Undeadline

File:MSX2 Undeadline.png version]]

Undeadline is a vertical-scrolling shoot 'em up game with role-playing elements that plays from a top-down perspective.{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/technopolis-1989-07/01_journal-1989-07/page/n45/mode/1up|title=Gaming World: Soft Flash — アンデッドライン (MSX2)|magazine={{ill|Technopolis (magazine)|lt=Technopolis|ja|テクノポリス (雑誌)}}|volume=8|issue=83|publisher=Tokuma Shoten|date=July 1989|page=44|lang=ja}}{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/MSX_Magazine_1989-07_ASCII_JP/page/n21/mode/1up|title=アンデッドライン|magazine={{ill|MSX Magazine|lt=MSX Magazine|ja|MSXマガジン}}|issue=69|publisher=ASCII Corporation|date=July 1989|page=22|language=ja}}{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/MSX_Magazine_1989-08_ASCII_JP/page/n15/mode/2up|title=New Soft: アンデッドライン (Undeadline)|magazine={{ill|MSX Magazine|lt=MSX Magazine|ja|MSXマガジン}}|issue=70|publisher=ASCII Corporation|date=August 1989|pages=16–17|language=ja}}{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/micomBASIC_1989-09/page/n209/mode/1up|title=新着ゲーム情報: アンデッドライン [MSX2/+2]|magazine={{ill|Micom BASIC Magazine|lt=Micom BASIC Magazine|ja|マイコンBASICマガジン}}|issue=87|publisher={{ill|The Dempa Shimbunsha Corporation|lt=The Dempa Shimbunsha Corporation|ja|電波新聞社}}|date=September 1989|page=262|language=ja}}{{cite magazine|last=Martínez|first=Manuel|url=https://archive.org/details/ColeccionableDelJapon/MSX%20Club/MSX%20Club%2077/page/n41/mode/2up|title=Como Acabar: Undeadline|magazine=MSX Club|issue=77|publisher=Manhattan Transfer|date=September 1991|pages=42–46|language=es}} The plot revolves around Zidane, a country surrounded by barriers connected with the demon world whose monsters have overflowed it after being broken in a previous regime. Queen Althea manages the kingdom, as his father became exhausted from battle and fell ill, but she is kidnapped by a creature from the demon world. Joined by the wizard Dino and the ninja Ruika, the fighter Leon stands up to rescue his sister. Prior to starting, the player can configure the game's difficulty or activate rapid fire.

Controlling either the fighter, wizard, or ninja, the player can choose from the first six stages and play them in any order, fighting against an assortment of enemy waves, while defending or avoiding collision with their projectiles and other obstacles. There are seven stages in total, which include forests, ruins, and dungeons. The scenery is constantly scrolling and never stops moving until a miniboss or boss is reached, which must be fought to progress further. Each character also possess their own defense methods, such as Leon being able to block projectiles with his shield.

Scattered across every stage are tresure chests containing power-ups that open when shot, ranging from beneficial or harmful items such as a speed boost or poison, to multiple types of weapons. Picking up a new weapon grants its initial state and can be upgraded by picking the same weapon twice in a row. In the Sega Mega Drive version, they can be cycled through other weapons and power-ups by firing at them. After defeating a boss, the player can increase their overall status by granting experience points (EXP) to any of the character's four characteristics: strength (ST), magic (MP), dexterity (DX), and agility (AG). Diamonds can also be found within chests to gain additional experience points. Getting hit by an enemy or blocked by an obstacle and scrolled offscreen decreases the player's life. Once completely depleted, it will result in losing a live stock, as well as a penalty of decreasing the overall firepower of the character's currently equipped weapon to its original state and starting back at the beginning of a stage. The game is over once all lives are lost.

