ゴルゴ13 (Golgo 13)
小学館ビッグコミック連載
(Serialization on Shogakukan Big Comic)
©1991さいとう・プロダクション (Copyright 1991 Saito Production)
ジャパン インタラクティブメディア (Japan Interactive Media)

Let’s talk about one the rarest CD-i game you can find out there, Golgo 13, a Japanese title published by Japan Interactive Media (JIM) back in 1992. It is completely in Japanese and its owner, Alan_CDiZone (one of the biggest CD-i collector I know) wrote this review for The World of CD-i.
Hopefully our Community is big enough to find someone able to read Japanese, I am talking about VAN-Gluon of course! A living legend!

I have arranged Alan_CDiZone‘s review and mixed with VAN-Gluon‘s translations to make it as simplest as possible for anyone to read and understand it.
Thank you both for your excellent work!

SOME FACTS:
Officially, six Golgo 13 games have been created, but the CD-i version isn’t included on the list… They just forgot the best one 😉 So, seven Golgo 13 games exists (until 2021).

SOME HISTORY:
Golgo 13 is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Takao Saito. It is the oldest manga serie still in publication, started in October 1968. Published in Shogakukan‘s seinen manga, it is for sure one of the most famous manga in the world. Golgo 13 is a professional assassin and no one knows his real name…
Takao Saito passed away on September 24th of 2021 from pancreatic cancer, aged of 84 years old, but the publications will continue as he wished.

THE GAME:
Before you get to choose which game you’d like to play, a synopsis of the game appears in pictures – with ”frenetic” music alongside – suggesting a difficult situation is coming.

ゴルゴ13……デューク東郷…… 国籍地、出身地、本名、いっさい不明……
(Golgo 13……Duke Togo…… Nationality, Birthplace, Real name, Everything unknown……)

M16アーマライト変形銃を使用する 超A級スナイパー
(He is Super-A class sniper uses M16 ArmaLite variant gun)

精神面、肉体面ともに忍耐力は抜群で、 拷問などに屈することは決してない
(Both mind side and body side are very tough, never daunt on torture, etc)

The CD-i cursor appears as a target in red, and each time you click, it produces a gunshot – adding to the feeling that this game is all about avoiding Golgo 13 and being shot.

The first choice is ”Story”. This is the comic book adventure. As soon as you choose this, black & white comic strip storyboards appear and then you must choose whereabouts in the World you’d like to travel to. The next email will contain these pictures…

また、背後に音もなく近寄られることを 嫌い、決して握手をしない 車に乗るときは、いちばん後から……
(And, he hate approach at back quietly, never do handshake When ride a car, at last……)

「ゴルゴ13」とは…… ゴルゴダの丘で、主イエスに いばらの冠をかぶせ
(“Golgo 13” means…… Cover crown of thorns to Jesus Christ on Golgotha Hill) (※Text maybe show at halfway)

国際的テロリスト、ゴルゴ13接近!! 彼の目的は、現在のところ不明……
(International terrorist, Golgo 13 is approaching!! His purpose is unknown at this time……)

I’ve chosen to travel to South America.

I’m then presented with several more black and white comic book storyboards, but this time complete with audio and sound effects to accompany the situation (e.g. the sound of a plane).

The interaction in this game is very limited – it is about choosing storyboard I or II (as shown) and it is pure luck as to whether you’ve chosen correctly – i.e. choosing the wrong path leads to assassination from Golgo13. If this happens, the screen ”The End” appears (next email). I’ve never been successful in avoiding him!!!

北アメリカ ヨーロッパ 南アメリカ 中東・アフリカ どこへ向いますか?
(North America Europa South America Middle East/Affrica Where do you want to go?)

アマゾナス どこへ向いますか?
(Amazonas Where do you want to go?)

The 2nd choice of game to play is ”Database”. This is a multiple-choice quiz game, in Japanese.

You have 5 ‘lives’ as shown on the right – each time you get a question wrong, another part of Golgo13 is revealed.
The fast, pulsating music alongside this game gets louder as you get closer to losing to him.
You are also against the clock on each question, as shown by the coloured bars.

Again, I’ve never won and I don’t know how many questions you need to get right to beat him!!
The same ”The End” screen appears as the ‘Story” comic book game.

