Recommend: Gradius V for Playstation2

[Dave_K.]

I just picked up Gradius V (thats roman numeral 5) at the end of last week and have been playing it in my PS2 enabled cab over the weekend.  Let me tell you, this game looks and plays awsome (its also pretty damn hard).  You can find screen shots, movies and reviews at the normal places (ign, gamespot, ...), all rate it very highly.  And at a measly $29.99, I give it a definate thumbs up for console cabs!

[TalkingOctopus]

I plan on picking this up...along with R-Type Final eventually.  Thanks for the recommendation.  There are just too many good games to play and too little time.  

[simplygriff]

Amen to that!  I still haven't gotten Rtype Final either.
-G

[CthulhuLuke]

i've been hearing a lot of good things about Gradius V as well.  R-Type final was fun, the only concern i had with it was that your ship really felt sort of big for the level.  I don't know, but somehow it lost a tiny bit of the R-Type small ship, a billion enemies feel.  Right now I'm kind of mad no one has setup a US release for the famous japanese shooter DoDonPachi Dai-Oujou http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/data/33556.html
 my bro had just got this game when I went to his place in japan, and that game kicks ASS!!  It's right up there with like Ikaruga and all of those other good vertical shooters.

[Dave_K.]

I have the R-Type Final demo and found the game rather....slow and boring for lack of a better term.  Maybe the demo really sucks?  Anyway, I hope to import DoDonPachi once I get my PS2 fliptop.  

Oh, I found another another PS2 vertical import (ported from the arcades) called XII Stag.  Note: you can save a lot of money if you buy the Korean version.

Checkout the screen shots at playasia: http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-r-77-1-15-xii-70-29w.html

[Witchboard]

I like R-Type Final.  The funnest thing I like about it is playing with all the different ships.

[TalkingOctopus]

I picked it up a while ago and as previously stated, it is very good.  It is also very hard.  I can do alright until the meteor level.   Everything goes down hill from there - especially the boss where you have meteors coming from the left and a endless stream of bullets from the right.  Also, it seems to me like the only useful ship config is type 2.  

[DYNAGOD]

these shooters never feel the same consolized for me.
its not the hardware running them,its the controller.
i find it hard to twitch move with a PS2/GC analog pad,.i like nice short ball top sticks that are short enough that you can palm the control panel for added support and control.
not that you cant ,and most do , hack an arcade contrler, hence the name of the site, but most are satisfied to play these titles without the benefit of the designers input device of intention.
XII Stag looks interesting, ive never seen it before,have to lookinto that one,shame the larger screens arent there.

http://www.taito.co.jp/d3/cp/12stag/

[Gunstar Hero]

Do you like getting your butt kicked unmercifully?

If so, Gradius V is the game for you!

Even harder than the criminally tough Gradius 3, and forget 2 player mode, that just gets wacky.

Not Ikaruga wacky, but like... "Whoa, WTF are you doing!?" wacky!

And it feels pretty Life Force-y. Maybe it's just the calling the Options "Multiples" and all the hearts of Zelos that does it tho...

"Hey, you got Gradius in my Life Force!"

And yes, I know they're the same series.  

In summary... Buy it, Play it, Love it.

But it'll beat you no matter what!