Super Stardust HD

**Coded-Dude** · 06-05-2007, 10:06 PM

maybe those warp tunnels they spoke of.......

**dendj55** · 06-06-2007, 04:18 PM

This looks awesome, I will buy this immediately upon release.

***Luis*** · 06-18-2007, 11:50 AM

Super Stardust HD(Review)

Publisher:
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe

18/06/07 11:30

Stardust first materialised on the Commodore Amiga in 1993 and instantly found a dedicated fanbase thanks to its state-of-the-art graphics and glorious playability. Taking the core elements of the ancient arcade classic Asteroids and grafting on power-up weapons and extra enemy spacecraft, it proved beyond doubt that some gameplay concepts are timeless, classic and worthy of resurrection. Fast-forward 14 years and the game is set to do the same all over again, this time in the guise of the all-powerful Super Stardust HD.

Let's not beat about the bush - this game is the best fun I've had on the PlayStation 3 since the machine launched. Sure, at its heart, it's still just Asteroids (albeit with multiple operations' worth of Demi Moore-quality cosmetic surgery) but the fact of the matter is that just about everything Super Stardust HD sets out to achieve, it does with absolute style.

Take the graphics for example. Every object from the largest asteroid to the smallest piece of space debris is perfectly lit and beautifully animated. The light show and explosive effects you get courtesy of the power-up weaponry would do Treasure proud. Super Stardust HD lives up to the latter part of its name by rendering everything in 1080p with no hint of slowdown - even when the screen is ram-packed with enemy spacecraft, RSX-fuelled gunfire and a meteor storm's worth of unexploded asteroids. Considering the amount of activity on-screen, it's a hugely impressive technical achievement for the PS3 and the best use of 1080p since Ridge Racer 7.

A similar level of attention to detail is in the gameplay too. The key objective remains unchanged from the ancient coin-op that is its inspiration - blast vast asteroids into smaller chunks, then reduce them to space dust with further volleys of fire.

However, it's in the game's modernisation that Super Stardust HD truly scores. Larger rocks contain green Kryptonite-style crystals that yield points bonuses, smart bombs, shields or weapons power-ups. Additionally, each of your three weapons works best against a certain style of asteroid - choose the right tool for the job and you clear the stage much faster, resulting in a hefty points bonus. Squadrons of enemy spacecraft pop-up throughout the level to add to the challenge, and each has a distinctive attack pattern to learn and exploit. As the game progresses, different types of asteroid and enemy spacecraft combine to attack simultaneously, requiring superhuman reflexes and full mastery of the PlayStation 3's celebrated real-time weapons change system.

In terms of depth, the action in Super Stardust HD is set across five different planets, each with five ‘phases'. That amounts to 25 different levels, which isn't exactly vast. Yes, perhaps the game could have benefited from a few more worlds but this is a game where the backgrounds are pretty much incidental to the hardcore blasting taking place before your eyes. Plus, like all good shoot 'em ups, the game simply ‘clocks' once it's fully complete, allowing you to continue to rack up score by cycling through the levels anew at a ramped-up difficulty level.

Super Stardust HD isn't quite perfect though. Like many of the PlayStation Store games, its online options are limited to mere leaderboards - great for a score-based game like this, but still someway off the online multiplayer gameplay we've come to expect - cooperative gameplay with two players on a single console is supported and it's a tantalising glimpse at what could've been. The only other slight disappointment is in the audio. Considering the explosive force the visuals convey, the sound effects could've been a bit more representative of the onscreen Armageddon your eyes are privy to. The music is a little lacklustre too - definitely reminiscent the game's Amiga demo scene roots, to the point where I was expecting a scrolling message with "greetz" to appear at some point.

In every other respect, Super Stardust HD is an absolute star, the jewel in the crown of the PlayStation Store and quite possibly the best purists' shooter to appear on console since the legendary Geometry Wars.

9/10

This game is only getting great reviews. A must buy!

**Segitz** · 06-18-2007, 03:49 PM

I always said so...

Sadly, it is also still nearly 2 weeks away from release (only if Sony decided to release it earlier)

**OmniStalgic** · 06-18-2007, 09:30 PM

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hyped by that review....

More money in my PSN wallet....