怪盗メスリーヌの相棒を暗殺するときに 使った武器は? 1.ナイフ 2.パチンコ 3.吹き矢
(What did he use weapon at assassination to phantom thief Mesrine’s sidekick? 1.Knife 2.Slingshot 3.Blowgun)
(※This episode is “Mesrine’s cat”(No.168, SP Comic Vol.47). Answer is 3.)

ゴルゴと対決したソ連の見え
(Confronted to Golgo, U.S.S.R’s invincib…)
(※Text maybe show at halfway, can’t translate all. Choices isn’t show. This episode may “Invincible Army”(No.246, SP Comic Vol.72).)

The final choice to make from the start screen is ”title”. This takes you to the same Golgo13 start screen as before, except it has the ‘Exit’ option available.

Click on this, and you are taken to end credits – mainly in English!!!

ゴルゴ13 (Golgo 13)
小学館ビッグコミック連載(Serialization on Shogakukan Big Comic)
©1991さいとう・プロダクション (Copyright 1991 Saito Production)
ジャパン インタラクティブメディア (Japan Interactive Media)

Different from other CD-i softwares so far, it has a story line from the beginning through the end, where you can find excitements happenning.
In the Data Base Mode, there are some quiz about Golgo 13.
When you clear all the standard quiz, you can protect yourself from Golgo 13’s attack.
In the Story Mode, there are 13 stories picked out of the original story, with sound and effects added.
There are multi stories / multi endings for you to experience the case “if chose the other way, I might have run away from Golgo 13.”
CD-i Golgo 13 has pictures from its original work with BGM and narration added on it.
The most different point from the comics is that, to protect yourself, you have to act as a person concerned in the enemy sometimes.
And when you don’t see why you missed, go back to beginning and try other selections.
You may not feel so good when you are killed without knowing the reason why.
You have to realise that you are facing World #1 sniper.
It is almost impossible to run away from him.
But on the conditions of the offer client shows to Golgo 13, you might be able to get away from him for all your life.
Depending on the story you select, you may have to solve difficult problems.
As you enjoy the original work, I hope you appreciate this software.

今までのCD-iソフトと異なり、オープニングからエンディング迄、一つのストーリーに基づいており、息をつかせぬ展開が続きます。 目を離すと、話(?)(※too low resolution for read)やストーリーが解らなくなるかもしれません
(Unlike until now CD-i software, from opening to ending, based on one story, continues breathless scenes. When I take my eyes off you, may can’t understand conversation or story.)

データベースとストーリーの二つのモードに分かれています
(Two mode has, Database mode, and Story mode.) データベースモードはゴルゴ13に関する情報がクイズ形式で出題されます。 基準をクリアすると、ゴルゴ13の狙撃から身を守ることが出来ます。
(Database mode will be given quiz about Golgo 13’s information. Meet the standard then, you can protect from Golgo 13’s shoot.)

ストーリーモードは物語から13話を抜粋し、サウンドとエフェクトを追加して構成しています。 マルチストーリーを採用しており、「もし、あのとき、こうしていたらゴルゴ13の狙撃から逃れられたのでは?」を体験できます。
(Story mode is composed of 13 stories, extract from comics, add sound and effect. This mode is adopting multi story, you can experiment to “If when do this… they can dogde to Golgo 13’s shoot?”)

(※Comic’s Golgo 13’s shoot success rate is “99.8%”.)

Conclusion:
If you understand Japanese, you will for sure get fun with this game. As the booklet says, “There are multi stories / multi endings for you to experience”.
Overall, this game is unique on CD-i (as many are 🙂 ). Interactivity on the main storyboard game is very limited, and there is no skill needed whatsoever (and knowing Japanese is a distinct advantage – especially for the quiz element – where knowledge is king!!). But the sound quality is exceptional – leading to the storybook adventure in particular being an immersive experience. It is extremely rare but if you look hard (suggest Japan Yahoo Auctions) you may just be lucky and track down a copy…

Other information:
– No DVC required.
– No gamepad or touchpad required.

CD-i Emulator Compatibility:
Not tested

Good Points:
– The ambience is excellent.
– Perfect game for Golgo 13 fans.

Bad Points:
– Only for people who knows Japanese.

EVALUATION:
Graphics 8/10
Music 10/10
Creativity 8/10
TOTAL 9/10

Review by Alan_CDiZone;
Translations by VAN-Gluon;
Screenshots by Alan_CDiZone;
Arranged by Omegalfa.
© 30/11/2021