Reviews for Gradius V

Konami's beloved Gradius returns, in it's 5th outing.

Strengths: Trademark Konami styled SHMUP gameplay. A solid game, beautiful visuals, booming sound, an excellent soundtrack and finally, an in-game storyline, complete with dialogue.

Weakness: Like most games in this genre, this game can be quite difficult at times.

If you grew up in the mid 1980's and you had a Nintendo NES 8-Bit system, the original "Gradius" was probably one of the games you had owned (or still own) or maybe even rented or borrowed from a friend at some point. In other words, if you ever mention the term 'Shooter' or "Shoot Em' Up" (referred to hereafter as "SHMUP") to coincide with video games even a casual gamer would have played, almost everyone will mention "Gradius" at some point.

That being said, "Gradius V" marks Konami's 5th and supposedly final, outing for the memorable SHMUP game series.

Just like the previous game titles, the main fighter craft, known as the "Vic Viper", has been dispatched yet again, to defend the planet Gradius against the onslaught of the dreaded Bacterion Empire.

Employing centuries old technology, the Gradians place the fate of their home world in the hands of a capable squadron of pilots, each utilizing the deadly accurate Vic Viper T-301 Assault Spacecraft.


Gameplay/Controls:

Solid arcade style SHMUP action. If you've played any of the previous Gradius game titles, you'll be right at home. The control scheme is FULLY customizable and you can map the action/fire buttons to ANY button on the PS2 Dual Shock controller. You can also use the traditional D-pad or the left Analog stick to control the Vic Viper with precise movements. As usual, "Gradius V" is definitely not an easy title to contend with. It's just as difficult as the previous titles are, so unless you've got lightning quick reflexes, you're probably going to get the Vic Viper blown to bits. Then again, even seasoned SHMUP players still have some problems with games like this, regardless of experience.

Graphics:

This title is easily the most beautiful looking Gradius title ever. Compared to the previous Gradius titles, Gradius V utilizes the PS2 hardware's capabilities to it's fullest extent, giving the player or any onlookers some really jaw-dropping visuals.


Sound/Music:

If you know Konami and how they treat the flagship game franchises, you also know that they never, ever skimp on details. That's especially the case in the sound and music department. The sound effects are typical Gradius fare and the music is also very upbeat and original, giving the player a sense of urgency, ultimately inspiring them to play their best game possible.

Konami has paid tribute to the series by re-prising a lot of the original musical pieces from the previous Gradius game titles. If you're a fan of the series, you will recognize a few musical pieces and instantly feel a bit of nostalgia.

Everything in the sound department is top notch and is crisp & clear. No improvements needed.


Overall:

If you're a fan of the Gradius game series, you owe it to yourself to pick this game up ASAP, as it had a low production run and was already a bit difficult to find when it was released in Spring of 2004. That being said, it may or may not be easy to find by any normal means, but it still can be found. Be warned though, if you miss out on this title now, you may be hardpressed in trying to find a copy of it in the future, as games of this genre are definitely few and far between nowadays.

For the casual gamer, if you want some easy to pick up and play, arcade style gaming, you should give this title a go, especially if you're feeling a bit nostalgic about the original NES 8-Bit Gradius game. If you want to own it though, you might have a small bit of difficulty trying to find this game (at least new/sealed) at a local retailer, as this game was produced in limited numbers.

Hopefully, this isn't the last of the Gradius games to be released by Konami (so they claim). Genres like this need to be kept alive so the game industry doesn't collapse in on itself by releasing sub-par game titles.

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Gradius V

Strengths: good graphics, fast & intense shoot'em up action

Weakness: Nothing new, might be too hard for some

Gradius V is an old school shooter at heart with updated graphics on the PS2. Gradius V is a great game & while it really doesn't do much new to attract new fans it is a solid Shooter. The power-up system still works the same as other Gradius games you pick up the orange colored power-ups to work your way up the bar at the bottom of the screen while you can choose to use them up if it lands on something you want. Although the game really doesn't offer anything new to attract a new audience it really wasn't trying to but it is a grade A shooter that anyone who enjoys shooters must buy if not though I would suggest renting it if your not sure but are interested & haven't played alot of shoot'em ups.

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Gradius V

Strengths: The play is very intense

Weakness: none

If you like shooter games. There you go. it is the one because it is so fun to play. If you want to test your skills. this is defintely the game to buy.

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Gradius V

Strengths: Great shooter, awesome graphics and challenge

Weakness: The challenge might be too hard for some, though

In a world where we see less and less shooters every year, Gradius V is like a breath of fresh air. Incorporating old school shooting elements with new school graphics, Gradius V is a seven level challenge that will put even the most hardcore gamer in their place.

With unlockables and shooting for a high score, Gradius V is one game you can play again and again.

Highly recommended for all shooter fans and newcomers alike.

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Not much has changed

Strengths: + 2 player co-op

Weakness: - updated 3d graphics but not very impressive

Gradius V is just like the previous games in the series. It's difficult because the screen will be filled with enemies, projectiles, and barriers. Just take a look at the screenshots of the game; if they don't appear daunting then you'll probably have fun with the game. It also helps that there's 2 player co-op (it lessens the frustration when your friend next to you is also getting beat by the game.)

