TG16 fans thought they’d died and gone to heaven when Gate of Thunder was published for the system. A shooter of truly epic magnitude, it rocketed the underrated machine to the top of the pile when it came to mesmerizing blaster action. The question was: could such a game be topped?
When Lords of Thunder was released soon afterwards, the answer was an emphatic “yes”.
Although it has nothing to do with Gate of Thunder in terms of plot, Lords of Thunder is nevertheless considered by fans to be a sequel of sorts. The storyline eschews the traditional space combat shooter fans are used to and instead sees you controlling the mythical warrior Landis, who happens to have the power of flight and comes encased in some seriously bitchin’ magical armour. This protective covering is upgradeable and you have four different types that are tied to a particular element – Earth, Wind, Fire or Water. Each grants a slightly different method of dishing out divine retribution on the hordes of marauding baddies that populate the game world.
As well as the traditional projectile attacks you would associate with a 2D shooter of this type, Landis also has a rather large sword that he can use to hack and slash at enemies that get too close for comfort. The sword is much more powerful than his standard attack, but there’s a catch – he has to stop completely in order to swing it. Therefore a little bit of tactical thought is required before you start happily stabbing anything and everything in sight.
You have the option to select the order in which you tackle the levels (as seen in games like Thunderforce IV and Mega Man) so rather than having stages that become progressively more difficult, the developer has opted for an assortment of worlds that offer a pretty stern challenge from the outset. If you thought Gate of Thunder was a tough cookie then you’re going to have similar feelings about this game; true shooter fans know that challenge is one of the key elements of the genre, of course.
Graphically Lords of Thunder is arguably superior to its spiritual predecessor. Whereas Gate of Thunder was restricted by the cliché space plot, Lords of Thunder’s fantasy setting liberated the designers who have consequently created a wide and varied range of enemies and stages. A special mention must go to the unbelievable amount of parallax scrolling and, this being a CD game, you can obviously expect plenty of high-quality anime cut scenes to keep things rolling along nicely.
Last (but certainly not least) we have the music. Lords of Thunder has a soundtrack that is discussed in hushed, almost reverent tones by those that have had the pleasure of experiencing it. It’s rip-roaring guitar rock – the kind of music that you might turn your nose up at if you were to hear it on the radio – but in this context, it fits like a chain mail glove. Shooter titles should be required by law to have decent soundtrack in order to get the blood pumping, and Lords of Thunder is arguably unequalled in this regard. It almost feels like you should have a massive '80s poodle-perm and be wearing tight leather trousers when you listen to it!
This is undoubtedly a classic game, but there are some annoying niggles. The water armour is insanely powerful and when fully upgraded makes the game much easier; it would have been nice to see a bit more thought put into the balancing of the armour powers. Also, while the levels look gorgeous, they’re not quite as inventive as those seen in Gate of Thunder. However, these are relatively minor quibbles when you consider the astonishingly high standard of this title.
For many people Lords of Thunder is the game that heralded the dawn of the CD era. As a Virtual Console purchase it is quite frankly essential, even if you don’t consider yourself a fan of the shooter genre.
1. KeeperBvK
19 Dec 2007, 14:35 GMT
Yes, finally! One of the best (if not THE best) PCE-shooters is coming to the VC. Been waiting for this for quite some time.
2. Jazzem
19 Dec 2007, 17:07 GMT
Blimey, that was quick!
I downloaded (And really like) GoT, is this better?
3. Aldo
20 Dec 2007, 21:51 GMT
Looks fantastic!
4. Cally
21 Dec 2007, 22:04 GMT
Didn't a Sega CD version come out also, and was it better?
5. butanebob
23 Dec 2007, 11:25 GMT
Jazzem you'll love this even more than GoT!
Cally check this out for a comparison
6. michinmuri
07 Jan 2008, 03:35 GMT
About time they ring out the big guns. This is my favorite shooter, ever! The graphics, sound, gameplay, and osses are abbsolutely phenominal. Whether you are a shooter fan or not, this game can't be passed up considering the price. Unless you absolutely hate shooters, this game is a must have! I just can't wait!
