 Review By: Jared Black |
Developer: | Digital Eclipse |
| Publisher: | Konami | |
| Genre: | Shooter | |
| ESRB: | Everyone | |
| # Of Players: | 1-2 | |
| Online Play: | Yes | |
| Accessories: | Xbox Live (online play, leaderboards) |
With a few exceptions, the Xbox Live Arcade is for the most part all about delivering cheap, easy to learn titles that appeal to a more casual audience, or nostalgic remakes that appeal to hardcore gamers that “grew up” on the originals. Gyruss has a bit of both going for it; not only is it perhaps the most simple game to be found on Xbox Live at the moment, but it’s also one of the few retro acts that hasn’t been released in a thousand different forms over the years.
Gameplay-wise, shooters don’t come any more basic. Gyruss is one of the somewhat rare breed of shooters where the player moves his or her ship around the edge of the screen, shooting enemies as they come into range in the middle. Enemy ships generally come in waves and formations, either from the distance ahead, or from the sides of the screen. The ones that aren’t shot immediately collect and form a circular pattern in front of the player, just waiting for the player to pick them off from a distance or to strike out when ready.
Unfortunately for the player, the enemy does fight back by firing weapons and sending one of several different obstacles (such as barriers or enemy ships) at the player. One hit from either of these means instant death, so staying on your toes is critical to mission success. Unlike most shooters released during the early 80’s, Gyruss actually gives the player a finite goal of working his or her way through the solar system, with the distance between planets broken up into several levels and bonus stages.
The game’s lone power-up comes in the uninspiring form of a dual-shot gun, which can be activated periodically by defeating a ball flanked by enemies on the screen. Doubling the player’s firepower is a little more useful here than it is in side-scrolling shooters though, given the different perspective on things and the way ships stay in formation. Still, it doesn’t exactly add variety to the experience.
Like most other arcade re-releases, online and offline multiplayer for two players makes an appearance here, either in co-op or versus form. Don’t be fooled into thinking you’ll have help in getting through Gyruss’ steep difficulty level though, as “co-op” merely means “running side by side” with both players’ scores added together. Although online both players can play simultaneously, offline players are forced to trade turns for some reason. That of course makes no sense whatsoever, and is a curious design decision I’d like to know the reasoning behind.
The touch-up job Digital Eclipse gave Gyruss is minimalist, but does at least stay true to the original source material without overly complicating or changing things. The enhanced version basically adds slightly flashier explosions, more detailed sprites, and other little touches that stay true to the original. Sound-wise is much the same. Gyruss was known in the arcades for its incredible rendition of Bach’s Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor, and the remix actually adds to the tension the track provides as you twirl around the screen blasting away at the enemy. I’ve seen complaints that the original track isn’t quite up to par in comparison to the arcade, and although I never experienced it in the arcades first hand it certainly seems like the emulation doesn’t quite reproduce the effect.
Bottom Line:
Gyruss benefits a lot from its low price point (400 Microsoft Points) and relative lack of ports to other systems over the years. It’s a very basic, but solid shooter that feels fresh compared to some of the other recycled fare in the Arcade, and makes for a decent pick up if you’re into shooters or have a few points lying around.
| Pros: | Cons: | Final Score: |
|---|---|---|
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| 6.0 |
Posted: 2007-05-19 08:43:59 PST