paleface [sys=PS2; cat=Shooter_Vert; reg=JPN] |
| | This is the "Complete Edition" that contains two versions of this tate-mode vertical shooter: "Psyvariar: Medium Unit" and "Psyvariar: Revision." Revision seems to be the later of the two as it features beefier graphics and bullet patterns, but only by a smidge and the stages seem to be largely the same, so really you'll probably just spend your time playing Revision. Revision also has a "Replay Mode" where you can watch the computer play a stage before you go through yourself. The computer isn't very good (he died twice at the second stage boss) but at least you can see the patterns beforehand. I think you have to unlock stages for replay mode though as so far I can only see the first two. The game itself plays like a mix of XII Stag and Shikigami no Shiro: it's got the stick-waggling of XII Stag, though here it just gives you a more powerful regular shot rather than side lasers (later powered up versions of your ship can get side lasers standard, however), mixed with the "buzzing" of Shikigami where you benefit by sticking close to enemy shots--here you do it to power up your weapon and for a score bonus. The menus and stages feature some lovely trance music and effects, all the more pity that the ships and 3D backgrounds sport low poly counts and really ugly textures. The gorgeous bullet patterns and the electric crackling of your ship buzzing bullets upstages the blockiness, thankfully, and when you're sparking around in the middle of a screen-filling spiral of bullets the game is really something special. Of course, you might navigate your way through a single pattern okay, but the game loves to layer on multiple overlapping bullet patterns at once, which should provide plenty of challenge for most mere mortals. |
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