Triggerheart Exelica Review

By Dan Whitehead Published 7 March, 2008

As Japanese as it sounds.

Version tested: Xbox 360

Old fashioned shoot-'em-ups are a lot like jazz. Once a driving force of pop culture, both are now savoured only by a dwindling number of dedicated purists who grumble at how the bovine mainstream masses are incapable of appreciating the off-kilter appeal of their chosen obsession. In years gone by games like Xevious and R-Type were legitimate blockbusters, accessible to anyone who had a pocketful of change. Today's vertical and horizontal shooters are obscure, chasing the remaining faithful, wallowing in their hardcore status and pulling scary faces at any normal folk who happen to glance in their direction.

Which brings us to Triggerheart Exelica, which pulls a very scary face indeed. Released into Japanese arcades in 2006, it holds the honour of being one of those games still being ported to the Dreamcast - and the Dreamcast alone - many years after SEGA's white brick of loveliness was supposed to have rolled over and died. Much like Rez, that other Dreamcast shooter that tore its way back into our timeline via Xbox Live Arcade, Triggerheart is a game of short length but deceptive depth. There are just five stages, all of which can be blasted through in less time than it takes to enjoy an episode of Yo Gabba Gabba - a feat that can be achieved even by novice players, thanks to unlimited continues. Such generosity only lures you into a false sense of security though. The goal, as with all games of this ilk, is not completion but perfection. Playing through all five stages using no continues should be your goal. Most, of course, won't even come close.

1

Anchor an enemy, wait for the capture gauge to reach 100%, then let fly.

So what does Triggerheart offer to make it stand out from the pack? Not story, that's for sure. There's some hastily translated and incoherent manga guff surrounding the action - something to do with pink-haired space chicks screeching at each other - but the only reason to pay attention is to enjoy sparkling dialogue captions such as the immortal "You did well to get this far...but I am fed up of your face."

There are two characters to choose from, each flying around in a Triggerheart suit. Think Zone of the Enders, Mobile Suit Gundam and, well, pretty much every mech-centric anime ever made. One has a wide shot spray, the other a more focused forward attack. Both, however, can harpoon enemies using an Anchor Shot - and it's this that provides the game's big point of difference.

Anchored enemies can be reeled in and used as a shield, swung around to destroy surrounding enemies and projectiles and then released to cause MASSIVE DAMAGE. Far from being a quirky optional attack, because the screen can literally fill with enemies and bullets, the Anchor mechanic is absolutely essential to success, relegating the traditional shooting to secondary status, used only to clear a path in emergencies. It's highly likely that many players will try the demo, not even use the Anchor Shot, and throw their hands up in horror at how impossible the game is. Not true - as watching an expert at work proves.

3

Smart bombs are handy against the bosses and make the screen go all KA-SPOOOSH and FA-ZAAAAAP.

But there's no getting away from the fact that Triggerheart is a slender affair, even by arcade standards. The length of the levels isn't a problem, but their rather vanilla design is. The best shmups build and build and build until your eyes are bleeding from the ludicrous sights being thrown at your face. Triggerheart, by comparison, merely strolls along, tossing out predictable attack waves and uninspiring bosses. It's also impossible to avoid the fact that such games were not designed to be played on horizontal widescreen TVs. Shrunk to fit the middle to the screen, the effect is claustrophobic and ugly. There is, cleverly, an option to flip the game on its side to use the whole screen, but this is only useful for the rare few who have a telly that can be safely rotated 90 degrees. It's a basic port that does little to rework the game for the new hardware, or to offer anything new to fans of the original.

For all the structural similarities to Rez, this never comes close to being as innovative or compelling as Mizuguchi-san's trance classic. Even so, it's not without merit for those who crave the challenge of climbing online leaderboards. Indeed, it's quite nice to see XBLA catering for such a devoted niche audience with such a undiluted hardcore offering. Yet for that very same exacting audience, Triggerheart's rudimentary charms will likely prove to be a snack rather than a banquet. With the majestic and genuinely eye-popping Ikaruga waiting in the wings, you can happily keep saving your 800 Points without missing out on anything special.

