Gradius Galaxies Game by Konami Reviewed by Mew Barrymore 01946020@mmu.ac.uk Size: 32MB Save: Highscores and Game Progress Released: 2001 Works with: Gameboy Advance **************************************************************************** Opening Snide Remarks: Gradius Galaxies seems to be something of a Konami nostalgia trip. The opening intro shows screens from past Gradius adventures like Gradius I right up to Gradius Gaiden and Gradius IV. The Gradius/Nemesis series goes back a long way into the dawn of time itself, I remember playing Salamander on my C64 and waiting 15mins for the damn thing to load level 3!! **************************************************************************** Gameplay Description: Gradius Galaxies a side scrolling shoot 'em up in the style of R- type. What has always made the Gradius series unique is the power-up system. You basically choose yourself how you want to apply the available power-ups to your ship: do you want a super fast but poorly defended craft or a slower but more powered up ship? Gradius Galaxies is designed to make you plan the way you apply your power-ups. For example in level two, the ice level, you have to choose between powering up your laser to blast through the ice or to power up your speed to escape from under it. It is this balanced gameplay that makes Gradius Galaxies so appealing, the eight levels are well designed and some of the boss encounters are fantastic fun. The major flaw in Gradius' Galaxies gameplay is that it is too easy to complete: with infinite continues and battery backed save (you can choose to start on any stage or any part of stage) the game doesn't last too long. Another feature makes the game even easier, Konami included a "Hint" feature which shows you (via a demo) how to expertly complete each level section!! It's almost as if the game designers wanted you to blast through the game in a matter of days. Due to their linear nature, sidescrollers can only protect their longevity by making their levels very hard (just look at R-type DX) Konami have gone to the opposite extreme though, making their game way too easy to complete. Liked: Good level design, good bosses Hated: Too easy **************************************************************************** Graphics Description: The graphics of Gradius Galaxies are generally excellent. Backgrounds are detailed and interesting and animation on your ship and the enemy ships is fluid and realistic. What is especially cool is that there is no slow-down or flicker whatsoever. R-type DX was ruined by irritating slow moments and the occasional transparent bullet!! The only minor gripe is that some of the enemy ships seem to be recycled a bit too often so that you end up seeing the same enemies again and again. Liked: Good backgrounds (fire level looks amazing) Hated: Recycled enemy sprites **************************************************************************** Sound/Music Description: Gradius Galaxies has a fair collection of decent musics but there's nothing thats really outstanding and the classic Gradius song has not been included!! Sound FX are very good, the ships blaster sounds satisfyingly "meaty" and the speech samples are abundant and of good quality. Liked: Speech Hated: No classic tunes **************************************************************************** Play Control/Game Design: The controls in Gradius Galaxies are very simple: B fires and A selects weapons. A useful rapid fire mode is also available from the options screen. The level design is very good and has a good mix of straight blasting and "obstacle navigation" sections. The boss battles are really good fun. Liked: Responsive controls Hated: Nothing **************************************************************************** Improve: Make it more difficult, take out level select, take out hint option. RIYL: R-Type DX, Phalanx, Iridion 3D, Original GB Nemesis **************************************************************************** Final Words: As much as I enjoyed playing Gradius Galaxies I couldn't recommend it as more than a rental. The game is too easy to blast through and is more like an experience than a genuinely challenging "game." If you really want to sample Gradius again then dig out your old NES and play the classic (and very dificult) Gradius of yore. **************************************************************************** Score Gameplay: *** Graphics: **** Sound/Music: **** Play Control/Game Design: *** Personal Opinion: *** Total: 18 Final Score: 72 % **************************************************************************** Currently Known Codes: The classic Konami code works.......with a suprise.