More fun than a bucket full of cores

Gradius V
Review
(More fun than a bucketful of cores)

"DESTROY THE CORE!"

When it comes to classic game series, there's none with a more storied history than Gradius. Often proclaimed as the one series that invented the shoot-'em-up (shmup) genre, it's been around for more than twenty years, and has put the patience of millions of gamers to the test with it's combination of simple gameplay and twitched-based action.

Perhaps the strongest aspect of the latest incarnation of the series is how it seems content to stay in the area of "tried and true". The gameplay here is very similar to how it was twenty years ago, and while this might be a turnoff in any other game, it fits perfectly here. Behind this masterpiece is the team of Treasure, a developer with a pedigree that includes the likes of Ikaruga and Radiant Silvergun. Their games are known to be works of art, and Gradius V is no exception. It is challenging enough, and familiar enough to the legions of fans the series already has, while simple and forgiving enough to get a new pilot flying with ease.

Gameplay is truly easy to pick up, yet difficult to master. The objective is simple: You fly the Vic Viper, and have to shoot down all the baddies on the screen before they can shoot at you. Your main weapon can be upgraded through the strategic use of pickups found scattered across the level. While this may seem boring at first glance, there is a lot more under the cover. Unlike any other game, where once you grab a pickup, you're granted the weapon, the Gradius series has been famous for requiring the player to think quickly about weapon choices. At the bottom of the screen is a weapon meter, with various weapons that can be activated. Grabbing a pickup from the level will highlight the first weapon. Grabbing the next pickup will move the meter to the next weapon. Activating the weapon will reset the meter, forcing the player to be judicious about their chosen weapon. This kind of "on-the-fly" strategy is downright addictive. Many weapons are at your disposal, and the weapon meter is customizable, allowing you to pick the weapons and powerups that fit your play style.

To say that Gradius V is hectic is an understatement. Explosions fill the screen in later levels. Enemies throw themselves at you, requiring you to stay on your toes. A single shot from an enemy can kill you, and render all your impressive weaponry meaningless. This game will put your reflexes and ability to think quickly to the test.

There are only eight levels, which is a minor disappointment, but each level is so well designed that it's almost a moot point. One has you flying through the middle of an enemy refinery, dodging massive piles of green goo that spell instant doom. Another has you running-and-gunning your way through a asteroid field. Yet another has you flying through the intestines of a massive space-borne beast. Capping off the almost perfect level design are the bosses, a legion of gigantic vessels brimming with laser cannons, and intent on taking you down. These are some of the most ingeniously designed bosses I've faced in ANY video game. In the meteor shower level, you are forced to use the meteors themselves as a shield against the boss's unending barrage, putting your piloting skills to the test. In another one, you and the boss are trapped in a giant cage, and he bounces around dropping off cannons that shoot at you. You're forced to take the cannons out, while dodging their shots, dodging the boss, AND taking him out. In my first playthrough of the game, with each boss, I thought that there was nothing that Treasure could've done to top the previous. And with each level, I was mistaken.

I once read that 2D games aren't limited. They're an artform. The person who said that must've had Gradius V in mind. Treasure went out of their way to prove that a game does not have to have a Z-axis to be beautiful. The many explosions are crisp and gorgeous. The backgrounds, pre-rendered in 3D, are detailed and vibrant. Even simple things, like the billions of lasers and bullets you'll see stand up to even the most gorgeously detailed full 3D game.

If there can be one flaw with this masterpiece, it's the difficulty level. From a classic gamer's standpoint, modern games are fluff. Oftentimes, the difficulty is nonexistant, seemingly nixed to make the game appeal to gamers of any skill. That's not the case with Gradius V. Treasure seemed to realize that the people who've played every game in the series since it's first incarnation want something that will test their patience, and delivered that in spades. But five difficulty levels ensure that the game isn't too punishing on those stepping into the Vic Viper's cockpit for the first time. Even on the Easy difficulty, it's no cakewalk. But if you're tired of games that practically beat themselves, look no furthur than Gradius V.

If you are a fan of shmups, then chances are, you've already bought this game. If you are looking for something challenging and downright fun to play, then snag a copy of Gradius V. You'd do yourself a disservice not to.