Developer: Konami Publisher: Konami Release: 12/16/88 Genre: Shooter
I am sure there are millions like myself who just assumed that Konami’s Life Force was the sequel to Gradius. Both shared similar ships and near identical power-up systems and enemies. But in reality the true sequel to Gradius would unfortunately stay in Japan. More than likely this was due to its use of the VRC4 chip was more powerful than anything available in the US. Regardless we missed out on a truly great game as Gradius II is one of the system’s finest.
The innovative weapon system of the original returns and is even better. Much like Parodius (another Konami series, they were incestuous with their IP) you have a choice of four weapon configurations. Going forward this would become a staple of the series and I like it. It grants the freedom for everyone to tackle the game differently. You are not locked into your choice either; upon continuing you can switch if need be.
Upon closer inspection the differences between each group are not as pronounced as you would expect. The only weapons that change are your missiles, double shot, and laser although to be fair those are all major. The missiles are especially different: photon torpedoes are powerful but only travel below while the spread bomb creates an explosion for splash damage. I have yet to meet anyone who has ever bothered with the double shot. I am sure those weirdos exist but they are shunned from society for a reason. The ripple carries over from Salamander and in my opinion is the best choice.
If you thought having two options was great you’ll flip when you collect four! The increased firepower four options provide is insane as you can cover almost half of the screen. This does cause problems which I will get into in a little bit. But it is still worth getting as soon as possible. As an extra once you reach the max selecting option again turns them into a rotating shield for ten seconds. This offers double the protection on top of the already strong force field.
The first game was a bit limited in terms of level variety but you will have no complaints here. It is immediately obvious that Gradius II is in a completely different league from its predecessor from its initial level. The numerous burning suns spawn fire dragons that give chase while solar flares randomly erupt. It would not be Gradius without a Moai stage and they have a nasty surprise at the halfway point. Like Super C some of the levels have been rearranged and there is new content. There is an additional boss at the end of stage 2, and the boss rush adds the final boss from Life Force as a bonus. Sadly one boss was also lost in translation, the Death MKII.
This version of Gradius II is far easier than its brutal arcade counterpart. The NES limitations mean the game cannot throw a bazillion bullets at you making it far more manageable. In addition you can use the slowdown to your advantage to make the boss battles a lot easier. The game is extremely generous with power-ups so even if you die it is not rough getting back up to speed. While there is a thirty lives code it is not as useful since you go back to a checkpoint on death. It is still worth using though.
Konami have done a great job of squeezing the arcade’s visuals into the NES. There is basically more of everything. The level of detail packed into its environments is stunning and there is simply more activity all around. The miniature suns of stage one are just the beginning as you fly through a sea of Moai heads, navigate a crystal maze and even fly through the intestines of the Bacterion leader. The bosses dwarf the mother ship of the original and are fantastic in design. The soundtrack is excellent although some of the music tracks have been switched around. It does come at a price however.
The one area this version of Gradius II suffers is in slowdown. This is some of the worst slowdown I have ever experienced; the game moves in literal slow motion at times. The thing is you are the direct cause! With four options and a weapon like the ripple filling the screen things slow to a crawl. Once you stop everything goes back to normal. It doesn’t happen all of the time but on certain levels like the Red Crystal Cage or the Old Stone Age you can expect it to drag on. As annoying as this can be it actually works in your favor. Initiating slowdown will allow you to dodge bullets or avoid colliding with bosses in tight areas. Some may say it is cheating, I say who cares?
In Closing
It truly is a shame that Gradius II remained a Famicom exclusive. I like Life Force but it simply cannot compare to this near masterpiece. Even with its technical flaws this is still one of the best shooters for the system and a great all-around game.
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