Powerslave

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Powerslave

System(s): Sega Saturn

Publisher: BMG Interactive, Playmates Interactive Entertainment (US)

Developer: Lobotomy Software

Sound driver: SCSP/CD-DA (13 tracks)

Peripherals supported: Saturn 6 Player Adaptor (for Death Tank)

Genre: Action

Number of players: 1 (2-6 for Death Tank)

Release	Date	RRP	Code

ESRB

Sega

ELSPA

Powerslave, known as Exhumed in Europe and Seireki 1999: Pharaoh no Fukkatsu (西暦１９９９　ファラオの復活) in Japan, is a first person shooter game developed by Lobotomy Software and released for the Sega Saturn in 1996.

Gameplay

Death Tank

US and JP version of Powerslave contains a mini game called Death Tank that can be accessed if you collect all 23 dolls hidden in the game. The mini-game supports up to 6 players, which was increased up to 7 players in it's sequel, Death Tank Zwei, which can be found in Duke Nukem 3D.

Development

Slave Driver Game Engine

The original version appeared on the PC as a Build engine game and featured many mechanics, levels and content that varied differently. This includes linear level design, in-game speech from the main character, and stock lives that once they've run out, the game ends for the player. When the game was brought to the Sega Saturn and PlayStation, the game was rebuilt from the ground up using a proprietary engine called Slave Driver which was able to render more complex levels, including rooms above other rooms, which was not possible on the Build engine. It also went through a major gameplay re-design thanks to the stronger hardware. The Playstation and Sega Saturn versions put more focus on exploration and allow the player to replay stages. In order to progress, certain permanent power ups (e.g. magic sandals that allow higher jumps) need to be collectedThe Slave Driver engine would become a framework for PC to console ports by Lobotomy Software including Duke Nukem 3D and Quake.

Versions

As mentioned before, the PC version is an almost completely different game. The Playstation and Sega Saturn versions differ in terms of stage design, lighting effects, framerate (higher peak performance on Playstation vs more constant 30 frames per second on Sega Saturn.)etc.

Technical information

Saving Data

Powerslave makes use of the Saturn's internal battery back-up as well as the Saturn Backup Memory to save data for progress. To load and save data from the Ram Cart, the save file must be created on the internal battery back-up first, then moved over via the Memory Manager.

Powerslave Save Data
Name	Comment	File Size
POWERSLAVE#	save games	11

Production credits

Executive Producers: Brian McNeely, Paul Lange
Game Design: Brian McNeely
Additional Game Design: Dominick Meissner, Mark Coates, Jason Wiggin, Ezra Dreisbach
Game Programming: Ezra Dreisbach
BREW World Editing Tool: David Lawson
Art and Environment: Troy Jacobson, Brian McNeely, John Van Deusen, Kevin Chung, Paul Knutzen, Richard Nichols, Eric Klokstad, Joe Kfesoja, Jason Wiggin, Willian Vallieres
Creatures and Weaponry: John Van Deusen
Music and Sound Effects: Scott Branston
Stage Design: Brian McNeely, Domick Meissner, Paul Knutzen, Jason Wiggin, Mark Coates
Additional Technical Support: Jeff Blazier, John Schwab, John Yuill, Paul Magefud, Paul Schreiber, Pat Schreiber, Kurt Pfeifer
Instruction Manual: Tom Kristensen
Special THANKS! To: Jacqui Lyons, Marjacq Micro, Ian Mathias, Mike Brown, Ronya, Lonnie, Nasie, and of Course Sega

Magazine articles

Main article: Powerslave/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

PowerSlave Saturn US PrintAdvert.jpg

US print advert

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average

Publication

Version

Score

576 KByte (HU)

91

^[9]

Computer & Video Games (UK)

75

^[1]

Electronic Gaming Monthly (US)

NTSC-U

73

^[10]

Famitsu (JP)

NTSC-J

60

^[11]

Freak (IL)

86

^[12]

Fun Generation (DE)

PAL

90

^[13]

Gambler (PL)

87

^[14]

GameFan (US)

NTSC-U

86

^[15]

GamePro (US)

NTSC-U

100

^[16]

GamesMaster (UK)

PAL

89

^[17]

Game Informer (US)

NTSC-U

89

^[18]

Gry Komputerowe (PL)

85

^[19]

Hobby Consolas (ES)

91

^[20]

Joypad (FR)

PAL

92

^[2]

LeveL (CZ)

86

^[21]

MAN!AC (DE)

PAL

85

^[22]

Mega Force (FR)

PAL

93

^[23]

Mega Fun (DE)

PAL

88

^[24]

Mean Machines Sega (UK)

PAL

94

^[4]

Player One (FR)

89

^[5]

Saturn Fan (JP)

NTSC-J

62

^[25]

Saturn Fan (JP)

NTSC-J

64

^[26]