7 / 10

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Picture of Dan.

About Dan Whitehead

Dan has been writing for Eurogamer since 2006 and specialises in RPGs, shooters and games for children. His bestest game ever is Julian Gollop's Chaos.

Read more articles from Dan by visiting the Dan Whitehead archive page.

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Comments (32) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • EzyRyder #1 4 years ago

    FYI, Jazz is more widely listened to nowadays than it was in the 60s and its fan base is always increasing.

  • seasidebaz #2 4 years ago

    jazz - a random collection of notes that builds "expression".

    jazz is only more listened to nowadays cos of things like itunes. even my grandad knows how to get stuff off there and he's 80

    oh, and the fact that jazz bars are becoming "trendy" (if only cos they keep away the chavs and let you get smashed in relative peace)

  • DDevil #3 4 years ago

    Hahaha, I played the demo, completed the level without losing a life and never even knew about the anchor shot :-D

    And jazz is nothing but a blues quartet being pushed down a flight of stairs.

  • seasidebaz #4 4 years ago

    can someone push jools holland down a flight of stairs?

  • Rev.StuartCampbell #5 4 years ago

    "Old fashioned shoot-'em-ups are a lot like jazz."

    HOW DARE YOU?

    Old-fashioned shmups have some kind of structure. And listening to them doesn't make you want to puncture your own eardrums with a javelin.

  • mattigan #6 4 years ago

    Why do they neveer offer the full screen 90 degree flip option with another option to flip controlls 90 degrees also?
    It seems an obvious thing to do, or maybe it's just me?

  • retr0gamer #7 4 years ago

    Have this game on the dreamcast and think it's utter muck. Totally uninspired and boring which is a cardinal sin for this genre. Get yourself Omega 5 or save your pennies for Ikaruga.

  • asphaltcowboy #8 4 years ago

    DDevil, the first level is deceptively easy.

    Anyway, this is kinda fun - anyone know how to actually post a score on the leaderboards? because it hasn't worked for me yet!

  • windowlicker #9 4 years ago

    "Why do they neveer offer the full screen 90 degree flip option with another option to flip controlls 90 degrees also?"

    It does, in the controls option, set rotate to rotate, not normal, and the controls will flip with the screen orientation.

  • Tonka #10 4 years ago

    Dan Dan fast drumming man.

  • Zuiyo #11 4 years ago

    Dan Whitehead is the worst Eurogamer reviewer by far.

  • Rev.StuartCampbell #12 4 years ago

    Actually he's pretty much the best, and you smell.

  • Lexx87 #13 4 years ago

    Zuiyo is the worst Eurogamer commenter by far
    Edited by Lexx87 at 07/03/08 @ 10:04

  • Zuiyo #14 4 years ago

    Being the worst reviewer at Eurogamer is not a bad thing, you know.

    Edit: Neither it is to be the worst commenter. :)
    Edited by Zuiyo at 07/03/08 @ 10:07

  • chub #15 4 years ago

    "anyone know how to actually post a score on the leaderboards? because it hasn't worked for me yet!"
    It seems you have to get into the top 100 in the world to get on the leaderboard at all, even the friends one.

  • berelain #16 4 years ago

    @Mattigan

    Triggerheart does offer that function. You can flip the screen and controls to make it playable sideways on a standard TV, which the Eurogamer review oddly neglects to mention.

    And whats with all the Jazz and Jools Holland hating here?

  • Killerbee #17 4 years ago

    Old fashioned shoot-'em-ups are a lot like jazz. Once a driving force of pop culture, both are now savoured only by a dwindling number of dedicated purists who grumble at how the bovine mainstream masses are incapable of appreciating the off-kilter appeal of their chosen obsession.

    Ouch. I agree that some jazz is tough to listen to, but to call imply that it's old-fashioned is wide of the mark.

