Every physical PS4 shmup reviewed and rated
I started collecting PS4 shmups several years ago. As the cost of retro games skyrocketed and shooters for the Sega Saturn started going for stupid money, I figured it would be easier and cheaper to simply buy all the new import releases from boutique publishers… and wait 20 years or so until they were retro. Which is one way to get a jump on the reseller market.
My collection numbers 24 titles these days. Which is respectable. Not a complete collection of PS4 physical releases, but I’ve got all the titles I want. What I don’t have is much time to actually play them. Life, am I right?
So, with my wife out of town for the weekend, I decided to play through the lot in one marathon session and review / rate them. The rules were simple:
I play the games in random order
I play all games on the default ‘normal’ default
I give myself three credits per game
While that all sounds reasonable on paper, the reality is playing non-stop shooters for 12 hours while desperately scribbling notes is a great way to descend into madness. But here we are. With a mostly complete list, and notes of varying accuracy and usefulness.
Disclaimer: While I love the shmup genre I am definitely not an expert. This is just me playing a bunch of games I own.
PS. I’m running a Kickstarter for the latest issue of Forgotten Worlds. Please consider backing it, we’re into the final week and need to get it over the line.
Toaplan Arcade Garage: Hi Sho Same! Same! Same! - (2012) M2 ShotTriggers
Flying Shark / Hishouzame - (1987) Toaplan
It’s about 2pm in the afternoon and the Toaplan Arcade Garage compilation from M2 kicks us off. A fitting start. Released in 1987, Flying Shark reminds me of the shooters you’d find in battered old arcade machines at your local takeaway / pizzeria / waterfront pier. The games were tough as nails and designed to steal your money. This very much encapsulates that era of military themed shooters, although the auto-fire option feels a bit off in this port. 7/10
Fire Shark / Same! Same! Same! - (1989) Toaplan.
Let’s start by acknowledging that Same! Same! Same! is a great name for a game. I don’t know why it’s called that and I don’t care enough to look it up. But I like it. While there’s a notable step-up in graphics, pace and intensity from the earlier title in the series, that also means I struggled to make it to the second level under the house rules I had set. Full disclosure, I normally play these games on ‘Super Easy’ mode. This could be a problem going forward... 6/10
Caladrius Blaze - (2013) MOSS
I haven’t played this in years, and I had forgotten all about it until this exact moment in time and space. With its anime inspired characters design, multi-weapon load-out options, and ugly pseudo 3D graphics, it’s typical of second-tier shooters from the 2010s. Nothing special, but it’s a damn sight easier than the Toaplan games. 6/10
Batsugun - (1993) Toaplan / (2023) City Connection
I can see why this one is a fan favourite. Toaplan’s shooter bridges the gap between genre traditions and the bullet-hell approach that was just over the horizon. Your hit-box is much smaller, the bullet patterns are more intense, and there’s also kinds of scoring mechanisms under the hood. If I was a particularly lazy reviewer I might describe it as “fast, fun, and approachable,”... then kill myself. 8/10
Akai Kitana - (2010) Cave / (2022) City Connection
How about some hardcore? Akai Katana dispenses with the pleasantries and throws everything at you from the word go. There’s a somewhat convoluted weapon system that allows you to take down huge swathes of enemies (and their bullets) when you charge up. Unlike most of Cave’s titles this has a horizontal orientation, and while I’m told there’s a great game hidden behind that wall of bullets, I don’t have time to learn its nuances, so it’s on to the next one. 7/10
Crisis Wing - (2021) Eastasiasoft
Eastasiasoft don’t have a great reputation for their shooter output, and this one does nothing to change that. It’s heavily ‘inspired’ by the Toaplan games of old and plays like an off-brand Truxton - complete with giant skull smart bomb. While it gets the basic right it’s all a bit bland, with uninspired enemies and wave patterns. As a pastiche of a shooter style from 30 years back it’s a fun game, but it doesn't bring anything new to the table. 5/10
Andro Dunos 2 - (2021) Pixel Heart
The fact this even exists is a minor miracle. You don’t often see sequels to old Neo Geo titles (that aren’t fighting games) popping up in the wild. And you know, what? It’s great. Lovely graphics, nice tunes, and a playstyle that sits somewhere between R-Type and Gradius, it’s a welcome palette cleanser from the more intense bullet hell titles. 7/10
