PlayStation Illustrated - --- PREVIEW --- - Blaze Scorpion ___| Hardware Reviews | Light Guns | Scorpion |____________________| preview | Hardware | by the Geck0 | playstation | controller | review | e-zine | light gun | shooting | Blaze is now X-gear

Sneak Preview...

Better than the original!

...Last year, when I had the pleasure of testing out the Scorpion (then sold under the company name 'X-Games'), I found that this was a nearly pefect gun. After soul searching for some time, I could not come up with any reason not to give the Scopion a 100 percent. It really was that good. Since that time, I have had many people write me asking where they can pick up one of these guns. Unfortunately, at that time there were not a whole lot of them to be had. It seems that the 'X-Games' venture was a sort of field test, to see how Blaze's proucts would fare in the United States market. Well, for all of you out there who missed them the first time, rejoice - they're coming back, and this time they're EVEN BETTER!

If you are interested in picking up a new and improved Blaze Scorpion light gun when they come out, check back here... I am making arrangements to sell them right here over the net.

If you like, you can e-mail us at buyit@psillustrated.com, and we'll let you know when the new Scorpions are available. (If you use an online e-mail service and can't use the 'MAILTO:' feature, click HERE to use PSi's mailform... just type in 'Blaze Scorpion' in the 'TO:' space, and type in your information.

Please Note:
The model evaluated in this Sneak Preview is actually an overseas production model. There may be some changes in the product before it is released in the United States. However, this preview is written to inform you of what you can expect to see in the near future. When the actual U.S. version is released, we will give it a complete review.

Type of Hardware

Light Gun

"...a nice gun, with more realistic appearance than most."

Control

'' Excellent control. The gun feels nice in the hand... with a surprisingly realistic weight. I found the aim to be dead - on (very good) without calibration. It should be noted that the gun actually responded better without the GunCon adapter used. The response of the X-Gear Scorpion was amazing, working astonishingly well at quite ridiculous angles... at over 45 degrees from center, the gun finally had some trouble shooting at targets that were beyond the center of my (curved) screen.''

The physical design of the gun is much the same as the old model. Now, however, the gun doesn't require batteries for the recoil feature. Also, the GunCon adapter cord is about an inch longer... better - but not enough to make much of a difference... This is taken care of (in the version I reviewed) by the inclusion of a free GunCon AV adaptor, which is necessary to use the GunCon with a newer PlayStation which only has the Video Multi-Out connector.

The Scorpion still feels really nice when using it. It has a nearly perfect weight to it... heavy enough not to feel so much like a 'toy' gun, and light enough not to fatigue the gamer. The new Scorpion is deadly accurate even without the GunCon mode selected. To top it all off, the Blaze Scorpion has a jack in the bottom of the handle which allows it to be used in conjunction with a 'Reload' pedal (sold separately). Now you can bring the arcade experience home!

Learning Curve

Well, the new Scorpion has all of the same controls as the original Scorpion. Therefore, I can't easily rate its learning curve again, but this gun simply feels 'natural'. If you've NEVER tried a light gun before this one... let this one be your first. If you're used to light guns with longer barrels, take the fifteen minutes needed to get used to the Scorpion. It's worth it!

Playability

'' Somewhat easy to get used to. The small size of the gun requires better skill of the player (since it is less obvious visually where the gun is aimed with a shorter barrel) - but gamers with some previous shooting experience should get used to it quickly. The Scorpion has a 'Jolt Action' feedback feature that vibrates the gun when you shoot. This can be distracting when you first use it. However, if you find this feature distracting, you can easily turn it off via a switch on the side of the Scorpion.''

Playable. VERY playable. The new Scorpion is quite possibly THE best light gun for the PlayStation.

Features

'' This gun is impressive. With a realistic feel, feedback, Standard Light Gun and Guncon compatibility modes and loads of extra features, this gun is perfect for gamers looking for a more realistic light gun.''

Jolt Action Feed-Back (no batteries needed)
Standard / Namco Compatible (switch Selectable)
Auto - Reload
Auto - Fire
(Dual End Connector Feature is Not Present On This Test Model)
6 Foot, 4 Inch Cord
Jack for use with 'Reload' Pedal

Jolt Action Feed-Back (when shooting)
Standard / Namco Compatible (switch Selectable)
Auto - Reload
Auto - Fire
Dual End Connector - Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn Compatible
6 Foot, 4 Inch Cord

Drawbacks & Problems

The only drawback with the X-Gear Scorpion is that, due to its short barrel, it is harder to tell by looking where the barrel is pointing. However, this is easy to get used to.

I no longer even consider the barrel length to be a hinderance. It takes about ten to fifteen minutes to get used to the shorter barrel length if you are used to other, larger light guns. This is quite simply a nice piece of work!