Ikaruga takes old-school style shooters to a whole new level. This vertical shooter may be one of the hardest games ever made. Even the Easy mode is incredibly tough. But the gameplay is very addicting and quite captivating. You can't play this game casually like other shooters. This game requires your full attention (especially with the bosses!). The ability to switch between black and white was a great idea. It's the only way to save yourself and to charge up for a super attack. The absence of powerups and bombs triple the difficulty even more. And the ability to do chains was a great idea for hardcore players. The graphics are very nice. The ship and boss designs are also quite unique. The levels are wonderfully done and very sharp. It's not too colorful or outrageous. The sound and music is also good. The explosions and laser sounds are adequate. The soundtrack is very good with a memorable score. The more you play it, the more the music will take a hold of you. It's very dramatic. Ikaruga is an excellent shooter for hardcore fans who love those old-school vertical shooters like Raiden, Giga Wing and DoDonPachi. It's just magnificent. Casual players should stay away. This game is not for the faint of heart. Btw, I highly recommend checking out the Ikaruga Appreciate DVD. It shows Japan's top three players playing through the entire game without dying once and creating almost impossible chain attacks. It's a sight to behold.
Ikaruga comes from the same team as the ill-fated Radiant Silvergun on the Saturn, which some have claimed to be “the greatest shooter of all time”. With that kind of heritage, it should be expected to have some impressi... Read Full Review
Chances are, you fall into one of two categories. Either you imported the Dreamcast release of Ikaruga last year and are already hopelessly addicted, or you’ve never heard of it before. For those of you who fit into the ... Read Full Review
