Customer Reviews

Gradius III & IV

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Gradius III & IV(2000). A PS2 collection of two classic arcade space shooters.

Back in the 80s and early 90s, space shooters were a very popular breed of arcade game. The first many didn't offer much more than just firing at endless ships over and over again, but several others opted to add something unique to the formula. 1985 saw the introduction of Gradius, a game where you controlled the Vic Viper space jet through many challenging levels full of aliens, robots, and varying terrain. What was unique about Gradius was the customizable power up system it had. At the bottom of the screen, a long list of various upgrades for the Vic Viper is shown, and the more powerups you collect, the more useful upgrades you can acquire. You can add anything to the ship such as increased speed, bombs, multidirectional guns, piercing laser canons, or even add a helper ship to battle alongside you. It's a very deep customizing system, and it only increased with each new game. There was the spinoff Salamander(1986) a.k.a. Life Force, and Gradius II(1988) which were both successful sequels over in Japan. Now we get to this incredible PS2 collection focusing on Gradius III(1989) and Gradius IV(1997). Here's a brief description of each of the games:

Gradius III offers the most levels, most upgrade customizing, and it's also the most difficult release yet. Since it was released back in the late 80s, the graphics are 16-bit quality with midi-sound effects and music. To date, I find this to be my favorite Gradius game of all. The levels offer plenty of variety ranging from sand pyramids, to warping bubble fields, to erupting volcanoes, to stone mountains containing those Easter Island statues, to crystal caves, and even a few bio-organic stages as well. In this game, you only get a limited number of lives, though you can select any part of every stage once you've cleared each one.

Gradius IV on the other hand, is slightly shorter and more simple, yet the graphics here easily blow away the games before it. The sound quality is also much improved backing the gameplay with an awesome cd-quality soundtrack. Most of the stages here represent ones from previous Gradius games, such as the sun-sphere stage from Gradius II. However, thanks to the improved visual quality, Gradius IV takes these stages and adds brand new elements to them, such as the wavering lava in the volcano stage. In this one, there is no stage select, but you can continue as many times as you wish, though it still doesn't help make the game any easier.

The best way to describe the Gradius series is by a phrase I've heard before by another amazon reviewer: "Easy to learn, difficult to master". And it's VERY difficult to master at that. Anyone can easily pick up the game and quickly learn how to balance flying the ship around enemies and managing the powerups at the same time, but it takes great patience and a truly dexteritous gamer to actually make it through to the end. Never before have I played a game that's so challenging, but at the same time a game that I love so much. Even with the deep upgrade customizing system, THE SOLID GAMEPLAY HERE IS UNRIVALED. Remember back in the old days when you got the shivers playing your favorite oldschool game, such as Super Metroid? Well, that's the same feeling I got when I popped in this collection as the rocking title theme kicked in. Pure nostalgic bliss for older gamers. There are a few extra modes as well, and you can unlock them if you beat each game on different difficulty levels.

Despite its genuine nostalgic appeal, this game has received nothing but downgrading reviews. It's just too bad that this game was released right at the launch of the PS2 because it was seriously overlooked in favor of newer games with better graphics. A system launch is the absolute worst time to release game collections like this because most people will only buy the games that utilize a new system's graphic capabilities. It was automatically pushed aside because it didn't "take full advantage of the PS2's cpu processor". Whatever. To me, graphics don't matter much if the gameplay is very shallow. You may think differently, but I play games because of how fun they are, not because a character model has 43 million polygons. Gradius III & IV Collection is a prime example of substance over flash.

PROS
-Fun, frusterating, and challenging gameplay for the fan of shooters.
-2 classic games in one.
-Great music

-many modes of difficulty.

CONS
-may only appeal to the fans of shooter games.
-some may be turned off by its high-curve difficulty

The verdict is that if you like or love oldschool shooters and grew up with them when you were younger, then you should absolutely love this Gradius collection. On the other hand, if you don't like shooters, then stay away. Of course you can always rent the game if you have trouble deciding whether you like it or not. I consider this to be the best $20 I've ever spent on a game. Give it 5 stars if you love this type of game, and 4 if you find it to be too difficult. Also look out for the new Gradius V coming soon. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO FANS OF THE GENRE.

Other games which are similar to Gradius III & IV:
-'Life Force' for the NES
-'Gradius V' for the PS2
-'Ikaruga' for the Gamecube
-'Layer Section' for the PC
-'Radiant Silvergun' for the Sega Saturn

Okay, before you get your hopes up too much, this is *not* a new Gradius game. It's an arcade perfect translation of Gradius III and IV from the arcades. It's just a regular 2d side scrolling game.

That doesn't mean it isn't a great game! Gradius is one of the best side-scrolling games ever made. Just because you got a brand spanking new 128 bit system doesn't mean you're too good for the classics, does it? :) I think it's great to actually see a 2d game now and then. Everything is 3d these days!

If you're looking for a really cool semi-3d shooter, check out Slipheed: The Lost Planet. (You might remember Slipheed from the Sega CD days.) I say semi-3d because it's a top-down shooter, so you don't really have full 3d movement (like a flight sim) but there are huge 3d bosses and all kinds of sweet terrain and backgrounds. Also a great game to show off the graphics power of your shiny new system!

Ahh... I remember those days with the Nes/Snes/Genesis and mindless side scroll-shooter games. Extremely fun for a while then the "mindless" part kicks in. If you enjoy games like einhander by square or the r-type series, get this game. If you dont, atleast rent it.

oh and a response to another reviewer whom shal remain nameless: just because a game isnt 3d doesnt make it a waste you ignorant ignorant fool.

Well here we are almost 10 years since Gradius has seen the light of day in the US. Konami's back with a vengance!

