T.R.A.G.: Tactical Rescue Assault Group (called Hard Edge in Japan and Europe) built a cult following thanks to its quirky, ambitious mix of Resident Evil-style exploration and tank controls, combined with arcade beat ’em up action and a Die Hard-inspired plot. The result is a unique yet slightly clunky hybrid that many players find endearingly flawed. Its distinct late-90s style, complete with a jazzy soundtrack, gritty, urban-futuristic prerendered backdrops, and campy, anime-style characters spouting cheesy lines, gave it a personality that stands out from other PlayStation titles.
As an overlooked Sunsoft release, it found new life through internet buzz, drawing in fans of obscure retro oddities who love its experimental gameplay and nostalgic weirdness. Thanks to Hamster’s Console Archives series of retro preservation releases, both newcomers and longtime fans can experience the raid on the Togusa Building without breaking the bank for a copy!
In 2046, a near-future world is gripped by corporate and terrorist clashes driven by cutting-edge military tech. All hell breaks loose when an armed terrorist group takes over the towering Togusa Building, home to the influential arms giant Machinery Gear, Inc. When the occupation takes hostages, a special forces rescue mission quickly goes south, wiping out nearly the entire team. Only two elite operatives, Alex and Michelle of the Tactical Rescue Assault Group, are left to respond. As they make their way into the heavily guarded high-rise, they face intense resistance from both terrorists and their enhanced fighters. Along the way, they join forces with Rachel, a mysterious girl with uncanny close-combat skills, and Burns Byford, a tough local detective already hunting the antagonists inside.
The story is pure schlock and can be best described as anime Die Hard but dumb if it were set in the Shinra Tower from Final Fantasy VII. It’s very quaint, yet charmingly effective and engrossing. The highlight of the narrative is the English voice acting, which perfectly captures the essence of a late-90s PlayStation dub: low-budget, sincere, and often unintentionally funny in its stiffness. Performances often feel wooden and over-dramatic, with awkward pauses, unnatural line deliveries, and exaggerated acting, lending to its B-movie appeal. Alex’s tough-guy lines and Michelle’s overly serious quips come across as trying too hard, while some supporting characters border on unintentionally funny. Some characters sound like they aren’t trying at all. For some, this acting will be a huge strike against the game, but honestly, the story is so corny that the poor acting is fitting and makes more sense than if it had performances like in Metal Gear Solid.
T.R.A.G. combines the structural and atmospheric elements of classic Resident Evil games with the dynamic, combo-oriented combat of traditional beat ’em ups. The picturesque fixed camera angles and pre-rendered backgrounds present cinematic, atmospheric environments within the multi-level Togusa Building. Exploration involves moving through interconnected rooms, solving environmental puzzles, and switching between characters.
Tank controls create deliberate, somewhat stiff movement that emphasises positioning and careful navigation while uncovering story progression and handling occasional limited healing items. This foundation builds a methodical, adventure-focused pace similar to survival horror titles of the era, albeit with suboptimal tank controls. Compared to its contemporaries, T.R.A.G. controls better than the likes of Vampire Hunter D, but not as fluently as Resident Evil 2. Combat, however, shifts the experience firmly into beat ’em up territory. Rather than focusing primarily on limited ammunition and ranged shooting, the game emphasises close-quarters melee with punches, kicks, and power moves that consume HP.
Only Alex gets guns for mid-range attacks and possesses night vision goggles that allow him to navigate and fight effectively in dark areas. His playstyle leans toward safer, distance-based engagements, making him effective at picking off enemies from afar or handling situations with limited visibility. Alex’s moveset includes solid shooting options alongside a basic punch-and-kick combo, giving him versatility across various encounter types.
Michelle is the agile, close-range assassin, relying almost exclusively on knife-based attacks. She’s faster than Alex, but has less HP. Her combat style features fast slashing combos and a handy backstep, making her ideal for rapid hit-and-run tactics and exploiting enemy openings. Michelle excels in tight corridors and fast-paced fights where mobility matters more than durability, though she lacks the ranged tools that Alex brings to the team. Her lighter build supports nimble movement throughout the building’s environments.
Rachel brings a unique close-combat approach with her tonfa batons and is the smallest character, which makes her ideal for tight spaces. Her fighting style focuses on spinning strikes and area-control moves, allowing her to handle groups of enemies through sweeping attacks. Rachel’s quick reflexes and unique baton skills make her a powerhouse in defensive manoeuvres and precise combat, while her ability to navigate areas based on her size brings valuable puzzle-solving support to the team. Like Michelle, she can block and negate almost all damage, which is crucial since they have the lowest rung of HP.
Burns the detective is burly and lets his fists do the talking. His superior strength allows him to move heavy obstacles and objects that block progress for the rest of the team, providing essential environmental interaction. In combat, Burns is an absolute beast as he rips through tough enemies and dealing high damage in close quarters, and can charge a devastating haymaker. With the right timing, he can effectively stunlock most foes and never give them a chance.
Even with stiffer-than-average controls, T.R.A.G. is pretty easy compared to more well-known fixed-angle games with tank controls. Healing items and ammo are fairly plentiful; all characters have their own HP pools, there’s no limitation on inventory space, and saving does not require an ink ribbon. It’s also easy to stun-lock most enemies into the ground, and most traps are easily avoidable. Puzzles are like mini-games, and once a key is in hand, it usually fits into the only locked door in the area. Despite these admittedly minor misgivings, T.R.A.G. is still an enjoyable piece of 90s anime-like schlock that has awesome character designs, nostalgic pre-rendered backgrounds and plenty of unlockable outfits that depend on who beats the final boss.
Hamster’s additions in this Console Archives version are minor. The US and Japanese versions are included, which have balancing differences between them, with the Western version being easier. The most notable features are the save states and the surprisingly robust CRT filter display options. It’s a PlayStation game from the 90s, and it looks like it. Don’t expect smoother graphics like the PC ports of the Resident Evil games. There are no new features, visual enhancements, or content added. This is an original PlayStation ROM without many bells and whistles, which may put off some players, but it’s probably for the best considering how often older games get tampered with for the worse these days.
