Games, Books and Films

Midas, 2004, Shoot 'em up

2D scrolling shoot ‘em ups, whether they’re of the vertical or horizontal disposition, seem to have become a dime-a-dozen on the PS2. As the genres strong points and weaknesses tend to be expressed universally throughout the range available, separating the best from the also-rans can often come down to little more than personal taste.

Steel Dragon EX isn’t quite the best shoot ‘em up your money will get but it does site at least respectably near to the top of the pile. Not quite the maddeningly addictive masterpiece that is Psyvariar, it is nevertheless superior to the likes of XII Stag and frankly miles better than Gunbird.

As is often the case with such titles, the CD presents two ‘versions’ of the game. A 2D ‘Original’ and 3D ‘Evolution’, though the latters claim to three dimensions is somewhat misleading as the gameplay mechanics work within much the same parameters in each case, though the titles are sufficiently different to be judged independently.

The 2D instalment, originally released on the SEGA Saturn and later ported to the PSOne as Gekioh, offers a fairly run-of-the-mill trip down memory lane, which in terms of a gameplay experience is not dissimilar to nineties shooter Raiden. For those who haven’t tackled Seibu Kaihatsu’s old gem, this basically means 16-bit sound and sprites rather than polygons, though aficionados at the very least will appreciate the solid level-design and ample opportunities for high-scores. Steel Dragon also apes Raiden’s weapon setup, which is rather mixed, both in terms of choice and quality. Power-ups allow upgrades to the standard machine-gun fire but also electric homing attacks and missiles. You are often forced to chop and change between them which can prove a hindrance at times, as regardless of the upgrades, some of the artillery is undeniably less well-suited to certain situations than others.

The rather antiquated practice of fading the screen each time you die and having to begin again from a checkpoint rears its ugly head, but in the games defence, there are a generous helping of restart points, and replaying bits only really becomes a chore in the very closing stages where you have to face back-to-back bosses. Oddly, this half of the Steel Dragon package doesn’t support analogue control, meaning the ships feel a touch heavy to manoeuvre, inevitably resulting in some unfair deaths. Things are slightly more enjoyable in two-player, though optimistically speaking you’ll probably only get a handful of games out of it.

What makes Steel Dragon EX worthy of your time is its Evolution mode, which essentially rectifies the troubles of the aforementioned earlier title, adding glossier visuals and some cool new ideas into the mix. The scrolling is super smooth, the backgrounds packed with detail and the hefty bosses provide a bit of spectacle, with some great explosions and hypnotic firing patterns making for game that, whilst never taxing the PS2 from a technical standpoint, remains undeniably pretty. The only slight qualm being the perspective that makes the game area appear overly wide for a vertical-scrolling shooter. The controls are sprightly and whilst the enemy attack patterns and level layouts aren’t unusual in themselves, the system of collecting stars adds an extra level of depth.

Each character has a special attack, which can be triggered at any time to help the player get out of a tight situation – most useful against bosses or during a sudden and uncomfortable influx in the number of enemy crafts. Nothing out of the ordinary there I hear you say, but if unleashed at the right time, the attack turns all the enemy bullets on-screen at the time into stars, which can be collected and converted into extra lives and heaps of points. It’s hardly game-defining as, unlike Ikaruga’s ingenious black/white bullet system, it is rarely called upon in the normal course of the levels, but it’s still a neat touch and quite satisfying when used at the right moment.

So thanks in part to its respectable price-tag, Steel Dragon EX will make the majority of shoot ‘em up fans happy thanks to the package comprising of one good and one very good title. It’s unlikely to ruffle the feathers of casual fans what with Taito Legends 2 offering a whole bunch of similar quality titles (and many others) for around the same price, whilst Psyvariar remains the primary candidate for cheap retro thrills. Still, those who get misty-eyed at the prospect of giant animated explosions and boss warning sirens will find themselves in high-score heaven.

OVERALL: 7/10

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