T.R.A.G. (PlayStation)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 2.5 stars OK
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 5.9 (2.5 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  James Mielke
• Reviewed on: 05/25/1999
• Updated on: 05/02/2000
• Released on: 03/31/1999
• Originally published on GameSpot: T.R.A.G. (PlayStation) Review

Originally released in Japan last fall as Hard Edge, T.R.A.G. (Tactical Rescue Assault Group) puts you in the line of fire as either Alex or Michelle, the game's two creatively named protagonists. Having been sent to the Togusa Building to investigate some suspicious shenanigans, the entire T.R.A.G. team has been booby-trapped and destroyed by mysterious forces, with Alex and Michelle the only survivors. It is now up to them to get to the bottom of things.

After a semi-lavish CG intro (not nearly as good as Resident Evil 2's, but good enough), you are inserted into the game in the role of Alex, whom you will play as until a later point where you can opt to switch between the two characters. Later in the game, you will be able to control other characters, much like you can in RE2. Other similarities to RE or RE2 are the prerendered backgrounds and polygonal characters. The thing that T.R.A.G. does not share with its evil brethren is the ease of control. If you thought Resident Evil and its offspring were hard to control, then T.R.A.G. makes the RE series feel like Mario 64 by comparison. Analog control is all but useless in this game, since you must still push forward to walk forward, and push right to rotate right, etc. R1 causes you to withdraw your weapon, and square attacks. X makes your character run, and run you will, since the characters walk with mind-numbing slowness. Another little control gripe is the uni-speed dialogue settings that you usually try to fast-forward by mashing the buttons, only to trigger the same text again and again. It's annoying to see the words "it's a bookshelf" over and over again.

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