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Gradius V "2004" PS2 Konami/Treasure

Moderators: Bill Loguidice, David Torre, crcasey, Mark1970, deshrill

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Post

Drift

Sat Aug 28 2004, 09:37AM

Registered Member #319
Joined Fri Jul 16 2004, 10:38AM
Location: Northumberland, England
posts 161

One of the most loved horizontal shooters of all time is made over by the modern masters of the genre…

Game: Gradius V
Format: Playstation2
Year: 2004
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Treasure
Details: 2 Players
Internet Score Ranking
Japanese version played on 60hz
Normal and hard modes completed
Standard PS2 controller

The original Gradius was released in the arcades by Konami in 1985, a fondly remembered horizontal shooter that had a fantastically addictive power up system, great graphics, music and game play. Gradius began a legacy for Konami that spread across many different platforms over the years in a number of guises; Nemesis, Salamander, Life Force, Parodius, and Solar Assault games may differ in aesthetics and difficulty, but all owe their origins to the template laid down by Gradius and its sequels. With its history and legacy of a series of great games to its name, Gradius is truly one of the classics.

But times change and the horizontal shooter genre is not as popular as it once was, with more recent releases in the genre such as R-Type Final and Border Down not proving to be as successful as hoped with modern audiences, it was with some trepidation that news of a fifth Gradius was going to be coming out for the Playstation2. Konami made a inspired decision for the future of the latest Gradius game, they handed development over to Treasure, a small development company that was formed out of ex-Konami employee’s in the days of the Megadrive. The fact that the game was going to be developed by Japanese Devco Treasure was a wish come true for all those who know the company from unique shooters such as Radiant Silver gun (Saturn) and Ikaruga (DC, GC) to the fresh and challenge platform worlds of Gunstar Heroes (MD) and other game play classics. Any worries that Treasure’s unique approach to game development may ruin the traditional values of the series or alienate the fans can be put behind you right now; Gradius V is a stunning achievement.

The player takes control of Vic Viper, on yet another mission to rid the galaxy of an evil force. So what if its the longest running cliché in shooters - it still gets the nerves tingling and the trigger finger inching!
A fairly standard CGI intro sees Vic flying around and blowing things up. It serves as an attract movie more than a device for narrative. The cut scenes in the game are done using the game engine and are similar to the level introductions seen in Ikaruga, they give the player a small break or introduce a new opponent quite well. The aesthetics of the game are good, with some excellent explosion effects and a real sense of confinement in the tighter levels. Enemies range from simple gun ships to giant eye balls that block Vic’s way, shooting green jelly death rays at the player until they themselves are taken down. The end of level bosses are typically well designed and animated, with some surprising attack patterns and use of the surrounding environment to try and get one over on the player. Audio effects and music is also good, with a selection of space techno themes playing behind the main soundtrack of laser fire and explosions. It may not be the most memorable music to a shooter, but it neither grates or distracts from the on screen action and provides enough emotive feel going into boss battles to be successful.

Level one and the game starts in typical Gradius fashion, with a simple battery of enemies who drop power ups when destroyed. Every level of the game starts with a similar sequence that allows the player to power up Vic Viper before blasting into the fray proper, this is a classic Gradius trait, one that immediately shows the player that Treasure have been respectful to the origins of the series. This is also apparent in the level design and graphical style, the alien tube like Salamander homage of level four for example, it always feels and looks like you are playing a Gradius game. The other point to make is that the weapons Vic uses are all true to the Gradius heritage, not some new fangled and maligned system of power ups that would have alienated the player as seen in so many other shooters that have tried to be different. There are four default modes for the player to chose from and a custom mode for those who wish to build there own arsenal of missiles and laser combinations as seen in other games in the series. One major change is the way that Treasure have modified the option power ups to add another depth to the game play. Options can be used the same way as the original Gradius, fixed in position to aid both attack and defence, rotated around Vic like a shield and the best of all: directional option control. This allows the player to control the direction the options fire in by holding down R2 and using the right analogue stick to control the direction of fire. During this time the player will not be able to move the ship, but I hope that the picture shows how bending laser beams around the level is something not before seen in a Gradius game.

