Nov 30, 2013

Thunder Force V, Glimpse of Shooter Heaven

To enjoy this review fully you'll need to put on a pair of nostalgia specs. If your monitor becomes a bit finicky and rough around the edges, don't fret, that's just the early 1998 resolution: a way-back realm of low polygons and rough CG compression.

Today we enter the house of PlayStation. Pop the flap open, place the black disk onto the reel—make sure to hold it by its sides—and press in the circular Power button. Let's begin our venture into another classic shooter: Thunder Force V.


Touted as the greatest shooter series amongst its numerous fans, Thunder Force V first came out on Sega Saturn in 1997, and got its well deserved PS1 port the following year. Thunder Force V deserves its spot in the limelight for three reasons: it has wickedly articulate mechanical designs—a la Gundam, lots of gnawing skirmishes, and a kick-ass hard-rocking soundtrack.

I was going to write how utterly and undeniably awesome Thunder Force V is, but as soon as I started playing it an unprecedented nostalgic feeling swept over me.

It's 1998, I'm 18 and chilling at my friend's house. He tells me to check out this new Japanese shooter he just got, and plumps the game disc into his PS1. He takes a few steps towards me to hand me a controller, but accidentally trips on the system's power cord, pulling the entire PS1 off of the TV shelf...


We spent the next 20 minutes trying to secure a near busted flap so the laser would read the disk. Two well placed Hobby Japan magazines later, and we're finally playing Thunder Force V. An hour into the game, we're staring at the screen mesmerized by the game's up-beat tempo, iconic design, while thumping our feet to some of the most irresistible rock/metal tunes to grace a video game.

I wasn't kidding when I told you to put on those nostalgia specs.

Playing shooters on the PS1 was almost ceremonial in my friend circles. Because everyone I knew had their system “chipped” to play imported and copied games; our combined game libraries were overflowing with obscure titles. We'd play games before and after school, sometimes popping into a friend's abode at lunch or during a spare class.

Sometimes the good ol' Playstation would get finicky and not load certain games, or unplugging a controller would delete the memory card, but that didn't matter to us. Replaying games would mean more time spent with our favourite hobby. Sometimes we would stop playing to scrounge for some leftover pasta in the kitchen—which we would usually overcook due to not paying attention. Most times though, it was all about gaming till dawn.

jeuxvideo.fr
Getting together for some gaming was a familiar scene for the entire PS1 life cycle. It was a time of socializing in smaller less intrusive groups. And a time when the gaming industry was at the pinnacle of innovation—not technologically by creatively. Although I do not resent today's focus on sharing of our digitized persona, I do believe that to appreciate something artistic to a greater length one must observe and share the experience of it with another person present. Passively playing video games with close friends seems to be a forgotten hobby these days. Luckily my PS1 is still spinning all its games.

I hope you enjoyed spending time dodging bullets in the Den of Shooters. If you're curious about this often overlooked genre of games check out my feature on the origin of shoot 'em ups: Inside The Bullet Hurricane.  

Developer: Technosoft
Publisher: Technosoft, Working Designs
Platform: Sega Saturn, PlayStation
Genre: Shooter
Released: 1997


Nov 26, 2013

Raiden 3: Den of Red Thunder and Blue Lightning

Hi there reader. Do you like score-based vertical shooters? Are your digits dexterous enough to withstand onslaughts of virtual bullets? Is your PS2 getting kinda lonely sitting between its two fresher siblings?

If you answered yes to even one of those questions, you're cool enough to glide with the dual player lightning called Raiden 3. Place your PS2 vertically, unravel its controller cords, and sit down comfortably. Time to ride the lightning.

giantbomb.com
The Raiden series is probably the most recognizable arcade-style game in shooter history. One or two players control either the red or the blue ship, and blast away clusters of enemy spacecraft. This formula has served the series well since its 1990 inception, and Raiden 3 is no different.

This is the type of game in which you'll spend many lives trying to figure out enemy patters. You'll chase elusive floating weapon upgrades. And you'll dodge waves of bullets shot from fleets of futuristic war machines like jets, choppers, submarines, spaceships, and huge menacing bosses. It's fun. It's frantic. And the best part: it can all be shared with another player, because the game can be played simultaneously.