Undeadline was developed by T&E Soft, best known for the Hydlide series.{{cite magazine|last=Day|first=Ashley|title=So You Want To Collect: MSX Games|magazine=Retro Gamer|issue=221|publisher=Future plc|date=June 10, 2021|pages=52–55}} It was directed and designed by Tokihiro Naito, who previously worked on Hydlide and Hydlide 3, under supervision of Eiji Yokoyama and Toshiro Yokoyama.{{cite video game|title=Undead Line|developer=T&E Soft|publisher=T&E Soft|date=July 22, 1989|platform=MSX2/MSX2+|level=Staff roll}}{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/MSXFAN199508/page/n5/mode/2up|title=MSXにおくる手紙|magazine={{ill|MSX Fan|lt=MSX Fan|ja|MSX・FAN}}|issue=87|publisher=Tokuma Shoten Intermedia|date=August 1995|pages=6–9|lang=ja}} ([https://www.tumblr.com/thearkhound/182220878093/letters-to-the-msx Translation] by Arc Hound. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221021214709/https://www.tumblr.com/thearkhound/182220878093/letters-to-the-msx|date=2022-10-21}}).{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/micomBASIC_1989-08/page/n298/mode/1up|title=Software Houst Hot Information: T&E Press|magazine={{ill|Micom BASIC Magazine|lt=Micom BASIC Magazine|ja|マイコンBASICマガジン}}|issue=86|publisher={{ill|The Dempa Shimbunsha Corporation|lt=The Dempa Shimbunsha Corporation|ja|電波新聞社}}|date=August 1989|page=335|language=ja}} Tetsuya "Futaro" Yamamoto served as main programmer, with Katsushi Morizane and Shigeru Tomita providing subroutines.{{cite book|last=Szczepaniak|first=John|title=T&E Soft Chapter - YAMAMOTO, Tetsuya|work=The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers|volume=2|publisher=S.M.G. Szczepaniak|date=November 4, 2015|pages=40–49|isbn=978-1518818745}} Etsuko Suzuki, Hideaki Shinmura, Kayoko Miura, Kenji Nakashima, Takahiro Hachiya, Takako Hayase, and Yuuji Hattori were responsible for designing the artwork. The music was scored by Kazunori Hasegawa. According to Tetsuya Yamamoto, T&E Soft liked pushing its playtesters to their limits by cutting a hole in paper and using it to cover the screen so only a portion of the playfield was visible at any time. Yamamoto recounted that this led the designers increasing the difficulty to keep up with the testers, as their skills improved naturally, with T&E Soft particularly paying attention to both enemy movement and spawn patterns.

Undeadline was first published for the MSX2/MSX2+ in Japan on July 22, 1989 by T&E Soft. The game was later ported to the X68000 on September 14, 1990, featuring improved visuals and audio, as well as two additional stages.{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/technopolis-1990-10/01_journal_1990-10/page/32/mode/2up|title=Gaming World: 移植!! — 幻獣鬼 (X 68000 シリーズ)|magazine={{ill|Technopolis (magazine)|lt=Technopolis|ja|テクノポリス (雑誌)}}|volume=9|issue=98|publisher=Tokuma Shoten|date=October 1990|pages=32–33|language=ja}} It was also ported to the Sega Mega Drive, published by Palsoft on December 20, 1991.{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://sega.jp/fb/segahard/md/soft_licensee.html|title=ソフトウェア一覧（ソフトライセンシー発売）| メガドライブ|encyclopedia=SEGA HARD Encyclopedia|publisher=Sega|date=2020|access-date=2022-10-16|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626053415/https://sega.jp/fb/segahard/md/soft_licensee.html|archive-date=2020-06-26|url-status=live}} Each version was re-released in digital form for Microsoft Windows through D4 Enterprise's Project EGG service.{{cite web|url=https://nlab.itmedia.co.jp/games/gsnews/0403/27/news06.html|title=T&Eやテレネット, KSKの名作群がEGGで復活!|work=SoftBank Games|publisher={{ill|ITmedia|lt=ITmedia|ja|ITmedia}}|date=March 27, 2004|access-date=2022-10-16|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713090207/https://nlab.itmedia.co.jp/games/gsnews/0403/27/news06.html|archive-date=2019-07-13|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last=Kitamura|first=Takakazu|url=https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20040329/egg.htm|title=Project EGG、新作3タイトルを販売開始 X68K「幻獣鬼」、「デスブリンガー」、PC88「DUEL」|work=GAME Watch|publisher=Impress Corporation|date=March 29, 2004|access-date=2022-10-16|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130628184006/https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20040329/egg.htm|archive-date=2013-06-28|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.4gamer.net/games/008/G000896/20190423012/|title=「アンデッドライン（MSX2版）」が「プロジェクトEGG」にて配信開始|work=4Gamer.net|publisher=Aetas Inc.|date=April 23, 2019|access-date=2022-10-16|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423130845/https://www.4gamer.net/games/008/G000896/20190423012/|archive-date=2019-04-23|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://dengekionline.com/articles/91114/|title=プロジェクトEGGで『アンデッドライン（メガドライブ版）』がリリース|work=Dengeki Online|publisher=Kadokawa Corporation|date=August 10, 2021|access-date=2022-10-16|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210919102744/https://dengekionline.com/articles/91114/|archive-date=2021-09-19|url-status=live}} In 2020, both the MSX2 and X68000 versions received physical re-releases by Japanese retailer BEEP as part of their "BEEP Extra Games" lineup intended for reprinting games on their initial platforms, as original copies of the MSX2 version commands high prices on the secondary game collecting market due to its rarity.{{cite web|last=Wong|first=Alistair|url=https://www.siliconera.com/beep-announces-undead-line-msx2-version-as-first-entry-in-new-game-re-release-line/|title=BEEP Announces Undead Line MSX2 Version As First Entry In New Game Re-release Line|work=Siliconera|publisher=Enthusiast Gaming|date=December 7, 2019|access-date=2022-10-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191207165130/https://www.siliconera.com/beep-announces-undead-line-msx2-version-as-first-entry-in-new-game-re-release-line/|archive-date=2019-12-07|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://akiba-pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/news/1238035.html|title=T&Eソフトの名作シューティング「アンデッドライン」の復刻版がついに発売、MSX2向けゲーム|work=AKIBA PC Hotline!|publisher=Impress Corporation|date=February 29, 2020|access-date=2022-10-16|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229151007/https://akiba-pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/news/1238035.html|archive-date=2020-02-29|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.famitsu.com/news/202005/29199273.html|title=『幻獣鬼 X68000復刻版』が"BEEP"より7月31日に発売決定。T&E SOFTの名作アクションが蘇る|magazine=Famitsu|publisher=Kadokawa Game Linkage|date=May 29, 2020|access-date=2022-10-16|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615214837/https://www.famitsu.com/news/202005/29199273.html|archive-date=2020-06-15|url-status=live}}

