GUN FRONTIER




GF is one of the harder to find shmups on the SEGA Saturn today. It commands a rather hefty tag, going anywhere from 55 to 80 dollars. To borrow the headline from DAM's review of GF: Here's a solid home conversion of an obscure Taito F2 top-down Arcade shooter from 1990, notable for an unusual and surreal graphic style and some tough hardcore gameplay.

It does indeed have an unusual and surreal graphic style. In fact, watch the intro... watch the stage where there's a huge B&W flickering theatre screen that pops outta nowhere... this game has a sort of desperate "Diary of Anne Frank" feel to it.

And the gameplay -- ah yes this is a tough one. Not the toughest shmup you'll ever play but it surely will test the hardest of the hardcore. A old-fashioned game that features punishing re-start points, this one is no Sunday picnic.

Your initial weapon is very weak and hopeless, and you upgrade by shooting specific powerup drone ships. Even then, rapid fire in this game is not constantly streaming. It comes out in bursts, and this is something more modern shooter fans will have to adjust to. It's a little frustrating at first but you adjust to it eventually...

Gun Frontier is definitely an acquired taste. I hate using the term "for hardcore players only" but it really is. Graphically it won't blow anyone away, and gameplay wise it's not flashy like Souky or RSG.

Battle Garegga resembles GF quite a bit now that I've played it. In fact I've heard the makers of BG paid homage to GF with some similar elements found in Garegga, just a lot more modernized.

The best part of this game for me is no doubt the music. Wow what a soundtrack. Some of the music here qualifies as "good workout" music... it just gets your blood pumping and your adrenaline racing. Good good stuff.

I almost beat this game, made it to the final boss. He is very unique... I won't spoil the surprise. But yeah, there are 6 levels and then you go to the boss. You can't really call it a 7th level.

GUN Frontier is right... the bosses are all shapes of guns IIRC.


one of 7 big bad gun-related bosses


For a more in-depth view and pictures go here:

www.stickycarpet.com/dam/gunfrev.htm

For just pictures go here:

http://www.markinjapan.com/detail.php?selected=213

Overall, GF will surely not appeal to everyone. I can't whole heartedly recommend it, as there are better shooters available on Saturn. However, if you love a challenge, don't mind old school games and got all the big-name shooters already, GF's worth a look. Just stick with it, trust me, when you first play it your first reaction might be "UGH". I know for me it was that way... but the more I stuck with it the more I liked it. Overall it's a solid (but not essential) shooter.