Strikers 1999: thoughts, impressions
Click for a larger shot:
http://symphony.gamersgraveyard.com/.../pcb/1999s.jpg
Really, the whole thing could go a bit like this without losing much in the way of accuracy:
Graphics: classic Strikers
Gameplay: classic Strikers
Audio: classic Strikers
...But that's not going to make for a very interesting read. The details, then!
Plane Selection
Somewhat underwhelming. All the major play styles are accounted for, but there's nothing to really put an overly creative or interesting twist on things. I've settled on the secret X-36 craft, which is basically the spiritual successor to 1945 II's Flying Pancake. Apparently it was based off an actual NASA/McDonnell Douglas subscale prototype, though I'm guessing the original plans didn't include mech transformation.
The Biggest Change
Something I'd been pining for ever since the introduction of the charge meter is the ability to control the exact duration of the actual charge shot, and Strikers 1999 finally delivers. In other words, no more wasted charge energy. There is a minimum "burn time" in effect to prevent the abuse of higher charge levels, but that's about it. Successful play is still all about effective use of the charge weaponry, so this extra level control comes as a very welcome addition.
About Technical Bonuses
Essentially, every boss has a "core" that they will expose only once during battle. Destruction of this core at close range will instantly destroy the boss and net you some extra points. In order to successfully trigger the technical bonus, one has to manipulate the pattern that precedes the core's appearance in such a way as to get close enough to the core and destroy it before the subsequent wave of bullets -- typically only a few pixels away by this point -- slam into your craft. Extra points aside, the whole thing is incredibly satisfying and worth the trouble just to see "Technical Bonus!" flash across the screen.
For the first four randomly selected levels, the technical bonuses actually provide an opportunity to cut boss encounters short. But in the case of the last four bosses, the core is not revealed quite so quickly. This means you'll have to spend even more quality time with the end-stage brutes to access the bonus, instead of just going for the quick KO typical of Psikyo bosses.
On a Scale of 1 to Ouch
Juding the overall difficulty in any meaningful sort of way is... well, difficult. I'd likely have broken into tears if asked about the difficulty level shortly after playing it the first time, but only 3 days of casual play later and I'm close to clearing the first round on a credit. All told, I'd say it's just a bit steeper than 1945 II. The latter bosses approach and occasionally surpass Gunbird 2 levels of concentrated suffering, but the game is fairly reasonable as a whole.
Enemies do produce a lot more bullets than in previous Strikers games, however. Even the earlier stages can spam up the screen nicely if left to their own devices. Thankfully the hit boxes for the playable craft are definitely smaller, which compensates nicely for all the on-screen traffic. For those panicking, the level of fire isn't Cave thick, nor are the hit boxes Cave tiny -- it still feels very much like a Strikers game.
Other Minor Trimmings
The rhythmically flashing gold bricks have been traded in for rotating medals a la Gunbird 2, and the window for the max 2000 point bonus seems to be about the same as well. In other words, large enough so that it is possible to hit consistently, but small enough so that you probably won't. Chaining is also present, but isn't stressed quite so much as in GB2. The chain bonus is only 200 points, but odds are good it'll figure into a round/all clear bonus as well.
Bosses now have a timer that appears once the boss is close to self-destruction. The halo of bullets that a boss emits upon hitting zero is yet another slight variation on the standard Psikyo "suicide blast." It looks a bit meaner this time around, but is about the same to dodge.
Daily scores are erased once the board loses power, but the all-time high is recorded -- very nice touch. I have about 200K to go before I can top a 2-2 score from "BBC."
The game will occasionally throw players a bone with a fully-charged shot meter upon continuing. Doesn't seem to occur very often, however.
Apart from all that, 1999 follows the Strikers formula pretty closely -- perhaps a bit too closely at times. Though the game lacks some of the polish and flare I would have expected from a modern take on a classic series, the gameplay is solid beyond reproach. Definitely a worthwhile investment for Psikyo fans.
