Thunder Force V

"Will blow your mind, and break your thumbs. For shooter fans only!"

From Working Designs and SPAZ! entertainment comes the fifth installment in the much-revered Thunder Force series. Reaching all the way back to the Genesis, the original Thunder Force was a fast-paced arcade-replica shooter, that really tested the limits of the twitch gamers. Now, after a long wait, comes Thunder Force V! This time, in the year 2151, the supercomputer Guardian has decided that it must declare war against mankind, using its Vasteel-enhanced robotic weapons, it annihilated one-third the human race. Now it is humanity's turn to fight back, with the RVR-01 Gauntlet, a fighter the likes of which has never existed, using ancient alien technology and designed for maximum firepower. You, a pilot in the Thunder-Force, Earth's last line of defense against the Guardian, must pilot the Gauntlet deep into the bowels of Babel, Guardian's home island.

This game features some of the fastest gameplay, and if you are slow, you will know it if you play this game. With such weapons as the Wave, a devastating energy attack, and the Free Range, a targetable weapon capable of destroying the toughest bosses in seconds. And what bosses! A water-bird that flies out of the sea to destroy you, and a giant flying/walking hell-tank, and that's just the first two levels! This game is vibrant, colorful, loud, and the gameplay is perfect, with such features as a throttle for your fighter, user-selectable mission progression, and a unique weapon system. It is difficult, but fair. This game is for the serious shooter fan. I give it a 9 out of 10.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/01/99, Updated 11/01/99