Bio-Hazard Battle

From Sega Retro

n/a

  • NTSC-U/PAL
  • NTSC-J

BioHazardBattle MDTitleScreen.png

CryingAseimeiSensou MDTitleScreen.png

Bio-Hazard Battle
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Virtual Console, Steam
Publisher:
Sega Mega Drive
Sega (Japan, US, Europe)
Sega Mega Drive
Samsung (South Korea)
Developer:
Distributor:
Sega Mega Drive
Ecofilmes (PT)
Sega Mega Drive
Samsung (KR)
Genre: Shooting[2][3]

















Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
JP
¥6,8006,800 G-4087
Sega Mega Drive
US
$49.9949.99[4][5] 1060
Sega Mega Drive
EU
1060
Sega Mega Drive
PT
Sega Mega Drive
UK
£39.9939.99[6] 1060
Sega Mega Drive
SE
(Rental)
Sega Mega Drive
AU
Sega Mega Drive
CA
Sega Mega Drive
KR
GM8069JG
Arcade (Mega Play)
JP
¥? ?


























Wii Virtual Console
JP
600pts600[8]
CERO: A
Wii Virtual Console
US
800pts800[9]
ESRB: Everyone
Wii Virtual Console
EU
800pts800[10]
PEGI: 7+
Wii Virtual Console
AU
800pts800[12]
OFLC: General (G)
Steam
US
$2.992.99[14] 34316
ESRB: Everyone
Steam
EU
€2.492.49[14] 34316
PEGI: 7+
Steam
DE
€2.492.49[14] 34316
USK: 6
Steam
UK
£1.991.99[14] 34316
PEGI: 7+
Steam
AU
$3.493.49[14] 34316
OFLC: General (G)
Steam Linux
US
$0.990.99[16] 34316
ESRB: Everyone
Steam Linux
EU
€0.990.99[16] 34316
PEGI: 7+
Steam Linux
DE
€0.990.99[16] 34316
USK: 6
Steam Linux
UK
£0.790.79[16] 34316
PEGI: 7+
Steam Linux
AU
$1.351.35[16] 34316
OFLC: General (G)
Steam OS X
US
$0.990.99[16] 34316
ESRB: Everyone
Steam OS X
EU
€0.990.99[16] 34316
PEGI: 7+
Steam OS X
DE
€0.990.99[16] 34316
USK: 6
Steam OS X
UK
£0.790.79[16] 34316
PEGI: 7+
Steam OS X
AU
$1.351.35[16] 34316
OFLC: General (G)

Bio-Hazard Battle, known in Japan as Crying: Aseimei Sensou (クライング 亜生命戦争), is a Sega Mega Drive horizontal shoot-'em-up developed by Sega CS1[1] and published by Sega. First released in Japan in October 1992, the game is most known for its unsettling organic designs and its offbeat soundtrack, and has developed a slight cult following for its unique tone.

Story

The planet Avaron (known as Avalon on the Japanese box, in a case of reverse Engrish) was plunged into deep biological war known as G-Biowar I, and a retrovirus was synthesized to try to defeat the enemy. Unfortunately, the plan backfires: the planet is rendered nearly inhospitable to humankind, and the only survivors of the virus are sent to space in the O.P. Odysseus to await a time when the new species of creatures that survive or thrive on the virus pose little enough a threat to set up a new colony.

That time eventually comes when computer probes show that conditions on Avaron are now hostile but livable, and thus the Odysseus deploys special craft that are both machine and living being, known as Bioships, to scout the areas of the planet labelled least hostile and find a new home for the survivors.

The game's stages display the virus outbreak, e.g. stage 2 is a ravaged city, stage 7 appears to be the facility where the virus was produced. According to the game's credits, ray tracing was used to create some graphics.

Gameplay

There are four Bioships available to pilot. Tap any button to fire normal shots, hold A for rapid-fire normal shots, and hold/release B or C to charge up and fire a Plasma Wall. Each Bioship has its own unique Plasma Wall. A miniature ship known as the Power Star circles around the Bioship that not only fires its own shots in time with the Bioship, but can also collect upgrades to its current weapon and can be used as a shield, absorbing enemy bullets before they can hit the Bioship. Touching the walls cannot harm the Bioship in this game.

