"Radiant Silvergun lives up to the legend..."

It is getting to a point that when a new shooter comes out, critics instantly pan it for not being Radiant Silvergun. Yet, the number of people who have played this import is about nil, and the game is not at all easy to get ahold of. Available only as import, you'll be lucky to score this one for under $100. Thus, the question stands, is it worth all the effort, money, etc. to get Radiant Silvergun? Is it the legend that players have made it out to be? Is it the best shooter ever? Yes, Yes and Yes. But this may leave people thinking that there is only one kind of shooter--a perfect shooter that all other shooters must try to be like, and that isn't true at all. Before I go farther I must note that I enjoy a LOT of shooters--'reflecters' like Mars Matrix and Giga Wing, Psyko shooters like Gunbird and Strikers, side-scrollers like the impressive Einhaender and the Thunderforce series. These are a few games that I really enjoy, and I wouldn't want them all to be like Radiant Silvergun (I'm sure Treasure wouldn't either!), so while RS may be the best-yet, and also one of the most impressive Saturn games you'll ever see, there is certainly room for something better--even if RS gets a 10/10!

OK, so why is RS such a great game?

STORY: ??/10

I can't tell what the story is since it is in Japanese, please read other reviews. The anime clip before the game (in Saturn mode only) is VERY impressive though, and worth a couple viewings. Knowing Treasure, I'm sure there is something weird going on and the characters are probably pretty novel (they look it!)

CONTROLS: 9/10

I'm going to follow Gamespot's lead and take off one point for the lack of being able to use the analog control on the 3D pad. Also, the ship is very slow--really, its too slow for some areas. Just a little faster would be nice.

On the positive side, everything else is perfect, even innovative. The 3D control system makes Mars Matrix one button system look primitive. You can combine weapons in a manner similiar to Gunstar Heroes--and while at first it seems complicated, a bit of practice will reveal how brilliantly simple it all is. This is really a lesson that Einhaender could learn from--the ship you fly in RS is far more versitile, yet much more intuitive.

AUDIO/VISUAL: 10/10

Although I prefer the soundtrack to Giga Wing 2, the soundtrack to RS is really growing on me. There is a RS march that runs through a good portion of the game, tying together various themes and moods as you proceed through the game.

Visually, RS is probably the best looking game on the saturn. The graphics are as good as Mars Matrix and superior to Giga Wing 1. I can't really add much to what other reviewers have said--RS is just graphically stunning for a Saturn game.

GAMEPLAY: 10/10

Well, what did you expect? While Einhaender is probably the best shooter on the PSX, it just doesn't have the depth that RS does. There was a lot of talk about the chain guage on Mars Matrix, but it has nothing up on the various combos that you can get in RS--a critical component of the game since you have to get high points to power up your weapons. Its also interesting to note that since you are powering up your three main weapons, a weapon that is made by combining two primary weapons splits the experience to both main weapons. What's more, you'll need to learn where best to use each weapon, thus RS becomes more strategic than a pure twitch game. What's more, the backgrounds really are far more than backgrounds--most are interactive and can kill you.

But I still haven't discussed the radiant sword--yes, you have six other weapons, but there is a seventh. If you combine all three primary weapons, a sword is projected from your ship that can absorb some kinds of bullets. the sword can be freely manipulated (it rotates in the opposite direction you move), and is one of your most damaging weapons. Lastly, there is another weapon--the powered-up Radiant Sword which acts more like a smart bomb and does plenty of damage to everything on the screen.

But weaponry alone would be nothing without a great game--and RS has got that too. Its a pretty long game for a shooter with hidden bonuses to find, a few jokes here and there and plenty of challenges. Treasure was definitely trying every idea they could come up with and it works. Oh, there is also a second path you can take which is a LOT harder.

BUY -or- RENT ???

Well when I find where you can rent RS, I'll move there, but this basically falls into the 'if you like shooters, buy it, if not...' catagory. As usual, I can't figure out why you'd read this if you didn't like shooters. If you do, you owe yourself a copy of this amazing game. Search high and low for it, coz in the end, you'll regret not having a chance to play it.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 07/16/01, Updated 07/16/01