Argonaut Software brings the low-poly aesthetic from their PC games into console and makes it look pretty charming because of the inventive machine designs. The enemies seriously look to me like how aliens with an understanding of mechanics uncannily different from us would model their weapons, simple and elegant.
However, despite the gameplay variety (and since I'm using Backloggd and not My Game Database to review the games like works of art beyond the fact that they are fun), it works as a standard on rails shooter...
...With the added substance of the protagonists displaying personalities in radio communications in the middle of the battles, with the noble intent of building a believable comraderie. However, the instances of characterization are extremely limited. Apart from Slippy showing himself to be playful during a moment in the Route 1 Intro Stage, the characthers just repeat the same stock phrases over and over again as they get chased by an enemy, want an opportunity to attack, and get frustrated with the main protagonist. Peppy in particular ends up having no personality traits whatsoever, while Falco is just the jerkass of the group all the while trough. It wouldn't have been so difficult to make him warm up to Fox or vary his opinions as the stages progress.
So in the end, the game may look quite polished in its presentation but I don't think it quite makes the cut, it should have had more attention to detail put into the conversations. The most interesting characther is probably Fox's dad because they keep talking about his backstory, but he doesn't show up in the game. I played the secret levels and beat all three routes.
If you are interested in these style over substance cinematic kind of shoot em ups to make way for an estimulating adventure while you organically feel the backup of your crew, I recommend the Sega CD version of Silpheed. While it sacrifices the inventive art style in its use of low-poly aesthetic for a more chaotic (and sometimes epileptic-inducing) direction, and for gameplay fanatics it's a much simpler experience than Star Fox, it instead focuses on grand backgrounds for the conflict depicted and the conversations with your comrades are more genuine and inmersing.
However, despite the gameplay variety (and since I'm using Backloggd and not My Game Database to review the games like works of art beyond the fact that they are fun), it works as a standard on rails shooter...
...With the added substance of the protagonists displaying personalities in radio communications in the middle of the battles, with the noble intent of building a believable comraderie. However, the instances of characterization are extremely limited. Apart from Slippy showing himself to be playful during a moment in the Route 1 Intro Stage, the characthers just repeat the same stock phrases over and over again as they get chased by an enemy, want an opportunity to attack, and get frustrated with the main protagonist. Peppy in particular ends up having no personality traits whatsoever, while Falco is just the jerkass of the group all the while trough. It wouldn't have been so difficult to make him warm up to Fox or vary his opinions as the stages progress.
So in the end, the game may look quite polished in its presentation but I don't think it quite makes the cut, it should have had more attention to detail put into the conversations. The most interesting characther is probably Fox's dad because they keep talking about his backstory, but he doesn't show up in the game. I played the secret levels and beat all three routes.
If you are interested in these style over substance cinematic kind of shoot em ups to make way for an estimulating adventure while you organically feel the backup of your crew, I recommend the Sega CD version of Silpheed. While it sacrifices the inventive art style in its use of low-poly aesthetic for a more chaotic (and sometimes epileptic-inducing) direction, and for gameplay fanatics it's a much simpler experience than Star Fox, it instead focuses on grand backgrounds for the conflict depicted and the conversations with your comrades are more genuine and inmersing.