In Silpheed, the player pilots a spaceship through levels of increasing difficulty, in a pseudo-3D vertically scrolling field, shooting everything in his path. New weapons will become available as he gathers points, and power-ups are sprinkled throughout the levels. The game is one of the first-ever that used music as a selling point.
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A solid schmup with good music, and the way your ship takes damage is a neat feature.
Visually stunning, the use of FMV is jaw-dropping and seamless. There's literally zero artifacts in the background video, compositionally indistinguishable from the pre-rendered sprites on top, I don't know how they achieved this on Sega CD. If nothing else, this is a mandatory experience for the stellar cinematic energy.
It could be better as a shmup, there's often a feeling of being underpowered from enemies once they get close to the backside of the screen. With the viewpoint they've selected, it feel like you're doing something wrong when you move to the front of the screen to speed-kill enemies - it's no different than any other shmup, but the Z-axis depth makes you feel like you're breaking the rules. It's also hard to keep track of things and you get hit by a lot of unpredictable stuff because enemy fire can seem indistinguishable from the explosion VFX in the background. This also happens a lot with environmental hazards, it's hard to judge their perceived distance from the interactive playfield.
I didn't mind the re-use of bosses, but I DID have a giant bone to pick with the final boss, which screen-nukes you if you can't kill it in time AND sends you back to the prior stage. Evil and pretty experience-ruining imo. If you don't get right up in this guy's face and plaster him with bombs and rapid fire, you WILL be timed out.
It could be better as a shmup, there's often a feeling of being underpowered from enemies once they get close to the backside of the screen. With the viewpoint they've selected, it feel like you're doing something wrong when you move to the front of the screen to speed-kill enemies - it's no different than any other shmup, but the Z-axis depth makes you feel like you're breaking the rules. It's also hard to keep track of things and you get hit by a lot of unpredictable stuff because enemy fire can seem indistinguishable from the explosion VFX in the background. This also happens a lot with environmental hazards, it's hard to judge their perceived distance from the interactive playfield.
I didn't mind the re-use of bosses, but I DID have a giant bone to pick with the final boss, which screen-nukes you if you can't kill it in time AND sends you back to the prior stage. Evil and pretty experience-ruining imo. If you don't get right up in this guy's face and plaster him with bombs and rapid fire, you WILL be timed out.
One of those super early polygonal 3d games, it's a bit like the original star fox but with a bit more going on. More of a shmup than a rail shooter.
Some wild stuff going on around you, most of it comprehensible.
honestly just fun to play.
Some wild stuff going on around you, most of it comprehensible.
honestly just fun to play.
Nothing ever looked coolers than 90s early polygonal sci-fi. This game is fast and responsive and the visuals will have you gripping the edges of your armchair as they wallop you.
I talk in my Thunder Force 5 review about coolness, and how that’s distinct from goodness. Little did I know I was so soon going to be playing yet another game that is so cool it just completely blew me away.
Every moment of this game had me just giggling and laughing out loud and saying “oh my GOD” because of how just rad it is. There’s always stuff going on in the background and the ships are SO NEAT and it’s just an absolute freaking joy to play.
I love that the HUD shakes when you’re in hyperspace!!
This game is an all-timer; it is essential playing.
Every moment of this game had me just giggling and laughing out loud and saying “oh my GOD” because of how just rad it is. There’s always stuff going on in the background and the ships are SO NEAT and it’s just an absolute freaking joy to play.
I love that the HUD shakes when you’re in hyperspace!!
This game is an all-timer; it is essential playing.
It uses the same siren sound effect from Sonic Adventure 2 and that drives me nuts. Once you notice it you can't un-notice it.