Snatcher

Snatcher (スナッチャー) is a cyberpunk-themed adventure game written and directed by Hideo Kojima and developed and published by Konami. Originally released in Japan for the NEC PC-8801 and MSX2 in 1988, it was remade for the PC-Engine in 1992 and ported to the Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn in 1996. It was released for the Sega CD in North America and its counterpart, the Mega CD in Europe, in 1994, in what is the game's first and only official English version. One of the first truly cinematic games produced, Snatcher has gained a small cult following due to its mature storytelling, adult themes and (in later versions) voice acting. It was heavily influenced by various sci-fi and noir films, most notably Blade Runner and The Terminator.

Storyline

On June 6, 1996*, a chemical weapon known as Lucipher-Alpha under development in Chernoton, Russia, is released into the atmosphere, resulting in the death of 80% of the Eurasian population. The contaminated area becomes uninhabitable for a decade, when Lucipher-Alpha mutates into a non-lethal form. This tragic event later becomes known as the "Catastrophe".

Related Topics:
June 6 - 1996 - Russia

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Fifty years late, a breed of artificial life-forms or bioroids known as "snatchers", began appearing the artificial island of Neo Kobe City, killing their victims and taking their place in society. Nobody knows exactly what they are or where they come from. As Gillian Seed, an amnesiac working for an Anti-Snatcher task force called JUNKER, the player's goal is to track down the source of the snatchers and discover Gillian's mysterious connections with them.

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* In the original Japanese version of the game, the date of the Catastrophe was set to 1991, five years earlier than the English version. The change was done in order to keep the storyline fresh to a western audience unfamiliar with the earlier Japanese versions of the game. This also changes the timing of previous and further events to five years ahead. However, this change also creates a plot hole with the picture of Jaime at the Moscow Olympics, which would indicate that Gillian and Jaime were sent to Russia during their early teens.

Related Topics:
1991 - Moscow Olympics

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