Alien threat from deep space
After being a freeware for a long period of time, Hydorah was finally shredded and was reborn with the name of Super Hydorah , full version and magazine of a shoot’em up that recalls some historic icons, catching full hands from the best of games like Gradius , R-Type and Darius , but also those less known as Space Manbow, X-Multiplyand Hydphos .
Just Locomalito, through a statement from his Abylight development studio, tells that Super Hydorah should be considered a bit bastard son of these classics, without however being a clone. After about 6-7 hours of gaming, we can say that he was right: Super Hydorah must be considered to be another illustrious exponent of sliding shooters, developed with great attention to detail and with obvious love for the genre.
The narrative premise, as it was legitimate to expect, is not really anything particularly appealing. You have to face an alien threat called Meropticon, which declared war on the Omios star system with the intention of colonizing it. So you will take control of your space ship with the aim of freeing the invaded planets, discovering the mysterious xenomorphs who organized the attack, destroying the alien fleet and the dreaded Hydorah.
Beyond the average of the other titles of the genre, the Abymor Studios shmup offers twenty-one levels, ideally subdivided into thirty-five sections, with several mobs and bosses and a host of high enemies around the hundred units.
Game progression is not straightforward and the player is free, near some bivouac, to deal with the levels he prefers, even being able to jump on someone or return later. For the sake of completeness, it would be better to complete all of them, especially because certain enhancements are very important in the most advanced stages. However, there is no obligation to do so, users seeking a high challenge may try to eventually get into a less efficient and performing version of the spacecraft.
War of the Worlds
The game is a kind of mini-space-focused work on variety, with ever-diversified missions and environments that never experience asset recycles.
To avoid misunderstanding, Super Hydorah is not a bullet hell; on the contrary, it has a more compact rhythm and a composition of the most rational levels, with a really great design level and great attention to the curve of difficulty (which can not be changed).
You go softer and go on in the adventure there are never moments when you feel overwhelmed by the enemy forces.
The practice and the right choice of weapons and potentials can really make a difference at certain levels, as it does not bother to take less crowded trails than others where the enemy’s presence and the number of wandering bullets are more concentrated.
In each mission are hidden of the secrets to be discovered and before you start one you will need to choose the main weapon, the support one and the so-called special, which will all be unlocked manually.
Among these you will find a powerful laser, a mouthpiece capable of overcoming solid obstacles in spite of a low flow rate, mini support stunts that buzz around and protect you, invisibility to activate for a few seconds and various other settings between to choose to go to battle.
Power-ups inside the missions include a shield, “special” and caps charging to increase the speed of movement up to a maximum of three steps, but it should be emphasized how much the choice of protection always remains more forward-looking.
Super Hydorah can also be played with a companion, and in this regard a special mode called Robot Chase has also been inserted. If you love lonely adventures, be aware that there are secrets and a heroic ending to discover.
Really great also the sound effects and the music of Gryzor87, which is now a fixed pair with Locomalito.
