Sega’s Saturn console came in that awkward 3D transition phase and even though it has some amazing games, these pseudo 3D shooters (2D sprites arranged on a 3D plane) represent that transition perfectly for me. Out of all the pseudo 3D shooters for the Saturn, none come particularly recommended over other ports, Doom and Duke Nukem didn’t perform as well as they should have, but if you’re a fan of the genre, then Exhumed (Power Slave) and Alien Trilogy games should certainly quell the hunger until you can investigate further.
Alien Trilogy was by no means a Sega Saturn exclusive, but it was a really solid shooter putting you right into the Alien atmosphere. There were plenty of weapons, enemies and interesting textures. At the outset of every stage, you were given a mission brief and the whole experience felt really well done.
Alien Trilogy is hard though, and long; extremely long. For your effort, you’re awarded with cut scenes, which I really appreciated. The videos are well done and carry over that Alien Sci-Fi feeling perfectly. This game is certainly worth checking out if you’re a fan of the series or pseudo 3D shooters, but it it’s certainly not anything amazing.