Thunder Force 5

When I first started playing Thunder Force V, I was pretty sure I was going to hate it. Until you begin to understand how each of the weapons work and learn when and where to use them, the game just seems outrageously difficult and often frustrating (on the Normal or Hard difficulties, that is). Once you figure out which weapons work best in given situations however, things begin to get much more tolerable and you start enjoying the game a lot more. Don't get me wrong-this is hardly what I'd consider to be an "instant classic" of a shooter (Einhander and G.Darius both run circles around it), but there's definitely more to it than what originally meets the eye. If you were a fan of past TF games, you may be a little bit letdown that there doesn't seem to be as much hard-core gameplay in TFV as there was in past TF games, but what's here is still very solid. The graphics are pretty good (nothing mindblowing), the music is excellent (lots of great remixes of classic TF tunes), and the other Modes (like Time Attack and Digital Viewer) are worthy extras. The lack of a Two-player Mode really bites, but aside from that, I really don't have any major complaints about TFV. If you're looking for a challenging shooter that's got a stylish design and a rockin' soundtrack, Thunder Force V won't disappoint.

Thunder Force V is an above-average shooter that is just incredibly difficult. If you want to see the game's best ending you're gonna need some help from above. Of course, you can set it to a lower difficulty but then you won't be able to see all of the game. Still. TFV is pretty cool. The graphics aren't as good as G.Darius but there's very little slowdown--it's a tough trade-off. Also, the interface is the most impressive I've seen.

TFV has a lot going for it: solid controls, great graphics and spiffy weapon effects. On a slight downside, the game is a fairly standard shooter fare; no branching levels like in G.Darius, no real weapon technique needed like in Einhander (or G.Darius again), etc. But even with its straightforward gameplay, TFV is very addicting. The game is extremely challenging (read: "hard"), so those with a weak heart or short fuse, be warned.

Yes, TFV is an extremely difficult game--but it's hard in a seemingly friendly way. You'll gradually earn more continues as you play and replay the game. And you can choose the order in which you play the first three levels, so you can clear some of the trickier stages first (or die trying, then reset so you don't waste a continue). It all makes for an intense shooter that gets frustrating but keeps you coming back for more.