Bug Blasters: The Exterminators (Sega CD) Playthrough
2Playthrough of Sony Imagesoft's FMV shooter for the Sega CD, Bug Blasters: The Exterminators.
Originally intended for a 1995 release, Sony’s The Exterminators was quietly canceled and shelved before its commercial debut. However, a finished prototype of the game resurfaced a few years later, and in 2000, Good Deal Games published it as Bug Blasters: The Exterminators on the Sega CD.
Bug Blasters: The Exterminators for the Sega CD is a live-action rail shooter that leans heavily into its campy, B-movie aesthetic. Released in 1995, the game uses full-motion video (FMV) sequences to tell the story of a team of exterminators tasked with ridding a mansion of oversized, mutant insects. Players take control of the exterminators’ laser-equipped weapons, aiming to zap the creepy crawlers as they appear onscreen. Each scene plays out with intentionally cheesy acting, over-the-top special effects, and low-budget creature designs, creating a self-aware parody of horror and sci-fi films from past decades.
The gameplay is simple, focusing on aiming and shooting as the video footage plays. The exterminators move from room to room in the mansion, with bugs appearing in set places and timing throughout each scene. Players have limited ammunition and must avoid shooting allies, which adds a bit of challenge to the experience. However, the gameplay can feel repetitive, as the FMV-based format limits player interaction, making it mostly a point-and-shoot exercise with minimal variation. While some sequences are more frantic, the lack of depth in the gameplay makes it more about experiencing the narrative than achieving challenging goals.
Graphically, Bug Blasters relies on the Sega CD’s FMV capabilities, delivering grainy, low-resolution footage that is characteristic of the hardware’s limitations. While the video quality may feel dated, it adds to the campy appeal, giving the game a gritty, DIY horror film aesthetic. The exaggerated bug designs, actors in outlandish costumes, and cheap practical effects contribute to the comedic tone. The mansion’s set design is similarly quirky, with rooms that look like they were constructed on a modest budget, reinforcing the game’s B-movie style.
The audio further emphasizes the game's campy nature, with exaggerated sound effects and over-the-top voice acting that punctuate the action sequences. The sound design includes laser blasts, bug squeals, and intentionally exaggerated voice work from the characters, adding to the parody feel. The background music is minimal, allowing the sound effects and dialogue to carry most of the atmosphere. The overall audio experience enhances the game’s low-budget feel, immersing players in its ridiculous premise.
As a product of its time, Bug Blasters: The Exterminators is a showcase of the Sega CD’s brief FMV game trend, focusing more on spectacle and humor than on innovative gameplay. The game may appeal to fans of niche, campy titles or players interested in FMV history but may not provide sustained engagement due to its simplistic mechanics. Overall, Bug Blasters is a quirky experiment in interactive cinema, capturing the fun and absurdity of B-movie horror in a brief, lighthearted package.