Judgement Silversword - Resurrection

Having spent some time reviewing Steam games, I'm used to seeing ports from other systems. At this point I don't bat an eye when I see a PlayStation 2 or Dreamcast port; it's just part of the modern gaming marketplace. But even I was surprised to see Judgement Silversword - Resurrection get a proper Steam release. It's not every day you get to review a game first seen on the WonderSwan Color.

Initially made available in 2004, Judgement Silversword - Resurrection is an overhead 2D shoot-em-up born from the WWGP WorldWitch programming contest. It's a fast-paced action game that takes inspiration from Treasure's Radiant Silvergun and pushes the WondeSwan's power to the limits. And now PC gamers have a chance to experience this 11 year old shooter in all its 16-bit glory.

Players take control of a gray spaceship that zips around the screen shooting down aliens. Your craft is equipped with two attacks, as well as a protective shield. The main attack sees our ship firing straight forward, taking down just about everything in its path. On the other hand, the secondary attack is a spread shot that can take out multiple enemies at the same time. And for moments when firing guns won't get the job done, there's a shield button that can help us stay safe for a short period of time.

Judgement Silversword is split up into dozens of tiny stages, most of which have you squaring off against a different set of enemies and bosses. This does a great job of keeping the action fresh from one stage to the next, even if the mechanics never change. The varied enemies put up a good fight and there are a number of massive bosses that still look great blown up on the computer monitor.

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Despite overwhelming the player with free lives early on, the game's difficulty ramps up in a hurry. Even with the shield at the ready, it's easy for the bullet swarm to overtake your tiny craft. Thankfully the controls are responsive and the fast-paced progression makes starting over less painful.

This brand new Steam release also includes Cardinal Sins, which feels like a remixed version of Judgement Silversword. Referred to as the "Recycled Edition" in the title screen, this separate shooter features different backgrounds and even transitions between levels. It also offers different modes, including one where you attempt to tackle the seven deadly sins. It's a fun idea that feels different enough to warrant its inclusion.

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Despite the speedy gameplay and stylish pixel graphics, there are times when it's blatantly obvious this was designed for a 16-bit handheld system from the 1990s. The game is full of slowdowns and technical issues, something that was unfortunately common for shooters in the 20th century. It's also frustratingly linear, something that is hard to go back to after spending so much time with Shutshimi.

Judgement Silversword - Resurrection is considered by many to be one of the WonderSwan's crowning achievements, and it's easy to see why. It has a unique structure that is perfectly suited for high score runs. At the same time, the 16-bit game is showing its age and quickly becomes repetitive. This is a fun shoot-em-up package, but definitely not essential.