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GATE OF THUNDER (PCE)
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Publisher: Hudson Soft.
Developer: Red Company. Released: 1992 (JP; US). Genre: Scrolling shoot 'em up. Posted 11th January 2020. By Tom Clare © 2020 |
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Ever wondered why SEGA and Atari persisted with CD-ROM add-ons for their Mega Drive and Jaguar consoles? It’s likely because NEC had found a fair degree of support for the idea, especially in Japan. At the time of the Super Nintendo’s launch, the PC Engine had already been on the market for three years, and consensus was that it was trailing its 16-bit competitors in the power stakes. Upgrades were therefore deemed necessary in order to help the PCE remain desirable. NEC didn’t rest on their laurels however, and as early as 1988, were already expanding the format’s capabilities. The PC Engine CD granted adopters the benefits of enhanced audio and visuals, thanks in part to a drastic increase in storage space compared to the HuCards. Playing host to more than 250 releases, it would mark a rare success for a hardware addition of this kind.
Fittingly then, for a console blessed with so many top-notch scrolling shooters, Gate of Thunder would prove a perfect advocate for the new hardware, when it released as a pack-in for the American launch of the two-in-one PC Engine Duo (known stateside as the TurboDuo). It isn’t especially original, let’s get that out of the way early-doors. Gate of Thunder is in essence a celebration of the scrolling shoot ‘em up, delivered in luxuriant, Rolls-Royce smoothness. It’s a thrilling, utterly unrelenting blasting masterpiece.
There's so much going on in Gate of Thunder, it's hard to think of another game so action-packed.
The soundtrack has often been cited as Gate of Thunder’s primary selling point. It’s certainly its most distinguishing factor; the strong, energetic rock soundtrack was a world away from the more abrasive bips ‘n’ bops of its cartridge contemporaries. Add some occasional speech samples into the mix, and you’ve an atmospheric experience that makes smart use of the CD’s expanded audio capabilities. It’s explosive sound effects and firepower prove meaty, if a little loud, when judged in-tandem with the music.
Decent audio would have counted for little however, had the gameplay not been up to scratch. Right from its explosive opening moments though, it’s clear Gate of Thunder is going to be an absolute blockbuster; an assault on the senses. Craft control is supreme, with clever use of the RUN button allowing player’s to switch between three different handling sensitivities. This is ideal in a game that blends between very open battles that require quick dodges, and more confined layouts that call for careful manoeuvring. There’s three distinct weapons the player can attain and cycle between, including rockets, electric beams and laser waves. Adding to the Hunting Dog’s potency, there’s secondary missiles, bots and shields that all help to overwhelm the enemy. With a bit of practice, you’ll learn that enemies may be more susceptible to particular kinds of weapon fire. There are few shooters that offer such a sense of satisfaction in the basic blasting.
Decent audio would have counted for little however, had the gameplay not been up to scratch. Right from its explosive opening moments though, it’s clear Gate of Thunder is going to be an absolute blockbuster; an assault on the senses. Craft control is supreme, with clever use of the RUN button allowing player’s to switch between three different handling sensitivities. This is ideal in a game that blends between very open battles that require quick dodges, and more confined layouts that call for careful manoeuvring. There’s three distinct weapons the player can attain and cycle between, including rockets, electric beams and laser waves. Adding to the Hunting Dog’s potency, there’s secondary missiles, bots and shields that all help to overwhelm the enemy. With a bit of practice, you’ll learn that enemies may be more susceptible to particular kinds of weapon fire. There are few shooters that offer such a sense of satisfaction in the basic blasting.
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Enemy sprites, in particular, are extraordinary. Mechs and jets spiral in from all angles, dive-bombing from the backgrounds, whilst intricately-designed contraptions and dynamic special effects pepper the action, one after another, as if utterly routine. Visually, it’s brimming with panache, jam-packed as it is with huge and varied sprites, whilst the PC Engine’s vivid colour palette is put to extensive use. There’s so much going on, that it’s easy to overlook the multifaceted, multi-layered backgrounds. In the case of the Dark City level, its impossibly dense, ominous cityscape lends a real sense of theatre to the shooting.
