Developer: Takumi Publisher: Capcom Release: 05/16/01 Genre: Shooter
Giga Wing was one of a host of Capcom shooters for the Dreamcast that helped reignite my love for the genre. At a time where the best of the best were relegated to expensive imports seeing this and other gems finally receive a Western release was enlightening. With its creative reflect mechanic it was also a triumph of brilliant game design. And of course the press hated it. Less than a year later and Capcom and company are back with a sequel that does everything its predecessor did but better. Giga Wing 2 is a fantastic game and hidden gem in the Dreamcast library.
Giga Wing 2 takes place in the Serbenian Republic. While once peaceful two sides, the Republic Army and Union Garrison are now in conflict over the power of a mysterious Ark. To put a stop to this conflict the mercenary group Giga Wing is summoned with five of its members taking a personal stake in the proceedings. Some were created to destroy the Ark, others had their lives destroyed by the war in Serbenia. But one thing is clear: the Art must be destroyed.
Five new pilots take up the fight but the differences are not as blatantly pronounced as before and come down to shot pattern, power and speed. Limi has an explosive shot that is tricky to use as it adds to the onscreen chaos. Cherry can fire in every direction which is great for beginners. Kart has a wide shot and is noticeably slower than the others. My personal favorite is who is probably the most straightforward but I like that. While it is a little disappointing that the characters do not have more individual quirks to their ships there is enough added nuance to the game’s mechanics to make up for it.
The innovative Reflect Force returns and has been expanded in scope in such a way to enhance the gameplay. Now you have two choices: reflect barrier and reflect laser. The reflect barrier functions mostly the same as in the original. However an important nuance has been added to assist in attaining higher scores. If you are moving bullets reflect in that direction. This makes medal spawns easier to cluster and collect. The reflect laser is extremely cool and clearly intended for beginners. Rather than reflecting bullets it instead absorbs them to power homing lasers. The more bullets absorbed the more lasers are fired. The tradeoff is that they randomly select their targets. For those that find the barrier harder to use this is an easier option. I honestly can’t decide which I prefer; the implementation of both is fantastic makes for a good time.
The bullet reflection is not just a cool gimmick. It also leads to further mechanics. Defeated enemies spawn medals that increase your score multiplier. Breaking the bullet limit or reflecting enough bullets to spawn over 100 medals creates a volcanon in which every medal splits into 10-13 more medals. It is sheer chaos onscreen and the key to earning scores in the quintillions. This is where the nuance of the reflect force comes in. Toward the last few seconds of the barrier it contracts before exploding outward. You can manipulate bullets in this small window to group enemies and medals together to trigger a volcanon. I will admit that I am not much of a score chaser and the ridiculousness of the game’s point totals means I don’t care. But triggering a volcano is both extremely fun and a good way to clear the screen.
Mastering these nuances is important as even though the game is accessible with multiple difficulty settings it can still be hard. There are no extra lives and extra firepower is minimal. The game wants you to focus on the reflect force to survive and provides a practice mode to do so. No matter how insane the chaos may seem it is manageable and extremely satisfying when you can navigate the madness and walk away unscathed. Yes you can abuse the infinite credits to brute force your way through. But it is not rewarding and chances are if you are doing so you ignored the mechanics. This is not a particularly long game so it is not as though the challenge is insurmountable.
Overall there are seven levels although that is not exactly precise. The final three stages are all long boss battles with multiple phases. But the game has replay value beyond that. Each of the four initial characters has different weapons that affect how you play and your strategy. In addition you can unlock the original cast and their ships as well. Seeing the five heroes and how they interact with the new mechanics is incredibly fun, not that the game was not to begin with. There is a four player coop mode which I have sadly never had the chance to partake in. There is also an extensive art gallery that unlocks as you play with each character. Personally I like the game so much these are not necessary. But every bit helps.
Giga Wing was a triumph of 2d art and a beautiful game that pushed an insane number of sprites onscreen. Giga Wing 2 uses 3d graphics and is just as pretty and more bombastic. The third dimension allows for impressive camera shifts and angles that frame the action in such a way that is cinematic. It also allows for more elaborate special effects. Despite the increasing spectacle the game never forgets that it is all in service of gameplay. But the rise in production values is welcome. I can see how some might prefer the 2d sprite work but in my opinion the game looks just as good if not better than its predecessor.
In Closing
What an amazing game. Giga Wing 2 is everything a sequel should be. Bigger, badder, and better in every respect. For die hard shooter fans the challenge is there if you want it. For beginners it may seem daunting but the game is very accessible. I thoroughly recommend Giga Wing 2 as it is a very strong title in the Dreamcast library.
