Barone Earthion Review

Absolutely fantastic shmup and the recent update makes it even better. The visibility issues have been fixed, so the game now feels as sharp, fair, and exhilarating as it should. Ignore the few negative reviews. Most are from players who do not understand horizontal shooters, dislike the Genesis or Mega Drive, or have rare technical problems on their own setup. What this game really is: It blends the speed and large-scale stage design of Thunder Force IV, some of the eerie bio-mechanical tone of Bio-Hazard Battle, and the discipline of Darius with the weapon strategy and stage flow of Gradius. The first stage serves as a warm-up just like in Darius, teaching basic survival and enemy patterns before the real intensity begins. The fixed ship speed means positioning is everything, hidden items are placed throughout the maps, and terrain awareness can mean the difference between survival and destruction. All of this is presented with Streets of Rage 2-level production quality and some of the best pixel art seen on 16-bit or 32-bit hardware. Key influences and strengths: • Darius fundamentals: fixed ship speed, preemptive ship positioning can be extremely rewarding, a training-style first stage, the importance of terrain use, and hidden items that reward map knowledge. • Thunder Force IV spectacle: vast scrolling backgrounds, high-speed sections, and aggressive enemy wave patterns. • Bio-Hazard Battle atmosphere: starts aerial than descends, live micro-worlds as stages, organic-high tech mix and alien landscapes. • Gradius-style weapon flow: each sub-weapon has a distinct purpose, with certain types excelling against bosses while others dominate in crowd control. Yuzo Koshiro’s soundtrack is arguably his best since Streets of Rage 2, combining the melodic drive of Thunder Force IV’s most intense themes with the moody tension of Darius and the tight rhythm of classic Gradius tracks. Gameplay reality check: • On Hard and Hotshot, you must know enemy spawns, hazards, and terrain. • The ship is not slow. Movement is deliberate and rewards pre-emptive positioning, just as in Darius and Gradius. • It is more accessible than most 80s and 90s shmups but still delivers a **real challenge** at higher difficulties. This is easily a top five horizontal shmup of the 16-bit era across any platform. If you appreciate the fundamentals of Darius, the scale of Thunder Force IV, the atmosphere of Bio-Hazard Battle, and the weapon mastery of Gradius, this game delivers it all in one polished package. Ignore the noise and enjoy one of the finest classic-inspired shmups ever made.