FOCAL POINT: LEVEL 5 - "CROWN"
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Picking a standout level from a game that's dominated by satisfying, explosive moments was always going to prove a challenge. However, the fifth stage is notable for moving the action away from the familiar comfort zone of space facades. Instead it opts for a desert, the kind of brighter exteriors we’d become more familiar with in its successor Lords of Thunder. Barely has the stage begun, and you’re met with giant, cascading sandworms bounding around the screen and burrowing through the sand, in a rather marvellous nod to Frank Herbert’s Dune. Gate of Thunder likes to keep you on your toes though. No sooner have you started acclimatising to the harsher, brighter surrounds, than the Hunting Dog begins an impromptu descend through a cave, and under the waves for a subterranean section. Suddenly, you’re face with cramped, claustrophobic surrounds, and a very different selection of foes. Oh yeah, it culminates in a boss-fight with a giant sea-monster. All-in-all, not bad for a single level.
The levels themselves are truly amazing creations, drawing from a remarkable array of inspirations, and each proves an epic in its own right. The chaotic space war that kicks things off is evocative of Gradius. No sooner have you navigated this than you’re tasked with navigating the kind of deadly, mechanical mazes that populated R-Type and Thunder Force III, before braving a collapsing mine that evokes comparisons with steampunk classic Empire of Steel. Gate of Thunder’s pool of inspiration isn’t limited to the of video gaming sphere however; as well as the more obvious nods to Star Wars and mech anime, one remarkable level sees the player weaving around a shimmering desert, dodging sandworms like something straight from the pages of Dune.
...And you might want to avoid getting too close to the scenery. It won't end well.
Normal difficulty is pitched nicely, handing players a non-stop, challenging sequence of levels. Thanks to its balanced design and a sympathetic supply of continues, there’s a decent prospect of progression, providing you’re willing to put in a bit of practice. Unless you acquire shielding, the ship is vulnerable to one-hit deaths, which occasionally occur from collisions caused by crafts flying unsighted into screen from behind, which is more or less the only grievance I could find. On the plus side, levels aren’t restarted in the event of losing a life. Hard and Devil difficulties offer extended play for more accomplished shoot ‘em up fans, with bosses in particular packing faster and more potent attack patterns.
Seven unforgettable levels, high-scores and extra difficulty settings are all enough to encourage players to return, but the main reason Gate of Thunder keeps shooter fans coming back is that it’s so much fun. All these years later, and Thunder Force III still monopolises the nostalgia as the 16-bit cult-classic shoot ‘em up. But, whisper quietly, maybe Gate of Thunder deserves it a little more? Incredible visuals, enormously enjoyable gameplay, perfect controls and a remarkable array of enemies, attack patterns, scenic changes and boss battles mean Red Company’s classic remains everything you could wish for from a horizontal scrolling shoot ‘em up.
Seven unforgettable levels, high-scores and extra difficulty settings are all enough to encourage players to return, but the main reason Gate of Thunder keeps shooter fans coming back is that it’s so much fun. All these years later, and Thunder Force III still monopolises the nostalgia as the 16-bit cult-classic shoot ‘em up. But, whisper quietly, maybe Gate of Thunder deserves it a little more? Incredible visuals, enormously enjoyable gameplay, perfect controls and a remarkable array of enemies, attack patterns, scenic changes and boss battles mean Red Company’s classic remains everything you could wish for from a horizontal scrolling shoot ‘em up.
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VERDICT
"Gate of Thunder is a celebration of the scrolling shoot ‘em up, delivered in luxuriant, Rolls-Royce smoothness. It’s thrilling... an absolute blockbuster, an utterly unrelenting blasting masterpiece." OVERALL: 9/10 |