Raiden 3 x MIKADO remix - (2021) MOSS
It’s cool that they’re still making Raiden titles, but the recent games have been pretty underwhelming. The Mikado arcade co-sign doesn’t do much to lift this one above the competition with ugly 3D graphics, and a ship that always feels like it’s moving just a little too slow. The classic three weapon set-up returns, but it all feels like you’re going through the motions. 6/10
Ray'z Arcade Chronology - (2023) Taito
RayForce / Layer Section / Galactic Attack (1994) Taito
The original title is still the best. So while this compilation features RayForce (1994), RayStorm (1996) and RayCrisis (1988), I decided to stick with the original release. If you don’t know, the games all use a dual weapon system, with lock-on for ground targets and regular shots for airborne enemies. The opening scene where you take down a Dreadnought battleship with locked-on lasers sets the tone for a unique take on the shmup genre. 8/10
Ghost Blade HD - (2017) Eastasiasoft
Great music. I feel like I’m listening to one of those random ‘Liquid drum bass’ YouTube videos. And I mean that in a good way. The actual game is a bit nondescript. It’s your typical 2010s b-tier release with a lot of onscreen action but nothing to lift it above the competition. Bullets can also be a bit hard to see. Nice, but non essential. 6/10
ESP Ra.De - (1998) Cave / (2109) M2 ShotTriggers
This is another rock solid shooter from Cave. Which is a really boring way to describe anything. So maybe I should talk about the name, and how I can’t spell it correctly to save my life. Which means I had to go on Wikipedia and type something like ‘Esp da rie’ to try and find this title and figure out how the scoring system worked. 8/10
Battle Garegga - (1996) Raizing / (2016) M2 ShotTriggers
Speaking of scoring systems, Battle Garegga has a whole thing going on under the bonnet. The short version is the game gets more difficult the better you play - so strategic ‘suicides’ is something the top tier players incorporate into their runs. I just collect all the power-ups like a simpleton. I should also note that the music for this is genuinely great. Peak 90s electronica. Why don’t they make video game soundtracks like this any more? When was the last time you heard a video game soundtrack that made you stop and listen? 8/10
Aleste Collection - (2020) M2 ShotTriggers
GG Aleste 3 (2020) M2
Aleste collection brings together several old Master System shooters from the Aleste / Power Strike series, but never mind all that, the highlight here is Aleste 3. A new title developed by M2 for the Game Gear, it’s actually one of the best shmups released in recent years. The limitations of the GG hardwear mean everything here is super chunky and low res, but that only adds to the throwback appeal. 9/10
Raiden 5 - (2016) MOSS
Raiden 3 was just okay. Raiden 5 is where the wheels really fall off. The graphics are bland, the bullets can be hard to see, it has these sections where it zooms out and your ship becomes a small blip on the screen. But the strangest choice here is the talking heads narrative that overlays the action. For whatever reason a bunch of characters ramble on in the background throughout the game. Which is both pointless and distracting. It’s like trying to play a game while a conversation from the adjacent room drifts through and you only capture random fragments. Released to coincide with the series 25th anniversary, Raiden deserves better than this. 5/10
Zero Fire - (2023) M2 ShotTriggers
Hellfire - (1989) Toaplan
Another Toaplan double pack from M2. I remember Hellfire getting 90% + reviews on the Mega Drive back in the day. The UK media loved it. The trick here is you have four different weapon options, and you have to keep switching between them to find the optimal loadout. That was pretty revolutionary when it was first released in arcades, and the boss fights are particularly innovative… although the way your bullets are prone to slow-down can make it feel like you’re fighting your way through treacle. 6/10
Zero Wing - (1989) Toaplan
Damn, I suck at this game. I think the problem is the main power-up places a support ship above and below your “main guy.” In theory, that should make things easier, but it just makes it harder to keep track of your ship (and its associated hitbox). There's a feature where you can use a force field to attach enemy ships to the front of your craft as cover and three weapon types to choose from. But like all the Toaplan games from the era it sends you back several places when you die, making progress slow going. Not a game you’ll want to spend much time within in 2024. 5/10
