The ST-V arcade board is Sega's cheaper alternative to their Model 2 and 3 boards. Suppose to be a haven for developers who want Sega arcade power without paying Sega arcade price. Unfortunately, plans didn't go as smooth as planned. The ST-V is basically a Saturn machine with more ram and developers have always had a hard time getting the most out of the Saturn hardware. Besides the few success in the form of Winter Heat and Decathelete the ST-V front has been relatively quiet. Until now...
Enter Treasure, makers of such classic 2D side scrollers as Contra, Castlevania, Gunstar Heroes, Guardian Heroes, and many more. Not content with doing the same old thing, Treasure sought a new challenge, and found one in the form of the vertical shooter. The vertical shooter, didn't that go the way of the Dodo? No sir, in fact the vertical shooter is in the mists of a comeback; Raystorm has stunned arcade and Playstation players... gamers are ready for the next step.
Radiant Silvergun is the next level. Featuring character designs by the same artist who did Guardian Heroes, innovative game play, and graphics that push the ST-V to its limits, Radiant Silvergun is set to take shooters by storm. The biggest effect Radiant Silvergun looks to have on shooters is in the game play department. You see, different button presses result in different attack combinations, which in turn results in more strategy for both the hero in the spaceship and in the enemies' attack patterns. It's hard to explain in writing, but you'll see what I mean once you a chance to sit down with the game.
Sit down with the game? Yes, literally. Radiant Silvergun hits Japanese arcades this April, and will then make its way to a Japanese Saturn near you; and you know what that means, import time!
Fernando Mosquera