Lethal Weapon (NES) Playthrough

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Published on October 14, 2024 12:00:00 AM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHVSaiL8REI

Game:

Lethal Weapon (1992)

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Playthrough of Ocean's 1993 beat 'em up for the NES, Lethal Weapon.

Lethal Weapon for the NES, released in 1992, is a side-scrolling action game based on the popular film series starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. The game lets players take on the roles of either Martin Riggs or Roger Murtaugh as they battle criminals through a series of action-packed levels. Though inspired by the movies, the game doesn't follow a strict narrative from any of the films but instead offers a loosely connected set of missions where players must fight their way through hordes of enemies to achieve their objectives.

The gameplay is typical of action-platformers from the early '90s. Players must navigate through various levels filled with enemies, using punches, kicks, and guns to take them down. The choice between Riggs and Murtaugh doesn’t significantly affect the gameplay, as both characters share the same abilities. The game emphasizes combat over exploration, with players constantly moving forward and dealing with waves of bad guys. As in many action games of the era, precise jumping and avoiding obstacles are essential to surviving the levels. While the controls are simple, they can feel a bit stiff, which adds to the challenge, especially when trying to deal with enemies while managing tricky platforming sections.

Each level is designed with different settings, including warehouses, docks, and city streets, keeping the environments varied but always urban and gritty. Enemies come in different forms, from street thugs to armed guards, with some requiring more strategic approaches to defeat. Boss battles occur at the end of certain stages, often requiring pattern recognition and persistence to overcome. These boss fights help break up the more repetitive aspects of the standard combat but don’t offer the depth or creativity seen in other NES action titles.

The graphics in Lethal Weapon are functional, though not particularly impressive for the NES. The character sprites are recognizable, with Riggs and Murtaugh having distinct looks that resemble their movie counterparts. The backgrounds are serviceable, creating the atmosphere of a crime-ridden city, but they lack the detail and personality that could have elevated the experience. While the game does a decent job of creating an action-packed atmosphere, the environments can sometimes feel a bit repetitive, with similar settings and enemy designs throughout the different stages.

The music and sound effects are standard for an NES game of this type, with upbeat, action-oriented tracks playing throughout each level. The music works well to keep the pace of the game moving, though it isn't particularly memorable. Sound effects, like punches, gunshots, and explosions, are minimal but adequate for the action, doing enough to enhance the gameplay without being distracting.

Lethal Weapon is a straightforward action game that tries to capture the intensity and camaraderie of the film series but ultimately delivers a fairly standard NES platformer experience. The gameplay is challenging, especially with the somewhat stiff controls and repetitive enemy encounters, but fans of the movie or the action genre might appreciate the simple beat-'em-up mechanics.