 If the name
Psikyo rings a bell, it should. This dedicated Japanese
developer has been producing solid console titles for a
number of years now, although none have ever been picked
up for (Western) release. Regular readers will have
encountered Psikyo's work with the 2D beat 'em up 'Groove
on Fight' as well as the forthcoming coin-op, Fallen
Angels. Sol Divide sees the
company on familiar ground, with an impressive mix of
fast-paced shoot 'em up action and screen-hogging
end-of-level bosses.The game immerses players on yer
typical fantasy environments, complete with monsters,
magic and er.. musclebound men with ridiculous hero names
like Kashon..
  .jpg) 
Doesn't
look too bad eh? Actually this game is
OK.. if someone else is actually playing it..
Selecting
either Arcade or Saturn (Original) Modes launches your
chosen hero into an epic, side-scrolling battle against
the forces of darkness. Gameplay is fast and fluid with
multiple on-screen enemies unleashing all manner of
energy-leeching attacks, before players tackle massive
stage guardians. Typical shooter elements are in full
effect as players have basic shots and weapon strikes at
their disposal, with more visually impressive magical
assaults collected along the way. By blasting creatures,
picking up treasure chests they leave behind and then
unlocking these with the correct keys, players soon gain
access to graphically staggering powers. And you'll need
'em.
Other items may also be collected, such as potions and
health-icons, yet some of these often have a negative
effect on the player's health. Knowing which icons to
pick up and avoid proves almost as troublesome as some of
the creatures encountered in the game's latter stages.
Speaking of which, setting the game's difficulty to the
easiest (the bizarrely labelled 'Monkey'!) and opting for
a spot of two-player-team-up action enables even the most
talentless of gamers to blast through to the final
end-of-level boss in no time at all. Ho hum..
Still, Sol Divide's most impressive feature has to be its
amazing animated bosses. Seemingly inspred by Ray
Harryhausen's legendary stop-motion monster models, these
creations are often so huge that they dwarf players and
are sometimes actually larger than the screen. We've seen
towering end-of-level guardians before but the fact that
these gory giants are subtly animated and move with a
speed that belies their bulk is testament to Psikyo's
programming skills.
 
(Left)
In the words of the immortal Abba song.. 'I am the Hydra'
(Right) 'Er..Hallo.. Tooth Fairy?'
Recent 2D
scrolling shoot 'em ups have either been retro blasters
or space-based battlers, but Sol Divide's fantasy spin
actually gives this title a personality of its own. At
first glance we were convinced this was just another
indecipherable Japanese offering. However, time spent
with Sol Divide actually leaves you wanting more of the
same. From challenging levels and creatures to a for the
most-part lack of slow-down and cool spells, Sol divide
proves its mettle. Of course additional levels, playable
characters and fully rendered endings would not have gone
amiss but maybe Psikyo could squeeze these features into
a Dreamcast sequel? Fingers crossed.. (Mine aren't..
Mike)
  
(Left) the 'Freeze'
spell (Middle) the 'Death' spell (Right)
Some gryphons - lovely..
If you are
interested in learning more about Psikyo's shoot 'em up
games old and new, check out their entire catalogue here on their Japanese website.
If I can manage to navigate it so should you.. ;)
|
