"Is this as good as Space Shooters Get?"

Mars Rising was quite an intresting release from Ambrosia. They'd previously done games more geared towards exploration and adventure, not some high-adrenaline shoot-em-up. No, this was something new and exciting for many people out there, and they were richly rewarded.

Graphics: The Graphics in this game were very flashy for the time, and still today. Although it's a sprites game, there's always a lot going on. Thanks to the more limitless amount of data available on a computer compared to a game cartridge, for comparison, is that there were many, many types of baddies, weapon types, and scenery. You won't get tired of the massive explosions either. This game isn't a graphic-freaks dream, but it certainly isn't bad looking. Of course, in a shoot em up, the most important thing is the speed and fluency of the game, and thankfully, it always stays up to speed, even in two-player mode. Graphics Overall: 8 out of 10

Sounds: The sounds of the game are quite nice. The firing effects all have various electronic sounding tones, but all easily flow together. The background music is bland, but thankfully not repetitive. The explosions are defintely the games visual and audio high points, as they are a sight to behold and a joy to hear. Sounds Overall: 9 out of 10

Gameplay: Gameplay is fast and furious, with waves upon waves of enemies. This game isn't in the style of Raiden, you do have a sheild to deflect precious few shoots, and the game never fills the screen with fire to make it an affair of blinding dodging and firing. Many of the other ships can take a few hits as well, which leads to more of a dogfight. A lot can happen at once, but it never overwhelms you. Not to say that's it's easy. The only way I beat the whole game was by cheating with an extra lives code, because you will get beaten down very quickly and easily. It's a challenge that will keep you coming back, the levels and enemies get more exotic as you go along. Gameplay Overall: 9 out of 10

Conclusion: In the end, this game is a lot of fun to play. The co-op is a blast, and the whole product feels very complete. There's plenty of levels, and with a very unique feel to the game, it's well worth the small shareware price. Overall Score: 9 out of 10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 08/11/02, Updated 08/11/02