Gradius III & IV First Impression

Coming out for the Playstation2, Gradius III and IV from Konami will be available on one CD. The games are based on the original arcade shooter, and according to the company, both Gradius III and IV will feature improved graphics - which use advanced environmental mapping and polygon morphing - a new easy mode, and a stage-selection option. Adding even more accessibility to the game will be a new continue feature that lets you go back to any part of the level, start over, or just practice specific areas.

To spruce up the presentation of this classic shooter, Konami is also throwing in two brand-new CG intro movies. The company hopes that both games will help "lead the genre into the world of next-generation consoles."

The Gradius III and IV disk for the Playstation2 will be released this fall. Whether Konami's shooter will make it onto the console's US launch lineup remains undecided. GameSpot will bring you that information and more from this year's E3 show.