(DC) Radilgy NSTC-JAP (110Mb)

[Tzun Tzen]

A fair Shooter with very coloured draws, nice music etc...
(Cdi, tested on NullDC, works at 100%)

Review from IGN:

Having received our copy from the gracious folks at MileStone just a few weeks ago, the IGN Dreamcast team plunged into our first "new" Dreamcast game. First off, don't be discouraged if you are less than fluent in Japanese. Top down shooters aren't known for their story and this case is no different.



Players can choose from three different types flying cartoon mechs that offer some wacky weapon variations. There's a spread gun, homing laser, and a personal favorite: the giant bubble cannon. Each craft has three speed settings that also change their color.



The real draw of Radirgy is its difficulty. Players must snake through swarms of harmful bullets while contributing to an ABSNET gauge (shield) as well as a multiplier that must be exploited to get really high scores. Players can destroy enemies with their normal shot, a small but powerful sword, or through their ABSNET shield. Smoking enemies sometimes produces a collectable blue item that powers up the shield. Players also have a small shield that can be activated when not using a weapon. This device is able to deflect some bullets into the multiplier meter while using the sword transforms these same bullets into shield power-up icons.

Got all of that? Basically, the developers have successfully implemented a system that forces players to balance their quest for a high score against keeping the much-needed shield available. Radirgy's cel-shaded presentation is cute, but not indicative of its difficulty level. After the first two levels players are swamped with enemies and projectiles to the point where onlookers may experience slight queasiness and/or epileptic seizures.



The music is run-of-the-mill electronica which is best replaced by the Space Channel 5 soundtrack. The game also could've benefited from analog stick support even thought the d-pad is surprisingly responsive. One option we took full advantage of was the Tate Mode that allows players to flip the screen length wise thus removing the sideways letter box.

TATE Mode in action.
Radirgy was recently released as "Radilgy Precious" on the GameCube and PS2 in Japan. We haven't been able to obtain those copies of the games so we can't pick apart the differences. All we know is that the Dreamcast version provided us with more than a few hours of top-down shooting fun and we haven't even come close to mastering the scoring system.

Closing Comments
Any blue-blooded Dreamcast fan should round out their collection with this new release. Radirgy is a little late to the party, but it was worth the wait.

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