So is Gradius V a Ikaruga/Psyvariar 2 beater ?

[VR46]

Just ordered Gradius and watched a couple of vids, looks amazing and really gets back to "old school" shoot em ups, no chaining/buzz/spinning which will be nice for a change, can't give my opinion yet but how you guys think it compares ? review scores are very similar, can't wait to give it a try .......

[Saurian]

It's the only shoot em up I've played I love as much as the Psyvariar games. It's the stage and enemy attack design that makes a shoot em up great for me - and Gradius V has some of the best stuff, if not the best I've ever seen.

[Geoff D]

Does it top the mighty Psyvariar? I'm not sure - however, I'm enjoying it tons more than I enjoyed Psyvariar 2; it's so deftly designed & well executed that it's hard not to have a slavering, maniacal grin on your face whilst cutting through the enemies.

[charlesr]

I'm enjoying it tons more than I enjoyed Psyvariar 2

Sacrelige!!!
(I haven't played GV yet)

[mats_j]

I love the game. It is intense and well balanced. Damn good action. And, like you say, not having to chase combos/chains/whatever is a nice change of pace.

But... in the end I really prefer vertical scrollers with a solid scoring system.

[Bleeders]

Better than Ikaruga and most certainly on par with both Psyvariar's as well IMO.

[marcus]

It all comes down to taste. Ive no doubt at all that Ikaruga and Psyvariar are both superb shooters, but I prefer the more basic approach and classic gameplay of Gradius V, its really the most addictive game Ive played for ages. Watching a skilled player on Ikargua is fantastic, its one of those games I prefer to watch than play, I guess the same can also be levelled at watching someone like Saurian play through Psyvariar.

Whilst the genre has moved on so much of late, its great to see that old school gameplay can still cut it if done so expertly well as in Gradius.

[Pij]

I love Gradius V, but i never clicked to well with the Psyvariar's, i do preffer Psyvariar 2 to the original though.

But wheres the love for ESPGaluda, and Dai Ou Jou. I find both of Cave's latest console releases between the the Psyvariar series.

But maybe im just a cave fanboy everything feels right about there games, the speed of the ships, the hitspot etc etc.

Nothing feels better than managing a huge combo through DOJ.

[VR46]

Theres also Shin No Shiro (spelling) to consider, the appeal of GV for me is to get away from buzz/chaining for a change, and play horizontally

[Destrukticor]

truefax ION,

Both Gradius V and Espgaluda are getting non stop play in my house at the moment.

Graduis V is the old school shoot em up straight forward as far as chaining\combos are involved (there are none) fantastic music and a good "solid" feel to everything (difficult to explain clearly)

both are fantastic shmups.

Espgaluda deserves the love as well

[Kotatsu Neko]

Gradius V is indeed great, but I feel no match for Ikaruga. Gradius is Gradius, a straight shooter, and so lacking the innovation of Ikaruga's black/white dynamic. Had to be of course, to stay true to the series.

[evilmatt]

I've always felt that whilst Psyvariar and Ikaruga are pretty good, the gimmicks take away from the pure shooter experience... I could never really get into Psyvariar 2 because I was too busy worrying about collecting buzz to actually shoot things. But I'm loving Gradius cos its such a pure undiluted style of play


But then my favourite shooter ever was Project X on the amiga (gradius tribute by Team 17) so what do I know

[Saurian]

I dont get how people can call the tactical systems in vertical shoot em ups gimmicks. The entirety of these games is built around the system, the systems are never dumped in after the design is finished. Just as Ikaruga IS the colour change system, Psyvariar is buzz - shooting enemies is not the main focus, it's used for neutrino adjustment, the games are designed from the ground up with the system as the base.

They dont take anything away from the "pure shooter" experience, they arent trying to be that in the first place.

[dataDave]

LOL! I've just been playing 'Project X' on my mates dodgy box! It's pure dirt!

I like the title gfx though.

[evilmatt]

Saur - I admit "gimmick" is too strong a word but... *shrug* they seem to me more a puzzle game, a test of memory for the best route, rather than a test of skill and reflexes. Obviously you need the skill to navigate that route, but I hope you see what I'm getting at. But then this argument renders this whole thread pretty moot anyway, as like you say they're not trying to be the same thing, you might as well have a thread titled "So is Project Gotham 2 a Final Fantasy beater?"


I dunno, I guess I just prefer side-scrollers to verticals anyway...