Of course, innovation such as that would be no good if the game did not have a few game play surprises in store for Vic Viper. Treasure bring in the more modern elements of a shoot em’ up in slowly at first, and yet there is no Ikaruga confusion upon first time play. Enemy attack patterns and positioning become more intelligent in their attempts to force the player into a mistake. The levels slowly become more and more hectic with more enemies to destroy, tighter gaps to try and navigate and some stunning set pieces that will leave you breathless. One of the later levels sees the player dodging moving walls while been chased by a green liquid that flows in and out of gaps in the wall. This is difficult and a fun challenge, then the level starts to rotate and every move becomes a reaction to the onscreen action, brain and fingers working together in a hypnotic fashion. The levels all have a significantly different feel to them and yet stay true to the rest of the series in style while been refreshing and fun to explore and experiment in. This being a Treasure game, the end of level bosses are of particular note and demand both cunning and skill to defeat without dying. There are ideas borrowed from Radiant Silvergun and Parodius, as well as a sequence where loads of the original Gradius mother ships force the player to destroy them all in a single tunnel sequence during level three! These elements combine to make the game much more than a simple power up and win shooter. There is normally more than one way to defeat a section of the game and playing style varies widely with the different combinations of power ups available. Add to this mix an exciting and progressive two player mode that can go from epic “team ups” to “try and steal all there power ups”, which provides a fine balance between competitive and co-op play, and the game suddenly becomes more than just another retro remake.

Those not familiar with Treasure’s back catalogue have found that the game can be very difficult in places. The sheer numbers of enemies and ordinance on screen can be disorientating at first and almost seem unfair, but determination and practice rewards the hardy. Most shooter fans will expect this, but maybe a few might be caught off guard with some of the more imaginative opponents and level set ups. However, its not all an uphill struggle, Treasure has altered one aspect of the series that many will appreciate, in the form of restart when the player dies. Traditional Gradius games would take all of the power ups away from the player and restart them with little hope of survival due to the weakness of the standard Beam Canon. This option remains as the “Revival Start”, but there is also a Salamander style restart where any option power ups gained can be recollected by the player as they now continue from where they were killed. Some die hard fans may lament the inclusion of this feature, but I feel it fits perfectly into the game dynamic and allows steady progress to be made without rendering the game as easy or boring.

So a fitting continuation of Konami’s classic series has been achieved in more than one way. It is as if Treasure have taken the Gradius series and given it just enough modernising to make it appeal to a fresher audience, but while staying fiercely protective of the elements and feel of the original games that they are so loved for. In updating this classic series, Treasure had a golden opportunity to run with its own ideas and completely remake the game into something completely new and modern. Instead, they have developed a fantastic and traditional horizontal shooter that features enough of the famous Treasure innovation to intrigue and enthuse both old and new players alike while respectfully keeping all the elements that make the Gradius series so appealing and fun. If you are a Gradius fan or just someone who wants a quick blast every now and again, Gradius V will happily fit into your game collection as one of the best examples of a traditional shooter values currently available. Those who have never played before or don’t like shooters? Time to weigh up your options and bite the bullet, this really is a game to Treasure.

Hope you found this review helpful, thanks for reading!

Drift

Links:

http://www.treasure-inc.co.jp/index01.html

http://www.konamityo.com/gra5/index.html

Thanks to Mr Custard for the idea to review this game

[ Edited ]

"life is a game, so fight hard and win!"

mrCustard

Sat Aug 28 2004, 10:09AM

Registered Member #174
Joined: Wed Mar 17 2004, 04:32AM
Location: The Netherlands
posts 416

No thank you, it's a great review, for a great game. Gradius V is such a great and beautifully made game, it left me speechless.
[ Edited Sat Aug 28 2004, 11:10AM ]

Your Neighbor Custardo

Mark1970

Sat Aug 28 2004, 11:33AM

Armchair Arcade Editor

Location: The Netherlands
posts 1860

Drewl.....I actually got it today!

Mark Vergeer - Editor / I(c)onizer

ryuhayabusa

Sat Aug 28 2004, 06:29PM

Registered Member #66
Joined: Sun Jan 18 2004, 05:26PM
Location: Louisville, KY
posts 307

I've been looking forward to this game for some time, and now I want it even more. I've always loved the Gradius series, and I'm thankful to see this. Now, if only Konami would do a next-gen two dimensional Castlevania game...

"Pick a game. I'm good at all of them. I have 97 of them.":)

PoloPlayr

Wed Sep 01 2004, 05:57AM

Registered Member #219
Joined: Mon Mar 29 2004, 06:32AM
posts 425

Thank you for that review! SUPERBLY done.

davyK

Wed Sep 01 2004, 09:07AM

Registered Member #74
Joined: Mon Jan 19 2004, 07:40AM
Location: Belfast, N.Ireland
posts 902

Damn you Treasure! You release this on PS2 after doing Ikuraga on GC! This is the sort of thing that would make me buy a modern console - collecting Treasure titles can be an expensive business.
[ Edited Wed Sep 01 2004, 10:07AM ]

Davy 'Grey Gamer' Kelly
Where's the retro of tomorrow ?

Mark1970

Tue Sep 07 2004, 02:59AM

Armchair Arcade Editor

Location: The Netherlands
posts 1860

davyK wrote: ...
Damn you Treasure! You release this on PS2 after doing Ikuraga on GC! This is the sort of thing that would make me buy a modern console - collecting Treasure titles can be an expensive business.
[ Edited Wed Sep 01 2004, 10:07AM ]

Yes, ain't that a b*tch. That's the reason I actually have all modern consoles. Same probably goes for MrCustard.