Saturn+ (UK)

PAL

91

^[27]

Score (CZ)

80

^[28]

Secret Service (PL)

80

^[29]

Sega News (CZ)

95

^[30]

Sega Power (UK)

PAL

91

^[31]

Świat Gier Komputerowych (PL)

85

^[32]

Sega Saturn Magazine (UK)

PAL

92

^[33]

Sega Saturn Magazine (JP)

NTSC-J

83

^[34]

Sega Saturn Magazine (JP)

NTSC-J

89

^[8]

Total Saturn (UK)

PAL

85

^[35]

Total Saturn (UK)

PAL

87

^[36]

Video Games (DE)

PAL

86

^[37]

	85
Based on 34 reviews

Powerslave

Saturn, US
Cover
Disc Manual

Saturn, EU
Cover
Disc

Saturn, JP
Cover
Spinecard Disc

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 File:CVG UK 178.pdf, page 72 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 178.pdf_p72" defined multiple times with different content
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 File:Joypad FR 057.pdf, page 98 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Joypad FR 057.pdf_p98" defined multiple times with different content
↑ File:MegaFun DE 1996-10.pdf, page 76
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 File:MeanMachinesSega47UK.pdf, page 52 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega47UK.pdf_p52" defined multiple times with different content
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 File:PlayerOne FR 068.pdf, page 92 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:PlayerOne FR 068.pdf_p92" defined multiple times with different content
↑ File:SSM_UK_11.pdf, page 68
↑ File:SSM_JP_19961213_1996-21.pdf, page 269
↑ ^8.0 ^8.1 Saturn no Game wa Sekai Ichi~i~i~i!: Satamaga Dokusha Race Zen Kiroku, SoftBank Publishing, page 11 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SnGwSISDRZK Book JP.pdf_p11" defined multiple times with different content
↑ 576 KByte, "Október 1996" (HU; 1996-xx-xx), page 26
↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "December 1996" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 85
↑ Famitsu, "1996-12-06" (JP; 1996-11-22), page 1
↑ Freak, "3/97" (IL; 1997-xx-xx), page 1
↑ Fun Generation, "11/96" (DE; 1996-10-09), page 78
↑ Gambler, "4/1997" (PL; 1997-xx-xx), page 1
↑ GameFan, "Volume 4, Issue 11: November 1996" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 18
↑ GamePro, "November 1996" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 120
↑ GamesMaster, "September 1996" (UK; 1996-08-01), page 51
↑ Game Informer, "December 1996" (US; 1996-1x-xx), page 65
↑ Gry Komputerowe, "1-2/1997" (PL; 1997-xx-xx), page 1
↑ Hobby Consolas, "Octubre 1996" (ES; 1996-xx-xx), page 68
↑ LeveL, "Prosinec 1996" (CZ; 1996-12-01), page 82
↑ MAN!AC, "11/96" (DE; 1996-10-09), page 74
↑ Mega Force, "Novembre/Décembre 1996" (FR; 1996-1x-xx), page 36
↑ Mega Fun, "10/96" (DE; 1996-09-18), page 60
↑ Saturn Fan, "1996 No. 24" (JP; 1996-11-15), page 188
↑ Saturn Fan, "1997 No. 2" (JP; 1997-01-17), page 70
↑ Saturn+, "Issue 4" (UK; 1996-10-24), page 28
↑ Score, "Prosinec 1996" (CZ; 1996-12-01), page 112
↑ Secret Service, "Marzec 1997" (PL; 1997-xx-xx), page 67
↑ Sega News, "Listopad 1996" (CZ; 1996-1x-xx), page 10
↑ Sega Power, "September 1996" (UK; 1996-08-01), page 34
↑ Świat Gier Komputerowych, "2/1997" (PL; 1997-xx-xx), page 1
↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1996" (UK; 1996-08-20), page 68
↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "1996-21 (1996-12-13)" (JP; 1996-11-22), page 269
↑ Total Saturn, "Volume One Issue Two" (UK; 1996-09-30), page 58
↑ Total Saturn, "Volume One Issue Four" (UK; 1996-12-29), page 25
↑ Video Games, "10/96" (DE; 1996-09-25), page 86

[:File:CVG_UK_178.pdf_p72-1] 1.0 ^1.1 File:CVG UK 178.pdf, page 72 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 178.pdf_p72" defined multiple times with different content

[:File:Joypad_FR_057.pdf_p98-2] 2.0 ^2.1 File:Joypad FR 057.pdf, page 98 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:Joypad FR 057.pdf_p98" defined multiple times with different content

[:File:MegaFun_DE_1996-10.pdf_p76-3] File:MegaFun DE 1996-10.pdf, page 76

[:File:MeanMachinesSega47UK.pdf_p52-4] 4.0 ^4.1 File:MeanMachinesSega47UK.pdf, page 52 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega47UK.pdf_p52" defined multiple times with different content