7. Corbie
25 Jan 2008, 09:24 GMT
Lords of Thunder is coming to the VC in February along with Psychosis. Lords on the Turbo CD is much better than the Sega CD version. The visuals and music are better. I still keep both around because the Sega CD version does have a different sound to it. I kinda like both.
8. Damo
07 Feb 2008, 15:04 GMT
This is out tonight in Europe, guys...
9. Shortay
07 Feb 2008, 17:37 GMT
Good release, even though I'm not too interested in it.
10. Uncle Meat
08 Feb 2008, 13:07 GMT
Awesome! TG shmups are just great. I'll definitely download this one.
11. Kelvin
08 Feb 2008, 17:13 GMT
No speech from the original version, but that music is brilliant! I'm not much cop at the game alas, but I've had the thing running on sound test mode for ages!
I'm absolutely astounded that the guys at ocremix.org haven't had a go at this one yet.
12. Luigison
09 Feb 2008, 03:21 GMT
Why do all the VC videos have overdubbed music? I'd much rather hear the original music play along with the sound effects of the game. I don't know much about TG emulators, but other emulator can output audio along with the video. If you are using a capture card why not capture the audio at the same time. If you are already getting the audio, why do you over dubbed it?
13. Hero10x
09 Feb 2008, 05:14 GMT
it would be awesome if this music was played in the game.
ive never played this game. is that the real music?
14. Kelvin
09 Feb 2008, 16:14 GMT
Yes, that is the original music from the game. The reason it's overdubbed in the video is because those are scenes from different points in the game, and if they included the original sounds, it would be a bitty mess, as they switch from scene to scene and tune to tune. The track you hear in the video is actual music from the game, as you hear it in the game.
15. Necroticism
10 Feb 2008, 15:45 GMT
A truly awesome game. Fast and very hard from the beginning (and I didn't even dare to select the "hard" or "super" difficulty settings!), the game never slows down, and keeps assaulting the player with hordes upon hordes of enemies and bullets. Hit detection is unforgiving but the challenge is fair, there's always a way to escape enemy fire.
About the soundtrack... it really depends on your taste. In my opinion, it's absolutely amazing and fits nicely with the action.
16. Luigison
10 Feb 2008, 19:25 GMT
@ kelvingreen, I know that music is in the game, I just wanted to hear it and the sound effects with the video at it happens when you play. (And the same for all other vc-reviews videos.) I also know that overdubbing the music eliminates switching sounds between scenes, but the sound effects and specific level music would add to the immersion and ambiance of the games.
17. skelevision
10 Feb 2008, 23:22 GMT
Me and a friend got absolutely smashed on coffee liquer and played this game damn near all night on Friday. This gets a thumbs up from me! SLAP BASS ON TITLE SCREEN!
18. michinmuri
11 Feb 2008, 12:22 GMT
About time! This is a no-brainer. I'll be getting it right after work and playing it til I absolutely have to do other meaningful things, like eat and homework. This is a shooter that must be experienced. Joy!
19. cartoonking
11 Feb 2008, 23:46 GMT
Just downloaded this game and it is and it isn't the original music. I still have the original game CD from way back. I kept it because you can play the original game cd in any cd player and enjoy the music, as I still listen and have the original Ys for the same reason. For the most part the music is the same but there are changes throughtout that are different from the original game CD.
For the most part someone who's never played it before will still be blown by the rockin' soundtrack and not notice the differences, unless you still have the original, like me, to compare it to, I was a little disappointed at the changes. Maybe it's the way it had to be emulated. All in all, an awesome shooter.
20. Jockolantern
12 Feb 2008, 10:42 GMT
This is one seriously sweet shooter... incredibly hard, even on Normal, but an addictive and rewarding experience, none-the-less. I can't stop playing it.
21. MaxK
16 Feb 2008, 15:32 GMT
cartoonking: Do you have the TurboCD or SegaCD version? Because one of the main different's between the two is how the music were recorded. This version used heavy metal while the SegaCD port used hard rock that also utilized the keyboard a bit more to give the music more of a fantasy feel to the game.
