By Joseph Walter
I think it's the finest example of the shoot 'em up genre, and is still unrivaled in tone, attention to detail, and the purity of its gameplay.
One of the main reasons that I feel this way is the incredibly somber mood of the game. Your actions don't feel like a righteous and heroic crusade against unyielding evil, but a grim fate and tragic burden. Despite our best efforts, war has come, once again. Like it always does. And always will.
In other words, it's a "repeated tragedy," and that brings us to this week's Soundcheck!
"Repeated Tragedy" is the iconic theme for Raiden II's opening level, and it perfectly encapsulates the grim and melancholy feeling of the game.
Where other shoot 'em ups start things off with explosive action pieces and wailing guitars, Raiden II goes for this reserved and introspective theme, setting its distinct tone immediately and making it clear what the game is all about. Let's give it a listen:
I love how even just a few seconds in, the desperation and direness of the situation are crystal clear and right at the forefront... but there are some hints of heroism and nobility sprinkled throughout the piece.
The brief build up at :38, for example, has vaguely heroic and triumphant suggestions, and once it climaxes, it transitions into a short, desperate-but-determined sequence (I particularly love the bit at :58), filled with dynamic harmonies, counterpoints and flourishes that are simply fantastic.
At 1:11, we get a sequence that is reluctantly heroic, but these faint hints of heroism retreat when it reaches its climax, and replaced with a more depressing tone. However, this sequence repeats, and it's only after this repetition that we do hear something that is prominently and confidently gallant.
Following this, the song loops... but the opening notes now seem to have a different feel.
Musically, it's the same, but after experiencing that momentary taste of triumph and bravery, you can feel a glimmer of hope beneath the otherwise gloomy surface.
And that is absolutely perfect, since it fully embodies the spirit and tone of everything that Raiden II stands for.