{{Video game reviews

|Fam = 21/40 (SMD){{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/famitsu0157/page/40/mode/1up|title=NEW GAMES CROSS REVIEW: アンデッドライン (メガドライブ)|magazine=Famitsu|issue=157|publisher=ASCII Corporation|date=December 20, 1991|page=40|lang=ja}} ([http://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=1662 Transcription] by Famitsu.com).

|GX = {{Rating|4|5}} (SMD){{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File:GamesX_UK_38.pdf&page=26|title=Console Connexions: Undead Line (Mega Drive)|magazine=Games-X|issue=38|publisher=Europress|date=January 16–22, 1992|page=26}}

|rev1 = Console XS

|rev1Score = 85/100 (SMD){{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/console-xs-01/page/136/mode/1up|title=Software A-Z - Mega Drive: Undeadline|magazine=Console XS|issue=1|publisher=Paragon Publishing|date=May 1992|page=136}}

|rev2 = Game Zone

|rev2Score = 82/100 (SMD){{cite magazine|last=Lineham|first=Graham|url=https://archive.org/details/game-zone-07/page/61/mode/1up|title=Import Review - Mega Drive: Undeadline|magazine=Game Zone|volume=1|issue=7|publisher=Dennis Publishing|date=May 1992|pages=61–62}}

|rev3 = Mega Drive Advanced Gaming

|rev3Score = 88% (SMD){{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AMDAG_UK_01.pdf&page=80|title=Shoot'em Ups Roundup - Mega File: Undeadline (Palsoft • Import)|magazine=Mega Drive Advanced Gaming|issue=1|publisher=Maverick Magazines|date=September 1992|page=80}}

|rev4 = MegaTech

|rev4Score = 79% (SMD){{cite magazine|last1=Patterson|first1=Mark|last2=Glancey|first2=Paul|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AMegaTech_UK_03.pdf&page=44|title=Undeadline Review|magazine=MegaTech|issue=3|publisher=EMAP|date=March 1992|pages=44–46}}

|rev5 = MSX Club

|rev5Score = {{Rating|5|6}} (MSX2){{cite magazine|last=Baño|first=Pere|url=https://archive.org/details/ColeccionableDelJapon/MSX%20Club/MSX%20Club%2058/page/n27/mode/2up|title=Coleccionable: Undeadline (MSX: 2da generación y Plus)|magazine=MSX Club|issue=58|publisher=Manhattan Transfer|date=December 1989|pages=28–30|language=es}}

|rev6 = MSX Gids

|rev6Score = {{Rating|5|5}} (MSX2){{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/MSXGidsNr27/page/n45/mode/1up|title=Software: Undeadline (MSX-2 en MSX-2+)|magazine=MSX Gids|issue=27|publisher=Uitgeverij Herps|date=March–April 1990|pages=44|language=nl}}

|rev7 = MSX Magazine (JP)

|rev7Score = 7/6/7 (MSX2){{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/MSX_Magazine_1989-11_ASCII_JP/page/n29/mode/2up|title=MSX Software Review: アンデッドライン|magazine={{ill|MSX Magazine|lt=MSX Magazine|ja|MSXマガジン}}|issue=73|publisher=ASCII Corporation|date=November 1989|pages=30–31|language=ja}}

