I'm probably the only one here would or is qualified to defend Bayou Billy, so I suppose the responsibility's up to me. If you find the idea of defending that game preposterous, perhaps you could consider this to be a Devil's Advocate post, though I am being sincere.

First, to find some common ground, can we agree that the game looks nice and has some good songs? I think just about every Konami game I've played (at least since the NES era) has at least had good production values, and that is true here as well. There's a good level of detail in the backgrounds, and as the game progresses, unusual colors from the NES's palette are used, giving the game a unique look (such as the oranges as you drive into New Orleans during the sunset).

Granted, good graphics and sound won't make a game enjoyable, but couldn't something good about the game make the game as a whole deserve at least a second look?

What are some other merits Bayou Billy has? For one thing, consider River City Ransom. I have no idea what you think of that game (if you're played it), but it's highly regarded by some NES fans. I think it's pretty overrated. Every single enemy in the game -- INCLUDING THE FINAL BOSS OF THE GAME -- is exactly the same! (The only exception is the Dragon Brothers) Therefore, almost any moment of the game is like any other. Other beat-em-ups might not be quite at that extreme, but it is generally true that there is very little that distinguishes one stage in a typical beat-em-up from another.

That's one good thing about Bayou Billy. Only stage 6 has those knife wielding low lifes. That's also the only stage that has the ball-and-chain enemies. Those enemies must be dealt with differently than other enemies in the game. Also, you don't have an opportunity to get the whip until later in the game. When you do finally get it, it can change the dynamics of the way the game is played (distance and herding enemies becomes more of factor). These sorts of things keep the game fresh as it progresses.


As for the control. What does "lousy control" really mean? I can sympathize with you when you say that, because it did take time for the control to click with me. But let's face it: If you're ever playing a new type of game, it'll take time for you to get used to the control. It took me time to get used to the control in Super Mario Bros., for goodness sake. And while I was a child when I played that game, it also took me time to get used to MDK2's control, and I first played that game just a couple of years ago. And now, of course, I wouldn't have those games control any other way. Now I can pick up and play a sidescroller, and have the control feel completely intuitive to me right away, but the reason for that is that I earlier did my time learning that type of control.

Now, you might say you've played beat-em-ups before, but the fact is, I think most beat-em-ups suck. One complaint I've heard about Bayou Billy is that enemies don't freeze when you land a first strike, unlike other beat em ups. But, really, I think that's something bad about other beat-em-ups! What's the point of having an enemy freeze? To force you to pound a button to defeat every minor enemy? I think mindlessly pounding a button is really boring. I think Bayou Billy had to reinvent the way beat-em-ups are played to some degree.


If we now accept that we sometimes have to give ourselves time to accustom to unusual control, what other standards can we judge control by? Is it master-able? Well, I've beaten Bayou Billy several times in a row on one credit, so I would say the control is master-able. If, after you've mastered the control, can the game be fun? Well, I have to tell you, yes, I can have fun with this game.


One thing I thought was obviously good about the game, even before I mastered the control (but was good enough at the game to barely squeak by and beat it, using all the continues) was the light gun stages. I thought stage 7 was paced quite nicely, with multiple enemies always popping up from all corners of the screen.
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