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Game Title: Rescue Shot
Platform: PSOne
Developer: Now Production
Publisher: Namco
Genre: Light Gun Shooter
Age Rating: ELSPA: 3+
Release Date: 2000
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Game Score: 8.0/10
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Summery:
Even if it is short you need to check out Rescue Shot if you want to see a unique twist in the Light Gun genre.
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There are many different light gun games that were released but however many of those titles were quite violent and this is when Namco came in with Point Blank that lets you shoot clay pigeons, cardboard cutscene bad guys and black and white coloured targets. Namco's G-Con 45 titles have had some of the more unique Light Gun titles in the genre but then comes Rescue Shot which offers more then just being a simple shooting gallery.
The premise is that you have to protect Bo a harmless dog rabbit hybrid creature who loses his memory after being literally kicked off a cliff by the bully bats and in order to restore his memory he needs to collect crystals called dream fragments. Along the way Bo will have to deal with various nasty people who will do at nothing to steal the dream fragments for their own deeds. The storyline is told in still frame images in which the art style look stylish and also during some cutscenes in which the writing in those is well writing for the most part aside from one instance I noticed a spelling error. Dispute that it is a decent storyline that is worth sitting through even if there is no plot twists to take note of but for a kids game at least it is kept to a light hearted setting.
Now if anyone thinks that Rescue Shot is just a simple shooting gallery then you are wrong. Instead Rescue Shot is a game where you need to keep an eye out for Bo who is very defenceless and will walk blindly into anything. Bo's enemies range from various nasty bats, birds, bully kids, hedgehogs, gangsters and robots and you have to shoot them before they get close to Bo. On top of enemies there are dangerous hazardous to be aware of, these include gaps, bombs, poison mushrooms, barrels and enemy projectiles. Your goal isn't just to shoot down enemies that pop up on the screen your goal is to keep Bo safe so that he makes his way through each of the game's stages. You can also shoot Bo in the bottom to make him jump forward which is handy to speeding up the level unless it's in the front, also you can shoot him in the head which will cause him to fall over, you will find yourself eventually deciding to shoot him because by jumping or ducking Bo can avoid taking damage from enemies or avoid traps. Don't worry Bo doesn't take damage from bullets fired by the player so you are free to shoot him to your hearts contempt.
Rescue Shot mixes up the gameplay with platform segments where you need to shoot Bo so that he can jump across, these aren't plastered all over the game but do spice up the gameplay really well. To top the gameplay up the stages themselves look really cool and the enemy layout is well handled to make sure the gameplay doesn't get repetitive. One moment you could be taking on a wave of enemies while trying a hazard and then another moment you have to guide Bo through a maze to reach the castle within the time limit. It's the kind of thing that Rescue Shot does so well that it makes the gameplay so good. Each stage has a boss fight that you take on at the end, each of them has their own attack pattern and projectile that can be easily exploited.
There are also small challenges that you get to take on throughout the game like a form of whack-a-mole, escorting a butterfly or little red raiding hood herself through an area without taking a hit or uncovering hidden targets. Also the game has a some interactivity within the environment in which there are objects like lights, plants, windows and signs which can be shot for points, plus if you are lucky you might even uncover a few secret items. While you do get to shoot everything you should avoid shooting bombs unless it's near enemies or away from Bo and also Little Red Riding Hood who appears in some of the game's stages where she needs to be saved often.
Whenever Bo gets injured he will need to replenish his health, you do so by finding food items like Apples, Strawberries, Lemons and Melons, just make sure you don't feed him Poison Mushrooms because they damage him. You will also find explosive ammunition that you can use to damage multiple enemies or tough bosses and all throughout the game you want to collect as many dream fragments to be able to extend Bo's Life bar.
Rescue Shot can be played with the G-Con 45 Light Gun (Guncon in Japan and America) but if you are allowing your children to play this game you have to make sure that they are capable of using the Light Gun. If they can't thankfully the game supports a standard controller and even better the game supports a compatible playstation mouse which is most useful for a child who wants to play along. The game can also be played alone or with a friend through drop in cooperative play.
Rescue Shot does so much that in which many Light Gun games would never do aside from Laser Ghost on the Master System although it does one major issue holding it back. The game is very short, the game only lasts just over an hour from start to finish. Sure the game has some levels where it can offer multiple paths to go through and also 3 difficulty settings but it can't hide that the game is just too short, even worse that there is no other game modes either besides selecting a stage to play. Even if Bo eventually dies you can just shoot Retry and replay the stage from the beginning but it will reset your score to 0. Even so Rescue Shot's gameplay is really enjoyable while the fun lasts.
The only other thing you would find yourself playing around with is in the game's main menu because there is interactivity such as shooting the menu signs and shooting the characters wondering around. As a kid I always found it amusing to simply shoot down everybody and anything within this menu and see what is hidden around.
Rescue Shots presentation is very top notch even for a PS1 game. The models look cartoonish which fits in with the game's art style, explosions and fiery effects are cool and the environments are well designed, although running animations can look a little stiff and there is only one part of clipping. The game's soundtrack with some fitting technical tunes, character voices are represented Lylat style voice samples like in Lylatwars and the gunfire isn't bad but it is something you have to get used to.
While it is a very short game you need to check out Rescue Shot if you are a fan of Light Gun games and want to see a unique twist in the Light Gun genre. The gameplay is very unique and creative and it stands on its own against other Light Gun titles on the PS1. The presentation is superb and the game itself does feel rather appropriate for children to play. It is a shame that the game is rather short and is lacking in other game modes but you can't deny that the gameplay is addictive and fun for what it is and seriously give this game a solid recommendation if you are lucky to buy it cheap. Just be sure to play the game on an old television if you want the game with an actual Light Gun because you can't use those controllers with any LCD, HD or flat screen televisions.
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The Good Points:
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1. Unique gameplay mechanics for shooting and platforming
2. Great boss battles
3. You get to shoot plenty of stuff
4. Looks really great
The Bad Points:
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1. It is very short and there is no other game modes
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Reviewed by: Anthony Hayball (AQWBlaZer91)
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