I really hate to gush, but I just really seem to enjoy games that Treasure makes. I would probably say that they are number one on my short list of favorite developers. My first real experience with Treasure was with the venerable Gunstar Heroes on the Sega Genesis. That game alone made the Genesis a worthwhile system even when most gamers swarmed to the SNES. Treasure dictated my purchase of a Sega Saturn above the PSX simply because the game Guardian Heroes was exclusive to the Saturn. Also on the Saturn, Treasure unleashed a monster called Radiant Silvergun.

Radiant Silvergun seemed simple enough. It was a vertical styled shooter with intense 2D graphics mixed with a healthy dose of 3D polygons for good measure. Treasure, continuing with their tradition of making hardware do what it isn't supposed to do, pushed the Saturn to unseen limits with this unique blast-a-thon which even turned non shooter fans onto the genre. The game more often then not goes for well over $100 on eBay on any given day.

Fast forward a few years and some info is leaked about a new project from Treasure with the code name "RS-2." For those who are not that familiar with Treasure, they have a pretty strict policy against doing sequels. That's the main reason they broke away from Konami in the first place. The "RS-2" tag is still included in Ikaruga, however it's safe to say that the game is different enough to not really be considered a sequel like most people would.

What Ikaruga does offer is an insanely refined shooter, that pretty much strips away all of the chaff and delivers nothing but pure straightforward gameplay. On the surface, a seasoned shooter fan who is used to heavy duty powerups ala Gradius or even Thunderforce might scoff at the idea of having only a normal shot and a super power up shot, but they would be missing out on some really unique action and style that can only be found in a Treasure game.

Treasure tends to go against trends in the market when it comes to their games. They kick out a shooter with barely any powerups and expect blasting fans to hop right on board. To the outside observer, this would seem insane, but shooter fans couldn't wait to get their trigger thumbs on this disc. The gameplay in Ikaruga oozes that simple yet complex style that Treasure seems to be able to hit so easily at times. Your ship has two modes, a light and dark mode which is effortlessly controlled via a tap of the B button. When you are in light mode, you fire off white shots tinged in blue and are surrounded by a similar shield. When you are in dark mode, you fire black shots embued in red, also with a similar shield.

Here is where the complexity and gameplay shows up. Conveniently enough in the world of Ikaruga, the enemies all come in the same light and dark varieties. This obviously plays into the way you need to blast through the oncoming hoards of hostiles. Either shot with damage any enemy, however the opposite shots will inflict twice as much damage on an enemy. If a major light colored baddie creeps up on the screen, make short work out of him with dark shots. In addition to the damage you dish out, the light and dark modes also effect how you take hits. Like any good shooter, it's on bad hit and your space dust, however, when in light mode, your shield will absorb light shots and vice versa.

As you absorb shots, you steadily build up a super meter that will eventually allow you to unleash a homing laser attack which will certainly help out when the action gets tense, which is pretty much the entire time you are playing. If you can form the mental image in your head so far about the gameplay, you will certainly be thankful that they kept it nice and simple, because you are going to be managing these choices on the fly. In to everything I mentioned so far, your score in the game heavily depends upon your ability to link together 'chains' of hits. A chain is formed when you take out at least three like colored enemies in a row. Keep the chain running, and you will max out your scores in no time. Of course, as with any good shooter, that is way easier said that done.

The graphics are an excellent mix of 2D and 3D effects. Treasure has had a lot of experience with mixing styles and I did not expect them to disappoint this time around with the respectable Dreamcast hardware. Ikaruga features very crisp visuals that move along at a blistering pace which is simply perfect for a shooter. No one is going to nominate the game for any awards at the end of the year, but I don't think shooter fans are going to complain.

The sound are pretty standard for a shooter. For the most part, Ikaruga keeps a pretty high standard throughout. The music is decent although I can live without owning a soundtrack for it. The rest of the game sounds will tend to blur into the background as you fade into the 'zone' while blasting away at everything you can. I do, however, love the robotic voice that was used in the game. It simply reeks of early 80's to me for some reason and makes me want to throw in a Styx album.

I am really enjoying Ikaruga, and I heartily recommend it for shooter fans, especially if you loved Radiant Silvergun. With some fancy shooting as well as extended play time, you can unlock a few secret galleries and such in the game. Don't forget to check out the nice little bonus wallpapers included on the disc for your computer. You have to love Treasure for the freebies. If you don't feel like checking out the game on the Dreamcast, you can wait for the Gamecube port which is slated to hit the US late this year. Shooter fans don't have as much as they used to, so snap up Ikaruga as soon as you can and get ready for the blisters on your thumbs.