If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. It’s a saying that is well used and if we are being honest it’s true and when it comes to the world of arcade shoot ‘em ups, it’s a rule that the legendary Raiden series has stuck to over its many years. Sure the formula stays the same with a few small tweaks and refinements, but when your gameplay is that good, do you really have to mess things up and go changing it? NO. So if you’re looking for ground breaking revolutions with Japanese developers MOSS’ latest instalment Raiden IV x MIKADO remix, you’re going to be a bit let down. If you’re looking for arcade thrills, where you shoot everything that moves on screen… you’d best buckle up.
The story in Raiden IV x MIKADO remix could be written on the back of a coaster, it’s that light, but there is a tale there if you are looking for a reason for blasting everything. Where you continue the fight against the extra-terrestrial race – known as the Crystals – in their attempt to take over the world… and that’s pretty much it done. Yes it’s simple, but it’s all it needs to be for a series that started back in 1990 and has seen more instalments and spin-offs than you would honestly expect. The Raiden formula has truly stood the test of time, as it’s as fun now in 2023 as it was way back in 1990. You fly your ship, dodging ever more intense enemies… all the time looking to grab power-ups they drop to really beef up your guns. These power-ups come in a few flavours red, blue and purple and changes your primary attack from guns to over the top lasers. You can also unlock missiles for a bit more firepower which come in three types as well. Then there are also a few different ships to jump into as well as a. fairy… yeah, which do change how your weapons system also works too. This all adds a bit of extra challenge to its already high bar.
Raiden IV x MIKADO remix is far from an easy game and you will have to work at it if you want to see those end credits roll, but at no time did I feel like I was being cheated a victory, when playing it. Sure… the screen can be filled with enemy fire , explosions and more colours than a Christmas tree, but it never made me feel like my death was anyone else’s fault than mine. This is a real testament to the core gameplay which is along with the controls as tight as a drum and gave me very similar feelings to that of a Dark Souls game, where it gives you all the tools you need… you just have to get good. The game also comes packed with modes like arcade mode that has two different difficulties, plus you get Additional mode – which is an update to the original arcade game. There are a lot of difficulty settings here and is where you’ll really test your skills, as there are a few added stages as well. Plus there is a time attack mode and Overkill mode which is the most fun of all, as you get to blast enemies into bonus points. If you happen to have thought the game was too easy, there is double mode or more fittingly should be called “No Friends Mode” that lets you fly two ships at the one time, which is summed up best as just beautiful chaos.
Visually the game is arcade perfect and runs perfect on the current gen, though it is panelled in to give you the right playing ratio of an upright arcade cab. You start out battling over green fields before heading to more military themed backdrops, before going above and beyond all of that in more ways than one. Soundtrack…. well it rocks with more guitar riffs than you can shake a stick at, and it does a nice job a mixing background tunes with epic rock face melter moments. Raiden IV x MIKADO remix is a solid arcade shoot ‘em up that delivers where it counts, built around a solid gameplay shell that begs for you to master it. Sure, it doesn’t remotely reinvent the wheel, but when you have a core foundation that is decades in the making you don’t have to… it’s just that good.
An Xbox review copy of Raiden IV x MIKADO Remix was provided by NIS America’s PR team, and the game is available from 31st January on PC, PlayStation and Xbox for around £45.
The Verdict
Stuart Cullen
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