Anyway, after reading through many positive reviews, I pretty much knew exactly what I was getting into when I downloaded Lords of Thunder. I've been playing for the past six days and it's has been an amazing experince so far. I like shop system, I like the ability to switch between different elemental armors before starting a level, and I love the fact that you have a health bar.
As for the rest, just sit back, enjoy the music, and try not to die!
22. Elk810
21 Feb 2008, 20:19 GMT
You know what I think? I think there are way too many scrolling shooter games on the Virtual Console, and they need to stop releasing them so frequently and release some other games that are missing from the VC for some reason, like Star Fox, Kirby's Dream Land 3, Shining Force II, or The Legend Of Zelda: Majora's Mask.
23. witchfinder
22 Feb 2008, 09:31 GMT
Downloaded this last week and it's awesome. Love the soundtrack and the way you can buy/choose your weapons and which level to attempt next. It's tough, but not frustratingly so....
This type of game is exactly why I love the VC because while I can pick up most NES, SNES and MD games to play on the real system for less than they cost on VC, there's no way I'd be able to play this game if I couldn't download it. 5 stars from me!
24. Sarato
29 Feb 2008, 09:08 GMT
This game rocks! Though, a great tips from me is to start with the Desert Level or Water Level. That is the easiest of them all and will give you many orbs so you can be upgraded and fit for fight for the harder ones (the Forest Level and the Fire Level are both hard).
Anyone else that had noticed that all levels are named in spanish? The snow level Gelado means ice cream in spanish and Bosque (forest level) means...? Exactly, forest. =D
This game is hard but SO good and addicting! Too bad that the last boss had the same pattern as the second last boss in Thunder Blade which i find a little cheap but the game still rocks your socks!
The music is one great aspect too! I ususally think it is cheesy with Electric guitars in games but this game has that and it is still really good music. Some levels even reach the quality level of a Mega Man game (and that says it all to most people).
This game is truly an instant download!
25. President_Leever
29 Feb 2008, 16:08 GMT
Are there any sound effects or just this power metal stuff?
26. Tony
01 Mar 2008, 00:00 GMT
I just downloaded this title. First of all its tough as nails in difficulty but not in a cheap or frustrating way. The shop system really can help you upgrade if you have some good runs and grab alot of crystals. The sound track is amazing! This is a great game if you have a few minutes to pick up and blast stuff. I love the whole mid-evil/sci-fi theme. Maybe I will try Gate of Thunder soon. I highly recommend this game, and I am not a shooting game fan.
27. Sarato
05 Mar 2008, 15:22 GMT
This game is great! Surely one of my most favourite VC games so far!
The music is kickass and great sound effects! A must have for everyone!
(I know i have written one review but i like it so much that i needed to make another).
28. Marvel_Maniac
05 Mar 2008, 20:53 GMT
I'm really considering this. That music is freaking amazing sounding- thought I'm not a huge Shooter nut, that may be enough to get me to plunk down the 800 Wii points for this.
29. Jon
10 Mar 2008, 07:17 GMT
I downloaded this based on the review and the comments. I must say that though it is a good game it's at the same time incredibly hard. This lowers my score to a solid 3 stars. I must say that I prefer Soldier Blade over this one.
30. Tony
28 Mar 2008, 11:31 GMT
This is a hidden gem on the VC
31. PRP
20 Apr 2008, 16:36 GMT
just downloaded this wonderful game, very hard indeed, but great. However I have a problem that really bothers me: shooting with the water armor at full power makes too much flashing, cause the fire covers the entire screen and after some time it gives me nausea...I never had such a problem with other games,nor I suffer from epilepsy, so I thought it's worth to mention this. Does anyone experienced the same problem?
32. Django
22 Apr 2008, 07:38 GMT
A classic! It brings back sooo many memories from when I was a kid. Thumbs up for this release! And the music....I remember us being blown away!
33. Jimmy Damage
16 May 2008, 15:09 GMT
Actually never played this before I got it for the wii. Decided to download it because of the music and the review, turns out its a great game
Thanks VC-reviews!
34. Fuun Saiki
14 Jun 2008, 20:39 GMT
Hmm, I can't really get into this game. I've finished about half the levels (using about a trillion lives), and it's yet to really grip me. I think I would have prefered linear progression.
