Thunder Spirits Review

The Thunder Force series was a Shoot em' Up series that saw a very choppy existence in the US with Thunder Force II and V being the only games with the official name tied to them in their US console releases and the fourth game, Lightning Force, carrying the most bewildering of them all. Well, Thunder Spirits here is the third game and, before V's port to the PlayStation, was the only game in the series released on a non-Sega endorsed system.

Thunder Force III... sorry, Thunder Spirits took the first step in bringing the Thunder Force series into being a bigger success than it all ready was by eliminating the multi-perspective game play that its predecessors had and keeping the game entirely as a Horizontal Scrolling Shoot em' Up. The game succeeds in making the graphics distinct so you can tell what you can crash into (mostly) and what's merely apart of the level decoration, but compared to most games on the SNES, Thunder Spirits is weak in its detail; funny enough, they graphics actually look like the belong on a Sega Genesis. Enemy explosions resemble thumb prints at times, explosions that can actually hurt you appear harmless and slow down and sprite break-up are eminent.

The game play has its ups and downs as you can control the speed of your ship and you can pick up five different weapons to use at your disposal and you've got a lot of enemies to fight. The only problem is that most of your enemies are down right easy. The second stage is actually the hardest level in the game; no matter what the difficulty is, you will find beating this game to be nothing short of easy. Some of the boss battles are so painstakingly easy that at times its almost insulting. Their only advantage is shooting you or colliding into you when they first come on screen. Symbolically, you are playing as a wildfire and your enemy is foliage. Your weapons are so incredibly powerful it wouldn't have hurt if there was one weapon that was an enormous laser beam that destroyed half the level.

The sound is a little weak at times almost to thepoint where it feels severely downgraded to the pint where it would be optimum for an NES title. The music is probably the best aspect in the game. The soundtrack offers some undeniable catchiness that ropes you into the game, but sometimes you'll encounter songs that just don't really fit. The worst (but funniest) of the songs has to be the song that plays when you're in the fifth level that can only be described as listening to Vangelis under very heavy sedation.

I guess if you're looking for an excursion into the Thunder Force series, want some more shooters for your Super Nintendo or don't want a really challenging game, then Thunder Spirits is your game.

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Imperium Review

It's nearly impossible to find a 2D vertical or horizontal shoot em' up on the Super Nintendo that was hands down perfect until Imperium popped out of obscurity a bit and proved me otherwise. The game is one of the most merciless shmups ever made: you only get four continues and no lives. This is balanced by the fact that you have five hits before you die and you earn extra health bars with experience points, but even so this will take the average gamer a good while to beat. Despite the game's immense difficulty, Imperium is hands down amazing in nearly every regard: The graphics for the time are superb, the controls are intuitive and fairly innovative, the challenge is evident, the sounds are varied and detailed for their time and the music is excellent in conveying action and intensity. The only part about Imperium that isn't good is the story because even though one is given it still doesn't make much sense. Still, this is indeed a good game and then some.

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Metal Storm Review

Most people have never heard of this game. To those that have, it's an underrated gem. It's puzzling why so many passed this game up. The controls are tight, the gravity flip gimmick is cool and the action is frantic. However, the levels feel a bit short and I don't think they used the gravity flip to it's full potential. There is a second quest (remember when games did that?) so that adds some length and it is still a fun game.

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Metal Warriors Review

Many of the SNES games out there have been either too boring or highly overated.This overlooked game ranks #1 in any game system I've ever played.You can chose a battle suit out of assorted suits ranking higher or lower depending on their abilities and original design. Then, you're taken into different side- scrolling arenas where you duke it out with your oppenent with different weapons. There's even power ups to boost your stength and techniques.
The best part of the game is that you can leave your battle suit as a tiny character and hunt in smaller tunnels for hidden power ups during the fight. In this mode, you're even armed with a little "pea shooter" if you dare taking on the enemy.You sure get your kicks in 2 player when you take out the other player's pod and proceed to terminate its survivor while you are armed a billion times superior.Or, even worse, have them beat you up, and retreat where only he/she can get you by jumping out, where you'll then take their healthy suit.It's a crime to have so much fun at another's expense. Very rich.

The fantastic fun factor of this game never ends. Unfortunately, this game was made in a limited quantity earlier on, hence its hefty price, but it's worth it if this type of game appeals to you.If you like action in battle, strategy or fighting games, this may be for you.Games like Mechwarrior and Armored Core were based off of this.Stick with the original.

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