Giga Wing

"A solid shooter everyone hates"

Giga Wing was the first 2D shooter for the DC, and remains one of only a handful--most of which are by Takumi/Capcom. Arguably, Takumi has done a great job at redefining the shooter for the 21st century, reflected in the critical praise of Mars Matrix. Giga Wing however received virtually nothing but poor marks and because of this I stayed far away from it--fortunately Giga Wing 2 induced me to reinvestigate the prequel, and for the low price you can find the game for now, it was well worth it.

GAMEPLAY 8/10: GW is still a big rough around the edges, but perhaps I am spoiled by the slightly longer reflect shield time and faster ship speed in GW 2. On the other hand, GW has longer levels and I found myself playing through the game a couple times in one sitting without growing tired of it at all. There are four different ships (if you've played GW 2 you've probably unlocked these, so no surprises here) that vary in fire-power, shot spread and ship speed. All in all, this great stuff, but there are a few problems.

One of the most annoying aspects of the game (aggravated by some of the difficulties with graphics--see below) is the very short invulnerability given when you come back on the screen. It simply isn't enough time to grab your power-ups, and with the short reflect shield time, you're better just biding your time. Other than this and problems in the graphics department, the game play is very solid.

STORY 8/10: Well 8 given that it is a shooter. The fact that each character has their own story and you get additional stories depending on the combination in two player mode enhances the IDEA that there is something of a story. But the story itself is pretty much average shooter fare. I've seen a LOT worse, but basically you're trying to blow up a big medallion. Ironically, the plot is about the same for GW 2, except you need to blow up the Ark in that one.

CONTROLS 7/10: The number one complaint--and it seems more of a problem here than it did in GW 2, is the fraction of a second it takes to raise your reflect shield. Why not just have a seperate button for it? Basically, the time it takes for that shield to come up in many cases is LONGER than it takes for a bullet to issue from an enemy and pierce the armor of your ship! For some reason, the bullets seem a little slower in GW 2 (but that is a substantially easier game.) In all other areas though, GW's controls are spot-on. Of course, shooters rarely have BAD controls, so this is a hard one to rate, but GW, GW2 and Mars Matrix all could have profited from a separate shield button that raised the shield INSTANTLY.

GRAPHICS 5/10: Here is where GW loses most of its points. The problem being that this is CPS-2 technology on a Dreamcast, of course its going to look like crap. Of course, the CPS-2 was an amazing board...it did quite a bit that the Playstation couldn't handle, but by today's standards, the graphics look old. Gunbird 2 had the same problem--and like GW, Gunbird 2 is a very solid shooter that has been critically panned. In GW however, the sub-standard graphics actually inhibit gameplay, where in Gubird 2, they simply look old (but remain functional.) I think you can see where this is going--GW has a LOT going on it. Expect to see the whole screen filled with bullets in later levels. Add your reflected shots, lots and lots of bonus icons, your own shots (which can be screen-covering themselves) and a varied 2D backdrop and you have...well...mass confusion. Most of the time, it really isn't this bad, but plan on sitting close to your screen. There were definitely times in game play though I simply don't know what hit me--especially when rushing to grab my power-ups after being killed, only to die again due to some 'invisible assailant'. This problem alone may be enough to chase people away from GW, but I don't think it ruins the game.

SOUND 8/10: This is not the wonderful orchestral soundtrack that GW 2 has, but it is functional, and occasionally memorable. I can't imagine anyone trying to obtain a soundtrack but it works within the context of the game.

REPLAYABILITY 8/10: This is where I find myself rather surprised. GW is truly a solid shooter with plenty of challenge, but one you master. Being longer than GW 2 helps A LOT (though I still love GW 2!), and if anything, GW comes off as having a lot in common with both GW 2 and Mars Matrix, while also seeming a little more old school than both (and when it comes to shooter, old school aint a bad thing.) Basically, if you are a shooter fan, I think you will really enjoy GW. The seperate story lines give some incentive, but most of the joy is going to come from learning the different patterns and not relying so heavily on the reflector shield. Also, while GW 2 does very quickly start training you to learn where you can and cannot dodge, GW's first few levels actually seem playable in the traditional sense, and it is only in the last few levels that you will be relying heavily on your shield and bombs. A nice touch.

BUY OR RENT: This is completely up to you. In the last days of the DC I can't justify spending $40 on anything, and this is not a title that anyone ever should have dropped that much on. Fortunately, 'tis the age of inexpensive shooters (GW2 and MM at $20, Gunbird 2 at $10-$15), and GW is no slouch compared to these. If you love the other titles, then you should purchase this if you can find it somewhere under $20. If you aren't a nut about these other titles or don't really care for shooters, then even renting may be a waste of your time. Also, owning even one of these titles may be sufficient for your collection, and GW is not the title I'd recommend first--Gunbird 2 probably has better game play, while GW 2 is graphically the best looking shooter yet. All in all, there are other titles I'd get before getting GW, but if this be your thing, then take a chance and pick it up before its gone.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 06/05/01, Updated 06/05/01