Dynastic Hero

~ DYNASTIC HERO ~

Westone / Hudson Soft

Super CD-ROM

1993

Mechanically, Dynastic Hero is quite reminiscent of its excellent predecessor, Dragon's Curse. But while DC has players scale walls as Mouse Man, soar about as Hawk Man, and do all sorts of other crazy things as other sorts of beast men, all throughout a well-designed realm, DH limits them to the form of sword-swinging goofball for the duration of its quest. Not that every sidescrolling adventure game needs a protagonist capable of shape shifting, but so much of what players do in DH--from trekking through uncomplicated tunnel networks to swimming through underground waterways and slipping around ice worlds--feels all too routine, and plenty of strips are not only dull but also drab.

In lieu of DC's Altered Beast type of twist, DH features munchkin-sized NPCs who follow you around and help out in their own distinct ways: a fairy restores life, a Bamm-Bamm sort smashes through walls, and a bee kid spears your foes. This is all right for what it's worth, though if you ask me, transforming into a fire-breathing lizard man is undeniably cooler than having a small snot-nosed sidekick. DH's sole "transformation" element is incorporated late in the game; the hero shrinks down to a micronized variant of the goofball he already was--meaning his already-unimpressive attack range becomes even more limited.

Despite the frivolousness of the late-stage transformation, the second half of the game is generally superior to the first, as the action heats up a bit, the visuals brighten up for stretches, and the stages become more intricate (of particular note is a pyramid hosting ropes, switches, spikes, conveyor belts, and lots of clever enemies).

Those visuals never really seem to reach their potential, though. Parallax would've worked wonders for a snowy scene that could've come off as a beautiful winter wonderland had it some depth and additional detail to it. As it is, it's pretty, but flat.

The bosses do look cool for the most part, and battles with them are usually interesting thanks to their attack types and lair layouts, though not a single one is stout enough to be memorable.

While consistency eludes the visuals, DH's audio manages to hold up pretty well from start to finish, though those who are planning to spend a fortune to obtain the US release should be made aware that the JPN disc features a much nicer opening song.

And if you're wondering if being proficient in Japanese is essential for getting through the JPN version, well, you shouldn't have much to worry about. Find a decent Wonder Boy in Monster World FAQ and you'll be set--save for a round of quiz questions with a giant sphinx. But even then, a little trial and error will get you through the day, and the merciful beast does grant you a little leeway.

DH is a decent action-quest game worth the low cost the JPN version can be acquired for. Don't expect a product that matches the all-around quality of DC, however.

They must be talking about Dragon's Curse.

Power Eleven

~ POWER ELEVEN ~

Hudson Soft

HuCard

1991

I figured that Power Eleven would be a good title to "get out of the way" as soon as possible, as I didn't think that it'd be much fun or that there's anyone else in the world who actually cares about it. Its relatively stylish title screen ("stylish" considering this is an old soccer game) failed to get me pumped up for play, and limited visuals and an initially off-putting overhead view did nothing to win my approval. But once I finally got a match going, I discovered that PE is a very fast (and, at times, very exciting) sports title.

It plays extremely well: on offense, your speedy strikers are capable of hard, accurate shots and nifty one-timers, while the controls on defense allow you to make sliding steals and quick, easy alternations among backs. At-will speed bursts take the already-breakneck pace to an even more invigorating level. And the players you aren't controlling at a given time make wise decisions in aid of the cause, crashing the net in anticipation of rebounds and moving into perfect position to receive passes. Passing, unfortunately, comes off as unpolished (the one element that does), as players suddenly seem a little stiff when attempting to send the ball in a direction other than the one they're already moving in.

Power Eleven went from being a game I thought I'd just want to plow through to one I found myself powering up whenever I had a few minutes to spare. It was quite a surprise, leagues beyond the cookie-cutter soccer oldie I'd pegged it as, and it's definitely a title that sports-game fans should check out.

You probably can guess which team I used in my pursuit of the Hudson Cup.

I like to go with a formation that emphasizes offense, and it's fun to rack up dozens of goals on the game's shittier teams; but make it to the later rounds and you'll face clubs that invade your zone much more frequently, necessitating responsible defensive play on your part.

The overhead-view graphics aren't nearly as nice as Tecmo World Cup Super Soccer's in-game visuals, but I'll take PE's superior gameplay anytime.

Penalty kicks have an interesting and unusual look, as they place you behind the goalie instead of behind the kicker.

It's easy to beat the computer down the field and break free for open shots in the early rounds. One-timers become very important later on when you encounter speedier goalies and stingier defense groups.

The halftime shows and post-game reports are nothing special, but they serve as evidence of the designers' efforts to give the game appeal beyond its solid mechanics.

You'll have to beat eleven clubs in order to claim the Cup. Late-round matches are exciting and tightly contested...

...meaning you'll have to earn the right to hold that final celebration.

Burning Angels

~ BURNING ANGELS ~

Naxat Soft

HuCard

1990

Burning Angels has managed to get itself some attention (and fetch slightly higher prices than many other HuCard verts) by starring a couple of scantily clad tough-gals. Not surprisingly, the "chick element" doesn't really make much of an impact as far as the game itself goes, but I'm not gonna yap about it being "gratuitous." BA is actually a darn good shooter, and if featuring two anime girls showing a bit of skin earns it some attention that it deserves for its gameplay anyway, well then, let's have it.

