REVIEW | ‘Raiden V’ (English Version)

REVIEW em português, clique aqui

Raiden V is back to the future…yeah…that is what I’ve just meant. Raiden is just the sequence of one of the most important games ever release in decades. Originally released in nineteen ninety, the first version of this game which was a successful, initially available in arcades only in Japan. After basically 25 years, and to commemorate this ‘birthday’, Moss brought to the franchise an utopy concerning the invasions of crystals which are capable of altering entire planets. In a perspective, their purpose is to eliminate the current life forms with their own weaponry and atmosphere control, then clean it up into a completely new habitable planet. The main focus of Raiden V is its story mode, employs a branching structure which alters stages to a certain extent based depending on your performance no matter what.

This game justifies its exclusivity for xbox one so far. ‘Tis lovely easy to say how much fun we ever had by experiencing Shmups. Its certainly – you with aim, bombs to cast, how much time it takes to appear them on screen, then ‘Hallelujah’ you ‘survived’ due to new bombs collected, and how is that possible to be seen so many things on screen at same time (you cannot even blink) to confuse your brain and then no doubt you will get doomed and thus, destroyed. On this way, the unique movement feel natural, whether it’s holding a way to avoid shoots from a foe anywhere you are. 

Quite phenomenal experience even though, its brilliant soundtrack, the game at all points offers a lot of replayability despite its short campaign but stands at the top of the arcade shooter genre forevermae. Considered as a top old-school shmup, enriched by excellent gameplay features, a perfect rhythm and great calibration, that is with three different ships to choose from, each offering different stats and abilities, alongside a customisable weapons loadout in the background of this pleasant scene, a notable work was done with the sound as well, standing then, as an absolutely recommended purchase.

This is of course either due to magnificent weapons which can be upgraded up to ten times by picking up different colored gems from destroyed enemies. Basically its as usual as ever. Even whether the controls do not require that much aerobic action whatsoever (really? Try it out), hence I so strongly felt like was physically directing my entire body to every part of the room going further squishy as possible, hither and thither, that I’d consistently worked up a sweat (really outstanding). I really do love Shumps – grinningly enough – notwithstanding, unfortunately, feel like we don’t see enough of these sort of titles anylonger. Sort of X-mas gift coming hitherto from Santa due to Raiden 5 is immensely rewarding to experience. 

Despite all its grandiose qualities, nonetheless one ‘sad’ thing must be mentioned. Raiden V has no offline co-op gameplay options, thenceforward you can’t play with a friend for example. It has an online enabled function that gives players the chance to help each other (not exactly playing with, but we will talk about it later), ffline we couldn’t reach the option withal. Sadly this is a bad thing for whose want to play a match with a guest in your ‘home-sweet-home’. Perhaps it’s a good thing somehow…If you look deep within this japanese manner of create new things for us, it will really force you to go further into an online cheer mode and share some results with someone elsewhere overseas. 

To give credit where it’s due, play once more Raiden franchise is like re-reading a favorite book whether you are familiar to Shumps. Its an adventure that reminds anyone why to fall in love with these shoot-em-all series in the first place without simply repeating what came before. Arguably the biggest and most important thing here, despite the simplicity on the graphic, its really to have fun avoiding annoying games repeated all the time, all the year with too many unecessary DLCS. Moss made a decent effort underpinning the quality of the previous Raiden (IV). Be aware that really a lot of effort was clearly put into this game, because almost every aspect of its gameplay has an underlying set of properties and nuances to come to grips with, the older versions have not.

Moss deeply has crafted a demanding arcade experience with plenty of nuances – albeit one yet to see release on a cabinet. We must consider the Cheer mode then. The events onto this, are related to different accomplishements you do within the game. Number of enemies to be destroyed, killing every enemy within an area and several more will earn you cheer points! Earn 30 to get this achievement. And its not only this way. Everything is so tremendously familiar to Raiden veterans. Everthing works rather well than ever imagined. The ‘cheer mode’ for example idea is that as you tackle the game, other real players’ simultaneous progress flashes up in the corner of your screen. A stab of the ‘Cheer’ button part fills a bar that lets you unleash a special attack, and presumably sends a message of encouragement to your ‘friend’. Cheer System is the very new to Raiden V since the leaderboard run is the real time game. Online players being as friends can cheer the other one to unlock the skill “Cheer Call“. When players get struggle, using Cheer Call will cancel all enemies’ bullet at once and allow players to greatly boost sub-weapons for a short time until Cheer Call gauge is depleted. Boosted sub-weapons cause heavy damage and instant attack speed. Cheer Call gauge can increase slowly by progressive play and rapidly by every time player press “Cheer” (Default button Y) to the others who get any achievement of each certain stage.

The soundtrack theme introduces gracefully weaves itself throughout their thrilling onto creative approach to its 2D style combat with foes bringing a variety and charm to every moment of your experience with Raiden V.  Yoshimi Kudo, who was known in the shmup scene as the composer for MOSS’ Caladrius, RPG Muramasa: The Demon Blade and Cave’s Deathsmiles II now he took the place of GO Sato. He worked with Hitoshi Sakimoto (Gradius V). Unlike Go Sato’s electronic paces, Kudo used a different musical style for Raiden V, aiming towards ambient, hard rock and epic orchestration combining piano keyboards with guitar riffs and choruses. You have no idea whatsover how it sounds like ‘til you take a chance to listen to this.

So far so good, this game creates a new and interesting predicament. Strongly adviced you are to stow any expectations, til play the game further deeply. Inexplicably or not absent two-player mode which made us really sad, however, the argument of whether these games must add two-player mode won’t be an issue by giving credit where it’s due, its a brilliant game, and somehow worthy of my XBOX One collection, no matter what, its worth your copy. Buy it now!!