Einhander

"I can beat this game with Einhander tied behind my back"

Ahh the twitch shooter! What better way to test your reflexes and skills? Einhander by Squaresoft is perhaps Square's best kept secret. Coming from the German word meaning ''one or single handed'', Einhander is a furious shooter that offers stunning graphics, great challenge, awesome power ups, and tremendous replay value. In all, there are 5 five ships to control, three of which are available from the start. Each has a different strength as well as a slightly different ending. The two hidden ships require knowledge of assorted secret bonuses and the ability to actually earn them!
What impressed me most about Einhander was the smooth gameplay and excellent music! This coming from a person who tends to despise all techno music! I have to admit, the pulsing future-tech beats match the grim mood of this game perfectly. An overall amazing effort!

Graphics=9.5 HUGE bosses, colorful backgrounds, and a well rounded assortment of enemies. Your ships you can pilot are also very cool looking, resembling something like a bird or flying metal demon. The details are very well done, from the deflection of your bullets off invincible targets to the firey waste that you lay to the enemy ships. This game is total eye candy and yes sir, I love it!

Story=9.0 In the future, the colonies on the moon are at war with the wasteland that is Earth in a bitter struggle for resources. A great concept pulled off with dark and grim accuracy. The scarred Earth is well drawn and the ending, while slightly vague, brings a good wrap to a rather macabre storyline.

Gameplay=9.7 Smooth as silk, baby! Your ship has variable speed control and multiple power ups. Every one responds with grace and fluidity. It doesn't get much better than this! From the weapons you can possess to the animation of the enemies, this title is top notch!

Sound=9.0 Who would have thought I would give a techno soundtrack such praise? But it really is awesome, especially in the later stages. The Stage 5 music really rocks out and gets you pumped to face the onslaught of enemies. My only complaint is that the bosses mumble something German at you when you encounter them, which isn't bad in itself but even my friends who understand German cannot make out what most of them are saying!

Challenge=8.9 As with any shooter, this one requires a great amount of skill to defeat. While not as hard as R-Type, it skill takes a great deal of effort to actually beat the game on the hardest levels! Practice!! Practice!!

Overall=9.4 A classic to be sure!! It would have been nice to have the ''free play'' mode in the import version ( a feature that allows you to replay any stage you have previously defeated.) Still, this game is about as good as a shooter can get, though it is a little short. A must have for shooter fans on the PS!

*BRU'S MUST GET OMETER*=8.9 Like shooters? Get this game! Don't like shooters? Get it anyway!!!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/18/00, Updated 03/18/00