Star Soldier: Vanishing Earth

Vanishing Earth was the final game in the arcade shoot 'em up series Star Soldier until 2008. It barely received a western release, made for the N64 and released only in Japan and at the last minute, the USA.

If you've played arcade shoot 'em ups before then you know what to expect from Vanishing Earth; the game does nothing particularly new, but does what it does well. The control stick is finely-tuned and the controls and handling overall are great, making gameplay a joy. There are a handful of 3D models and effects here, implemented to make use of the power of the N64, but the game otherwise doesn't look much better than the prior generation. The trade-off there is that it manages to maintain a much-needed excellent framerate.

The biggest problem with Vanishing Earth is its length--I'm all for short games, but this one doesn't feel as though it reaches its full potential, and tends to leave you wanting when you consider the depth that more innovative shoot 'em ups like Starfox 64 offer. The story in Vanishing Earth is almost non-existent and the handful of missions are over within around twenty minutes. Only a 'master' difficulty mode and two- and five-minute score attack modes will keep the hardcore going a little longer.