Raiden Review

Excellent..if unexceptional.

Mention of the “shooter” usually conjures a quick flash of the genre’s early, most influential classics. Galaga. 1942. Gradius. R-Type. These were the shoot ‘em ups that would define the category; they were the foundational titles on which all other shoot ‘em ups based their design. But as the ‘80s bled into the ‘90s, another game would rise and, almost inexplicably, become the de facto example of the genre. It wouldn’t prove as inspirational as those earlier efforts, but it would become, for a time, just as recognizable—just as inextricably linked to the style at hand. And that game, of course, is Raiden.

Released in 1990, the game became an almost inexplicable hit within the arcade scene. Not because it wasn’t good—it was. But this was a time when “just being a shooter” wasn’t enough anymore. A certain gimmick was needed. A persona. A clever mechanic. A silly theme. Or, at the very least, an array of groundbreaking graphics.

Indeed, Capcom’s U.N. Squadron matched its otherwise impersonable aircraft with actual pilots of visual face and presence. Taito’s Darius went with an underwater motif and spread its gameplay across a three-screen, panoramic display. Success’ Cotton got cute, replacing the ship altogether with a temperamental, candy-loving witch flying through a wonderland of horrors. These games chose to be different, and in return, they achieved a certain distinction; even, in some cases, becoming classics.

But Raiden didn’t do anything especially creative. A vertical shooter in which a ship must, well, shoot droves of other incoming craft pouring into the screen, it seemed relatively unambitious, safe…even generic…in relation to similar games. Blazing Lazers, Twin Cobra, Truxton…plenty of games had already explored similar territory. Even Raiden developer Seibu Kaihatsu doubted the game would succeed in any significant way. But it did…ultimately selling over 17,000 units across the globe.

The game became so ubiquitous, in fact, it was nearly a staple in every early 1990s arcade. The quintessential shooter of its era, some might say—a game even non-fans recognized and probably vaguely remember today. But why? But why? The game got incredibly difficult in its later stages, sported only two types of power-ups (both of which were difficult to fully upgrade)…and the gameplay, despite being extremely polished, offered nothing that hadn’t already been seen multiple times over.

So, again, why was it so popular? There is no easy answer except for that nebulous descriptor all games strive to gain—in a word, it’s fun. Maybe it’s that cool laser of death that’s so compelling to swerve through lines of planes and tanks. Maybe it’s the kinetic feel of every beam, or every bullet, raking over every boat and ship. Maybe it’s how the tanks, after their cannons have been blown off, still move helplessly around, or the giant mega-ton bomb that can be dropped to screen-clearing, climactic success. Maybe it’s how every annihilated vehicle leaves a crater in its destruction. Or perhaps, it’s simply the massive, multi-tiered bosses—metal mammoths armed to the tusk with obliterating hail. It’s either survival of the fittest…or the biggest.

Raiden’s name doesn’t connote the same connections today; the title is more associated with the God of Lightning or a certain notorious Metal Gear Solid character. But among the “shmup” crowd, the name is still recognized, helped in part by several sequels—Raiden 5 was released in 2016. But the original is the one that still stirs the fervors, the one seen by many as the default 1990s shooter. If not groundbreaking, it was at least reliably satisfying.

Not a 10, but maybe, a perfect 8.--D