**curryking1** · 06-18-2007, 09:31 PM

Yay Eurogamer!

**Segitz** · 06-18-2007, 11:45 PM

I justed booted up my old Amiga again to play a round of Stardust...

If this game is like the Amiga game, I wont be getting it (VERY cumbersome controls) but as it is a dual stick game like Blast Factor, I'll be sure to get it !!

**Siraris** · 06-19-2007, 01:31 AM

I've been so psyched for this since it was first announced. Awesome that it delivered.

***masteratt*** · 06-19-2007, 01:34 AM

Read the comments for Xbox Fanboy hilarity.

***LaLiLuLeLo*** · 06-19-2007, 02:12 AM

haters are haters no matter what.

Z · 06-19-2007, 08:02 PM

when I first say the first screen of this game I said 'wow'. when I say the first video, I already had my PS Wallet ready and loaded for it. this review only drives in the point home more- if that is even possible.

Originally Posted by Segitz

Sadly, it is also still nearly 2 weeks away from release (only if Sony decided to release it earlier)

you do realize that thanks for digital distribution we are talking about mere weeks as apposed to months, right? two weeks is nothing to me. I spend more time in the bathroom per year than that.

*doesn't miss the print news days where two months was the shortest period for any announcement.

**Segitz** · 06-19-2007, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by Z

when I first say the first screen of this game I said 'wow'. when I say the first video, I already had my PS Wallet ready and loaded for it. this review only drives in the point home more- if that is even possible.

you do realize that thanks for digital distribution we are talking about mere weeks as apposed to months, right? two weeks is nothing to me. I spend more time in the bathroom per year than that.

*doesn't miss the print news days where two months was the shortest period for any announcement.

Ya, its not like I am complaining, I wont have time at all to play next week at all :P So no biggy... but

Eurogamer and several other sites reviewed it... So it is more or less ready to "ship". Second, we "only" get CaC on friday (dunno if I get it... I am not that into the videos), I'd rather get SSHD this week

...

I hope, this ramps up a little bit (got better at least a bit imho, at least we got Rampart and Joust last week, although I wont get em). DEMOS WE NEED

**Sephiroth_VII** · 06-19-2007, 08:58 PM

Sony probably isn't done testing it for bugs. It takes a while to make sure, since you have to try so many things.
Also, ESRB and the likes have to rate it too, it all takes time. But, like Z says, it would be months if this was a disc-based game.

Z · 06-19-2007, 11:45 PM

Originally Posted by Segitz

at least we got Rampart and Joust

all of Midaway PSN games -aside from MKII- are insanely dumb, imo, especially some idiocity such as Joust. what the hell is that...thing hurting my TV, speakers, eyes and soul?!! WTF?! at lest get rid of that GOd aweful sound with something a little dignifying.

I don't know what sad joke SOE is trying to make, or how high they were when they done these, but seriously, aren't there anything better they could have done? this is the biggest testament of how crappy SOE can get. frighting, I know.

**Coded-Dude** · 06-19-2007, 11:50 PM

Joust was a pretty popular arcade Z......seriously.

Were talking 1982 here buddy, what do you expect form that "era?"
(its been ported to virtually EVERY gaming platform)

**Fats** · 06-19-2007, 11:53 PM

Hey, Rampart kicks ass, anyone who says otherwise just has shit taste in games.

Z, you don't ACTUALLY have to download it and as Dude said it's absolutely ancient so don't expect an awful lot from it.

Z · 06-20-2007, 12:21 AM

Originally Posted by Fats

Z, you don't ACTUALLY have to download it and as Dude said it's absolutely ancient so don't expect an awful lot from it.

I won't download anything like that. in fact, I wouldn't even play it for free. and I don't care of such pre-historic games. what I am busting my head trying to figure out is why the hell would SOE even bother with such crappy games? MKII was a good choice. now how about other ones with obviously more attractiveness than digital shit? why not even try to go with SNK, SEGA, CAPCOM and others' arcade treasures? I for one will never even fathom the thought of even remotely considering the possibility of maybe in some odd parallel universe I would find the possibility of seeing my self actually paying for something like this...

in any case, I avoided even the threads about these..things for a reason. and I certainly don't want to change the thread of the fantastic game such as S.Stardust HD.

moving on.