Shooter is unique and fun, but it isn't without its flaws.
User Rating: 7 | Sanvein (SuperLite 1500 Series) PS
Shooter: Starfighter Sanvein is what it sounds like, a starfighter shooting game for the Playstation. It seems like an arcade port, which it probably is. Apparently it came out in 2001, although the game itself seems much older. Anyway, the deal with Shooter is you're supposed to choose a body type for your ship and then a weapon type. Then you're tossed onto this strange grid, which sort of resembles a board game. Each of the spaces is a level, and it's your job to shoot your way through the normal levels in order to get to the boss. However, if you just go on a straight route to get to the boss, you'll have a tough time. That's because the more levels you clear that surround a given level, the more powerful your weapons will be. Say, for example, that you clear out two levels surrounding a boss, but leave three other levels attached to the boss. You then go in to fight the boss. Your weapons will be at probably Level 2 strength. Which isn't too bad, you can finish the level if you're a good player, but if you go back and clear out those other three levels, then enter the boss, you'll have Level 5 weapons when you fight the boss, which are far more powerful. This strategic element to the game prevents it from being just a standard shooter. However, there are other things that set this game apart. One thing is the timer. There's no health in this game. The only way to die is if you run out of time. You start with a specific amount of time, and use that timer throughout the entire string of levels. But if you defeat a boss, you get time added, to preserve your life. However, if you get hit by an enemy, your time goes down faster, and you don't gain time by beating normal levels, just when you defeat bosses. This time element adds another uniqueness factor to the game, and it's definitely interesting and suspenseful when you start to get low on time. The shooting gameplay itself is not entirely original, but it is in some aspects. The game takes place on an overhead perspective, giving you a good view of you and your enemies. Still, there's a lot going on on the screen, with multiple enemies as well as a bunch of strange effects, so it's possible to get disoriented once in a while. Using the regular Playstation controller with the d-pad doesn't work very well. Luckily analog control is supported, which works much better. Overall Shooter is fun to play.
The graphics in Shooter are highly unique. The ship models aren't very detailed, neither are the backgrounds, but there's a lot of effects on the screen, as if you're caught in some kind of alternate dimension inside a supercomputer or something. No other game I've played looks like this, so it scores points for originality. But in actuality, the game doesn't look too great for a late Playstation game. The frame rate also tends to bog down every now and then, but it's unclear as to whether this was a stylistic choice made by the developers for effect, or if the hardware just can't handle so much stuff going on at the same time on the game. the levels are small battlefields and do not differ from one another, be it by level layout or backgrounds. There's a few types of enemies in the game but apart from the bosses, they're highly generic. The sound in the game really isn't that good at all. The sound effects are okay, the music matches the action, but the sound is highly repetitive, and not in a good way. The sound doesn't kill the game or anything, but it definitely could've been a lot better.
Shooter also doesn't have much replay value. This is a game that you'll most likely play once, then not touch again for a year or longer, then play through it again, enjoying the unique aspects of the game again, but then not play it again. I personally enjoyed Shooter because it's something different, but the game isn't without its flaws. However, if you get the chance, I wholly reccomend you pick up this game. Just for the reason that innovation in games is lacking somewhat, and Shooter is definitely innovative.
