Cliffhanger is a side-scrolling combat game for Sega CD adapted from the synonymous Stallone movie. In the game, the character Sly is required to battle adversaries and face the harshness of nature while searching for stolen cash scattered across the Rockies. Tracing the combat format of Final Fight, the game intersperses fighting with activities such as mountain climbing and 3D snowboarding.
The antagonists commonly wield weapons like guns and knives, which the player can collect. The gameplay routine largely involves overcoming environmental challenges followed by locked-screen combats. The range of fighting moves is relatively narrow and the precision in striking enemy figures appears comparatively reduced.
The storyline synchronizes with that of the film, using scenes from the movie as the foundation for various levels. The narrative progresses via animated clips on cartridge systems or brief film snippets on the Sega CD.
Standard side-scrolling fighter based off of the Stallone film of the same name. Sly must fight thugs and the elements as he tracks down suitcases of stolen cash dropped around the peaks of the Rockies. Combat follows the Final Fight standard, broken up by some mountain climbing and running (or 3-D snowboarding on the Sega CD) from avalanches.
Enemies are the standard brawler crooks, occasionally carrying guns and knives the player can pick up. The game tends to follow a pattern of having you deal with a natural hazard (scaling a cliff, leaping over gaps), then locking the screen down for a fighting segment, nature again, fighting again, etc. The available fighting moves is limited, compared to other games of this type, and the ability to hit an enemy character is noticeably less accurate.
The plot is identical to the film, with levels based off of, or inspired by, scenes in the movie. Animated cutscenes move the story along on the cartridge systems, while brief clips from the film play between levels on the Sega CD.