The only disappoint I had with the game are the graphics. Even though they've updated the graphics so that they're 3d, for some reason they didn't impress and still looked flat. Maybe part of the reason is that there's a lot of details in each stage so enemies and the Vic Viper are drawn at a very small scale. Someone can easily mistaken the vic viper in Gradius V as a 2d model from the past games. (Compare that to R-Type Final which has larger graphics so the 3d effects are more noticeable.)

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A Classic Done Right

Strengths: Graphics, Controls

Weakness: May Be Too Hard For Some

Gradius V is a shoot 'em up and while it does have 3D backrounds at times it's still a 2D side scroller and plays just like all the previous Gradius games. This isn't a bad thing at all has it proves that it is still one of the best at what it does and being on such a system as the Playstation 2 along with the graphics being much better then say the NES version of Gradius it can have a lot more going on at the same time with very little if any slowdown at all. Gradius V is definitely for hardcore shoot 'em up fans as with everything going on it is rather difficult and may not be for gamers new to shoot 'em ups. As with pretty much any shoot 'em up it can be beaten in a matter of about an hour or less if you are good enough although you will most likely have to spend a lot more time then that playing it before you learn the patterns and get good enough to be able to play though Gradius V to the end.

I would highly recommend Gradius V to fans of shoot 'em ups as it is one of the bests if the the best shooter on the Playstation 2

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A Super Side Scrolling Shoot Em Up

Strengths: Excellent Graphics, Nice Challenge, Super Soundtrack

Weakness: May Be Too Challenging For Some

The shooter genre has always had a niche in videogaming. As such it is only every so often gamers get to experience games of such as caliber as Gradius V. Playing Gradius III on the Super Nes, this game reminds me a lot of that game, and that is a good thing. In Gradius V, you pilot Vic Viper, a futuristic ship with extraordinary technology. By blasting away certain enemies, they leave behind capsules which you can collect. These capsules allow you to enhance your aircraft from boosting the speed, attaching a laser, shooting various missiles, to having drones mimic your firing of weapons. It is no secret that games of this genre tend to be on the challenging side, and because of that some gamers may be put off by that. That is the fault of the fearful gamer, not the game itself, for challenging games offer a much more rewarding experience at the end of the day than your run of the mill milquetoast games found on every system a dime a dozen. So getting back to the gameplay, you pilot your ship and blast enemies away and avoid obstacles and projectiles from your enemies. Each level has bosses and even subbosses that you must defeat to progress in the game. The game does allow you to continue--at first it is limited but if you play for a certain amount of time you will gain access to unlimited continues. The graphics in the game are truly exceptional and the soundtrack is phenomenal. This is a great game, but sadly it will be overlooked and underappreciated by today's generation of videogamers who have not experienced a real challenge as in the NES and Super NES days.

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Schmup Refinement

Strengths: Scalability; Challenging; Graphical subtleties; co-op play

Weakness: Loading; Needs to push the processor/VPU more

It is very hard to find a game this day being a challenge that is worthy to sink time in. Schmups have got the challenge definitely but great schmups have all those little things also. Gradius V deserves a deserved place in the pantheon of gaming.

Schmups need 3 ingredients to be great. Boss battles that take up 3/4 of the screen. Co-op play. Lastly, CHALLENGING. Boss battles that are drawn with the best 2d sprite animations, gradius V wins this round. Co-op play is actually something the designers had with the intent because some missions are built with 2 player variablity. No rote memorization vs. single player because 2 players offer a more subtle but different paths to victory. Yes, you still shoot everything but where you shoot everything changes. Great dynamic and presentation of the difference between 1 and 2 players. Lastly, Gradius doesn't disappoint in the Challenge. You will want to throw some things initially at some levels.

For some reason, this game has something more to push the hardware with. It feels constrained not by machine but by execution. Maybe next generation around, we would see some scope and detail that will define some next generation wow factor. Loading is sometimes a bore but caching with hard drives would help with the later versions.

I hope that the Gradius series lives on to the next generation machines. Schmups are all about presentations, so the more esoteric the gameplay becomes, the more of a chance that it can be a living legend. Here's hoping that imagination and direction would come together into a confluence of further refinement on the 6th generation consoles.

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Gradius V

Strengths: Excellent side scrolling shooter, decent graphics for the aging PS2, grooving soundtrack.

Weakness: Graphics are showing a little age and the difficulty can get quite aggravating.

This game features intense levels and bosses, multiple weapons and upgrades, techno soundtrack, all combine to make an addictive game! It keeps you coming back for more with continue credits as you progress further in the game. Definite recommend for side scrolling shooter fans!

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Glad for Gradius

Strengths: Great shooter, beautiful visuals, good music

Weakness: Hard, sometimes frustratingly so.

