I
really love this game, I played it for the first time back in 1993
when I bought my Game Gear and I started to replay it this year....11
years later.
Compile
created a lot of nice titles for the 8bit Sega consolles: Power
Strike I, Power Strike II for the Master System and Power Strike
II for the Game Gear. Aleste GG unfortunately was developed only
for the japanese market and never saw a release in USA or Europe.
Graphics
are simply great, the best ever seen on the Game Gear and only surpassed
by the sequel 'ALESTE GG II'. Considering the limitations of the
hardware the graphics are incredible with a lot of colors on screen
and nice explosions, there are also a great variety of backgrounds
and enemies.There is a vast arsenal of weapons to choose, it's very
important to choose the right weapon in the right stage but I think
that 'W' and 'H' type are the best.If you collect 'power ups' your
firepower will increase allowing your ship with a devastating firepower
that is essential to complete the game in the last stages.In the
last stages bosses you really need a great firepower not only to
kill the boss but also to defend your ship from his multiple attacks.
Bullet
patterns are nice and it's clear that a lot of modern shmups take
inpiration from this game and from other Compile classics, you will
find some very similar to the ones present in Judgement Silversword
and Chaos Field.
Sounds
are quite decent, considering the poor sound processor of the Game
Gear, but there are a few good ones: I really loved the Bonus Stage
music, one of the best ever heard on this handheld and the music
in the title screen.
Gameplay:
simply addictive, if you start to play this game you have to finish
it and to do it with only 1cc.Enemy bullets are very fast but always
clear ro see and when you get killed it's always because you did
something wrong not because you don't see a bullet arriving.Bullets
are created with yellow,green or red colors always in contrast with
the dark colors of backgrounds.There're a lot of enemies and a great
variety of end bosses always with a different type of kill strategy,
weak points and bullet patterns.
Conclusion:
Aleste GG is one of the best 8bit shmups ever created.It looks and
plays very good considering the Game Gear poor hardware. It's technically
perfect.
ALESTE
GG - COMPILE
