Think about, if you’ll, an alternate timeline the place 3D graphics by no means occurred.
As a substitute, Sega’s ‘Tremendous Scaler’ idea — popularised in video games akin to Cling-On, House Harrier, Out Run and After Burner — evolves to the purpose the place 2D sprites can’t solely be scaled with none degradation in visible constancy, however are able to filling the complete display screen. That future is principally what you are taking a look at once you play Night time Striker Gear, a sequel to Taito’s 1989 coin-op, which has been developed by M2 and its ShotTriggers workforce.
Directed by the legendary Hiroshi Iuchi (Radiant Silvergun, Ikaruga, Sin & Punishment), Night time Striker Gear is conceptually the identical as its forerunner; you management the INTER-GRAY, a flying automobile which dashes by way of a collection of ranges destroying enemies and taking down bosses earlier than choosing a branching pathway to the following stage.
The obvious evolution right here is the visuals, that are fairly merely staggering. Every little thing consists of 2D sprites, however they’re of such top quality that even when considered up shut, the pixelation is barely noticeable. Nonetheless, they scale and transfer with insane smoothness and pace, all of which delivers an expertise which looks like a late ’80s coin-op on steroids.
Think about some glorious lighting, explosion and particle results, and you have got a real visible feast (and one which sounds nice, too – it has some improbable music). But it is one that’s curiously at odds with fashionable gaming’s obsession with hyper-real 3D graphics.
M2 hasn’t merely taken Night time Striker’s gameplay and spruced up the presentation; it has launched loads of extra options to make this sequel really feel contemporary and new.
Now you can rework your INTER-GRAY craft right into a robotic (often known as ‘GEAR’) which comes outfitted with highly effective homing photographs. This state is barely lively for so long as your ‘GEAR’ gauge lasts; that is constructed up over time as you’re taking down enemies or acquire particular power-ups.
There is a risk-and-reward factor at play right here, as, when your GEAR gauge is full, it improves the firepower of your craft in its normal kind. Reworking into robotic mode makes boss encounters (of which there are two per stage) simpler, however you will lose the advantage of homing photographs once you return to INTER-GRAY mode – so deployment of the GEAR is paramount to success.
Enemies assault in waves, and lots of of those embrace a purple ‘captain’ – take them out, and the complete wave is destroyed, lending issues a welcome sense of tactical depth. Your defend is able to taking 5 hits by default, however you will acquire extra ranges (or replenish spent shields) for those who take down a specific enemy and once you full every stage.
In addition to the usual mode (which gives three issue settings), you might have ‘Pacifist Mode’, the place your offensive capabilities are eliminated and the objective is just to keep away from incoming hearth. This may sound pointless, however this mode is, in actuality, the right approach to hone your evasive abilities for the ‘major’ mode. A lot of the problem in Night time Striker Gear revolves round avoiding enemy photographs, and there isn’t any higher method of perfecting these abilities than in Pacifist Mode.
There are a number of endings to come across relying on which route by way of the sport you’re taking, and accessing the ultimate ‘G’ zone requires you to fulfil particular targets (so far as I can collect, getting a ‘Wipe Out’ bonus on any degree – killing each single enemy – unlocks it). Add in unlockable modes and there is a number of longevity on supply right here – far more than the seemingly easy premise may recommend.
It is also an extremely difficult expertise, particularly on ‘Regular’ and ‘Laborious’ settings – a lot in order that Iuchi has taken a leaf out of his Radiant Silvergun playbook by rising your obtainable inventory of continues (three to start with) the longer you play. This not solely encourages repeat runs but in addition serves to make issues a bit of simpler as time goes on. On-line leaderboards additional improve the sport’s long-term enchantment.
Whereas Night time Striker Gear’s twitch gameplay is sort of simple — which ought to come as no shock, given its arcade heritage — the strict problem, a number of routes (and endings), on-line rankings and unlockable content material make it a surprisingly deep bundle, particularly once you take the low worth into consideration.
Conclusion
The House Harrier-style gameplay won’t be to everybody’s tastes, however the visuals are completely jaw-dropping, and it is virtually well worth the asking worth alone to be able to expertise them. Whereas Night time Striker Gear’s enchantment will not final endlessly, it is such an unbelievable audio-sensory thrill journey which you can simply forgive it for any shortcomings regarding its longevity.
If you happen to’re a fan of this fashion of sport and love chasing excessive scores, then this can be a near-essential buy. Like so a lot of Sega and Taito’s ‘Tremendous Scaler’ efforts from the ’80s and ’90s, Night time Striker Gear is a type of video games you merely must expertise not less than as soon as, even when the journey would not final endlessly.