Maybe I'll try it again once I've finished Soldier Blade...
35. Ry-Type
01 Jul 2008, 11:18 GMT
One of the few games in the world that makes you feel AWESOME.
36. Epyo
26 Jul 2008, 01:54 GMT
downloaded this a few months ago, and it's easily my most satisfying VC purchase. excellent excellent game, for any fan of video games, I highly recommend this. I agree with the above poster that it makes you feel AWESOME. the action is unbelievable.
37. Gravitywheel
07 Aug 2008, 01:39 GMT
I can't believe I had never played this game until yesterday. Holy crap. BEST. SHOOTER. EVER.
I think there should be some sort of a remake of this game, and they should use some modern power metal bands - such as Dragonforce, The Sword, Blind Guardian, etc - for the soundtrack. How freakin' awesome would that be?
38. Tony
07 Sep 2008, 01:17 GMT
At 800 points this game is a steal. Download now for your VC collection to be Awesomely Awesome!
39. Badknux
07 Sep 2008, 19:33 GMT
So, I had never even heard about this game before, until I stumbled upon Tony's comment. I watched the video preview above, and it looked cool. So much so that I took a chance, and downloaded the darn thing!
I was blown away. It was so awesome, what a killer soundtrack. And, it plays horizontally, just like Thunderforce III (my former favorite shooter). I can't believe this thing has been out since February and I am just now discovering it in in September. Man, I'll never overlook the TG16 again! NEVER!!!!!!!!!
40. slangman
08 Sep 2008, 13:21 GMT
Really great game. Some fantastic CD quality music that suits this game. The levels are top notch too with great bosses and great elvel design.
Highly recomended if you like shoot em ups.
41. Marvel_Maniac
08 Sep 2008, 15:26 GMT
Yeah, I downloaded it shortly after my comments in March. It DOES make you feel awesome and the Classic Controller gives you greate gameplay with the joystick. I actually ONLY used the Water Armour for the first 10 times I played it, due to people's comments here. That was a shame, because the Earth Armour is totally my favourite after trying it just once! Holy moly, the Water Armour may have a wider spread, but it is certainly NOT the most power weapon. Love the variety AND the difficulty level. It really helps to push the player to step up their game. I've gone back to old favourites such as Gradius III after playing this and Lords of Thunder has made me a better SHUMP player!
42. little terror
27 Oct 2008, 04:01 GMT
i wanna dl this for the music alone! sounds and looks intense.
43. KillerinstinctFan
02 Nov 2008, 09:53 GMT
When i played this i thought it looked amazing i really loved the soundtrack. this game is worth getting no doubt about it if your not a fan of games like this Just have a go.
44. Outrunner
09 Nov 2008, 21:55 GMT
Downloaded it today. Have to say I'm impressed. It's just shot to the top of my favourite shooters along with Gradius 3, R-Type 3 and Soldier Blade.
@Jon: The fact that it's tough should add stars to the score! 7 stars I say!
45. Mickeymac
15 Dec 2008, 02:22 GMT
Definitely gotta get!
Edit: Aaaand got it!
Edit again: and it is awesome!
46. Cally
16 Dec 2008, 01:40 GMT
5/5--awesome
I sure admire Hudson for not just trying to make lightning strike in the same place twice with this follow-up to Gate of Thunder.
Okay, honestly . . . no pun intended. Really. I totally didn't see that coming. <runs>
In fact, it has less in common with Gate of Thunder than most other shooters (in the sub-genre) do, on the surface. But like GoT, its level scripting is fantastically memorable; enemy encounters and environment hazards are inspired and have great timing, giving the whole game a great poetic flow to it that will stick with you after you play it. The shop, of course, makes the game stand out simply because it marks one of the few things in this sub-genre (forced-scrolling shooter) where there are multiple, but equally-effective strategies--I mean, rather than just "how many ships did I lose THIS playthrough?" there are more things that can distinguish people's experiences with it.
What a great change of pace, with these two games. I prefer Gate of Thunder, but how I feel like I--the player--am not the only sucker doing the work when I'm playing at it is a really nice thing. They really decided to make the "Thunder" games feel like a dramatic experience as well as a game.
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