Raiden V

74%
Game Brain Score Based on 85 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • gameplay
Raiden V Game Cover
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"Raiden V: Director's Cut" is the latest entry in the classic arcade shooting series, now on PC with improved graphics and new features. The game offers a Story Mode with branching storylines based on performance, Boss Mission mode with leaderboards, and a Gallery filled with art. It supports 1-2 player offline play, has a new damage system, distinct ships with unique abilities, a Cheer Attack feature, voice acting, and exclusive levels in the Director's Cut.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

74%
Audience ScoreBased on 85 reviews
story5 positive mentions
grinding2 negative mentions
  • The gameplay is solid and retains the classic Raiden feel, providing a fun and challenging experience.
  • The graphics are visually appealing, with a polished retro aesthetic and a variety of weapon options.
  • The cheer system adds a unique multiplayer element, allowing players to support each other during gameplay.
  • The voice acting and dialogue can be distracting and often detracts from the gameplay experience.
  • Visual clarity is poor, with bullets blending into the background, making it difficult to see incoming threats.
  • The game lacks customization options for controls and visual settings, limiting player preferences.
  • story47 mentions

    The story mode in Raiden V has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the attempt to incorporate a narrative into the gameplay, but criticizing its execution. The dialogue is often described as distracting and poorly written, detracting from the overall experience, especially during intense gameplay moments. While some players enjoy the character interactions and branching story paths, the consensus is that the storytelling could have been handled more effectively, possibly through cutscenes rather than constant in-game chatter.

    • “For the first time in the series, we are now dealing with a story mode instead of a pure arcade experience.”
    • “The journey along the way rewards you with lovely period graphics, extra information on either side of the screen to preserve the aspect ratio, and what feels like a lot of radio commentary plot as you go through the levels.”
    • “Basically, this is more of a story-driven version of Raiden compared to the prior arcade titles in the series—the actual gameplay is similar to Raiden 3 & 4 but with some nice new options, like being able to choose the specific versions of each power-up you want, a sort-of co-op assist feature, and branching storyline paths which are determined by your skills.”
    • “Raiden V’s biggest weakness is the manner in which its story is presented.”
    • “The main distraction is a horrendously mindless babble that is constant and I think is meant to be a 'story'... but it's just inane idiotic rubbish - with no way of turning it off.”
    • “It's bad enough as it was that the story itself was a tad mediocre at best, but the fact that I constantly had to deal with dialogue going on in the background while I was trying to concentrate on blowing up anything that came to my screen made it quite challenging at times to focus on what I was doing.”
  • music35 mentions

    The music in the game has garnered mixed reviews, with some praising its epic rock orchestration and immersive quality, while others find it uninspired and inferior to previous titles in the series. Many players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to complement the gameplay, though some feel it becomes forgettable over time. Overall, while the music is well-composed and enjoyable for some, it does not resonate with all players, leading to a divided opinion on its effectiveness.

    • “The soundtrack alone (which slays if you're a fan of this genre) is enough to immerse oneself into the experience.”
    • “The rock orchestra soundtrack just made this game perfect.”
    • “Music is great and honestly has one of the best soundtracks I've heard within all the games I've played.”
    • “While the music is very well-composed, I do not find the majority of the tracks something that I enjoy listening to while playing or putting them on while I'm doing something else.”
    • “- uninspired music”
    • “The music can kind of supplement the gameplay, but it becomes dull very quickly, and easily forgettable.”
  • gameplay31 mentions

    The gameplay in Raiden 5 is generally well-received, featuring the classic mechanics of the series with some new elements like customizable power-ups and a branching storyline. While the intense action and solid mechanics are praised, some players find the dialogue and notifications distracting, and there are technical issues that detract from the experience. Overall, it offers a mix of traditional Raiden gameplay with modern enhancements, though some may prefer earlier titles for a more arcade-style experience.

