The X360 is full of good shooters and I'm pleased that Milestone aimed high for this release of Radirgy Noa.
While it doesn't hold up to what Cave offers, Noa Massive is better than the original Dreamcast/GC/PS2 title and quite fun to play.
The core mechanics haven't changed: players can shoot, swing a sword and use the ABS Net to gain temporary invulnerability and higher score multipliers, up to 16x.
There is just one robot type per player and the long-range weapon can be changed by acquiring three different power ups: green (forward laser with a small spread), yellow (adds left and right lasers and reduces forward power) and red (X-shaped fire patter); hitting a power up with the sword will make the item change color.
I've always had the impression that the ABS Net in the first Radirgy was an underused feature; in Noa Massive the ABS Net is the core mechanic of the whole game and using it is not just for scoring purposes, but it's a requirement to pass past the last levels.
During the first levels the Net can be kept up almost indefinitely with little trouble. On later levels filling the ABS meter requires a good dose of aggressiveness and tactic, as having the barrier down or not ready to be deployed could mean a lower score multiplier or having to spend too much time dodging without hitting something.
Managing the ABS Net is the key to get past dangerous areas while raking up points and one of the game's high points and Milestone provided both visual and aural cues to ease the player in understanding when the ABS is expiring and when its meter is full.
These ideas are carried over all modes with the only exceptions of different power ups in Classic mode, which only features the green laser.
Other than that, Classic mode is a bit easier than Arcade mode and does not feature "bonus stages" between levels where you have to progressively destroy a though aircraft.
I think this aircraft is somewhat related to the "true ending" one of the achievements mentions, but I think it also involves getting a certain score and destroying all bosses with at least a 2x multiplier.
There are two additional modes, Massive and Death.
Massive is a high-score run while Death mode has the player protecting a bunker from enemy assaults.
In both modes the player cannot die by enemy fire: Massive mode has a 120 seconds limit while Death mode lasts as long as the bunker is alive; I still have to fully understand what damages the bunker, but I think it's about the number of enemies slipped past the player per wave.
There's a game fifth mode but I still have to unlock it.
The graphics recall directly the first Radirgy, but they look better in HD, also thanks an higher polygonal count. Still somewhat repetitive and lacking in style, they are functional and well defined, though at first it's a bit hard to get the correct location of your robot's hit box.
What I don't like is the soundtrack as I'm not particularly fond of house/techno music.
Voices are kept to a minimum (I think there are six voice samples in the whole game, including the title screen), menus are in English but in-game text is in Japanese and fully understanding the story is the only language barrier I can think of.
There is a gallery with all eye catches shown between levels available from the start for your viewing pleasure, plus few movies of high-score runs in Arcade, Massive and Death mode; unfortunately these movies are recorded at a low resolution and look very pixelated, but are still a good example on how to play the game for a high score.
Buy Radirgy Noa Massive at Play-Asia (ntsc-uk affiliate link)
While it doesn't hold up to what Cave offers, Noa Massive is better than the original Dreamcast/GC/PS2 title and quite fun to play.
The core mechanics haven't changed: players can shoot, swing a sword and use the ABS Net to gain temporary invulnerability and higher score multipliers, up to 16x.
There is just one robot type per player and the long-range weapon can be changed by acquiring three different power ups: green (forward laser with a small spread), yellow (adds left and right lasers and reduces forward power) and red (X-shaped fire patter); hitting a power up with the sword will make the item change color.
I've always had the impression that the ABS Net in the first Radirgy was an underused feature; in Noa Massive the ABS Net is the core mechanic of the whole game and using it is not just for scoring purposes, but it's a requirement to pass past the last levels.
During the first levels the Net can be kept up almost indefinitely with little trouble. On later levels filling the ABS meter requires a good dose of aggressiveness and tactic, as having the barrier down or not ready to be deployed could mean a lower score multiplier or having to spend too much time dodging without hitting something.
Managing the ABS Net is the key to get past dangerous areas while raking up points and one of the game's high points and Milestone provided both visual and aural cues to ease the player in understanding when the ABS is expiring and when its meter is full.
These ideas are carried over all modes with the only exceptions of different power ups in Classic mode, which only features the green laser.
Other than that, Classic mode is a bit easier than Arcade mode and does not feature "bonus stages" between levels where you have to progressively destroy a though aircraft.
I think this aircraft is somewhat related to the "true ending" one of the achievements mentions, but I think it also involves getting a certain score and destroying all bosses with at least a 2x multiplier.
There are two additional modes, Massive and Death.
Massive is a high-score run while Death mode has the player protecting a bunker from enemy assaults.
In both modes the player cannot die by enemy fire: Massive mode has a 120 seconds limit while Death mode lasts as long as the bunker is alive; I still have to fully understand what damages the bunker, but I think it's about the number of enemies slipped past the player per wave.
There's a game fifth mode but I still have to unlock it.
The graphics recall directly the first Radirgy, but they look better in HD, also thanks an higher polygonal count. Still somewhat repetitive and lacking in style, they are functional and well defined, though at first it's a bit hard to get the correct location of your robot's hit box.
What I don't like is the soundtrack as I'm not particularly fond of house/techno music.
Voices are kept to a minimum (I think there are six voice samples in the whole game, including the title screen), menus are in English but in-game text is in Japanese and fully understanding the story is the only language barrier I can think of.
There is a gallery with all eye catches shown between levels available from the start for your viewing pleasure, plus few movies of high-score runs in Arcade, Massive and Death mode; unfortunately these movies are recorded at a low resolution and look very pixelated, but are still a good example on how to play the game for a high score.
Buy Radirgy Noa Massive at Play-Asia (ntsc-uk affiliate link)