[:File:PlayerOne_FR_068.pdf_p92-5] 5.0 ^5.1 File:PlayerOne FR 068.pdf, page 92 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:PlayerOne FR 068.pdf_p92" defined multiple times with different content

[:File:SSM_UK_11.pdf_p68-6] File:SSM_UK_11.pdf, page 68

[:File:SSM_JP_19961213_1996-21.pdf_p269-7] File:SSM_JP_19961213_1996-21.pdf, page 269

[:File:SnGwSISDRZK_Book_JP.pdf_p11-8] 8.0 ^8.1 Saturn no Game wa Sekai Ichi~i~i~i!: Satamaga Dokusha Race Zen Kiroku, SoftBank Publishing, page 11 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:SnGwSISDRZK Book JP.pdf_p11" defined multiple times with different content

[:File:576KB_HU_1996-10.pdf_p26-9] 576 KByte, "Október 1996" (HU; 1996-xx-xx), page 26

[:File:EGM_US_089.pdf_p85-10] Electronic Gaming Monthly, "December 1996" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 85

[11] Famitsu, "1996-12-06" (JP; 1996-11-22), page 1

[12] Freak, "3/97" (IL; 1997-xx-xx), page 1

[:File:FunGeneration_DE_1996-11.pdf_p78-13] Fun Generation, "11/96" (DE; 1996-10-09), page 78

[14] Gambler, "4/1997" (PL; 1997-xx-xx), page 1

[:File:GameFan_US_0411.pdf_p18-15] GameFan, "Volume 4, Issue 11: November 1996" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 18

[:File:GamePro_US_098.pdf_p120-16] GamePro, "November 1996" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 120

[:File:GamesMaster_UK_046.pdf_p51-17] GamesMaster, "September 1996" (UK; 1996-08-01), page 51

[:File:GameInformer_US_044.pdf_p65-18] Game Informer, "December 1996" (US; 1996-1x-xx), page 65

[19] Gry Komputerowe, "1-2/1997" (PL; 1997-xx-xx), page 1

[:File:HobbyConsolas_ES_061.pdf_p68-20] Hobby Consolas, "Octubre 1996" (ES; 1996-xx-xx), page 68

[21] LeveL, "Prosinec 1996" (CZ; 1996-12-01), page 82

[:File:MAN.21AC_DE_1996-11.pdf_p74-22] MAN!AC, "11/96" (DE; 1996-10-09), page 74

[:File:MegaForce_FR_54.pdf_p36-23] Mega Force, "Novembre/Décembre 1996" (FR; 1996-1x-xx), page 36

[:File:MegaFun_DE_1996-10.pdf_p60-24] Mega Fun, "10/96" (DE; 1996-09-18), page 60

[:File:SaturnFan_JP_1996-24_19961129.pdf_p188-25] Saturn Fan, "1996 No. 24" (JP; 1996-11-15), page 188

[:File:SaturnFan_JP_1997-02_19970131.pdf_p70-26] Saturn Fan, "1997 No. 2" (JP; 1997-01-17), page 70

[:File:SaturnPlus_UK_04.pdf_p28-27] Saturn+, "Issue 4" (UK; 1996-10-24), page 28

[:File:Score_CZ_36.pdf_p112-28] Score, "Prosinec 1996" (CZ; 1996-12-01), page 112

[:File:SecretService_PL_44.pdf_p67-29] Secret Service, "Marzec 1997" (PL; 1997-xx-xx), page 67

[:File:Sega_News_2_CZ.pdf_p10-30] Sega News, "Listopad 1996" (CZ; 1996-1x-xx), page 10

[:File:SegaPower_UK_83.pdf_p34-31] Sega Power, "September 1996" (UK; 1996-08-01), page 34

[32] Świat Gier Komputerowych, "2/1997" (PL; 1997-xx-xx), page 1

[:File:SSM_UK_11.pdf_p68-33] Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1996" (UK; 1996-08-20), page 68

[:File:SSM_JP_19961213_1996-21.pdf_p269-34] Sega Saturn Magazine, "1996-21 (1996-12-13)" (JP; 1996-11-22), page 269

[:File:TotalSaturn_UK_02.pdf_p58-35] Total Saturn, "Volume One Issue Two" (UK; 1996-09-30), page 58

[:File:TotalSaturn_UK_04.pdf_p25-36] Total Saturn, "Volume One Issue Four" (UK; 1996-12-29), page 25

[:File:VideoGames_DE_1996-10.pdf_p86-37] Video Games, "10/96" (DE; 1996-09-25), page 86

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Powerslave

From Sega Retro

Contents

Gameplay

Death Tank

Development

Slave Driver Game Engine

Versions

Technical information

Saving Data

Production credits

Magazine articles

Promotional material

Physical scans

References