Like many shoot-'em-ups, the game can be played solo or co-operatively. In a 2-player game, both players cannot select the same type of Bioship.

The game begins with an initial stock of 3, 4 or 5 lives as set in the options menu, and extra lives are given out based on score. Most stages also have extra lives in hidden spots, which are revealed by shooting at them. There are a total of 9 credits for the player(s) to continue the game with after all lives are lost.

Bioships

BioHazardBattle MD Sprite BioshipProfiles.png
Orestes
Specifications:
  • Bioship speed: Fast
  • Yellow weapon: Fire Petal
  • Orange weapon: Plasma Ring
  • Blue weapon: Nova
BioHazardBattle MD Sprite BioshipProfiles.png
Electra
Specifications:
  • Bioship speed: Slow
  • Yellow weapon: Fire Petal
  • Orange weapon: Seeker Laser
  • Blue weapon: Bond
BioHazardBattle MD Sprite BioshipProfiles.png
Hecuba
Specifications:
  • Bioship speed: Fast
  • Yellow weapon: Spin Laser
  • Orange weapon: Plasma Ring
  • Blue weapon: Bond
BioHazardBattle MD Sprite BioshipProfiles.png
Polyxena
Specifications:
  • Bioship speed: Slow
  • Yellow weapon: Spin Laser
  • Orange weapon: Plasma Ring
  • Blue weapon: Nova

Energy Seeds

There are a number of different normal shots, represented by differently-coloured power-ups referred to as Energy Seeds; strangely, normal shot types are partially shared between certain Bioships as listed above. Collecting multiple Seeds of the same colour will upgrade the currently-equipped weapon, up to a maximum of three Seeds.

Bio-Hazard Battle, Items.png
Green
Provides the Implosion Pods, the only weapon shared by every Bioship. A general purpose spreadshot and the default weapon of the Power Star.
Bio-Hazard Battle, Items.png
Yellow
Provides the Fire Petal which is a rapid-fire fireball cannon, or the Spin Laser which is a straight laser that can also destroy enemy bullets.
Bio-Hazard Battle, Items.png
Orange
Provides the Seeker Laser which is a homing laser, or the Plasma Ring which is a spinning energy ring that is reflected on contact with living matter.
Bio-Hazard Battle, Items.png
Blue
Provides the Nova which is a cross-shaped laser, or the Bond which fires slow homing orbs that can destroy enemy bullets and attach to enemies.

Stages

BioHazardBattle MD Stage1.png

Reentry
The game begins with the Odysseus deploying the Bioships selected for the mission, which will then descend through Avaron's stratosphere and the first waves of hostilities. All four colours of Energy Seed will be deployed by the Odysseus as soon as the planet's skyline is reached. The stage eventually ends on its own without a boss fight.

BioHazardBattle MD Stage2.png

City Ruins
Though the city has been abandoned since the deployment of the retrovirus, some of its defensive weapons are still operational and will ride along the city's highways, opening fire against the Bioships. The Bioships will eventually fly over the parts of the city that have been reduced to rubble and encounter the first boss of the game, whose weak point is its tail.

BioHazardBattle MD Stage3.png

Forest
The great forests and jungles of Asia have become alien and dangerous, and have become infested with giant dragonflies and flying centipedes. The boss is a giant worm that wriggles out of a decayed body whose weak point is the head, with a stream of butterflies coming from the hollow in the tree.

BioHazardBattle MD Stage4.png

Bauxite Mine
A long-abandoned mine consisting of narrow cavern passages filled with bat-like creatures, maggots and other hostilities. At a certain point in the stage, crystals will protrude from the ground and ceiling and must be shot at to proceed. The boss of this stage constantly protects itself using pieces of the ground and ceiling, which must be destroyed to expose its weak point.

