Gradius V
A 2D scrolling shooter set in outer space.
In 2004, Konami published Gradius V for the PlayStation 2, a scrolling shooter largely developed by Treasure, the studio behind Radiant Silvergun and Ikaruga. Players pilot the Vic Viper through space against the Bacterian empire. Critics praised its level and graphic design as a classic revival, though its difficulty drew complaints.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Treasure
- Publisher
- Konami
- Director
- Hiroshi Iuchi; Atsutomo Nakagawa
- Producer
- Yasushi Takano
- Artist
- Hidetaka Tenjin
- Composer
- Hitoshi Sakimoto
- Series
- Gradius
- Platforms
- PlayStation 2
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
In Gradius V, players pilot the Vic Viper through a 2D scrolling shooter where enemy formations, some still and others moving, fire bullets. Levels mix open space with tight corridors, switching between horizontal and vertical scrolling. Any contact with anything on screen destroys the Vic Viper and costs a life. The hit box is smaller than in earlier games, making it easier to slip through narrow gaps. For the first time since the Salamander series, players can reappear right where they died and continue playing, or they can restart from a previous checkpoint depending on the settings. Losing all lives offers a chance to continue and resume from the same spot. Extra lives appear after reaching a points threshold set in the options, and extra continues can be earned based on total play time. The game supports one or two players simultaneously. At the start, players pick a weapon loadout from the "Select Weapon Array" screen. An unlockable "Weapon Edit" feature, accessed after meeting certain conditions, lets players customize the Vic Viper with weapon combinations from that screen, older Gradius games, or entirely new armaments. Players can begin from the start or jump to any stage they have already cleared. A "Score Attack" mode runs the game from the beginning under fixed conditions and gives a password to post the top score online. Other options include viewing local high scores, saving or loading data on a PlayStation 2 memory card, and adjusting settings such as stereo or monaural sound, difficulty, number of lives, points needed for extra lives, whether to restart at a checkpoint or immediately after dying, and button layout.
Plot
The year is 8010, and Gradius is under attack once more by the Bacterian alien force. The Vic Viper T-301, piloted by an unnamed soldier, is sent to stop them. In the middle of the fight, a massive Bacterian ship warps in and heads straight for Gradius on a suicide course. A second Vic Viper appears, instructing the pilot to destroy the ship’s two cores at the same time. They succeed, and the Vic Viper moves on to other targets. Later, the pilot finds a ship in a Bacterian base that he cannot destroy. Examining it, he learns it is the same kamikaze vessel from earlier. He understands that the other Vic Viper pilot was actually his future self. Opening a time portal, he travels back to help his past self destroy the ship. This time, the Bacterian core speaks, claiming it is a fragment of a being once called Venom, and declares that the Bacterians will always return. With the mission complete, the pilot returns to his own time.
Development
Gradius V was officially announced on January 16, 2003 as a joint venture between Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo and Treasure, a development studio founded by former Konami employees. Senior producer Osamu Kasai explained that due to limited resources, development had to be outsourced, and a potential collaborator needed experience with modern shoot 'em ups and a shared design philosophy; Kasai concluded that Treasure was the best choice. Producer Yasushi Takano stated that the traditional Gradius formula had become stagnant and expressed a desire for a new direction to remain relevant, also admitting that some early work was not as impressive as it later became. The game went through several iterations and was delayed, making frequent appearances at trade fairs including the Electronic Entertainment Expo and Tokyo Game Show. Plans for a counterpart for video arcades were canceled due to time constraints. On April 9, 2004, Konami announced a DVD called OPTIONS for pre-ordering customers in Japan, containing interviews, art galleries, and videos demonstrating level inner workings. A book titled The History of Vic Viper was included with all versions of the original Japanese pressing. An additional DVD, Gradius V Official DVD The Perfect, was released in Japan separately or with the game from Konami's online retail store Konamistyle. For the North American release, Konami produced a DVD called Gradius Breakdown as a pre-order incentive, including a series retrospective and recorded playthroughs.
Reception
Gradius V received generally favorable reviews according to Metacritic. Positive response focused on the intricate level design, graphical excellence, and old-school appeal of the shoot 'em up genre. Negative criticism highlighted the game's difficulty and an over-reliance on established genre conventions. X-Play noted that while the action is constant and involving, the lack of variation and the need to be in an exact spot at an exact time may not strike everyone as fun. Famitsu gave it a score of 32 out of 40.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Gradius V released?
Gradius V was released on July 22, 2004 in Japan, on September 14, 2004 in North America, on October 8, 2004 in Europe and on October 29, 2004 in Australia.
Who directed Gradius V?
Gradius V was directed by Hiroshi Iuchi and Atsutomo Nakagawa.
Who composed the music for Gradius V?
The music for Gradius V was composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto.
Is Gradius V single-player or multiplayer?
Gradius V offers single-player and multiplayer play.
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