"I hesitate to call it "perfect"...But it's damn close."

I'll say it right up front - I don't own Radiant Silvergun. My friend does, and I've played it, both with and without him, for hours and hours, including the final, deadly boss. So I do feel qualified to give a review to one of the best shooters ever made. Is it THE best? People who enjoy DoDonPachi, Ikaruga, or Soukyugurentai will definitely disagree with you, as will the assorted G Darius/Thunderforce V/Einhander fanatics. But for my money, it kicks butt, and that's all that matters. This game regularly goes for $150-$200 on eBay, and even for that price, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better shooter. So get that Saturn pad ready and start blasting away!

Gameplay is nothing short of superb. Seven different, USEFUL weapons (forward shot, homing shot, backward shot, exploding diagonal laser, lock-on laser, lightning shot, and the all-powerful radiant sword) provide the ultimate arsenal, all without the floating powerups we've come to expect from shmups. There are (in Saturn mode) a HUGE number of bosses to fight, and the constant action makes for a frenzied, exciting game. Just when you think you've fought the last one, ANOTHER deadly battleship/mecha/etc. comes to blow you out of the sky! You'll be sucking up pink bubbles like crack addict, and the fully-powered radiant sword is such a joy to use; it borders on elation when you smack a boss right in the face with the hyper sword.

The graphics are nothing short of astounding, of course. This game not only shows off the sheer power of the Saturn hardware, but also the capable art design of Treasure. The many imaginative bosses are done well, and the cartoony anime conversations are endearing, too. The game runs smoothly for the most part, with some good ole fashioned slowdown when the screen gets hectic. Sound-wise, the music is certainly good, and the explosions are fine, but there really isn't too much to say about the sound.

There is a lot of replay value to the game. The challenge of finding all the dogs, of chaining, and of getting an ultra high score looms large in the face of any RS fanatic. Two-player is enduringly entertaining, even when one player is much worse than the other. And, if you crank it up to very hard, you get Cave-like amounts of bullets to dodge on many bosses, all delivered at blistering speed.

Radiant Silvergun was fairly popular in Japan, so try going there if you want to find a copy. If you can't, though, live with the legend...

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/23/03, Updated 07/23/03