Mark Vergeer - Editor / I(c)onizer

davyK

Wed Mar 01 2006, 04:14PM

Registered Member #74
Joined: Mon Jan 19 2004, 07:40AM
Location: Belfast, N.Ireland
posts 902

Just got myself a PS2 and a copy of this and I'm in shooter heaven.

This game really is something special - the way Treasure have updated this game while keeping the feel of the original (love the use of the original fonts on the hi-score table) is astounding. Even playing this on my old 21'' JVC at 50Hz is an experience (still haven't hooked it up to my larger TV yet - which supports the 60Hz mode).

This and the likes of R-Type Final made me choose a PS2 over the XBox - so I'm now with a PS2 and GC and I've access to all the "modern" games I'm interested in.

As usual I'm a generation behind of course!

[ Edited Wed Mar 01 2006, 05:16PM ]

Davy 'Grey Gamer' Kelly
Where's the retro of tomorrow ?

Mark1970

Thu Mar 02 2006, 02:49AM

Armchair Arcade Editor

Location: The Netherlands
posts 1860

Haha, it's about the games! Sometimes you just need a console to be able to play it! Great game isn't it?
Hey being a generation behind isn't a big thing, at least you got your ps2 at a good price! You should perhaps consider investing in HDloader. It enables you to install retail games onto a harddrive (newer models can also use HDloader USB with an external USB2.0 drive attached to one of the USB ports) and prevent wear and tear of the optical drive unit.
If you have an older model ps2, you could get a network adapter and install a 3.5" harddrive. This works with retail games, no cracking or hacking of the console is required. Only a special bootdisk with HD loader.

It doesn't work with all games though. The gradius game for example will not work. But it's worth getting.
[ Edited Thu Mar 02 2006, 03:50AM ]

Mark Vergeer - Editor / I(c)onizer

Bill Loguidice

Thu Mar 02 2006, 07:06AM

Armchair Arcade Co-Founder and Editor

Location: Central New Jersey, USA
posts 4817

I second the HD Loader recommendation. It made using the PS2 tolerable again with the shortened load times.

Bill Loguidice - Armchair Arcade Editor
www.billandchristina.com (includes videogame & computer collection)
www.mythcore.com (creative development company)
www.armchairarcade.com (soliciting articles NOW!)

davyK

Fri Mar 03 2006, 03:51AM

Registered Member #74
Joined: Mon Jan 19 2004, 07:40AM
Location: Belfast, N.Ireland
posts 902

I have the older model (and yes it was at a good price : preowned , complete with an 8MB memory card and 3 month warranty)

The harddrive sounds interesting - I intend to only get certain types of game for the PS2 - mainly the off-centre stuff such as Frequency, Katamari etc. which don't tend to be loadtime crazy (have seen some shocking loading in PS2 pods with driving games for example) so it won't be as much of an issue.

I don't hesistate to return a game that has too much loading - life is too short for that nonsense. My GC library doesn't seem to suffer from loading at all. The only exception being Waverace but even that is within my fairly narrow tolerance.

[ Edited Fri Mar 03 2006, 04:53AM ]

Davy 'Grey Gamer' Kelly
Where's the retro of tomorrow ?

davyK

Fri Mar 03 2006, 09:59AM

Registered Member #74
Joined: Mon Jan 19 2004, 07:40AM
Location: Belfast, N.Ireland
posts 902

I'm loving this - noone does collision detection like Treasure!

(just got RType Final and Metal Slug 3 for more shooting greatness - also got Eye-Toy - the kids are going to love it).

Davy 'Grey Gamer' Kelly
Where's the retro of tomorrow ?

Mark1970

Fri Mar 03 2006, 11:45AM

Armchair Arcade Editor

Location: The Netherlands
posts 1860

Indeed, one fine game that is. Ah, some more games aswell. Look out or you'll have a fine game collection for your PS2 in no-time. So what else are you looking for in PS2 gaming?

Mark Vergeer - Editor / I(c)onizer

davyK

Fri Mar 03 2006, 04:11PM

Registered Member #74
Joined: Mon Jan 19 2004, 07:40AM
Location: Belfast, N.Ireland
posts 902

Some of the puzzlers look good - Bombastic , the sequel to Devil Dice for instance.

I'll be staying away from the usual 3D fare - though I may look at driving games (Burnout, Gran Turismo 3 A-spec or 4) if the load times are not an issue.

Also looking at stuff like Frequency, Amplitude, Gitaroo Man and I'm also on the lookout for the 2 Katamari games - the mosquito game looks interesting too!

[ Edited Fri Mar 03 2006, 05:13PM ]

Davy 'Grey Gamer' Kelly
Where's the retro of tomorrow ?

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