G-Darius (PS1, 1998)
Graphics-8.5 Sound-8.5 Control-8 Challenge-8.5
Level Design-8 Frustration-9 Fun-8.5 Originality-6
Overall Score-8.5
+
2-player co-op
Alternate paths
Very good bosses overall (multiple forms, some huge models)
Can make certain enemies and all mini-bosses fight for you by shooting a ball/gem into them (the latter need to be near death for it to work)
Mini-bosses
Some cool effects (level and boss intros, warp drive, some boss attacks)
Smart bombs
Very upgradeable weapons (HUD shows weapon levels now)
Shield power up (3-4 hits?)
Difficulty options
Funny boss names,
Pretty intense later on
Difficulty options (8 levels)
Boss rush mode
Pretty creative OST
Beginner mode with free play (unlimited credits) and/or unlimited lives options
There are two paths within each level (similar to Outrun)
More consistent visuals than in Gaiden (almost fully 3D besides the explosions which are kind of pixelated)
Some diagonally scrolling segments
Better visual variation
Powerful charge attack (large beam, lasts pretty long) - bosses can use it to which leads to some cool beam vs. beam scenes at times
Skippable staff roll
Save feature
Some hidden items (appear briefly when shot at) - Fantasy Zone 2
+/-
Opera vocals in some music tracks
Pretty short levels
Only enemies under your control can be turned into smart bombs now (feels unbalanced at times)
Seems much harder to beat without credit feeding than with
-
No speed adjustment (your ship is too slow to dodge some things without memorization)
Can't turn around manually (would've been useful at times)
Heavy trial & error (some surprise attacks, boss patterns, if you start using a charge attack right before a boss then it's wasted, hard to tell when a controlled ship will die)
Some slowdown
Very hard to survive if you lose your controlled enemy before a boss and the last two boss fights make you fight for rather long periods without one (between phases you generally get a chance to take over another enemy)
Steep difficulty curve after the first two levels
Each path is kinda short (5 levels)
Overly long final boss fight for the highest/first path
Re-used backgrounds and enemies in several levels
No alternate weapons (though the beam changes when you're upgrading)
The largest bosses seem to move at a lower framerate
Lack of destructible obstacles besides some asteroids?
Somewhat distracting backgrounds in a few instances
Notes:
-Beat 3/5 paths (highest, lowest, second to highest)
Level Design-8 Frustration-9 Fun-8.5 Originality-6
Overall Score-8.5
+
2-player co-op
Alternate paths
Very good bosses overall (multiple forms, some huge models)
Can make certain enemies and all mini-bosses fight for you by shooting a ball/gem into them (the latter need to be near death for it to work)
Mini-bosses
Some cool effects (level and boss intros, warp drive, some boss attacks)
Smart bombs
Very upgradeable weapons (HUD shows weapon levels now)
Shield power up (3-4 hits?)
Difficulty options
Funny boss names,
Pretty intense later on
Difficulty options (8 levels)
Boss rush mode
Pretty creative OST
Beginner mode with free play (unlimited credits) and/or unlimited lives options
There are two paths within each level (similar to Outrun)
More consistent visuals than in Gaiden (almost fully 3D besides the explosions which are kind of pixelated)
Some diagonally scrolling segments
Better visual variation
Powerful charge attack (large beam, lasts pretty long) - bosses can use it to which leads to some cool beam vs. beam scenes at times
Skippable staff roll
Save feature
Some hidden items (appear briefly when shot at) - Fantasy Zone 2
+/-
Opera vocals in some music tracks
Pretty short levels
Only enemies under your control can be turned into smart bombs now (feels unbalanced at times)
Seems much harder to beat without credit feeding than with
-
No speed adjustment (your ship is too slow to dodge some things without memorization)
Can't turn around manually (would've been useful at times)
Heavy trial & error (some surprise attacks, boss patterns, if you start using a charge attack right before a boss then it's wasted, hard to tell when a controlled ship will die)
Some slowdown
Very hard to survive if you lose your controlled enemy before a boss and the last two boss fights make you fight for rather long periods without one (between phases you generally get a chance to take over another enemy)
Steep difficulty curve after the first two levels
Each path is kinda short (5 levels)
Overly long final boss fight for the highest/first path
Re-used backgrounds and enemies in several levels
No alternate weapons (though the beam changes when you're upgrading)
The largest bosses seem to move at a lower framerate
Lack of destructible obstacles besides some asteroids?
Somewhat distracting backgrounds in a few instances
Notes:
-Beat 3/5 paths (highest, lowest, second to highest)