Cho Ren SHa 6800k (PC / Sharp X6800)

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zaphod
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Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2005 7:33 am
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Cho Ren SHa 6800k (PC / Sharp X6800)

Post by zaphod »

The word "polished" is the best way to describe this very solid pc shooter. TO give you a hint of the love crafted into the game, look at the names on the default high score list. everyone of them is the name of another classic shooter!

The game is simplicty itself. it's a yokovertical shooter. YOu go thru eahc stage, gather powerups, destroy enemies, and beat the boss, but it is so much more than the sum of it's parts. It just has that solid feel that a classic arcade shooter has. it's really hard to describe it, but it's definitely there.

The powerups are bog standard, and simple. Shot powerup (can collect up to five or so), bomb powerup (can stock up to 5) and shield (keeps you alive for one hit and grants small invulnerability when used). Collecting uneeded powerups grants you an ever increasing points bonus, what else? All powerups are dropped by a single powerup carrier type of enemy, and all 3 are dropped at once, and rotate in a triangle formation. you pick the one you want and the other two go away. Or you can go into the middle, and stay there for a few seconds, and they will swirl around you and then close in and you will get all three.

Each press of fire fires a burst, so you don't need to hammer the button too fast, but you do need to keep tapping, a nice compromise. Bombs are your standard screen clearing invincibility granting blast. The shield is explained earlier. Also grabbing a powerup grants you a brief invulnerability period.

And that's really it.

Graphics: These are perfect in their own simple way. while hardly a 10 by todays standards, they just LOOK like an arcade. You'd swear this is a port of an arcade game, and yet it's not!

Sound: This is great. the tunes again just sound like a real arcade game, and are very well orchestrated. this is of course because the original platform had arcade like sound chips in it. The shot and explosions sounds aren't particularly memorable, but again they get the job done well.

Gameplay: this game is pure gold. There's enough hidden depth to keep score players happy, a solid risk versus reward mechanic rewarding you for keeping your shields and bombs intact without dying by granting huge end of level bonuses based on lives left, bombs left, and having the shield. Oh and if you can stay fully tooled long enough you will get extra lives. The game has a second loop, and when yo beat it you can contineue to get to loops 3 and 4, then again for five and six. This game just has so much in it. Also the levels themselves have an amazing variety among bosses and level comtents. Every level is very unique, a definite plus. The game also features instant respawn, but continue starts the whole level OVER, so you cannot "quarter" your way through. again a nice compromise. The single life clear is a goal that always seems possible, yet is often tantailzingly beyond your current abilities.

If you are a vertical shooter fan, this game is a MUST PLAY. Pure and simple. Believe the hype on the forums. It is that good.
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