Raiden V

Raiden V
Developer(s) MOSS
Publisher(s)

MOSS
Director's Cut

Series Raiden
Platform(s) Xbox One
Director's Cut
PlayStation 4
Microsoft Windows
Release
  • JP: February 25, 2016
  • WW: May 11, 2016

Director's Cut

  • WW: Q3 2017
Genre(s) Scrolling shooter
Mode(s) Single player

Raiden V (雷電V?) is a vertical scrolling shooting video game developed by MOSS  was the latest entry in the Raiden series, released on February 25, 2016 for the Xbox One in Japan. An updated version, titled Raiden V: Director's Cut, is set for release in Q3 2017 for PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows.

Gameplay

Gameplay in Raiden V is identical to its prior installments as well as Raiden IV, but since the plot of Raiden V is completely different from any former versions, it identifies many real places and many histories that formerly had been never done before. It contains the raiding of enemies in New York, Middle East, France, England, Ocean around Mediterranean; where most pirates were, and Sweden. (SHIFT industry does not exist in real life.)

Players have to select an aircraft to run the game like Raiden Fighter and Raiden IV Overkill, they are Azuma; aka famous ME-02, Spirit of Dragon and Moulin Rogue. They all have different grades of power, defense, mobility and sub-weapon that need not to be upgraded. Unlike Raiden IV, all aircraft has the same bomb as ME-02 had.

Interestingly, instead of using the previous system, Raiden V has only 1 life that means when destroyed, game is over, instead players have Shield status indicate how much damage the aircraft can take before crashing. Different aircraft can take different amounts of damage and it can evaluate the progress of players with the same difficulties as well.

Flash Point, the first introduced in Raiden III, has improved from the first to right now. There are 5 levels of Flash Point gauge, the chain score challenge players have to run for taking the leaderboard. The first level starts at 2.0 and ends up to 6.0 for Max Level. Fast killing blow will fill the gauge of Flash Point to reach the next level. Bigger enemies and larger multiplier can fill the larger amount of the gauge. When the killing blow goes slower or stops, the gauge will be depleted for the time. More levels will cause depletion faster. Entering the boss fight will stop depletion only during the boss transformation.

Cheer System is very new to Raiden V since the leaderboard run is the real time game. Online players being as friends can cheer the other one to unlock the skill "Cheer Call". When players struggle, using Cheer Call will cancel all enemy bullet at once and allow players to greatly boost sub-weapons for a short time until Cheer Call gauge is depleted. Boosted sub-weapons cause heavy damage and instant attack speed. Cheer Call gauge can increase slowly by progressive play and rapidly every time the player presses "Cheer" (Default button Y or triangle on PS4 version) to the others who get any achievement (trophy on PS4 version) of each certain stage such as Sol Destroyed or Boss No Miss. Players who receive many cheer counts will increase the cheer call gauge slightly faster so the game calls Cheer; Benefits to Everyone.

Aircraft

Before the game starts, player will choose an aircraft for the full course of the game. Different aircraft will have different statuses and unique weapons on their own.

Power - Medium

Defense - Medium (Taking 17% Damage)

Speed - Medium

Sub Weapon - Homing Rockets

Power - High

Defense - High (Taking 13% Damage)

Speed - Low

Sub Weapon - Nuclear Missile

Power - Low

Defense - Low (Taking 20% Damage)

Speed - High

Sub Weapon - Chasing Laser

Weapons

Weapons in Raiden V are the combination among all former Raiden series, from Raiden III and IV, collected weapon power ups will upgrade one level per pick up even when power up color is different from current weapon, but Raiden V uses the weapon system in Raiden I and II wherey collecting a different weapon power up will only change weapon, not upgrade. That means collecting power ups in Raiden V will upgrade only one weapon at a time.

Before player departure, after choosing a machine for a run, you have to reconfigure 3 different kinds of 3 main weapons for any tactical and strategic screen control for maximum efficiency. Some weapons can be found only in Raiden Fighters series and some weapons are newer to this game legacy.

This weapon system, however, is one of the True Last Boss unlock conditions. Besides clearing all S Rank since Mission 2 and A Rank at Mission 1, all weapons require maximum 10 levels as well. The number of power ups throughout the game are 32.

Vulcan Weapon

This is the traditional vulcan gun of Raiden series, firing a salvo of vulcan at the fixed variant angles like any former versions. Unlike those, Wide Vulcan in Raiden V can be upgraded 9 times by the first run 3 ways with 2 pellets, then run with 3 and 4 pellets and increase wide range by 4, 5 and 7 ways respectively. In the last upgrade, the frontal shot will come with 2 straight ways instead of 1.
Swing Vulcan is the unique directional shot from Raiden Fighters series, shooting narrow vulcan pellets at the enemies with higher firepower than the traditional Wide Vulcan. The special ability of this type is to swing at player's horizontal movements, making it ideal for screen control since the angles are narrower, being easier to do a flash kill. Collecting this will increase range of 3, 4 and 5 ways with 1 and 2 pellets for every 5 levels. The level 6 will reset to 3 ways and a pellet like level 1 again but player will shoot out in twin salvos.
This expert type of vulcan is the most powerful weapon in Raiden V, yet the most difficult to use as an effective killer as well. The weapon will run like Swing Vulcan, but instead the wide angles depend on player's vertical movements. This is rather horrible to make a flash kill, but instead of using Laser, this weapon is exclusive for boss killer if expertise is perfect. Collecting the weapon will increase the number of pellets from 2 to 3 and 4 respectively, and increase the power of pellets instead since this type has only 3 ways.

Laser Weapon

This is another traditional weapon of Raiden series besides Wide Vulcan. Shoot out a narrow powerful blue laser that continuously damage any enemies that come across the laser path. Unlike any plasma weapon, Lightning Laser range will be cut whether the enemies that come across are small or not. Player's movement will swerve the laser slightly due to lateral weapon beam. Collecting the power up will increase the power and the width of laser.

Plasma Weapon

Or well-known as "Toothpaste Plasma", the still returning weapon from Raiden II to IV. This weapon appears as a narrow purple beam that can bend to the left or right arcs, traces enemies and curves upon movement. All enemies will take damage in the path of the beam and besides main target, an arc can even hit other enemies as well. When the target is destroyed, the beam will fire straight again until the next target is locked. Collecting power-ups will increase the width and the power of the beam like Laser.
The advanced upgrade of traditional Proton Plasma from Raiden IV is the easiest, yet most destructive plasma weapon in Raiden V. Which is similar to one of Noah's element shoot in Caladrius Blaze. This weapon will fire only short range plasma beams at wide range and comes out with a circlet catcher to find and lock any targets in range. Small units can be destroyed upon catching up while the larger units will take continuous damage from the sight. An enemy can be caught up by up to all plasma beams available, causing rapid damage per second. Collecting this power up will start with 2 narrow plasma beams and increase the number, power and width of beams from 2 to 3,4 beams respectively. A final upgrade will comes up with 5 plasma beams.
This weapon is the inspiration of Raystorm series but resembles and works a lot like the homing lasers in Caladrius more so than Raiden Fighter 2's Aegis II-C, playing another important role of flash killing. This weapon will shoot out a salvo of plasma lasers which home in on any targets on a screen. When the main target is locked, any units in the path of plasma beams behind main targets will be cut through, dealing damage as well. Any beams leaving the screen will be compensated by another shot immediately. Collecting the power up will increase the number of salvo from 3, 4 and 5 beams respectively. Then increase the power, width and the attack speed of Homing Plasma.

Characters

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