Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade (PC) review"Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade feels light on content, even with alternate versions, but what's here is good!" |
As a casual fan of the Darius series ever since I played Darius Twin on the Super Nintendo in my mid-teens, I kept meaning to try the arcade installments but never quite did. Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade, a compilation just recently released on Steam (following previous editions for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4), made it easy to finally address my longstanding oversight.
Originally developed by Taito for play in arcades a long time ago, then ported to newer platforms by the capable folks at M2, the titles included in this collection consist of various versions of Darius, Darius II, Segaia and Darius Gaiden. They are all horizontal shooters with aquatic-themed boss ships and branching paths leading from the starting point to the final encounter, sort of like the alternate routes you can drive in Outrun.
In the case of the original Darius, which was developed for play on three screens placed side by side, the new compilation actually includes three editions. There also are two versions of Segaia, including one that the developers aren't certain has ever been made available to the public ahead of this compilation. Darius II, which at various points was housed in hardware with differing numbers of screens, is presented here in its two-screen format.
Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade lets you play the included games in full screen mode, or in a window you can size as you like. From the "Options" screen, you get to decide whether you want to display at the original aspect ratio, or try a "full screen" mode within your window, or "fit to screen." For the games that support it, you can make use of a multi-monitor setup. The "Advanced" settings let you tweak the appearance of individual screens, with the exact tweaks you might make depending on the individual game. It's also possible to add scanlines, if you want to emulate the look of an old CRT. I messed around very little with any of those settings because most of the defaults worked just fine for me.
Besides the games themselves, the compilation includes a five-page digital manual that walks you through various control configurations and the adjustments they can make to how the games display. There is also a "Replay" option, so you can view replays of your finest performances or even download videos others have saved online. Regrettably, I found no option to listen to in-game music selections, which is unfortunate because the tunes provided here are pretty enjoyable. This is one of those games that sounds really nice when played with headphones, and I'm not usually even a fan of that sort of thing.
So, with all of that technical stuff out of the way, there's just the matter of the included games and how they feel to play today.
Darius is a bit rough by today's standards, in my opinion. It lacks a lot of the flash and unique concepts that horizontal shooters evolved to include, including subsequent releases within the same franchise. When you take damage from enemy fire that a shield doesn't absorb, you're taken back to a predetermined checkpoint earlier in the stage. In the case of a boss encounter, you'll have to start over from scratch, without your powered up weapons. It's one of those things I'm glad the genre eventually fixed. I didn't really need three versions of this one, even with features like new enemy placement.
Darius II represents a dramatic improvement over its predecessor, making it the first title in the series that I can easily enjoy playing as a newcomer in 2021. The action is viewed from closer to the ship, no doubt in part because of the use of only two screens. Animations are more impressive, and the ship has a more lethal arsenal. Bosses also feel a lot more lively, which results in a game that is more welcoming to newcomers and more thrilling. Your ship can turn toward the left during some of the boss encounters, which makes those conflicts more dynamic. I also appreciate that you can keep adding and using "credits" to extend your play session as often as needed. Your ship will appear on-screen where it last exploded, rather than at a previous checkpoint.
Segaia, I learned from reading screens in the compilation, is a modified version of Darius II that was released in the US with shortened stages that feature higher difficulty to make up for content cuts. There are fewer stages to choose from as you progress from the start to the finish, and the bosses have smaller life meters. One of the earliest stages is very much like the first stage in Darius Twin, which was a neat surprise for me. I am glad this was included, but it tends to feel more like an excerpt than a proper attraction. Unless they have a history with Segaia, I suspect most players will prefer Darius II.
Finally, Darius Gaiden is the bundle's visual stunner. Back when it was first released, it must have been a truly spectacular experience. I like it quite a lot even now, with the tunes piping through my headphones and the action playing out across my monitor. Huge explosions and unique bosses really come to life, and the backgrounds are the most interesting included in this compilation.
Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade gathers together some solid games, but the bundle feels a bit light on content because only three of the titles feel truly distinct and one of those isn't even all that compelling compared to its superior sequels. The options to tweak the games so they play the way you want (with multiple difficulty settings and even a training mode) are welcome indeed, and I rather doubt we'll ever see a better version of the included titles made available again. If you're like me and you spent years never quite getting around to playing Darius II and Darius Gaiden, and especially if you're the type who enjoys getting a good feel for where another classic series started, definitely do yourself a favor and check out this compilation. It's unlikely to turn you into a sudden fan of the genre, but if you already dig horizontal shooters, you could do much worse.
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Staff review by Jason Venter (November 25, 2021)
Jason Venter has been playing games for 30 years, since discovering the Apple IIe version of Mario Bros. in his elementary school days. Now he writes about them, here at HonestGamers and also at other sites that agree to pay him for his words. |
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