What do you guys think of steel empire

[PowerofElsydeon]

I ve Started my Sega genesis collection very recently yet I found Empire of Steel(that s what the game is called here) for the unbelievable price of 3 euros I already ordered it for my XMAS

The game is based arround Steampunk so it s very unik considering shump is synonimous with outer space

The gameplay itself is also unik since you get to chose betwen a fast and agile plane and a Powerfull yet less manoeuvrable Zepellin with a big hitbox

It also has separete buttons for firing forward or backwards thus creating another unique gimnick

Well it s also unik that it has euroshump elements (even tough it was developed by a Japanese Company) Including (health bar;long levels;overfocus on ground enemies;simple enemies requiring to many bullets to kill) but from what I ve read so far it s free of lazy design(except there is one on level 2 that feels like that the battletoads bike levels with a health bar) and doesnt drag at all

Also it is on the easy side therefore the developers design this one for noobs(just like me)

I don t know if it contains a hard mode

I ve heard reviews calling this one a unik masterpiece as while others were trashing the forgiving nature of this game

If I just turn on the emulator test drive it would ruin my surprise
I would be glad to hear your honest opinion

[Perikles]

The atmosphere is indeed masterful, but the game suffers from ubiquitous slowdowns and its sheer length. Almost every boss fight gets recycled, in one case even during the exact same stage! Hard mode is still no challenge at all, but the scoring system is not broken which is always nice. Decent game, certainly not a must-have in my book, though.

[BIL]

I'm very fond of the game, to the point of owning the JP version... a good dozen-plus cheaper MD STGs (and several pricier ones) blow its doors clean off, but it's more ornament than use. ;3

Atmosphere aside (the sense of taking part in a much larger, brutally costly war is the closest I've found to a horizontal Rayforce), I like what it didn't do. Specifically, not using the lifebar as a crutch for sloppy pattern design. AFAIK the game's 100% no-missable, and played with that mindset I always find it a fun ride, albeit one taken only occasionally. I usually jack up the starting level to wash out the other Euroshumpin' aspect of weenie weaponry.

It also has separete buttons for firing forward or backwards thus creating another unique gimnick

Incidentally, this was also in Hot-B's earlier (and also pricey) Famicom hori, Over Horizon - I find its pacing a bit snoozy until a good four stages in, but it's totally solid and has some interesting ship customisation.

[Perikles]

AFAIK the game's 100% no-missable, and played with that mindset I always find it a fun ride, albeit one taken only occasionally.

"No-missable" as in "not taking any damage whatsoever" or as in "clearing the game without dying and bombing"? The latter is definitely doable, I'm not so sure if it is possible to play through the entire game with the zeppelin without taking some hits here and there (on Hard at least). The plane should be able to get through every situation unscathed, however.

[Xyga]

It's a great fun ride yes, superb style and atmosphere, I do it once or twice a year and still enjoy it.

Gotta try it on an overclocked MD one of those days (it should kill the slowdowns).

Very much like MUSHA and all those old fancy MD titles it could use some difficulty romhack, or something even more elaborate with a whole rebalancing of the health/exp, weapons, hitboxes, bosses etc.
Tough job I guess.

Most of the famous 8/16bit era shmups could use an arrange/1.5/BL version. :p

[BIL]

AFAIK the game's 100% no-missable, and played with that mindset I always find it a fun ride, albeit one taken only occasionally.

"No-missable" as in "not taking any damage whatsoever" or as in "clearing the game without dying and bombing"? The latter is definitely doable, I'm not so sure if it is possible to play through the entire game with the zeppelin without taking some hits here and there (on Hard at least). The plane should be able to get through every situation unscathed, however.

No hits taken / bombs used, with the biplane - though I do like letting rip with a good neo-Victorian BOMBA on more stubborn bosses!

I should've said, I can't remember the last time I used the zep.

[The Coop]

I like the game quite a bit, and it's one of my favorites on the system. Great graphics and visual design, good music, sharp control and hit detection, two craft to play as, and some nice touches like multi-directional scrolling at times. It's no Thunder Force IV, and it can be a bit easy, but it's a great shmup nonetheless.

[Austin]

For me, the game is just OK. Not great, but not bad. Kind of middle of the road. None of the sound really sticks out to me, the visuals neither. Gameplay feels average. I do like some of the unique features, but they aren't enough to keep me glued to the screen. The GBA version looks like it might be more up my alley, but I haven't played it much.

[Pixel_Outlaw]

I've enjoyed it.
The Genesis seems to have a lot of good shmups.

I think it is fine to enjoy an average shmup every once in a while.
I play it on occasion.

[Despatche]

Steel Empire is fairly high on the list of console-made games. Far better than Compile crap.

[MR_Soren]

I started a Genesis collection in July this year and recently picked up a loose copy Steel Empire for $7.

I like the art style and some of the ideas, but the game doesn't seem to run very smoothly. Perhaps it suffered in the translation from PAL to NTSC if it is originally a European game. I'm more likely to play something from TechnoSoft or Toaplan, but it's still a decent game.

[Xyga]

It's a original Japanese game, I don't know why people keep saying it's an euroshmup. The health bar and exp ? That's not much.

[PowerofElsydeon]

The game is originally a Jap game developed by a Jap company called HOT B

But it may be the closest you may get to a good euroshump cause it has many euroshumps elements without damaging the quality like it or not its gimnicks are unik and variety is suposded to be a good thing but I still hate the parts where you repeat boss figths

Steel Empire is fairly high on the list of console-made games. Far better than Compile crap

Compile crap?

What sense does that make the company makes casual shumps that kids can enjoy and that is not a bad thing since some of their games are interesting on harder difficulties therefore everyone should be happy with it

Besides they are the only company that had the creativity to mix zelda exploration and aleste shooting in a great game

Lets not Forget they had the guts and glory to expand their shooters to every console possible while avoiding árcades just read the list bellow

MSX-Gunkalve;Zanac;Aleste;Aleste 2;Aleste Gaiden

NES-Zanac;Guardian Legend;Gun*Nac

Master System-Aleste;Power Strike 2

Pc Engine\Pc Engine CD-Blazing Lasers;Springgan;Sylphia

Genesis-M.U.S.H.A

SNES-Space Megaforce(Space Meganfox)

PC 98-Rude Breaker

Gamegear-GG Aleste;GG Aleste 2

Ps1-Zanac Neo