Treasure’s trove of awesome hardcore titles continues to build this week with the release of Radiant Silvergun, a game that’s never been released on U.S. shores until now. Up until that point, the only way you could play it was if you owned an import Sega Saturn system and plunked hundreds of dollars into securing a copy on eBay. That kind of makes the 1200 Microsoft point price tag a little easier to digest, doesn’t it? You’re practically getting a steal for that money. So here’s the gist – the universe is in peril and it’s up to your ship, packed with multiple weapons, to save it. You can choose from a number of power-ups, including a laser sword that absorbs blasts (and eventually forms a super attack), lock-on lasers, lethal fountain bursts and more. You can switch between these power-ups at any time, which you’ll need to do as each level shifts into a more challenging area.
One minute you’re facing enemies in the wide open, the next you’re struggling for space in tight, fast-moving corridors. And just wait until you get to the boss battles – they’re as challenging as they come. Radiant Silvergun has a huge degree of difficulty, and if you play in story mode the first time, you probably won’t even make it a quarter way through the first stage. But if you keep at it, the game’s progressive system really opens up, and you begin to power up like a true juggernaut, eventually getting to the point where you stay alive just a little bit longer. It’s this magnitude of depth, along with the slick power-ups, that make Radiant Silvergun stand out from other shooters in the crowd. What’s more, the graphics are outstanding. They’re mostly ported over from the Saturn version with a few HD touch-ups here and there, but the backgrounds look great, the enemies have a certain charm to their design, and the fast pacing never lets up.
The fun changes not a bit even when you’re playing alongside a friend in two-player co-op, online through Xbox Live or via local gameplay. It’s definitely right up there with Treasure’s previous shooter release, Ikaruga. The soundtrack is awesome, too. Rather than just blaring your ears with bland guitar rock, you actually listen to an epic score, produced by Hitoshi Sakimoto, that stays with you even after you move on to the next stage. Really, there’s a reason I invested so much money in the soundtrack long ago. It’s epic stuff. Even if you’re a person who’s not skilled in the art of “shmup”, Radiant Silvergun is a game that shouldn’t be missed. The gameplay is both intuitive and entertaining, while the presentation goes head and shoulders over most other shooters out there. You might have missed it the first time around on the Saturn – but whatever you do, don’t miss it this time.