All the classic Raiden weaponry is here too: the Vulcan shot which spreads broad, the piercing blue laser that's injected with lightning for good measure, and the good ol' Proton blast used to incinerate foes in a sweeping wave. There are also three different missile types and, of course, your ship is equipped with a projectile clearing, and very destructive, cluster bomb(s). Unleash the payload and let 'em rust in peace!

theisozone.com
Although the game is 2-D, all moving sprites and all the structures in the backgrounds have been skillfully sculpted with polygons—adding surprising depth to the scrolling battlefields. All the battlegrounds are scenic and enjoyable to fly by: beaches, cities, asteroid colonies, and metallic fortresses with confining corridors; everything in the game is well detailed and clearly defined. I almost feel bad for shooting down all those shiny jets and impressive bosses.

When two players are playing simultaneously, the screen can become splattered with bullets decreasing visibility and amplifying the inertia. This is what classic shooting action is all about. If you or the person you're playing with is new to shooters, the game has several difficulty levels that can either, ease you in, or grind you down.

gamekult.com
After finishing a stage, you can select to practice on that stage or try gunning for a higher score; you may even choose to fight any boss after beating the game once. There's a gallery of production artwork, and a feature to watch your saved replays. All the options make the game very user friendly and re-playable. For some added wackiness, I recommend the Double Play Mode where one player can control two ships with one controller.   

Classic arcade games like Raiden 3 are all almost gone and forgotten. I found my copy while cottaging in a small lake-side town, and payed $10 for it. It was worth every dollar. Anyone who still recalls the lure of the arcades will get a kick out of this classic. Filled with fast-paced action, easy to understand mechanics, and armed with catchy techno-synth tunes, Raiden 3 will take you on a memorable flight. Don't be afraid to clip your wings, and shoot down all incoming ships.

Developer: Moss Ltd.
Publisher: UFO
Platform: PS2
Genre: Vertical Shooter
Released: 2007 (US)

hardcoregaming101

Nov 17, 2013

R-Type III: Legendary Lightning Strikes

A vortex of dark matter swirls fast as its secret curtain is forced to part. Inside it, a graceful dark-blue pulse of the Ion Hub appears. The throbbing energy source blows out plasma in an organismic explosion of hidden cosmic synergy.  

Stars begin to fade as each piece of the Anti-BYDO Dimension Drive assembles, piece by piece, onto the core of the Ion Hub. In mere seconds an entire frame appears. Metal twists and bends, encasing the vital BydoChip components: cockpit, wings, and thrusters glow, signaling a release of stored energy.

With a swift thrust of its anti-matter engine the R-90 soars to skirmish once more.

gamespot.com
R-Type III: The Third Lightning was released in 1993. This SNES exclusive is rightly considered to be the greatest of the R-Type series. Nineties shooters were a staple of the 16-bit era, some were good, some not so much, others quite unique. This game belongs to the fourth kind: absolutely brilliant. 

To stop the BYDO Empire invasion you take control of Earth's deadliest vessel: R-90 Ragnarok. Just like in every R-Type game before it, the R-90 is armed with an indestructible spherical attachment called the Force: a living weapon that can operate independently from the main ship.

Having a free-floating module injects strategy into the regular shoot-'em-up formula. By positioning the Force behind or in front of the ship, players can take out enemies by trapping them in a cross-fire. If the screen fills with too many projectiles the Force can be attached onto the rear or front of the ship, and act as an impenetrable shield. You can select three different Force modules, with each one having different weapon power-ups and effects when detached.

Blue Pow
The game has six challenging stages which crank the difficulty the farther you progress. Each stage has memorable and unique mechanics that hinder your flight: moving corridors, acidic droplets that eat away parts of the level, giant furnaces spewing fire, plots of enemies, and direction-reversing shifts in specific spaces. The foes come relentlessly, and often fill the screen leaving a speck of space for movement. Speed-ups are scarce. Meaning, it's sometimes prudent to start the game from the beginning hoping your nerves hold up.

Each level has a distinctive ecology, mirrored in its enemy design. The vivid backgrounds have an amazing degree of depth, clarity, and detail -- quite uncommon for 16-bit shooters. This is the only shooter I know that scrolls, forwards, backwards, up and down. In the third stage, you fly downwards a mechanical tunnel, then move forwards and up. The level ends with a spider-like boss that can freely ascend and descend the tunnel's walls. Madness!

