Giga Wing

"An enjoyable shooter by Capcom and Takumi."

Giga Wing is a 2D overhead shooter that was developed by Capcom and Takumi. It was released on the Dreamcast in Japan on November 11, 1999. This review is based on the Japanese version.

Graphics: 8

Giga Wing was developed on Capcom's CPS-II hardware, and this game was translated flawlessly to the Dreamcast. The game is very colorful without being overly flashy. The visuals have a very ''old school'' look to it, but it works in it's favor. Giga Wing's graphics are above average and make good use of the Dreamcast's power. There is NEVER any slowdown, no matter how many projectiles or enemies are on screen. The sprites are well animated, although at times you may lose track of your ship due to it's miniscule size (but that can be applied to any shooting game). The visual effects for when a Force Bomb is used and the fluid animation of the bosses and enemy craft is very impressive. The environments on all of the stages sport a large amount of detail, from volcanoes to railroads to military bases. Everything is smooth and nicely presented. The graphics look very impressive, especially when viewed on a VGA monitor.

Sound Effects and Music: 8

The sound effect samples are loud and very clear. The sound when a bomb is used is pretty cool, and the explosions sound nice. The music is a mixed bag. There are a few uninspired tracks, while some tunes are memorable and get you amped for the battle ahead. The music is well done overall, but I would have preferred some consistency. A few more dramatic tracks would have given this section a 10.

Another aspect of Giga Wing that I absolutely love is the voice acting. The voice acting is excellent and lends a lot of personality to the pilots and to the game overall.

Control: 10

The control is perfect. I wish the ships could have been a bit more agile, though. Everything functions as it's supposed to, and you will need to be able to react quickly to survive. Fortunantely the controls hold up during the intense battles.

Gameplay: 8

The gameplay in Giga Wing is extremely solid and definitely aimed towards hardcore fans of shoot-em up's. The action is EXTREMELY intense, with bullets, missiles, lasers, and all sorts of projectiles flying toward you at every possible angle. This is by far one of the most challenging shooters that I have ever played. You must constantly dodge and weave through enemy fire in order to survive the next possible onslaught.

One of the most innovative and original aspects of Giga Wing is the use of a Reflect Shield to reflect shots and projectiles back at your enemies. In the lower left hand corner of the screen there is a small gauge. Whenever you are being assaulted by projectiles you can hold down the Fire button to raise up your shield. This shield guarantees you temporary invincibility and also reflects projectiles directly back at your enemies. This is an excellent defensive feature that is absolutely vital to playing the game.

The pilots also have Force Bombs at their disposal. The Force Bomb is unique to each pilot and produces a different visual effect depending on whom your pilot is. Force Bombs have amazing defensive properties as well, and grant you invincibility while annihilating everything that is presently on the screen. Force Bombs are integral in the later stages.

I have a couple of gripes with the gameplay, though. Using the Reflect shield can put you in danger, mainly because there is a considerable amount of lag between the time that you hold down the Fire button and when the Reflect shield actually activates. I have suffered many cheap deaths, simply because the shield takes too long to initialize. Another problem I have is that the Reflect gauge takes a bit long to refill itself. It would have been nice if there was an alternate way to replenish your gauge a little bit quicker. In a game this intense you definitely need a shield at your disposal. It takes about five seconds for the gauge to refill itself and to be at ''OK'' status. Five seconds is a hell of a long time in Giga Wing, and that can mean certain death.

My complaint about the Force Bombs is that they are absolutely NECESSARY to beating the game. It would have been nice if dodging skills and timely Reflect shields allowed you to pass a level. However, there are so many enemies and shots being fired that you may have to fire off four Force Bombs in a row just to make it past a certain section. It is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to beat the last stage without Force Bombs. Fortunately, bombs are fully restocked everytime you lose a ship. A lot of people have complained that this makes the game too easy, but I disagree. In a game this difficult you need all the help you can get. Fortunately, there is also a Tutorial mode (complete with a narrator) to demonstrate the use of Reflect Shields, Force Bombs, and other techniques vital to your survival.

The difficulty of the game also depends on which pilot you choose. Sinnosuke's Raijin ship is all around average. Isha's Porchka ship is pretty versatile, and Stuck's Widerstand craft is pretty darn powerful. Ruby's Carmine vessel is probably the best for beginners, since it seems to have the best power and speed out of all four characters.

Presentation: 10

Giga Wing's presentation is where the game truly excels. The layout of the main menu screen is very well done, and the character select screen is nice. The portraits of the individual pilots during Arcade mode (complete with various facial expressions) is excellent. The fact that each pilot has individual storylines and has excellent voice acting makes a strong impression.

Replay Value: 8

There is a considerable amount of replay value in Giga Wing. You can play through Arcade mode multiple times to see the storylines of all four pilots. In addition to Arcade mode, there is also a Score Attack mode, Tutorial, and Internet mode (exclusive to Japan). There is also a Gallery mode where you can view images that are unlocked during the course of the game. Unlimited continues and plentiful Force Bombs may make the game seem easy, but you will be playing Giga Wing repeatedly, whether it's trying to beat your high score in Arcade and Score Attack mode or trying to unlock Gallery images. And the two player gameplay makes this shooter a blast.

Overall: 8

Giga Wing is a very fun game that I definitely would recommend to fans of hardcore shooting games, and Dreamcast owners in general. This is old school gameplay at it's finest. With innovative gameplay features, interesting characters, and solid gameplay, it would make an excellent addition to any gamer's library. Giga Wing is an excellent effort from Capcom and Takumi.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 08/22/03