    Please go and listen to some Soweto Kinch to see someone who's really making progressive and contemporary (and accessible) jazz, with a serving of hip-hop on the side. He's bloody brilliant.
    Edited by Killerbee at 07/03/08 @ 10:44

  • TheWretched #18 4 years ago

    Where are those games on PSN (Talking 1941 etc...)?

    I'd get at least 3 of those NOW, if there where any!

  • bloodflowers #19 4 years ago

    I really like this one personally, had it on the Dreamcast for a while. The demo is pretty deceptive, you will /very/ likely die later on if the grapple is not used. Nice to see it wasn't marked down purely for being old for once, although this line did make me chuckle: "For all the structural similarities to Rez, this never comes close to being as innovative or compelling as Mizuguchi-san's trance classic.".

    You might as well say this game is similar to any other game that has ever existed, which had levels and bosses. Also, Rez wasn't even innovative. It rips off Tron somewhat, and then sticks those visuals on a very formulaic rail shooter. Just add some trance and watch people go nutsy over it... Sigh.
    Edited by bloodflowers at 07/03/08 @ 11:35

  • DanWhitehead #20 4 years ago

    Well, given that both Rez and Triggerheart were Dreamcast shooters with five levels and a complete emphasis on score attack gameplay and both are now revived on XBLA, it's not that strange a comparison.

  • retr0gamer #21 4 years ago

    So you just ignore the fact that they are completely different games? Thats like comparing Halo and Ninja Gaiden because they both came out on the Xbox and have a complete emphasis on killing things.

    Can't believe you gave this uninspired tosh the same score as Lords of Thunder.

  • muscleblade #22 4 years ago

    @DanWhitehead

    "it's not that strange a comparison"

    Agreed. 7/10 also seems fair. The game is entertaining just not as mainstream as many other shooters. Didnt buy the full game though due to the fact that my gaming scheduel is very full at the moment.

  • bloodflowers #23 4 years ago

    Oh, I'd have given it an 8 myself but I'm certainly not complaining at the rating, just thought the comparison was stretching at best. I should dig out my shooter review bingo card, if I recall there were boxes for mentioning game length, R-Type and Ikaruga. ;)

  • Retroid #24 4 years ago

    Well, I like this shmup and I'm always right so anyone who dislikes it is wrong ^__^

    7/10 is about right, mind. It's all in the score attack and learning how to use the anchor properly. Which I personally like.

  • asphaltcowboy #25 4 years ago

    "It seems you have to get into the top 100 in the world to get on the leaderboard at all, even the friends one."

    Seriously? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard! Since there's no chance I'd reach anywhere near the top 100, I obviously want to compare myself with my friends and my own previous attempts!

  • Kon #26 4 years ago

    Awesome game IMO. The anchor system gives it a fresh take on the genre and in fact works quite well in that it's easy understand but has enough depth that you can always use it a little better and score a little more.

    I can only hope that more games as good as this one will get a release in the future. ESPrade, Ibara or even Zero Gunner 2 would make me giddy as a girl if they ever saw the light of day.

    Whatever happens though, for me Gradius V is still king of the castle.

  • espibara #27 4 years ago

    A great game but we now need

    The king of modern 2D shooters namely.....
    Under defeat, Under defeat, Under defeat, Under defeat, Under defeat, Under defeat, Under defeat, Under defeat, Under defeat, Under defeat, Under defeat, Under defeat, Under defeat, Under defeat.

    God I would wet myself if that game was announced come on G-rev what are you waiting for. That game needs to be appreciated by a larger audience.
    Edited by espibara at 07/03/08 @ 16:36

  • Retroid #28 4 years ago

    Agreed: I want to see Under defeat up on XBLA! \o/

  • retr0gamer #29 4 years ago

    Agree that under defeat would be nice to have on Arcade, wonderful game. Pity Gradius V isn't forthcoming, could pack my PS2 away if it did :)

  • darc #30 4 years ago

    I am fed up of your face. :D

  • Godot #31 4 years ago

    Intriguing.

  • Chalee #32 4 years ago

    Jazz > Halo

    *world explodes