When the PlayStation 2 launched way back in November of 2000, there was a game amongst the litter of titles that really stood out to me. Now, you obviously know that it was Gradius III & IV since you clicked on this review, but why would a 2D shooter strike anyone as the must-have game for a brand new system, especially one as powerful as the PS2? Quite simply I’m a guy who enjoys an old-school title. With the advent of 3D in the 32/64 bit era, I felt a longing for the games of my past. 3D just feels different. I was worried I’d never see a 2D sequel to games like Ghosts ’n Goblins and Ninja Gaiden, and for a long while I’ve been correct, but obviously the gods of gaming were smiling on my poor nostalgic soul, as they granted me this title.
Make no mistake about it, Gradius III & IV is about as old-school as it gets. These are some of the most difficult games I’ve ever played. I’d say III is equally as hard as the original NES version. In order to get anywhere, you’ll have to memorize the levels pretty much in full. Enemies always drop in set patterns and places, so you’ll always know what to expect. And even if you know the patterns and the level layouts perfectly, you’ll have to make sure your fingers are actually up to the challenge of keeping the advancing enemy forces in check. If you let just one ship slip by, a stray bullet could mean the death of you.
Of course when playing this game you’ll be no stranger to death. This package is downright relentless. Gradius III is definitely the more difficult of the two games, but there really isn’t much of a distinction between the two after you get to the first boss. Obviously they get harder as the game goes on, just like any game would. It’s notable however, because of just how hard they get. The screen fills up at times to what one would consider "Beyond Capacity," and you’re expected not only to dodge bullets and other ships, but you’ll also have to navigate through tight corridors and sometimes moving obstacles.
" These are some of the most difficult games I’ve ever played."
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I’m sure that sounds like every other shooter ever to you. What sets the Gradius series apart though is its unique power up system. Sometimes when you kill a row of enemies, or when you kill a red/orange colored enemy, they drop a powerup icon. It’s a star-shaped object that comes in one of two delightful colors. Touching the blue one (which is very rare) clears all enemies on the screen, but the orange ones you collect. There’s a meter at the bottom of the screen, and each time you get a power up, it moves over a slot. You can equip your ship with lasers, missiles, double shots, forcefields, or the delightful "multiples," which are orange satellites that follow your ship around and mimic what you do, and that’s just a few of the options you have. The games let you pick from a set group of powerup features, but III lets you edit which ones you want, which can be very helpful.
"What sets the Gradius series apart though is its unique power up system."
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These powerups will make your ship more powerful (hence the term "powerup") and that means enemies will die faster, and in larger quantities, but it’s almost a double-edged sword at times. When you have three or four multiples firing lasers and rockets, and a large amount of enemies on screen are all firing bullets, it’s easy to lose track of what’s going on, and die for what will feel like a stupid reason. Going back to an earlier point, you want to try as hard as you can to not let enemies get past you, because that’s where most deaths come from, but it seems there’s always that one ship that escapes you.
The games play just like they should (except once in a while I swear a bullet that hits me shouldn’t have), but as a package Gradius III & IV is a major disappointment. I’m not sure why Konami thought that a handful of FMV’s and a couple of lame options like "Boss Rush Mode" was enough, but quite frankly it doesn’t live up to the potential this series has for a collection. Honestly, the main draw is Gradius IV since it was never released on a console before this (it was Japanese Arcade only), but they barely updated anything in Gradius III, and I already own that on the Super Nintendo, as I’m sure many other Gradius fans do. It’s great to see something that’s typically Japan-only come over seas, but gamers everywhere, notably fans, deserve more.
Gradius III & IV is a great package for fans of not only Gradius, but of the shooter genre in general. It’s great to finally play Gradius IV. This collection’s obviously not going to win many new fans, especially not those raised and weaned on 3D experiences, and it might piss off a few people who wanted more out of it, but those who are even slightly interested will be pleased if they know not to expect a complete catalog or total reinvention.
