Considering Raizing would almost immedietly go on to become purveyors of the finest jank, their first game, Sorcer Striker/Mahou Daisakusen, is a very easy game to like. The core gameplay is fun, conventional, and easy to get to grips with, and it combines with wonderful presentation and music, and only moderate difficulty by arcade standards, makes it a very easy STG to just get into and play and enjoy.
If there is a blemish on Sorcer Striker, it is that gameplay though. It essentially plays like a spin-off of Aleste, which makes a lot of sense considering Raizing was founded by a group of ex-COMPILE staff. In general, it feels a lot like Musha Aleste, which is fine, that game is great, but if anything is simpler and less interesting. It's basically pick the weapon pick up you like best, shoot, and survive. This can work fine and even simpler conceits have made for better STGs (most notably I'd argue is the exceptional Thunder Dragon 2), enemy waves aren't that interesting, and there is absolutely nothing to the scoring system beyond basically pure survival.
And whilst Mahou isn't generally that difficult, the difficulty it does have is a bit poorly balanced, and full of spikes. The stage 2 boss is going to be a big roadblock for people, and one of the Stage 6 midbosses easily eclipses the final boss. It's nothing that bad, but is a bit of a mark against the game.
But whilst the gameplay struggles to get much higher than "pretty good", the wonderful presentation really picks up the slack. The world of Mahou Daisakusen is this adorably kitsch high-fantasy/steampunk world that's beautifully realised with great sprite art, imaginative enemy/character designs and some great direction - there's an ebb and flow to the game, forming a little heroes' journey in a way, with recurring rival enemies, and great pacing with the levels, culminating in it's pretty great Stage 6.5 which really rounds things out. It's a setting that's built with just the right amount of seriousness that it feels dramatic whilst also having plenty of levity. It's a bit like viewing a more professional, artistic version of those original, kinda goofy Magic The Gathering cards that you fly and shoot things through.
And that's really it in general. Mahou is a game that does leave you wanting a bit more. Wanting a bit more interesting gameplay, but also just wanting another window of this adorable high-fantasy world to blast through.
If there is a blemish on Sorcer Striker, it is that gameplay though. It essentially plays like a spin-off of Aleste, which makes a lot of sense considering Raizing was founded by a group of ex-COMPILE staff. In general, it feels a lot like Musha Aleste, which is fine, that game is great, but if anything is simpler and less interesting. It's basically pick the weapon pick up you like best, shoot, and survive. This can work fine and even simpler conceits have made for better STGs (most notably I'd argue is the exceptional Thunder Dragon 2), enemy waves aren't that interesting, and there is absolutely nothing to the scoring system beyond basically pure survival.
And whilst Mahou isn't generally that difficult, the difficulty it does have is a bit poorly balanced, and full of spikes. The stage 2 boss is going to be a big roadblock for people, and one of the Stage 6 midbosses easily eclipses the final boss. It's nothing that bad, but is a bit of a mark against the game.
But whilst the gameplay struggles to get much higher than "pretty good", the wonderful presentation really picks up the slack. The world of Mahou Daisakusen is this adorably kitsch high-fantasy/steampunk world that's beautifully realised with great sprite art, imaginative enemy/character designs and some great direction - there's an ebb and flow to the game, forming a little heroes' journey in a way, with recurring rival enemies, and great pacing with the levels, culminating in it's pretty great Stage 6.5 which really rounds things out. It's a setting that's built with just the right amount of seriousness that it feels dramatic whilst also having plenty of levity. It's a bit like viewing a more professional, artistic version of those original, kinda goofy Magic The Gathering cards that you fly and shoot things through.
And that's really it in general. Mahou is a game that does leave you wanting a bit more. Wanting a bit more interesting gameplay, but also just wanting another window of this adorable high-fantasy world to blast through.