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ソルジャーブレイド
©1992 Hudson Soft
Vol.50
Release : 1992-07-10 (¥6500)
HuCard (4 Mbits) HC92056
Shooter / Vertical
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Released in America as
SOLDIER BLADE
( TGX040082 )
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Soldier Blade is a vertical-scrolling shooter and is the forth game
in the Star Soldier series (and the third and last episode released for
the PC Engine system). In the 21st century, humanity decides to initiate
a space colonization program designed to save the Earth from depletion of its
natural resources. However, not long after the beginning of the operation, the
human fleet encounters the Zeograd alien army which is now on a mission
to conquer our world. The elite Soldier Blade star fighter is created by
the SIA (Special Interception Airforce) to counter the threat, and
the player embarks on a perilous mission through seven stages (called 'Operations')
to defeat the Zeograd empire. The ship comes equipped with a standard
Vulcan Gun (red) and two other weapons are available for the picking - the
laser-beam (blue) and the laser-wave (green). When a power-up is
collected, a flying and invulnerable robot-pod also joins the Soldier Blade
and shoots at everything in sight. Another unique feature of the weapon system is
the ability to store up to three power-ups. At anytime during the game, the active
weapon can be sacrificed and its power unleashed with devastative effects,
cleaning up most of the enemies on the screen (releasing a bomb automatically
activates the second available weapon). Soldier Blade, in the
Star Soldier tradition, also features a two and five minutes
time attack mode.
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Soldier Blade was part of the 8th Caravan Competition organized by
Hudson Soft in 1992. A non-commercial and very limited edition of Soldier Blade
exists - Soldier Blade Special Version comes as a single HuCard, and offers a 2 and 5
minutes Time Attack modes (picture on the right, see also the Omake section below). Other
Special Versions exist (Gunhed and
Final Soldier) but
Soldier Blade Special Version is probably the most "common" one, although
extremely rare.
It was also the end of an era - Soldier Blade was technically the
last Star Soldier game to be featured in the
Hudson Soft Caravan Festival. See
Star Soldier for
more information about the Caravan Competition.
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Game teaser from the American version:
Searching for new resources, the Reconnaisance Fleet
goes into the deep space. But four months after their
missiong begins, all contact is lost. Suddenly, three
years later... the Fleet returns, but they have been
consumed by alien life forms. Now they have come to
attack the earth. But no need to be flurried. Now the
time has come to "Soldier Blade." Equipped with a
miniature Bias Drive, the fight goes on ! You become a
member of the team "Super Interception Airforce", and
destroy the enemy !
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Game Staff (Copied from the end credits) :
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SOLDIER BLADE
STAFF
Direction
Charley Nakata
Game Design
Ukiuki Uribo
System Programing
Hikaru Aoyama
Enemy Programing
Charley Nakata
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Production Programing
Hikaru Aoyama
Art Direction
Ukiuki Uribo
Mechanical Art
Tatsuya Doe
Graphic Design
Ukiuki Uribo
Tatsuya Doe
Yukinori Kouzen
Rururira Hidebo
Atsushi Kakutani
Kuboq
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Music Composing
Keita Hoshi
Makiko Tanifuji
Sound Effect
Keita Hoshi
Sound System Programing
Lu. Iwabuchi
Super Voice
Nimai C. Malle
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Special Thanks
Futofuto Satoh
Hector Oyama
Manga
Masaaki Inoue
Masanori Wake
Mccol Iwata
Satoshi Mikami
Tetsuya Wakabayashi
Toshiya Abe
Team Young Power
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Planning
Shigeki Fujiwara
Supervision
Tatsujin Kawada
SOLDIER BLADE
OPERATION COMPLETE
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O
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A
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Click on picture to enlarge |
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LK
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Add your Pov here !
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P
O
V
s
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Soldier Blade is a superb shooter and Hudson Soft at its very best.
The game features amazingly detailed graphics, animations, a catchy soundtrack, gorgeous
bosses, and a fantastic and varied level design. It is such a nice touch to meet the final
boss at the beginning of the game who, when defeated, flies off shouting "I'll be back!",
and it does several times! However, some players may argue that Soldier Blade is not
as intense and fast paced as Super Star Soldier (and they have a fair point). Well, I
personally do not mind, I feel that more effort went into the level design (this especially
applies to bosses and how they get introduced to the player) than the score attack
formula that made the series so popular in the first place. But, all in all, I think that
Soldier Blade is a remarkably crafted game and one of the best shooter available for
the PC Engine system - a solid, addictive and excellent treat, and I highly recommend
it to every shmupper out there!
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