so there will obviously be similarities. I consider this to be better than strider anyway.

[Osmeeen]

it looks very cool ^^

[cyphi1]

looks like fun. Don't really like the trailing shadow power ups though, hard to see the character...especially when attacking.

[triforce7777]

Great video! is there any emulator to play this game?

[BigBangBlitz]

Mame

[chosentonessournotes]

I was just gonna say how much this resembles Strider, but someone pointed it out. Thank you!

[DemonSlayerDotCom]

great video.

[vdig]

Jack... Layton? The leader of the NDP party in Canada? What the heck?! Further, why'd they misspell his name? Why's he ripped with black hair? Finally, why in the world would he order people around in his boxers?

Seriously, though, this game is awesome. Nothing short of inconceivable. The plot, quite literally so. The gameplay, figuratively.

[BigBangBlitz]

Well put.

To answer your questions: this happens in the future!

The future is mysterious and scary.

[Maniaxe613]

@vdig I am SO glad I am not the only one who recognized that! I'm sure it's just a coincidence. Remember, this game was released in 1996.

[trustobey1016]

the same team that made the original strider made this game

[RileyOcelot]

This guy has the cooles jump animations ever!

[BigBangBlitz]

I'd be hard pressed to disagree.

[RileyOcelot]

this game is fucking hot! This is what Strider 2 should've been.

[BigBangBlitz]

Yeah, both Strider 2's.

[10samm10]

Strider 2 (1999) is better but this game is great.

[smoretaco]

Awesome! Until now I had only seen a few screenshots of this game and just assumed it was a Strider wannabe on Neo Geo hardware or something. Sick game! Thanks for the video.

[mitzibishi]

is this strider 2 or a strider clone on cocaine?

[BigBangBlitz]

It's a Strider-like game, made by the originators and changed to avoid legal complications.

I prefer to think of it as Strider 2 myself.

[ethm21]

I was lucky enough to have a machine of this near where I lived in germany! And found it to be one of the most intense games I'd ever played! And even though I never managed to finish what I presume is the final level I kept pumping money into it! Great times!

[BigBangBlitz]

The difficulty curve gets jarringly steep on the last level. Most people just plain give up there.

[ethm21]

Especially when you're spending money on it!

[SAGAIA2]

Funny you said "Strider clone" because a few former Capcom game designers made this game.

[BigBangBlitz]

Find this part in my description a couple of words later:

"The game was designed and programmed by many of the same people who worked on the Original strider"

Yes, I know my stuff.

[trustobey1016]

yup, and you notice strider has the same grapples in marvel vs capcom

[VonRichter]

This game looks fabulous. I'm a master of the arcade Strider, maybe I should take this one up.

[BigBangBlitz]

I feel it's more faithful to what made Strider great than the abhorrible Strider 2 by US gold or even the Passable Capcom sequel.

It just feels right.

[VonRichter]

The European "Strider 2" is terrible. Capcoms "Strider 2" just felt like an OK action game with the name Strider pasted on.

[BigBangBlitz]

Exactly.

I'm waiting to see how the new Bionic Commando turns out, if that's popular enough you can count on a Strider update.. for better or for worse.

[10samm10]

The European "Strider 2" was called

Strider Returns. Strider 2 (Capcom) was the most awesome game I have ever played!

[VonRichter]

RE: 10samm10:

"Strider 2" is printed right on the manual cover of "Strider Returns". It was sold as such in some markets. Awful game either way.

[BigBangBlitz]

A yup a travesty. Fooled me too. After U.S. Gold did a decent port of Flashback I thought it would turn out ok.

Well..

[talbot1939]

It's Turkish Strider!

Yeah I remember this game, It's gets way too hard in the later levels. Thanks for putting it up. Now I'm reminded to resume my quest to finish it on one credit. I'll update you in a few years. :)

[BigBangBlitz]

Now there's something i'd like to see.

The uninitiated might think you can just plow through the game with special attacks, but we know better. It's a serious test of reflexes.

[Jac2Mac]

Is it too hard in the later levels because of the dreaded checkpoint system?

[BigBangBlitz]

This game doesn't have a checkpoint system until the very end. Arbitrarily, if you lose on that last part anywhere between the flying fire women and the mech monster at near the end, you start over. It's not as easy as I made it look, and then you fight your clone, all the previous boss characters at the same time, and the final boss all in a row.

That's fair enough really, but it originally cost a quarter each time. Plus, the rest of the game in no picnic either.. see for yourself.

[figment1988]

this game is a good one, despite the lack of sense the plot has. plus, the music isn't that bad.

[BigBangBlitz]

I feel it has excellent music and sounds, but the compression is really lousy and the soundchip they put in the units wasn't good enough to compensate.

[YoYosmack275]

One weird ass strider clone. Looks a bit to crazy for me to play. I'm still sticking to the original strider for the arcade.

[BigBangBlitz]

Ya, it is pretty crazy, but it's a fun challenge after years of perfecting Strider and lamenting Strider 2.