Elemental Gimmick Gear | May 27, 1999

 

E.G.G.: Elemental Gimmick Gear is an action role-playing game for the Sega Dreamcast. The game features hand-drawn art in an overhead view during exploration, transitioning to 3D graphics for boss battles. Developed by Birthday and published by Hudson Soft in Japan and Vatical Entertainment in the U.S., E.G.G. offers a unique blend of visual styles.

Gameplay Mechanics

Players navigate through various ruins, solving puzzles to progress. These puzzles often involve activating switches and moving objects to open doors. Additionally, the game includes racing sections where the main character can roll into a ball (or egg shape) to race along tracks against computer opponents.

Beginning

In the world of Tokion, an ancient dome-shaped ruin is discovered in a dense jungle, revealing an egg-shaped robot containing a sleeping man. Despite scientists' efforts, he remains unconscious and is taken to a laboratory for study. The robot, named Elemental Gimmick Gear (EGG), is found to be over 5000 years old, but its power source is unknown. Over the next century, copies of EGG are created for personal use.

A hundred years later, the ruin becomes active when a group of robots from a gang called The Pirates triggers a button, unleashing a holographic entity known as Psycho Mother. This event, referred to as "The Breeding" by the Tokionese, results in tentacles spreading across the land, bringing destruction and spawning monsters. Concurrently, the Sleeper awakens, having not aged a day and with no memory of his identity. A scientist named Selen names him Leon and sends him to Fogna to uncover the truth of the past and stop The Breeding. Players often refer to him as "EGG."

Middle

As EGG navigates Fogna, he battles various enemies, including a spider named Jointer, and earns a Fire Stone. Upon returning to the village, he learns that Selen has been kidnapped by The Pirates, led by Juji, the ruthless dictator of Tokion. To rescue Selen, EGG must reach Metal Heaven, a steampunk village accessible only through Fog Tower, which is guarded by dangerous trials.

After overcoming the trials, EGG faces Maximum, Juji's right-hand man. Following the battle, Juji offers EGG a place by his side, which EGG accepts to gain access to The Factory. There, he confronts Juji and ultimately defeats him, rescuing Selen and earning a reward from the village mayor. EGG then discovers a way to explore Fogna's flooded basement and learns of his long-lost friend, Omega.

As EGG interacts with Omega, he begins to recover memories of his past as Dr. Beta, a scientist who contributed to a moon colony during a global conflict. Omega reveals that Psycho Mother was originally programmed by a scientist named Alpha. EGG's journey leads him to the Moon Colony, where he must find the Nova Stone to defeat Psycho Mother.

End

After obtaining the Nova Stone, EGG returns to Tokion. Conversations with Juji reveal his tragic past and motivations, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding of his character. EGG learns that Juji's actions stemmed from a traumatic event involving his son, Timmy, who died due to negligence. This backstory explains Juji's transformation into a dictator and his quest for revenge.

Confronting Psycho Mother, EGG faces intense challenges, including the birth of Noman, Psycho Mother's offspring. Juji, in his final moments, urges EGG to stop the chaos he inadvertently created. EGG defeats Noman and realizes that the only way to permanently end The Breeding is to shut down Fogna from the Moon Colony.

The game concludes with a poignant message about the capacity for growth and redemption, emphasizing that despite past mistakes, there is always an opportunity to make a fresh start. EGG’s journey illustrates the importance of correcting wrongs and learning from history, leaving players with a lasting message about resilience and responsibility.

E.G.G.: Elemental Gimmick Gear - Reception

E.G.G.: Elemental Gimmick Gear received above-average reviews, as noted by review aggregation site GameRankings. In Japan, Famitsu awarded the game a score of 27 out of 40. E. Coli from GamePro commented on the game’s compact world, stating that gameplay duration largely depends on how quickly players can solve its puzzles. While he noted that the game lacks depth, he praised the interesting and complex puzzles, suggesting that they would appeal primarily to gamers looking for a more leisurely experience.