None of the technicalities are explained and much is left to the imagination, meaning the story doesn’t run the risk of feeling overworked. The game starts after a rousing written account detailing the main characters, Tanken and Advina, both of whom are mercenaries protecting a ship of sentient AI refugees which are escaping a planet in the throes of a Luddite-styled revolution – Tanken’s motives being to break away from the ways of the mysterious old order. The Divide works on two different levels it has a complicated well written plot coupled with incredible atmosphere, which is then backed up by solid and well designed gameplay. Its greatest blessing became its ultimate flaw – a simple case of bad timing, being released long before the term “Metroidvania” came into vogue and people started clamoring for all and any such titles available. The cliché of familiarity breeding contempt suddenly seems apt.
In all likelihood the comments probably arose because of its startling similarity to the SNES classic Super Metroid, in terms of atmosphere and design.
Neither could it have been a result of everyone’s obsession with the third dimension and shunning of things 2D – Divide implemented 3D with great panache and took advantage of what was possible. By all accounts the gameplay was substantial. Now, it must be asked, what the hell does “too 16-bit” even mean? The game features a complex control scheme utilizing every button on the pad, various multi-use items and weapons, and a gradually expanding area of exploration. Their biggest criticism along with average scores? That it was too 16-bit in terms of design and too much like a last generation title. The unintuitive name resulted in incorrect listings, while most magazines only got around to reviewing it in early 1997. When The Divide finally came to market it was very late, sneaking into American stores on the tail end of 1996. Problems started when Radical Entertainment sought a publisher – each time they found one it was bought out, leaving them hanging.
The Divide: Enemies Within (hereafter referred to as Divide) was such a game, plagued with problems from the very beginning of its rocky development, ultimately ignored by critics and consumers alike and yet somehow among all this managing to be, not only a fantastic PSOne game but also a damn fine homage to Nintendo’s Super Metroid. Reprinted with permission from Retro Gamer Magazineįor some games it would seem as if destiny itself was working to bring about failure, as if nothing, not even excellence, could have saved them from bargain bins and commercial obscurity.