SHMUPS!

Hellfire S - NEC Avenue / Toaplan

Hell-boring...

Reviewed by Roger Post

Is it true that any shooter with anime girls can't go wrong? It worked with Pulstar, but does it with HF? I'm border line with this one…It's not a horrible shmup, but it doesn't make me jump out of my chair either. I didn't bother reviewing the Genesis version of Hellfire, which is basically the same game, but when I played the PC Engine cd, now with cutscene eye candy, I figured "why not?" If Shmups is going to be the best shooter site on the web, it needs as many reviews as it can get……even if Hellfire is mediocre.

The main spin on HF is the ability to shoot in several geometrical directions. Your normal shot is frontal, then rear shot, then up/down shot, then diagonal shot. All of these can be used without any special powerups or conditions to be met. A "P" icon will however increase weapon strength. Ok, that's it……yep, reviews over. This is just basically a typical shooter with geometric overtones. Nothing more, nothing less. I forget the music, this is an FCD without any music, but from what I remember on the Genesis version, it's not so good. Let the pics do the talking…..

Once again I can only guess at the storyline. All I know is the one shot has the "worm's eye view" of the pilot flying the plane that is in almost every anime/shooter game.

(Must admit though, it does have some nice art - Felix the Cat)

Right away you get the chance of shooting enemies from another angle, as the gun turrets can only be hit on the front and back. They give powerups too…..

The highly sought-after, elusive, mind tripping diagonal shot.

Here we have the first mini boss, hittable from the top, bottom, left and right. The ship in HF is cool, because the center guns constantly rotate around the craft.

The first boss: a roadmap of New Jersey! This is weird……just hit the ball from whatever spot it allows access to, changing weapons on the fly…

(Map of New Jersey? Since when did aliens or whatever study the A-Z? - Felix the Cat)

Cool! Some cutscenes….Remember to accessorize with pink bows, even when fighting to save the universe. Unless you are an anime person and have blue hair and huge eyes, in that case wear a blue ribbon and glasses.

Stage two: denial (de Nile? Get it?) *silence*

(Tutankamun goes mining - Felix the Cat)

Walk like an Egypt-ian…….

The old floating walls routine.

King tut's revenge! Wait for the top to float off, dodge the bullets that are fired at you, and aim for the red circle.

Go gravedigging on page 2!

Cheers Rog! Man knows his pants from his diamonds...or something to that extent... Why is this so mediocre? Couldn't tell you, because I totally bypassed it the first time I saw it. That's what I thought of it, and I can bet Roger regretted even setting eyes on this! Well, at least it fills the time between Radiant Silvergun and Raptor 2 - Akira

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