Gradius IV is the fourth arcade installment in a series of scrolling shooter video games developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo. It was preceded by Gradius III, released in 1989, although spinoffs had been released prior to it such as Gradius Gaiden. This title brings a considerable graphical upgrade, particularly with the use of colored lighting. In addition, there have been several additions and removals to the vaulted weapons system; specifically, the edit mode has been removed and an online ranking system was added.
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I remember it being on OK space shooter.
I don't know what to say. This game is pretty mid. Graphics are a big stepdown, ideas are just taken from Gradius II and III without making many of the things feel different, the difficulty is harder than II but easier than III, and uh... That's all I got to say about it.
Gofer looks like an egg in this game.
Gofer looks like an egg in this game.
Gradius is a shoot 'em up series I've been working through the last year or so. Playing through the Gradius titles especially, this close together, just feels like constant de ja vu. I believe a lot of people would describe the repeating levels and enemies as 'series staples' but I just see it as a lack of innovation. Gradius IV came out almost 15 years after the original 1985 release yet it feels almost like the same game.
Don't get me wrong, the visuals are certainly improved. Gradius IV uses some nice 3D models with decent looking effects for the time. It has a bit of a 'my first 3D' game look to it that a lot of titles did in that era but it looks good. The level and ship design though may as well have not evolved in that same time. There is an Easter Island statue section, a volcano level, a fire dragon level, some repeating bosses etc. Whilst there are slight changes (the volcano section now moves up and down) there is nothing exciting here, I've seen it all before.
The game plays well enough, I played it on the PSP Gradius collection. I certainly found it more accessible than Gradius III which was obnoxiously hard. That is until I got to another 'series staple'. In Gradius you sometimes get these forced speed sections where the screen speeds up horizontally forcing you to weave through obstacles to get past like your ship is speeding through. This section broke me. A wrong choice? Straight into a dead end you can't avoid. Dead. Stay at the back of the screen to see what's coming? Enemy comes from behind. Dead. Door closes on you and don't get there early enough or shoot it enough? Dead. It's just awful. I don't have the patience or time to memorise and practice this halfway through the game. I'd rather play games that are fun.
Worst cover art of the series too disapointingly. Two stars for being better than Gradius III, I still don't like it though.
Don't get me wrong, the visuals are certainly improved. Gradius IV uses some nice 3D models with decent looking effects for the time. It has a bit of a 'my first 3D' game look to it that a lot of titles did in that era but it looks good. The level and ship design though may as well have not evolved in that same time. There is an Easter Island statue section, a volcano level, a fire dragon level, some repeating bosses etc. Whilst there are slight changes (the volcano section now moves up and down) there is nothing exciting here, I've seen it all before.
The game plays well enough, I played it on the PSP Gradius collection. I certainly found it more accessible than Gradius III which was obnoxiously hard. That is until I got to another 'series staple'. In Gradius you sometimes get these forced speed sections where the screen speeds up horizontally forcing you to weave through obstacles to get past like your ship is speeding through. This section broke me. A wrong choice? Straight into a dead end you can't avoid. Dead. Stay at the back of the screen to see what's coming? Enemy comes from behind. Dead. Door closes on you and don't get there early enough or shoot it enough? Dead. It's just awful. I don't have the patience or time to memorise and practice this halfway through the game. I'd rather play games that are fun.
Worst cover art of the series too disapointingly. Two stars for being better than Gradius III, I still don't like it though.
If stuff like G-Darius and Raystorm are the Virtua Fighter 2's of integrating 3D into shmups this is the Battle Arena Toshinden.
This review contains spoilers
True balance: Trash stages and Awesome Boss Fights.
in the year 1999 Konami dared to answer the question "what if Gradius III was good"