Gradius V is an excellent shooter. If you've ever played previous versions of Gradius or stared in wonder at the Gradius games of old in arcades, then this will be exactly what you expect, except more beautiful and intense.

Gradius V does not deliver a revolutionary experience, and not even one quite as inventive as Ikaruga. But it is a very solid and fair shooter, with a high degree of challenge.

If you've ever seen or played a shooter, you know the game. What you may not expect is the intensity of the visuals and production values. It's a marvel just to watch. Too bad the game doesn't come with someone to play it, so those of us who aren't very good at this sort of game could just watch the visuals.

There just aren't very many games like this anymore, so it's a very good thing that Gradius V is as good as you could hope or expect it to be, and then some.

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Gradius V

Strengths: Difficult, graphics, sound

Weakness: None

This game definately reminds me of older shooters (such as Life Force) from the NES days. It is a very difficult game that tests your ability to learn from mistakes and memorize levels that you will play over and over again in order to reach the end.

The graphics are solid and contain the sense of nostalgia from the NES days. The sound is also great as it switches perfectly when you reach many of the games challenging boss fights.

If you plan to play through this game to the end, you will have to endure frustration as many of the levels you will have to replay. The good thing is that the game will provide you with an extra credit for every agonizing hour you play through it.

Highly recommended!

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Gradius V

Strengths: decent graphics,

Gradius V is an old school shooter. You can play single player or 2 player simultaneously. There are several stages filled with hazards, and lots of enemies and boss modes. You choose from 1 to 4 different weapon configurations. Force Fields and multiples are earned by collecting a certain number of power-up capsules. There is some replay value left in the game because there are several difficulty settings and unlockable weapons. I wish there were more old school shooters available out there.

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Gradius V

Strengths: Incredible graphics for an old-school 2D space shooter

Weakness: Insane difficulty and instant-deaths reminds me why I stopped playing video games 20 years ago

Gradius V is the latest incarnation of the 2D space shooter genre on the Playstation 2. While this type of game was common in the arcades of the 1980's I hadn't really played them much since then before picking this one up. In fact, one of the reasons I stopped played video games for a while was that I lost interest in these sorts of games - where 1000 things fly at you and you need to memorize the one correct path and technique to use to survive a given level.

The graphics on this game are simply amazing and had the arcade games in the 80's looked and sounded this cool I would have been blown away. As space shooters go this one is fairly easy to pick up and play, and yet, like all the others, difficult to master. If you are fan of this sort of game, there is probably none better than this. As a nostalgia trip for those of us who remember the original arcade shooters, it is also worth a quick look.

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The next gen in Scrolling shooters.

Strengths: Excellent 3d graphics and simple controls.

Weakness: Unforgiving difficulty on some levels.

This is by far one of the nicest looking shooters to date, It is also good that the simple controls make this an easy game to get into for almost anyone. This a classic arcade shooter, so it does not provide any new forms of gameplay but it does provide a well tuned experience. My only complints about this game is the unforgiving nature of two levels, such as the one with liquid all over. I also found the music to be very basic, which is too bad since this is the type of game that is well suited for cutting edge music. Overall the game is a decent length but has few upgrade options, this game is suitable for anyone who wants a taste of classic arcade gaming.

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Gradius - It's back!

Strengths: Pretty old school shooter - Actually uses the power of the PS2 compared to the last Gradius release (III & IV) on the system - good challenge

Weakness: No true innovation in the genre

Gradius is a truly fun game in the vein of old school shooter, a la R-type, Lifeforce, etc. Gradius obviously has had a successful run thus far, with its sequel up to 5. 3 and 4 were previously released on PS2, but were pretty much old ports. This time around the graphic prowess of the PS2 was utilized. woohoo! This allows for awesome effects, and tintillating sounds throughout the game. Definitely a must see for shooter fans.

Some people would say the difficulty was a weakness, but i consider it a strength. The only weakness might be that it doesn't offer any innovation in the genre, but it is the Shooter genre after all. There's really not too much you can do(save for things that a game like Ikaruga introduced).

Overall, this is a definite must-by. If you can find this game, pick it up.

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Gradius 5

Testseek.com has collected 2 expert reviews for Gradius 5 and the average expert rating is 83 of 100. The average score reflects the expert community’s view on this product. Click below and use Testseek.com to see all ratings, product awards and conclusions.

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Gradius V

Gradius V receives an overall TopTenREVIEWS rating of 3.32 out of 4.00. It is ranked the #1,158 game of all time, #42 game of 2004 for the PlayStation 2 and #239 PlayStation 2 game of all time. The rating and ranking is based on an average of 79 critic scores, awards and other criteria. To see a breakdown of the game ranking, read individual critic reviews, or see how other games ranked, click on...

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Gradius V

The Gradius series has been around almost as long as games themselves. Many old and new gamers recognize the name Gradius, and it’s no surprise that a new Gradius has been desired by so many shooter fans. The wait is over, because Gradius V for the Playstation 2 has arrived. It’s so good to see that shooters aren’t dead. The releases of modern shooters like Metal Slug, Ikaruga, and R-Type...

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