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Radiant Silvergun

Today, Destructoid asks: where have all the spaceships gone?

When did you last play a space shooter? Better yet, if you’re under the age of 20, have you ever played a space shooter? Back when it was a popular genre, we used to run to the local 7-11 with a fistful of mom’s laundry money, eager to plow through a hectic sea of deadly asteroids and insect-shaped enemy craft.

Since those days when high scores meant something, it seems every other genre that existed at the time has grown and evolved into something amazing. Rally-x paved the way for Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport. Pitfall became Tomb Raider. Even other classes of shooters like Contra have led to great games like Gears of War.

Why, then, have space shooters hit a darwinian roadblock? If Metroid can move through generations and still be fun, why can’t Galaga?

It’s a valid question. I think I’ve been looking for a good space shooter myself; the last one of any real worth I played was Ikaruga, and there’ve been times I’ve debated getting a Sega Saturn just so I can go back and play Radiant Silvergun (especially since someone’s finished translating the rather epic story). Heck, I’ve even thought of picking up R-Type Final for the PS2. And yet I haven’t. (Actually, the last ’shooter’ I bought in any fashion? Gradius, on the virtual console. Prior to that? Rez. I love Rez to death, but that’s another story altogether.)

Dtoid asks at the end:

What do you think, robot friends? Would you jump at the chance to play a 3-D spaceship game built for the 360, or do you think this genre is no longer viable and should be forgotten about?

I have to say I’m unsure - at least, about the 3-D part. I think part of the appeal of the space shooter is simply that it is uncomplicated in terms of gameplay (now, as for staying alive? that can be deadly). Putting things in 3-D naturally introduces all the complications that come with trying to dodge shots that are now coming from in front of you; depth is really hard to judge when you have no shadow, it seems. (On the other hand, there is Rez. Rez is not about the challenge, though.)

Maybe I should break out XNA Game Studio when I get home - I’m almost itching to try my finger at doing this myself, and the overhead or side-scrolling shooter is pretty much the standard demo project for just about every game development system ever. Hey, it’s worth a shot.

Worth four simultaneous shots, in fact, if I have Options.

Gradius

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