Project Sylpheed (Xbox 360) Preview
Posted by Armando Rodriguez on 09.26.2006
Square Enix brings space shooting goodness to the 360.
Project Sylpheed is Square Enix's first original offering for the Xbox 360. Yes, it is a space shooter. So what does a space shooter have to make us excited? Well, combine the name Sylpheed, a classic Sega CD game and the creators of Einhander, one of the most beloved space shooters of all time and I get seriously excited.
If only Sylpheed would have looked this good on the Sega CD
The premise for Sylpheed is simple. You are a pilot in a space battle cruiser when aliens pop out of nowhere and start shooting everything that moves, including your ship. Which means you fire back! And that is where the fun starts. The story will unravel trough radio conversations(where you get mission objectives) and Square's trademark gorgeous cut scenes.
Square's amazing cut scenes will help flesh out the story
Like all good space shooters, the story is just a backdrop for the all out arcade mayhem. Your ship will take center stage as you battle enemy forces. Even with wingmen at your side and having access to variety of commands you can issue to them, you can expect to be vastly outnumbered. Your ship is equipped with laser blasters and rocket launchers, but both weapons can overheat, which means that you have to be careful in their use. Your ship also has a shield that can take some abuse before bringing your ship down and like in Halo, it will recharge with time as you spend time without taking damage. Like in all games of this kind, you can expect to do barrel rolls and flips and have access to a turbo boost of sorts. The commands you can issue to your wingmen range from the "Shoot anything that moves" to assigning formations.
Project Sylpheed looks to be a great game for fans of space shooters, a genre that is rarely explored nowdays. Square has yet to assign a release date for this game, but it should be out at some point next year. We will keep you updated on the game's progress.