BioHazardBattle MD Stage5.png

Oceania
The entirety of this stage is set underwater, and the Bioships are tasked with diving deeper than Odysseus' probes could to scout the ocean floor. All sorts of aquatic hostilities such as fish, jellyfish and underwater volcanoes make the ocean floor quite deadly. The boss is a giant anglerfish-like creature.

BioHazardBattle MD Stage6.png

Flying Destroyer
An automated warjet left over from G-Biowar I has been detected in Avaron's skies, and is programmed to seek out and destroy any colony humankind hopes to build on the planet. The Bioships have to take out the warjet's weapons and destroy the warjet piece-by-piece to make the skies safe.

BioHazardBattle MD Stage7.png

Biowar Lab Grounds
Scientists on the Odysseus need more information on the kinds of gene manipulation experiments that were going on when G-Biowar I started, and to do that, the Bioships need to be piloted through the Biowar Labs complex, which are teeming with mutant hostilities. This stage also ends on its own without a boss fight.

BioHazardBattle MD Stage8.png

Biowar Lab Core
The Bioships eventually reach the core of the Biowar Labs which hold the necessary materials for stabilising Avaron's biosphere. This stage has the Bioships move in different directions, so the player(s) will need to rely on the Power Star to shoot hostilities when flying backwards. The final boss is a spherical mech with multiple phases, including making stalactites rain from the ceiling.

Secret stage rumor

Various cheat sites claim there is a secret stage resembling an asteroid field. However, such a stage never existed.

Versions

Comparisons

Main article: Bio-Hazard Battle/Comparisons.

Localised names

Also known as
Language Localised Name English Translation
English Bio-Hazard Battle Bio-Hazard Battle
English (US) Bio-Hazard Battle Bio-Hazard Battle
Japanese クライング 亜生命戦争 Crying: Aseimei Sensou
Korean Crying (크라잉)

Production credits

Source:
In-game credits
Bio-Hazard Battle MD credits.pdf
[17]


Various developer aliases have been revealed by SiFi-TZK.[18][19] Other aliases of thanked developers have been revealed by Yosuke Okunari.[20]

Source:
SiFi TZK[18]

Digital manuals

Magazine articles

Main article: Bio-Hazard Battle/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1992-11: "November 1992" (1992-10-08)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Game Champ (KR) #1992-12: "92/12" ()
Logo-pdf.svg

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
60
[21]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
75
[22]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
63
[23]
Consoles + (FR)
86
[24]
Cool Gamer (RU)
30
[25]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
55
[26]
Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1 (RU)
60
[27]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
89
[28]
GameFan (US)
90
[29]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
93
[4]
Gamers (DE)
53
[30]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
60
[31]
Joypad (FR) NTSC-J
86
[32]
Joystick (FR) PAL
94
[33]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK)
78
[34]
Mega (UK) PAL
75
[35]
Mega Fun (DE) NTSC-J
74
[36]
MegaTech (UK) PAL
88
[37]
Marukatsu Mega Drive (JP) NTSC-J
75
[38]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
88
[6]
Player One (FR)
95
[39]
Play Time (DE)
81
[40]
Power Play (DE)
68
[41]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
88
[42]
Sega Force (UK) PAL
84
[43]
Sega Mega Drive Review (RU)
88
[44]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
75
[45]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
63
[46]
Video Games (DE) PAL
70
[47]
Sega Mega Drive
75
Based on
29 reviews

Bio-Hazard Battle

Mega Drive, JP
BHB MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
Crying MD JP CartTop.jpg
Crying MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Crying md jp manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, US
BioHazardBattle MD US Box.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, EU
BioHazardBattle MD EU cover.jpg
Cover
BioHazardBattle MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Biohazard Battle MD EU Manual.jpg
Manual
BHB MD EU pcb.jpg
PCB
Mega Drive, PT
BioHazardBattle MD PT cover.jpg
Cover
BioHazardBattle MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, SE (rental; Hent; orange)
BioHazardBattle MD SE Rental box back.jpgNospine.pngBioHazardBattle MD SE Rental cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, AU

Mega Drive, KR
Crying MD KR cover.jpg
Cover
Crying MD KR cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, CA

Mega Play version

Mega Play,
BioHazardBattle MegaPlay Box.jpg
Cover

Technical information

Main article: Bio-Hazard Battle/Technical information.