Gradius 3: This IS NOT the same as the SNES version! This is a straight port of the arcade version. Most people will say well if you played the SNES version, you've played them all. I insanely say "Shut up and go play your Atari Jaguar". G3 is probably the most insanely fun game Konami has out for the PS2. Warining, have insane ammounts of Extra Strength Rogaine ready, "Bosses on Parade" is insanely hard and you will be pulling your hair out.

Gradius 4: This IS NOT a straight port of the Japanese arcade game. Konami went through and replace an insane majority of the sprites with 3D models. The game play is similar to G3 with different levels and enemies, but it's a insanely fun game as well.

Now I'm off to play the insanely fun "Gauntlet Dark Legacy"

(Number of times a form of 'insane' was used: 7)

While I'm not certain if its possible to love and hate something at the same time, I am sure that you can be draw to an object and thoroughly repulsed by it in the same breath. I say that because that's how I often feel about this game and its barrages of endless enemies, its boards that fill like mazes with clutter, and its array of weaponry that you have to have to make it through levels. Here, dying is not an option because demise lets you continue only in a proverbial hornets nest with only the most bareboned of essential, sometimes feeding you a power-up for your weaponry and sometimes not. In fact, with many of the horrors it asks you mind to master, it oftentimes sends you reeling through a maze of sensations much akin to driving in a tornado, knowing all the while that there can be no mistakes. Therein lies the potential of frustration, leading you to lock the game away from both your mind and your console. Still, even after the game is set aside and the anger swells, I want to go back and beat it.

Contained here are two relatively similar versions of Gradius, both handling like the first Gradius release of yore. In fact, many things are quite the same, except the fact that there are even more obstacles blocking your paths and there are increased graphics on one of the two portions of the Gradius 3/Gradius 4 puzzle. You still work off the power-up items, finding different colored enemies to shoot that allow you to pick through a small list of items, and you still have to fight monstrosities at the end of each board. So, if you are a fan of 2-D games, then this would be something to at least try out. If you're a fan of the original Gradius, then its a must. Be warned, however, that before you finish it you might find yourself calmly seeking psychiatric help.

Ah yes, the classic game of Gradius returns for the best system ever made.

But dont get your hopes up! This is NOT a new game. In fact Konami of America went to great lengths to include things like slowing down time and the return of the Konami code, just to keep the game exactly the same as the orignals.

If your like me and loved the orignals for SNES, then these 2 games are for you. This just goes to prove that a great game doesent have to be 3D to be a classic.

I would sugest this game to people who enjoyed games like Star Soldier, Einhander, and the old school R-Type games. Its at least worth a renting.

ZAP!

When I grew up, I had a Nintendo and then a Genesis. These systems had awesome, fun games. Then when PS1 and N64 came out, game developers tried to take every game that was cool on previous systems and make it 3-D. Usually, these games were not nearly as cool or fun as their side scrolling predecessors from the past. For example, Castlevania was cool on NES but terrible on N64. Anyway, Gradius III & IV is an awesome side scrolling game where you control a plane with very powerful weapons. The graphics and gameplay have not been changed at all from the games original release on SNES. These games are really fun and definitely worth playing. Their replay value is high and they are very difficult to beat. If you used to love side scrolling games like Life Force or Stinger or Thunder Force, you will love Gradius III and IV.

I think that gradius made an impact on the jet game industry. There hasn't really been a flying game that has been as good as gradius. The game is short yes, but it is fun to play and is good to play with your friends. For new gamers this game is very frustrating and can cause you to turn off your PS2 and throw the controller onto the floor and scream at your TV. But I would recomend this game any day.

Gradius III and IV is a true classic shooter. I remember playing the original Gradius and its sequel Salamander(Life Force in the U.S.) for hours....just blasting through them and having a great time with my friends(Salamander was a two player simultaneous game).

Gradius does not show off the Polygon pushing power of the PS2, but that does not make it a waste or a bad game. Its one of the best shooters ever made and that will never change. It will still be a classic, twenty years from now(hell, the original Gradius is pushing the 16 year mark already....) when everyone has forgotten the latest 3D Fighter or some other 3D game that looks great but has horrible gameplay. Gradius 3 and 4 has great gameplay, and that is what really counts...not Graphics.

::Goes off to play Gradius III and then some Gauntlet Dark Legacy::

No offense to old-school shooters or their fans, but this is a pretty weak excuse for a PS2 launch title. Sony's "ultimate game machine" (or whatever tagline they're using) should be able to easily handle the first and second Gradius installments, along with these two, on a single disc. Where are they? I hate to say it but Konami isn't giving us a whole lot of bang for our buck (which is unusual for them).

Sure, the new intro is nice, but what about the games themselves? I think Father Time has a way of exaggerating our sense of nostalgia, especially where video games are concerned. Some games simply do not age well. In the battle between pretty graphics and solid gameplay, I stand firmly on the latter side, but next to the best shooters of the post 16-bit era (such as Einhander and G Darius), Gradius III and IV just aren't much fun. The actual shooting is downplayed while too much emphasis is placed on memorizing the enemy patterns and maneuvering your ship so as to avoid becoming instant space junk. Before too long, it ceases to be challenging and just gets annyoing. Get killed and you lose all your power ups. Good luck beating a boss with just a speed-up bonus. Plus, there are no continues in Gradius III! Instead, it uses a lame stage select mode.

I know, these were landmark shooters in their heyday, but we should be playing more advanced games that learn and borrow from them, not just recycling them for a new system. I fully support the continuation of 2-D gaming in the 3-D era, but this is not the way to go about doing it. If you really want a traditional shooter for your PS2, try Silpheed: The Lost Planet instead. Not as much of a challenge, perhaps, but MUCH more enjoyable.