Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Name: Action Pack
Item: Action Pack
Author: Retro Replay

The Action Pack delivers a diverse gameplay experience by bundling two distinct titles—KISS: Psycho Circus – The Nightmare Child and Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K. 2. In Psycho Circus, you assume the role of the Dark Carnival’s champion, wielding an arsenal of over-the-top weapons and magical abilities. Combat hinges on chaining attacks into brutal combos, and each enemy encounter feels like a set piece staged for maximum theatrical gore. The pacing alternates between tight arena fights and brief exploratory passages, ensuring you’re never far from the next explosion or boss showdown.

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By contrast, Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K. 2 emphasizes fast-paced run-and-gun action peppered with light puzzle-solving and platforming. You play as Julie, a warrior seeking to reclaim her home world from an otherworldly threat. The gameplay loop here revolves around scouring richly detailed environments for power-ups and secret paths, then unleashing your rapid-fire arsenal on hordes of mutants. The level design encourages backtracking once you unlock new gear, adding a Metroidvania tint to the otherwise linear progression.

Together, these two titles showcase complementary strengths: Psycho Circus thrives on spectacle and close-quarters brutality, while F.A.K.K. 2 rewards exploration and nimble reflexes. The pack’s intuitive menu lets you switch between discs seamlessly, and both games support configurable control schemes if you prefer keyboard-and-mouse or gamepad layouts. For action fans, the variety offered here makes every play session feel fresh, whether you’re mowing down clowns or blasting mutant soldiers.

Graphics

Considering its late-’90s origin, Action Pack presents surprisingly detailed 3D visuals. Psycho Circus sports gothic carnival backdrops filled with shifting lights and swirling mist, lending a haunting atmosphere to every arena. Character models are muscular and exaggerated, capturing the band’s signature aesthetics in polygonal form. Texture work on weapons and armor holds up well, even if some environmental textures appear muddy under close inspection.

Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K. 2 pushes the envelope with sprawling outdoor vistas, dynamic lighting, and subtle weather effects like drifting fog and sparks from overhead power lines. Environments range from overgrown temples to decaying industrial complexes, each rendered with care to immerse you in the game’s post-apocalyptic world. Enemy sprites and boss encounters feature fluid animations that heighten the tension during firefights.

On modern hardware, both games run smoothly with minimal slowdown, though they still retain the characteristic “polygon count dips” and lower-resolution textures of their era. The widescreen presentation—augmented by the original manuals’ suggested video tweaks—allows for a broader field of view, which is especially welcome during frenetic battles. Overall, the graphic styles complement each game’s tone perfectly, making the pack feel like a unified showcase of late-’90s design ambition.

Story

KISS: Psycho Circus weaves a campy, larger-than-life narrative around the legendary rock band’s alter-egos defending humanity from Nightmares. The script delivers tongue-in-cheek one-liners worthy of a comic book, and the in-game cutscenes—animated from the band’s album art—lend authenticity to the carnival horror theme. While the plot can feel thin between boss fights, it’s more than enough to keep the momentum going, especially if you’re a KISS aficionado.

In Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K. 2, the story takes a darker, more atmospheric turn. Playing as Julie—first introduced in the classic Heavy Metal film—you embark on a quest to thwart an ancient evil bent on galactic annihilation. The narrative unfolds through brief cinematic sequences and environmental storytelling, like abandoned outposts and cryptic runes. Even side passages often hide audio logs or comic-style panels that deepen the lore for attentive players.

Both narratives showcase Gathering of Developers’ willingness to tie gameplay closely to their licensed properties. Though not Shakespearean epics, these stories hit the right beats for fans of horror-themed action and sci-fi fantasy. They strike a balance between context-setting exposition and uninterrupted combat, ensuring that you’re never stuck watching lengthy cutscenes when the real draw is wielding incredible weaponry.

Overall Experience

The physical package of Action Pack is a highlight for collectors: a sturdy, wide box housing two CDs and comprehensive manuals for each title. These full-color guides offer detailed maps, control diagrams, and developer commentary that enhance the nostalgia factor. Flipping through the printed art and behind-the-scenes notes offers as much enjoyment as booting up the games themselves.

From a value perspective, bundling two high-energy shooters at a single price point feels like a steal—even more so when you consider the replay potential. Both games feature secret areas, unlockable bonus weapons, and in-game achievements (tracked in the manuals) that encourage multiple playthroughs. Cooperative couch play isn’t supported, but you’ll find plenty of challenge jumping into Nightmare Circus’ higher difficulty tiers or speed-running F.A.K.K. 2’s campaign.

All told, Action Pack stands as a testament to an era when PC gaming thrived on bold licenses and over-the-top action. Whether you’re chasing the raw spectacle of KISS: Psycho Circus or the gritty adventure of Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K. 2, this collection delivers hours of adrenaline-fueled entertainment. For fans of late-’90s shooters, licensed properties, or simply high-octane gameplay, the pack remains a must-own curiosity that still packs a punch today.