External links

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 https://sifi-tzk.hatenadiary.jp/entry/20050227/p2
  2. File:BHB MD JP Box.jpg
  3. 3.0 3.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-20 09:51)
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 GamePro, "December 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 52
  5. Game Informer, "November/December 1992" (US; 1992-1x-xx), page 41
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Mean Machines Sega, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-xx), page 78
  7. https://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/vc/software/02.html (Wayback Machine: 2018-03-05 23:11)
  8. http://vc.sega.jp:80/vc_crying/ (Wayback Machine: 2007-02-02 02:44)
  9. 9.0 9.1 http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/nkGS_arHjNb5eHbK7jOddeYifSWTh-RO (Wayback Machine: 2010-11-22 23:49)
  10. 10.0 10.1 http://www.nintendolife.com/games/megadrive/bio_hazard_battle (Wayback Machine: 2017-07-05 04:24)
  11. https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Virtual-Console-Wii-/Bio-Hazard-Battle--276335.html (archive.today)
  12. http://www.nintendo.com.au/index.php?action=catalogue&prodcat_id=41&prod_id=19726&pageID=4 (Wayback Machine: 2012-04-03 03:14)
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 https://steamdb.info/app/34316/ (Wayback Machine: 2016-07-30 03:41)
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 http://steamdb.info/app/34316/ (Wayback Machine: 2013-05-22 20:37)
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 15.8 15.9 https://steamdb.info/app/34316/history/?changeid=5755290
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 16.8 16.9 http://steamdb.info/app/34316/ (Wayback Machine: 2019-09-06 18:40)
  17. File:Bio-Hazard Battle MD credits.pdf
  18. 18.0 18.1 https://tzk-gamedesign.hatenablog.jp/entry/2023/04/23/012721 (Wayback Machine: 2023-08-23 16:00)
  19. https://sifi-tzk.hatenadiary.jp/entry/20050227/p2 (Wayback Machine: 2023-08-23 15:25)
  20. @okunari on Twitter (Wayback Machine: 2023-06-15 15:51)
  21. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 32
  22. Aktueller Software Markt, "Februar 1993" (DE; 1993-01-11), page 136
  23. Beep! MegaDrive, "November 1992" (JP; 1992-10-08), page 28
  24. Consoles +, "Janvier 1993" (FR; 199x-xx-xx), page 84
  25. Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 35
  26. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "December 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 34
  27. Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 1, "" (RU; 1999-xx-xx), page 295
  28. Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 26
  29. GameFan, "Volume 1, Issue 1: October 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 6
  30. Gamers, "Dezember/Januar 1993" (DE; 1992-11-19), page 80
  31. Hippon Super, "December 1992" (JP; 1992-11-04), page 82
  32. Joypad, "Décembre 1992" (FR; 1992-1x-xx), page 104
  33. Joystick, "Décembre 1992" (FR; 1992-1x-xx), page 193
  34. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "February 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 40
  35. Mega, "December 1992" (UK; 1992-11-19), page 40
  36. Mega Fun, "11/92" (DE; 1992-10-xx), page 36
  37. MegaTech, "November 1992" (UK; 1992-10-20), page 26
  38. Marukatsu Mega Drive, "November 1992" (JP; 1992-10-xx), page 108
  39. Player One, "Décembre 1992" (FR; 1992-12-10), page 60
  40. Play Time, "3/93" (DE; 1993-02-10), page 111
  41. Power Play, "2/93" (DE; 1993-01-xx), page 140
  42. Sega Power, "January 1993" (UK; 1992-12-03), page 35
  43. Sega Force, "December 1992" (UK; 1992-11-05), page 80
  44. Sega Mega Drive Review, "1" (RU; 1995-04-03), page 37
  45. Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 85
  46. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 8
  47. Video Games, "2/93" (DE; 1993-01-27), page 93


Bio-Hazard Battle

BioHazardBattle MDTitleScreen.png

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Sega Mega Drive
Prototypes: Prototype | 1992-08