Ketsui Deathtiny (2003) Cave / (2018) M2 ShotTriggers
The hit box may be tiny, but the enemy bullet patterns are relentless. This is the military shooter turned up to 11. And a damn fine game. With so much action on screen it can feel like a slot machine paying out a jackpot at times - a riot of noises, colours, and feedback to reward you slicing through enemy sorties. I’ll be going back to this one again… on super easy mode. 10/10
Darius Cozmic Revelation - (2021) Taito / City Connection
G Darius - (1997) Taito
Mechanical fish and a banging soundtrack are two things I associate with the Darius series, and this remaster of the late 90s arcade game doesn’t disappoint. This time round it mixes things up allowing you to absorb enemy powers with a pokemon style ball. Which is fun with smaller enemies, and ridiculous if you manage to capture a mid-level boss. Working out the nuances is gonna take you a while, so I’m returning to this one once this PS4 shmup marathon is over. Oh, you also get Dariusburst in this pack - but not the good version. 8/10
Toaplan Arcade Garage: Kyukyoku Tiger-Heli (2021). M2 Shotriggers
Tiger Heli (1985) Toaplan
After the psychedelic weirdness of G Darius the meat and potatoes simplicity of this early Toaplan helicopter, military shooter title is a nice palate cleanser. The graphics are basic, but have a stylised elegance, the level design is great, and the difficulty is actually pretty forgiving. Apparently this is Toaplan’s first shooter. So there you go. 7/10
Twin Cobra (1987) Toaplan
More of the same. And while it feels a bit more modern, it also loses some of the charm of the original. I played Twin Cobra a bunch back in the day - a local takeaway had it outside. But I remember it being different to this. Maybe I have an undiagnosed brain trauma? 6/0
Sine Mora - (2017) Digital Reality
I’ve given this one numerous chances over the years. But every time I play it I get a few levels in and have to bail out. It looks lovely, and it has an interesting concept - you have a set amount of time to complete missions, every time you down an enemy you earn back more time. Get shot and you lose time. Cool. But any momentum is lost due to endless cutscenes and story exposition that seems to go on for hours. Throw in ropey enemy attack patterns and wildly underpowered weapons and this game’s poor reputation is well deserved. 4/10
R-Type Final 2 - (2021) Granzella / NIS America
Not as good as R-Type Delta… 7/10
Dangun Feveron - (1998). Cave / (2016) M2 ShotTriggers
It’s getting on in the day. I’ve been playing shooters for about 10 hours straight now and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to say anything meaningful. Dungun Feveron is great. A Disco shooter where the aim is to collect little people floating around the screen to make the voiceover guy yell “Fever”. I genuinely like this one, but I can’t muster the energy to figure out the specific mechanics. 8/10
DariusBurst Chronicles - (2015) Taito
To be honest, I’ve only ever really played the CS code (the one with the zoomed in ship). There’s a whole campaign across hundreds of planets, and you can use points earned to beef up your ship until it’s basically indestructible. I don’t know anything about the actual proper game you’re supposed to be playing. 8/10
DoDonPachi Blissful Death Re:Incarnation - (202 ) Cave / (2024) M2 ShotTriggers
We’re almost at the finish line. DoDonPachi Blissful Death is the latest (and probably final) edition to my PS4 physical library. I wish I could think of something smart or witty to say about how good it is, but my brian is moosh after 12 hours of playing PS4 shmups and taking notes. *Check notes - apparently I’m up to 2,500 word*. Yikes! 8/10
Sisters Royale - (2018) Alfa System
If you select the first sister (with the homing device secondary weapon) this game is a cakewalk. All you gotta do is hold down the trigger and weave in and out of attack patterns. You could say the same about most shmups, but for some reason it feels like cheating in Sisters Royale. I guess the most interesting thing about this one is it’s developed by the same people who did The Castle of Shikigami - only not as good. 6/10
Hyper Sentinel - (2017) Huey Games
I’m sorry, my brain is fried. This isn’t even a shmup, really. It’s more of spiritual successor to 80s titles like Paradroid, where you fly back and fourth along a horizontal plain taking down Dreadnoughts. And it’s actually really good. But after 12 hours of this I just can’t… 7/10
.. I need some fresh air. I’m taking the dog out for a walk…