Alien(s) R-Type Style
The end level guardians are all hideously monstrous abominations spawned from the seed of man-made BYDO organic weapons. These rampant and vicious foes were initially made to propel man's universal dominion over the universe, but now stand in your way ready to devour. The BYDO bosses are unmistakable. There's, H.R. Giger's Alien-influenced, Dobkeratops; something somewhat reminiscent of reproductive organs called Gomander, the elusive Mother Bydo, and many more. (See R-Type Wiki.)

And there's the music... Incredible. Clearly arranged by an imaginatively deranged musical mind. My best description would be: catchy progressively rocking tunes, filled with Jazzy elements  that flow through percussive bass grooves. Inspired by techno, industrial, rock and Eastern influences. It's something totally unique, and at times, very energetic--especially the boss music. The cartridge is filled with must-hear arrangements that will imprint its sonic forces on your ears long after you get blown to bits by this classic's difficult onslaught.  

The game is hard. Really hard. I'm not sure if I'm a patient person by nature, or if this game made me very... meticulous. Either way, you can spend many hours playing this game, and that does not even mean you'll get to the end of the Advanced Mission scenario. R-Type is a long running series with its own extensive lore, and Third Lightning is one of the best in that gorging embryo of wickedness. A must play for any fan of side-scrolling shooters.

Developer: Irem
Publisher: Irem
Platform: SNES, Game Boy Advance, Virtual Console
Genre: Shooter
Released: 1993

hardcoregaming101

Nov 7, 2013

Blastin' Away Lords of Thunder

Cold November currents come upon us and bring corroded winds. Something wicked begins to stir. Lords of Thunder must be near.

Time has come for rain, rigid cold, and tornadoes to instill fear. Kick-ass classic shooter action elevate this sphere.

Elemental Armour Awaken!


Released in 1993, Lords of Thunder is a shooter that has ascended to the pinnacle of classic 2D gaming. Are you ready for a furiously fast, ball-crushing, heavy metal ride, that will incinerate your mind?

In this side-scrolling shooter, you adorn a magical flying armour of your legendary ancestors. Have cool and rip through the skies to thwart your enemies plan to revive "The Dark One." No need for elaborate tales -- this is a 90s game tried and true.

Before blasting off, you can select from six stages and four different armours: wind, water, earth and fire. Each armour has different types of attacks and packs a massive screen-clearing projectile. Picking the right armour for a specific stage is key to smoothly progressing through this bullet grinder.

mojenintendo
The game has very distinctive and vibrant style influenced by medieval fantasy themes. While a bit static, the backgrounds are clear and smooth. And the varied enemies you'll encounter add another layer of visual flair to pull your eyes in. A whole kingly court of biological and technological life is here: fire dragons, wizards, knights, living vyvern gondolas, and huge armoured-clad demonic bosses all await your blade.

The game's pacing is fast, with hectic patterns of baddies stuffing the screen. Your armour has a weapon power/life bar, but those can be drained rather quickly in the harder stages. To balance the difficulty, you can collect gems from fallen foes to power up your main weapon, or buy additional lives and shields. The ability to shop for upgrades before each stage is a marvelous idea and a cool feature that injects strategy into this title.

nintendoworldreport.com
While most shooter games use various techno/industrial musical schemes, this game has a very dedicated and awesome soundtrack. All tracks in Lord of Thunder sound as if played by a professional band. Furiously fast rhythm guitars, pulsating bass, crushing drums and dizzying solos are all part of this game's repertoire of sound. No mere chip-tune music in this venture, just balls-to-the-wall heavy metal.

My only complaint is that the sound FX can drown out the music at times. Oh well, there's always music test in the option menu. If arcade style shooters are your thing, this is a game you'll definitely want to play often, and loud. For mere $8 bucks you can get this game on Wii Virtual Console, and establish your own thunderous hegemony. Go ahead, capture this lightning in a bottle. I dare you.

quebecgamers.com

destructoid.com

Developer: Hudson Soft, Red Entertainment
Publisher: Hudson Soft
Platform: TurboDuo, Sega CD, Virtual Console, PS Network
Released: 1993
Genre: Shooter