Shooter: Space Shot

"Who shot the Star Shot?"

With all these budget PlayStation titles being released left and right, I was excited to find that a shooter would finally be released in the series. When I started to play it, though, I thought to myself, ''Are they budget games because they don't pay the designers enough to actually put some effort into the game?!''

Graphics: 10/10
Well the graphics are good, even for a PlayStation title. The backgrounds are rendered in 3-D, the enemies look great, and the cutscenes are good for a budget game too. Even the bosses look incredible! The only reason I can't describe more is because...well, all that there is to describe I described up there!

Sounds: 6/10
The music is average and the sound effects get the shooter theme done right. The dialogue on the other hand needs some work. The Japanese voiceovers were left intact, but even they sound a little weak. The subtitles don't appear to portray an accurate translation, most of the time just providing a shortened version of what they're probably saying, and even then some of the quips are a little cheesy, like the pilots' remark about the desert.

Controls: 10/10
The ability to earn special bonuses for performing various types of attacks, such as using your boosters, lock on missiles, and overdrive weapons, are all unique and easy to accomplish thanks to the spot-on controls. If you're having trouble, though, a training mode is available for you to practice with, complete with computer demonstrations so you know what to do! This is one of the first shooters I've ever seen with a training mode, and it actually puts it to good use!

Story: 3/10
There's really little that's told, other than there's some kind of war going on, and three pilots must stop it. You play as Cyber Spears, the lead pilot, who, with Nigo McFlight and Wells Goldman, battles wave after wave of countless enemy forces. Now don't quote me on this, but from what I've seen and heard, Nigo McFlight may be listed as a thirteen year old boy, but I'm willing to bet Nigo's really a girl and due to bad translations, they altered it. (Just listen to 'her' voice and you'll see what I mean.)

Replay: 6/10
There are five stages total, and from what I've seen, it's a real tough battle out there. There are unlimited continues, and it's a good thing, since you'll continue at least once! There doesn't seem to be much along the lines of things to unlock, so once you're done, you may put this away on your shelf. Then again, I haven't finished the game at the time, so who knows?

Overall: 7/10
If you're a fan of shooter games, and are on a budget, then you might try this game at least once. Otherwise, I'd suggest renting it first before you buy it. As it is, this shooter was almost shot down by poor translations and sounds!

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 08/15/01, Updated 08/15/01