Thunder Force IV Sega Mega Drive
Sega Mega Drive Gameplay Review Thunder Force IV
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Everything you need to know about Thunder Force IV
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Thunder Force IV (Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar) is the ultimate adrenaline rush and without a doubt one of the best shooting games on the Sega Genesis. It also had one of the most depressing endings in a game of the 16-bit era.
Developed by Technosoft in 1992, it was renamed Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar in the US. I got it as a gift from a friend since it was on sale for 20? To the change. Back then, I rarely got games, so whenever I had the option to buy, I chose RPGs for their longevity. When it came to shooters, I usually borrowed them from friends while we traded cartridges. Thunder Force IV was the first shmup in my library thanks to my friend.
The plot is simple. The Kha Oss Legion, along with the remnants of the Lohun Empire, wants to annihilate the Galactic Federation. It's up to you, as the pilot of the new Fire LEO-04 Rynex, to stop them. From the moment I loaded up TFIV and chose the order in which to tackle the first four stages, I knew I was in for a special experience.
Thunder Force IV Gameplay
What makes a shooter great versus frustrating is its controls and the arsenal available. Fortunately, TFIV's controls are tight, and the developers let you adjust your speed on the fly, speeding up or slowing down to your preference. A weapon bar is also available, similar to the Gradius series. While it doesn't offer the same level of customization, at least you only lose the selected weapon when you die instead of your entire arsenal.
The best upgrade by far is the claw, which releases drones that circle the Rynex and mimic its attack. My personal favorite weapon is called the Hunter, which does exactly what its name implies: it fires bursts of photon energy that track enemies. There is also a shield to cushion defenses and prevent death from another collision or three. A very nice touch to the sound effects is that every time you take power-ups, there is a voice telling you what you have. It's a little hard to understand, but also very 16-bit era in the best way possible.
Thunder Force IV is a beautiful game that improves on the Genesis visuals. The numerous layers of parallax are used to create a vivid sense of scale and complexity. The levels scroll horizontally, although there are vertical layers in each, giving depth to the canvas. In one of the first levels you choose, you are deployed over the Strite Sea, which the Kha Oss use as a training ground for their fleet. Swarms of enemies try to finish you off as day turns to night.
You are forced to go under the sea and face a huge enemy warship. The fight is intense, as you have to circle around the sea cruiser and avoid its attack from the rear. To that end, the Rynex has two starting weapons which are its twin and its rear shot. Both can be updated. I also appreciated how the developers defaulted auto-fire to the controls so you can just hold down the fire button. The fight continues for some time, but you cannot finish off the cruiser underwater. By the time you emerge from the sea, it is daylight again as the battle continues.
Air Raid is one of the best levels in the game
Air Raid is one of the best levels in the game. It's basically the Rynex fighting an enemy invasion fleet. There are tons of ships everywhere with hundreds on the horizon and the alien ships feel ubiquitous. Their cannons lock onto your ship and unleash a torrent of artillery. Missiles are fired at the Rynex and a surface bombardment ensues. Your side counterattacks at the end with anti-aircraft shells firing at the enemy cruisers. As you approach the boss, several ships make a kamikaze dash at the Rynex. You have to skillfully avoid being rammed to death. There were many things I had forgotten about the game before playing it again recently, but the aerial battle was one I still remembered.
The stage transitions are almost seamless, with the music blending into the clear screen and the next section starting immediately. The fifth level starts you in space going at hyperspeed. Your objective is an alien battle cruiser defending the alien planet where the Empire's computer is located. The battleship is so huge that you have to orbit around its entire body and use rear weapons to protect yourself.
Luckily for you, other members of the Thunder Force join the attack to help you defeat the cruiser. Unfortunately for them, just before the battlecruiser is destroyed, it unleashes a hail of laser fire that destroys most of them. The remnants of the force are dealt an even deadlier blow by a new adversary that escapes from the battleship, the Orn Faust. Faust retires after additional help arrives for Rynex.
The end of the level has you surrounded
El final del nivel te tiene rodeado por tus propias naves que proceden a instalar una nueva arma secreta llamada Thunder Sword. Siempre que tengas la Garra equipada, puedes encender la Espada Trueno para disparar lo que el manual del juego describe como una «explosión colosal de energía». Es básicamente un disparo cargado y cambia la dinámica del juego ya que ahora posees un super-arma motorizada.
