Games

PlayStation 2 プレイステーション２

Gradius V - グラディウスＶ

Name:
Japanese Name:
Romaji Name:
Translation:
Format--Ver--Info:
Date--Code--Cost:
Developer:
Players/At Once:

Gradius V
グラディウスＶ（ＰＳ２）ソニープレイステーション２
Guradiusu V (PS2) Purei Sute-shon 2
(PS2) Sony PlayStation 2
CD-ROM -- Ver 1 -- Horizontal Shoot'em-up
22-07-2004 -- VW176-J1 (SLMP 62462) -- ¥7329.00
Treasure Corporation
2/2

In Development

This section contains all the screen shots and information when the game was in development, some stuff was changed or dropped completely when the game was actually released.

First Logo

Gradius V

This is the first official logo and I think it looks a bit bland

The newer official logo at the top of the page is much much better

Screen Shots 20th January 2003

Here are the first two screen shots taken from Konami USA, they are either a really early version of a complete mock up and not the actual game, as Big Core, the score font and weapon bar are completely different from the released version.

Gradius V GameStone Logo

My attempt at a logo before the new official one came out.

Information scanned from the official Konami Magazine

Gradius V
Power Meter Select

Gradius V
What no Ripple Laser, Spread Bomb, Option?

There doesn't seem to be much choice, hopefully each of the three Vic Viper's has four sets to choose from

Speed Up, Missile, Double, Laser, Multiple, Force Field
Speed Up, 2-Way, Tailgun, Laser, Multiple, Force Field
Speed Up, Eagle Wind, Tailgun, Laser, Multiple, Force Field
Speed Up, Missile, Double, Laser, Multiple, Force Field

Gradius V will blasts onto PlayStation 2

Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) Booth #900 - May 14, 2003 - Los Angeles, CA - Konami of America, Inc, a subsidiary of Konami Corporation (NYSE: KNM), offered gamers an opportunity to play - for the first time ever - Gradius V for Sony PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system. Continuing Konami's longest running shooting franchise, the latest instalment in the series features the classic Gradius action gameplay with all new features, including new Option Controls, original level designs, new weapons, captivating missions and dazzling next-generation graphics.

Featuring the return of the Vic Viper and the series' classic side-scrolling blasting action, Gradius V offers players access to 12 upgradeable power-ups including the new Option Bomb and Option Stock to heighten power and gameplay. In addition, the new Option Controls feature and beautifully designed levels create new challenges and obstacles for gamers to blast through seven intense stages of the classic arcade style action.

The above two paragraphs are from an official press release and seem to tell quite a bit about the game, here's a list of what I have decoded from it.

Option Bomb - Sound like the pointless 'fire your Options in' just like Salamander 2.

Option Stock - Sounds like you can carry more than four Options and fire them at the enemy.

Option Control - You can make the Options fire in other directions instead of just forward, you are given a choice of four sets of upgrades when you start the game and each upgrade set has a unique method of option control, i.e. Rotating Options, it seems like they have been playing the Super Famicom version of Gradius III to much.

12 Upgradeable Weapons - Speed Up, Missile (Twice), Double (Twice), Laser (Twice), Option, Shield ?

Seven Stages - Just as short as the original Gradius, I though it would be longer like Gradius III or Gradius Gaiden

Two Players at Once - Like Salamander 2 you will be able to player 2 players simultaneous.

Fly On Respawn - When the ship is destroyed, you respawns immediately in two player mode and I hope they have the standard route points myself (when you die it puts you back a bit) or it makes the game to easy as you just keep continuing and you then complete the game with no skill at all (just like Salamander 2). I know the 'Once you die, you're dead' syndrome of most of the Gradius game will be there but I'm a purist to the Gradius legend

I have seen the movie files from other web sites and the game seems to be shaping up quite nicely, one thing I must say though is that the second player looks just like player one, ie.. just a red Vic Viper and not the Lord British style ship, I wonder if they will change this by the time the game comes out. Also I hope the music in the movies is not the music from the final game because it sounded quite crap.

Every other site listing Gradius V information makes reference to Treasure but Konami and Treasure themselves make no reference to there involvement, after looking at Konami Japan's site for a bit I found out that Konami TYO (formally KCET, Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo) are the developers, these are the same team who made the excellent Gradius Gaiden and Gradius IV Fukkatsu.

Konami TYO for the E3 show pictures

Konami TYO at the TGS2003 (Tokyo Game Show 2003)

Gradius V

Here is the release schedule from Konami Japan, you may notice Gradius V is Konami TYO (formally KCET) are developers and it will not be release until 2004

The Japanese text under Gradius V is translated below and is quite simple.

シューティグゲーム
shu- teigu ge-mu
shooting game

Gradius V The Legitimate Continuation of Gradius

Gradius V New game characteristics by way of Option control

Gradius V Overwhelmingly beautiful graphics

Gradius V 7 new stages + an alpha

Gradius V You can choose from 5 levels of difficulty VERY EASY / EASY / NORMAL / HARD / VERY HARD

Gradius V You can start from any stage (area) cleared STAGE SELECT mode

Gradius V Comes loaded with 2 restore modes Salamander style, where you are restored on the spot
Gradius style, where you are put back to a certain area