This 3D scrolling shooter is prehaps Squaresoft's most underappreciated game.
For those who wonders what sets this game so far apart from others in its genre, Einhänder is about a pilot in control of "Einhänder", a space fighter, against the earth. These fighters are pretty much on suicide missions from the moon, and obviously you are the pilot aforementioned.
The unique aspect to this game is that your ship can be equipped with an extra weapon, in addition to the regular plain jane guns. These additional weapons can be equipped at the beginning of the game if playing under Easy difficulty, and can be stolen or taken from enemies that has these weapons. While these weapons are not required to win the game, it sure does make it much easier to take down the sub-bosses and bosses. Controls are responsive and precise, and the game is challenging enough in any difficulty to keep players occupied.
While the game was overall great, replayability suffers from the lack of any motivations to keep the players coming back after it is beaten, since there are no extra modes or unlockable goods. The bosses all follow a predictable set of attack and movement patterns, making them easy to beat . With all in consideration, Einhänder is one of Squaresoft's most underappreciated games, eclipsed by their Final Fantasy franchise.