Your ship comes installed with one of the best stereo systems in the Solar System, as Thunder Force IV's music has some of the best retro tracks of the era. I listen to that music while I write (there is a sound test in the game). It was even better as a kid when I plugged headphones into the Sega Genesis connector for stereo sound.
I loved Thunder Force IV, but I also struggled with its difficulty. The final stage begins with a planet under construction floating on the horizon. A frantic rematch with Orn Faust ensues. At some point during the battle, Faust will suddenly fall below the screen. That's a warning that a massive energy blast that takes up almost the entire screen will be launched at you. You have to fly the Rynex to the top or bottom of the screen to survive. It took me many tries, but I finally beat both Faust and the last boss, which is a giant ship that holds the Empire's main computer.
Graphics
Visually, the game is exceptionally detailed and even from the opening screen when the title flashes, you'll find yourself staring at the TV screen and wondering what the hell you're playing. The fast and furious nature of the game is not offset by anything more than detail after detail on top for good measure. Each stage has a theme and a life of its own, and there are countless instances of background movement as well as all the action coming at you from the foreground. When you really take a step back and look at what the game has to offer you, you'll find that there is no other example of near-perfection in the Genesis shooter genre that can touch all of the special attractions you'll find in the game! One problem with this, however, is that the stages of the game seem to go on forever.
The game features some of the best visuals I've seen in a Genesis game, not only utilizing the hardware's limited color palette to its full potential, but also taking advantage of the resolution to include as much detail as possible. The levels have multiple layers of scrolling in the background to provide a strong sense of depth and speed. What the game considers stage one features clouds and mountains moving at different rates next to the water at the bottom of the screen, and the whole design makes it look like your ship is actually sailing. From space ruins to airstrike battles and volcanic caverns, there is no repeating.
The detail is so immense that when combined with numerous on-screen enemies, this game can stutter a bit. Yes, despite its superior CPU compared to the SNES, even the Genesis could suffer from slowdowns. However, it's never enough to really affect the game, as the controls remain responsive and the action still manages to keep moving at a decent pace even through the worst stutters.
Music and Sound
I've heard people say that the audio here in Thunderforce 4 is grainy, lifeless or not, and I have to wonder if they were even playing with the sound on. The musical score you find in Thunderforce 4 is one of my personal favorites where you have strong guitar cracks set to a techno beat that just doesn't stop from start to finish! Something I found personally entertaining is that the stage music changes tempo with where you are and what you're doing, but also adapts to the mood and theme of whatever stage you're traveling through. All of these things make the game sound exceptionally good and match the action-packed visuals perfectly.
Un área que Thunder Force III había clavado sin problemas fue la banda sonora, y Thunder Force IV de alguna manera logra superarla con un OST que se considera uno de los mejores de su tiempo. Las pistas «Lightning Strikes Again (intro), «Stand up Against Myself (Credits)» y «Metal Squad (Stage 8)» por sí solas darían esta contienda como una de las 20 mejores bandas sonoras de la época, pero va más allá de estas. clásicos conocidos. Casi todos los escenarios tienen una banda sonora apropiada y memorable.
El escenario uno tiene una melodía grandiosa y edificante cuando estás en el cielo.que de repente cambia a un aspecto más misterioso y algo inquietante cuando te sumerges brevemente en el agua. La pista de Metal Squad antes mencionada no es solo una pista que podría encajar en un álbum de metal clásico; es temáticamente apropiado para el intenso desafío por el que pasa el escenario. Cada pelea de jefe tiene su propio tema único, y todos evocan una de dos reacciones. Ellos harán que tu adrenalina suba mientras piensas «¡Adelante! Lo tengo», o te traerán una sensación repentina de «Oh, mierda, ¿en qué me estoy metiendo aquí?»
It's not just the music for this game, the sound department really nailed it. Most enemies have a nice little crunchy explosion when they die, and the weapons have different distinct sounds that sound good, for lack of a better word.
Final reflection
Lightning Force me sorprendió. Sabía que al entrar probablemente sería positivo solo por el legado que tenía entre los propietarios del sistema. A pesar de tener que jugar básicamente en la dificultad más fácil posible, me divertí mucho jugando. Como alguien que ha vencido como tres Shoot-‘em-ups, este fue un muy buen juego. Incluso diría que esto fue mejor que Sonic the Hedgehog. Eso podría sorprender a algunas personas, pero realmente me siento así. Si este juego te pareció interesante, deberías darle una oportunidad.
Game technical sheet
Genders)
shooter
game modes
1 Player
Cooperative
Nope
Format(s)
Cartridge
