OUR RATING: 8.7 GREAT About our ratings

TANGIBLES: Gameplay: 8 Visuals: 9 Audio: 9 Value: 9 Quality: 9

Why you should buy it: Not Available Why you should rent it: Not Available

UNIQUE RATING: 8.7 SUGGESTION: N/A

"Speed up! Missile! Double! Option! Laser! Shield!" Anyone that's familiar with those terms is probably a die hard Gradius fan that has taken countless flights in the famous Vic Viper. As if Ikaruga and R-Type Final weren't enough to liven up the nearly extinct space shooter genre, along comes Gradius V. Although this particular version of Gradius was developed by Treasure and not Konami, there is no denying the quality that oozes from this title. Gradius V does what every space shooter should do: test your patience, reflexes and memorization skills. In addition to being one of the best space shooters available, the game also looks superb and sounds fantastic. Throw in a $30 price tag and you have no excuse not to own this game if you're a fan of old-school gaming.

If you've played any of the past Gradius games or any of its spin offs (Life Force, Nemesis), then you should know what to expect from Gradius V. The Earth/Galaxy is in peril and you (and a buddy if you play 2-player) are the only one that can stand against the seemingly unstoppable enemy threat. You shoot enemies while collecting power ups to build up your arsenal. One of the main reasons Gradius has always stood out is its weapon system. By collecting red pods you can cycle through a selection of weapon upgrades such as Speed Ups, Missiles, Lasers, and the best of all, Multiples (or Options as old-school Gradius fans would call them). You can collect up to four Multiples and they replicate the fire power that you already have. So if you already have Missiles and Lasers firing out of your ship, your Multiples will also fire Missiles and Lasers. The more fire power you have coming out of your ship, the better. You can choose from four weapon types before you begin play. Each type has a different set of Missiles, Doubles, and Multiples. No matter which set you choose, you'll always be able to control your Multiples in a unique way with the R1 button. Let's say you choose Type 4. You'll be able to rotate your Multiples around your ship, creating a pseudo shield. If you complete the first loop of the game, you'll be able to mix up weapon types a la Gradius III.

Like every other Gradius game, Gradius V is a game heavily based on the player's skill: if you suck, you aren't going to get very far. Of course, even adept players will have their egos downsized by the game's difficulty. Even on the lowest setting you should be prepared to be humbled. There are times where you'll have to dodge huge waves of enemy fire in the form of tiny bullets, missiles or lasers. The early levels provide a feeling of tension and uncertainty--feelings that are welcome in any good space shooter. When things really look tough and your back is against the wall (or the left side of the screen), you'll probably be thinking, "Oh, man, I don't know if I can get through this!" When you do make it through what seems like an impossible situation, there's this great feeling of accomplishment, a feeling of mastery. You looked death square in the eyes and actually walked (or flew) away with your life. A large part of your success in Gradius V will also depend on your memory. Memorizing level layouts and boss paterns is key in this game. By knowing what to expect, you'll cut down the number of lost ships (lives) as you go further into the game.

Gradius V is a tough game but it isn't entirely merciless. If you're persistent or just a glutton for punishment, all the hours you log into the game will be rewarded. For each hour that you play, you're given 1 credit increase. Log up to 17 hours and you'll unlock Free Play. The famous Konami code even works for the game so if you want all your weapoms ASAP they are just a few button taps away. Things are a bit easier when playing with a buddy but they also'get a bit confusing. Even though your partner's ship is red, you'll probably still mistake his ship for yours. If you play nice (meaning you share the power-ups), there are less weapons for each of you to have. That being said, 2-player Gradius V rocks and is well worth the sacrifice of'fewer weapons provided you aren't a power-up hog.