Thing is, this chip should be known for so many other things, like allowing two players to partake in the action simultaneously. The two craft are far from identical; each has its own very distinct set of weapons, and each set is effective and enjoyable to use. Even when undertaking a single-pilot mission, the player can use either ship, which ups the game's replay value and makes up for the adventure counting a mere five levels. Aside from a stretch of wasteland in Stage 2, all of the strips look quite nice, boasting appealingly brilliant colors in some cases and multilayer scrolling in others.

The action here is very heavy and requires you to dodge relatively large projectiles despite your relatively large hitbox (but the leniency of the game's life-bar system should ensure that frustration levels remain low for most players). Bullet-spraying enemies are abundant and call off their assaults only to allow the occasional mini-boss to step into the fray. Toughest of all are the end-of-stage giants: you'll think you've got their attack patterns solved only for them to break out new techniques to batter you with.

To combat those behemoths, you can make use of special dual-ship attacks that you acquire energy for by collecting capsules that appear throughout the levels. Wreck your opponents with a mega beam a la Soldier Blade, or sear them with phoenix fire a la Terra Cresta II.

Succeed in defeating them and you'll get to hear a surprisingly awesome Stage Clear track, one of the game's many quality numbers. You'll also get to view some "girl break" cinematics, but thankfully, that stuff is the afterthought here, not the action.

Heavy Unit

~ HEAVY UNIT ~

Inter State/Kaneko / Taito

HuCard

1989

This tough sidescrolling shooter has a pretty bad reputation, mainly because there are lots of players out there who believe it's not merely unforgiving with its level of difficulty but utterly unfair. Indeed, Heavy Unit does seem to enjoy having large, robust enemies barreling around its playfield; and piloting a ship that constantly seems under-equipped doesn't lend to good times. The inoffensive but forgettable soundtrack won't compel anyone to continue getting bludgeoned, nor will the bland, flat-looking backdrops.

The gimmick that Kaneko placed their faith in is a ship that transforms into a robot when a certain icon is nabbed. Generally speaking, the standard vessel has an easier time blasting things and avoiding counterattacks thanks to its spread-shot weaponry and slim shape while the robot can take enemies out more quickly with its concentrated firepower and homing projectiles. Both weapon sets will seem lame and inadequate when players first start using them, and the aforementioned icon doesn't appear very often, meaning there aren't many "deliberation time" moments. Still, choosing wisely at specific junctures can make some level sections and boss fights much easier.

The transformation gimmick clearly wasn't implemented as well as it might've been, but there's another area in which Heavy Unit occasionally gets ambitious: enemy design. Its pink blobs and carrot shooters won't impress anyone, but some of their larger cohorts just might.

I know as I prepare to deliver my not-so-negative verdict on Heavy Unit that some readers will believe I'm letting a bad game off the hook just because it makes for a good challenge. Most folks give up on HU immediately, and I can't blame them; I never hesitate to warn players that they aren't likely to get much enjoyment out of it. I hated it right off the bat myself, and I don't consider it any sort of "favorite" even now. But there is a certain sense of satisfaction to be felt from discovering the best methods to use to dispatch your stout foes. In other words, the game does have a shot at winning people over in the end.

Gradius

~ GRADIUS ~

Konami

HuCard

1991

Let's start by taking a quick look at what this "famous" blaster delivers. It's a moderately challenging affair, and it boasts a few interesting tunes. Not exactly the stuff of legends there, but this story only gets worse: dinky weaponry; small, unimpressive enemies; lots of slowdown; and boring space-themed levels make this an outdated, geriatric shooter, a wash-up through and through. Timeless, this is not.

Ah, but the boss designs save the title, don't they? Who could ever forget their first encounter with the "shoot the core" ship, a video-game hall of famer for sure?

And then there's this mighty behemoth...

...and this remarkable titan...

All right, enough. I don't care what year the game was originally released in. This soft-stomached bum wasn't much fun to fight in the first place, and he sure as hell isn't fun to fight now--never mind that you have to fight him multiple times each trip. The fool had already been relegated to a Blades of Steel intermission sideshow act by the time the eighties were through--who the fuck wants anything to do with him now?

Konami did eventually realize they needed to shake the boss fights up a bit...

...but this is just a matter of too little, too late. It's kind of funny that the final boss is an intentional "joke" (an eventual "staple" concept of the series)...

...in that the "many" bosses that precede it are complete jokes anyway.

It doesn't matter to me that Gradius was a "landmark" shooter. Whatever was "special" about it back in the day has lost its sheen, leaving behind something decrepit, uninteresting, and deserving of whatever mockery is hurled its way.

That certainly isn't the case with all old shooters. Check out R-Type for a classic that has actually remained respectable over the years; hell, some stretches of R-T still come off as examples of ingenious stage design. Returning to the Konami catalog, both Parodius and Salamander completely murder Grandpa Gradius; and while the game's own direct sequel (which was released as a PCE Super CD) is hardly wonderful itself, it leaves its forerunner in the dust as far as stage concepts and boss designs go. What with the existence of these superior alternatives (and the many others that are out there), this old-timer is hardly even worth playing anymore.