    • “After reaching certain milestones while playing, such as killing a set number of enemies or finding a secret, the game will show a notification on the top left side of the gameplay interface, informing other users who are currently playing the game.”
    • “Basically this is more of a story-driven version of Raiden compared to the prior arcade titles in the series - the actual gameplay is similar to Raiden 3 & 4 but with some nice new options, like being able to choose the specific versions of each power-up you want, a sort-of co-op assist feature, and branching storyline paths which are determined by your skills.”
    • “Well worth the money - the gameplay is intense, the UI is excellent (full but all useful), the environment and models are detailed and varied, the music rocks, the sound design is great, there is a full voice-over that spans the full length of the game etc. this really is a full game, condensed like a power metal solo into a few hours of frantic fun - no bargain bucket here!”
    • “When it comes to the gameplay, it's your usual Raiden game with its iconic weapons returning once again; as those will be the only weapons you'll need since the rest of them are terrible.”
    • “The dialogues during gameplay are annoying, but can be muted in the settings.”
    • “Graphic and gameplay is a step down from Raiden IV.”
  • graphics30 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the retro aesthetic and smooth visuals that enhance the gameplay experience. However, some players express disappointment over limited graphical options and technical issues, particularly when using dedicated graphics cards, which can lead to crashes. Overall, while the graphics are appreciated for their nostalgic charm and polish, they are criticized for not advancing significantly compared to previous entries in the series.

    • “The journey along the way rewards you with lovely period graphics, extra information on either side of the screen to preserve the aspect ratio, and what feels like a lot of radio commentary plot as you go through the levels.”
    • “Graphics have that 'retro' feel but polished to 11 out of 10.”
    • “The game's graphics are silky smooth and control very well with an Xbox One controller.”
    • “Graphics aren't amazing, there's no options for FXAA or MSAA (or any options beyond resolution in general) (6.5/10 at best)”
    • “More or less a super disappointing release with less options than IV and worse graphics than even III if that can be believed.”
    • “The 2D graphics are merely the same level as those of Raiden IV, and the 3D models are so carelessly built that the only explanation is being lazy.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the witty banter between characters and find it entertaining, others criticize the localization errors and feel that certain jokes, particularly those related to coffee, detract from the overall experience. Overall, the humor can be hit or miss, with some finding it engaging and others feeling it falls flat.

    • “I love the narration of the game when you're playing the various stages, and it has great humor in between levels with the captain and his assistant having different opinions on things.”
    • “A must play for a grand arcade series for 25 years! If you love a challenge along with some hilarious conversations with a side of seriousness in total eclipse of galactic warfare, then this is the game you should own!”
    • “It's kind of funny that I couldn't play it with an Xbox One controller, but the game supported arcade sticks without any extra setups.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game offers impressive replayability due to multiple difficulty levels and three different ships available from the start, enhancing the overall experience for players seeking variety in an arcade-style setting.

    • “There are several difficulty levels and three different ships to choose from, all unlocked from the start of the game, which greatly increases replay value.”
    • “Multiple difficulty levels and three ships make for great replay value in an arcade-style game.”
    • “Impressive replayability value for a shmup.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be slow and tedious, expressing a desire for more flexibility in choosing routes to reduce the repetitive nature of unlocking story content. They suggest that allowing players to select different paths without restarting would enhance the experience and alleviate the grind.

    • “The game pacing is very slow and tedious.”
    • “I would've much preferred if they gave you the choice of picking your route, allowing you the harder route only if you met the requirement, but having the option to pick any of the other routes even if you do (without having to restart via stage select), which would honestly make unlocking all story routes so much less tedious than it currently is. Perhaps sometime in the future they could fix this, but who can say...”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game exhibits significant stability issues, particularly with buggy controller support and frequent glitches when used alongside NVIDIA GeForce Experience. Users have reported that these problems detract from the overall gameplay experience.

    • “Controller support is buggy and may not work!”
    • “The game doesn't work well with NVIDIA GeForce Experience; it glitches a lot when used.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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