TechnoClash

Overview

TechnoClash is a top-down action game released exclusively for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. It released in North America and Europe in the summer of 1993. A Japanese localization was in production but was cancelled at some point.

It follows the wizard Ronaan, who comes from a world where technology and science are viewed as forbidden arts. Spotting an "engine man" while investigating a remote region of the kingdom after a series of attacks, they end up following him through a portal to a land where technology has run amok: our own world, several years into the future. Ronaan and his bodyguards Farrg and Chazz fight their way through this unfamiliar land to eliminate the source of the engine men, recover his mentor Abaris's Life Staff, and find a route home.

In addition to his magic and bodyguard's assistance, Ronaan can also depend on his mechanical bird familiar Indar, which will provide a more detailed version of the level map to let the player know where exits, enemies, and other points of interest are to be found. However, Ronaan is vulnerable when in "Indar View" mode, so this must be performed in a safe location.

Critical Reception

Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the scores of 7,7,6,6. Danyon Carpenter wrote, "...the combination of magic spells and combat action works well, but the game can become boring and repetitive way too quickly. There is a wide variety of magic spells but it's much too easy to get killed by every enemy on the screen. The backgrounds are nicely detailed but it can be hard to see the enemies. Technoclash is a great idea that should be more refined to make it better".

Both Ed Semrad and Mike Wiegard compared the game negatively to Gauntlet.