|rev8 = Oh!X

|rev8Score = 8/10 (X68000){{cite magazine|last=Kageyama|first=Hiroaki|url=https://archive.org/details/OhX1990-1995/Oh%21X_1990-11/page/n41/mode/2up|title=The Softouch Special - Game Review: 幻獣鬼 - ステージが選べるアクションゲーム|magazine={{ill|Oh!X|lt=Oh!X|ja|Oh!X}}|issue=93|publisher=SoftBank Creative|date=November 1990|pages=40–41|language=ja}}

|rev9 = Sega Pro

|rev9Score = 84% (SMD){{cite magazine|last=Butt|first=Damian|url=https://archive.org/details/segapro04/page/n57/mode/1up|title=ProReview - Mega Drive: Undeadline (Import)|magazine=Sega Pro|issue=4|publisher=Paragon Publishing|date=February 1992|page=58}}

|rev10 = Technopolis

|rev10Score = {{Rating|6|7}} (MSX2){{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/technopolis-1989-09/01_journal-1989-09/page/n47/mode/1up|title=Gaming World: アクションが苦手でも楽しめる! — アンデッドライン (MSX2)|magazine={{ill|Technopolis (magazine)|lt=Technopolis|ja|テクノポリス (雑誌)}}|volume=8|issue=85|publisher=Tokuma Shoten|date=September 1989|page=46|language=ja}}

}}

Undeadline received generally favorable reception from critics, most of which reviewed it as an import title.{{cite magazine|last=Driesenaar|first=Ben|url=https://archive.org/details/msx-mozaik-31/page/n45/mode/1up|title=Spelbespreking: Undeadline|magazine=MSX Mozaïk|issue=31|publisher=De MSX-er|date=1991|pages=46|language=nl}} The Sega Mega Drive version received scores of 18.08 out of 30 and 6.6428 out of 10 in public polls taken by Mega Drive Fan and the Japanese Sega Saturn Magazine respectively.{{cite magazine|title=Mega Drive & Game Gear All Catalog '93 7月号特別付録 – アンデッドライン|magazine={{ill|Mega Drive Fan|lt=Mega Drive Fan|ja|メガドライブFAN}}|volume=5|issue=7|publisher=Tokuma Shoten|date=July 15, 1993|page=51|language=ja}}{{cite magazine|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File:SSM_JP_19950901_1995-09.pdf&page=87|title=メガドラ読者レース|magazine=Sega Saturn Magazine|issue=9|publisher=SoftBank Creative|date=September 1995|page=85|language=ja|access-date=2022-10-16}} Technopolis highlighted its mixture of role-playing and shooting elements, and the ability to select any stage but noted its difficulty. The Japanese MSX Magazine echoed similar sentiments but also noted the ability to choose between characters, commending its playability, visuals, and scenario. MSX Club{{'}}s Pere Baño praised the colorful graphics, addictive fast-pacing, sound, presentation, and originality.

An editor for MSX Gids lauded its audiovisual presentation and quality, comparing it favourably with Knightmare (1986). Oh!X{{'}}s Hiroaki Kageyama commended the X68000 port for taking advantage of the system's hardware and the addition of extra stages. Kageyama also gave positive remarks to the game's idea and intensity. Games-X reviewed the Mega Drive version, commending its presentation for the detailed backgrounds, enemy animations, and atmosphere, but they saw its difficulty even on the easiest setting as a negative. Sega Pro{{'}}s Damian Butt shared similar thoughts regarding its high difficulty, remarking that it may prove frustrating for players and criticized issues with collision detection. Regardless, Butt praised the "arcade-quality" graphics, large bosses, audio, and long-term gameplay.

MegaTech{{'}}s Mark Patterson and Paul Glancey found it to be playable shoot 'em up but both remarked that "a couple of problems lead to frustration" and noted the lack of additional option settings. Console XS gave the Mega Drive port high marks for its visuals, sound, gameplay, and challenge. Game Zone{{'}}s Graham Lineham commended the game for its "neat" ideas, "attractive" graphics, and "smooth" gameplay. He also commented that the environmental hazards made the game more interesting compared to standard shoot 'em ups, but concurred with both Games-X and Butt about its tough difficulty.

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

{{Portal|1980s|Japan|Video games}}

• {{moby game|id=/undead-line}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Undead Line}}

Category:1989 video games

Category:D4 Enterprise games

Category:Japan-exclusive video games

Category:MSX2 games

Category:Single-player video games

Category:T&E Soft games

Category:Vertically scrolling shooters

Category:Video games developed in Japan

Category:Video games featuring female protagonists