Reviewing a modern day shmup is never an easy task. While the games in the genre do tend to differ quite a bit with the quality of their level designs, visuals, and gameplay systems, at the end of the day a good shmup (not an amazing shmup) simply means that the game in question is not a bad shmup and beyond that there really isn’t all too much to say about it. So with Raiden III, the latest entry in Taito’s classic shmup series that were favorites of many in the arcades, the only question that truly really arises is: Is Raiden III a good shmup?
Long story short, the answer to that is a solid (yet maybe not spectacular) yes. Raiden III’s design harkens back to the early 90s allowing players to re-live their days of Raiden glory, but now with 3D visuals and a green laser instead of a purple one. It brings back the era of shmups when there weren’t really any crazy deep scoring systems, Lolita girls, or incredible looking locations. No, instead Raiden III brings us back to the idea that shmups are about shooting things, dodging lots of bullets, and using the occasional bomb.
The biggest change in Raiden III from its predecessors is that the purple wavy beam that swung around and impressed everyone with its great visuals back in the 90s has now been given the color of green. Yes, indeed, that’s about it when it comes to changes. Scores are added up in a fairly standard way, which gives bonus multipliers if enemies are killed in quick succession. Weapons are powered up either by collecting P icons or continuously collecting power-ups of the same color and as always bombs are collected from defeated foes and use sparingly to wipe out the entire screen of enemies and just let the player escape from near certain death. For the most part though, the game is just about moving around, keeping watch on bullets, and shooting everything one could possibly see. Compared to the intense and rewarding scoring systems of Cave shmups it definitely feels a tad light and frankly just isn’t as much fun. But at the same time, the level layouts are great and the challenge level is setup just right so that beginners have a bit of time to learn the layouts, while even experts will be challenged by mid-game. The end result of the gameplay is an enjoyable shmup that proves there’s nothing too terribly wrong with sticking to a simple formula as long as you keep it fun.
The graphics are similar to the gameplay in that they do the job but don’t tend to stick out in any unique or interesting way. At 60fps, they’re smooth, fast, and look much better than quite many 3d shmups, but at the same time they don’t hold a candle to the 2D visuals Cave keeps pumping out on a regular basis. After going through Cave’s great levels, non-stop explosions, and awesome sprite-work enemies, Raiden III’s empty oceans, forests, and bases don’t do much besides “not looking bad”. Bullets remain easy to see, enemies crafts are well designed, and swinging around the green laser is just as neat visually as doing it with the purple one back in the day. In an age where many lower-budget games fail in their transition to 3D, it’s to Raiden III’s credit that it does look quite close to the originals in terms of visual style.
With regards to the music, Raiden III’s soundtrack is definitely a throwback to the olden days. Every track sounds like it could’ve been ripped straight out of the original Raiden and while some may be disappointed in the midish tunes, these same tunes do give the game some character and emphasize its retro feel.
The one thing that’s not retro about the game though is the modes added for the home version. Besides the main arcade mode and score attack (that lets you begin from any stage), a boss rush also becomes available after the game is cleared. In addition, straight from the start players can both record their own replays and watch an already recorded expert player breeze through the game (which is great for learning level layouts). There are also all sorts of art galleries, and bonus supplemental features that can be unlocked through repeated plays. Best of all, for those who are skilled shmup experts, once cleared, the second wave of the game allows players to control two ships at once while using both analogue sticks. Though most gamers will never actually see this mode, it’s a nice idea that should challenge even the hardcore to no end.
So in the end, Raiden III is a good shmup. Its solid looking, has good bullet patterns/enemies, and the levels are set at just the right level in terms of fun and difficulty (there are also multiple difficulty options available from the start). The game is never a bore, nor is it frustrating to the point of wanting to break the disc in two. For fans of the genre it’s simply a nice way to have some good fun for a week or two, and for others it’s a good reminder of what the genre was like before Cave. While it might not do anything to make it stand out as a must have shmups on the console front, Raiden III still well-made enough that’s its worth giving a shot.
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