Developer: Konami Publisher: Konami Released: December 18, 1992 Genre: Shooter
One of my biggest gaming disappointments is that the Famicom version of Gradius 2 never left Japan. Like many I assumed Life Force was that game. But when EGM previewed it I wanted it so badly, especially as I never saw it in the arcade. The port itself was stellar given the hardware but little did I know the PC Engine CD version was even better. For its time Gradius 2 – Gofer no Yabou was the best version money could buy and one of the best shooters on the system. That might be my personal bias as I really love the game but I feel it is true.
The first notable aspect of Gradius 2 is the presentation. This version of the game looks absolutely fantastic with a cool animated intro to boot. The resolution is lower but outside of that the game matches up with the arcade game pretty well. The game features plenty of massive bosses and sprites, an area where this system excels. Konami makes use of the CD to present the soundtrack in redbook audio and it is fantastic. Part of what makes Gradius 2 so great is its variety, both visually and thematically. Although a few of the levels are call backs to the original they do so with new twists. The Moai stage goes into overdrive in its second half with ring shaped projectiles firing at a blistering pace. I do wish they did not go overboard with the amount of sprites as it affects the game’s performance.
The one area that the PC Engine edition of Gradius 2 shares with its Famicom counterpart is slowdown. Once you have four options the game will immediately slowdown heavily. If you are using a formation with the Ripple it is even worse. The Crystal stage is a slog to get through because of this and while it never gets as bad as the Nintendo game it is still noticeable. You can initiate it to your advantage but I would still prefer it was gone but I digress.
Gradius 2 borrows many elements from Salamander, namely some of its weapons. Rather than having a default weapon array you have a choice of four configurations. To be honest most of these options are near identical with the only difference being the double and missiles. Two of these weapon arrays come from Salamander and feature the Ripple and my personal favorite two-way missiles. The choice of shield is not even a choice; only a fool would avoid picking the force field.
All eight levels from the arcade are present and retain the same stage progression. Many of the staples that are featured in later games debuted here such as the speed zone and the crystal stage. It is remarkable how many stage themes and bosses would return in later games, down to a near identical boss rush in Gradius III. Speaking of bosses Gofer no Yabou has a unique boss in every stage. It sounds quaint but anyone familiar with the original remembers how tedious it was destroying the Big Core in every stage. The PC Engine game has one exclusive level, Stage X, which takes place among decaying ruins situated in the desert. The double shot excels here as turrets line the ceiling at every turn amid support columns that threaten to crush at every turn. It is so good you will wish there were more.
The Gradius games are famous for their difficulty but this version tones it down. It still puts up a fight but is fair. Even though the game does go too far at times with its bullet count it isn’t close to the brutal arcade version. A consequence of all this is that you can initiate slowdown with a full suite of power-ups. This “trick” is a life saver against certain bosses. Oddly enough this version does not have checkpoints and the game is better for it. Replaying each level from the beginning allows you to collect power-ups again rather than facing some of the aggressive later bosses with the default shot and a speed-up. Those that want the challenge can bump up the difficulty if they want and revel in getting their teeth kicked in. But for those that appreciate a smooth difficulty curve the normal setting is perfectly fine.
In Closing
Gradius 2 is one of many amazing Konami games for the PC Engine that never left japan. Too bad the system was not more popular in the US as their titles would have given it a huge boost. The PC Engine was blessed with plenty of high quality original shooters and arcade ports and Gradius 2 – Gofer no Yabou is still one of its best. Konami turned in a fantastic conversion that shines in the system’s library. Great graphics, a fantastic soundtrack and reasonable difficulty make this incredibly accessible and a great purchase.
