star meal. Look, I like the game alot. At it's best it's a next-gen wet dream. Awesome stereo sound, with plenty of radio chatter and GET PUMPED themes. It looks great and the frame rate purrs like a kitten you're whacking off. The controls are solid and the combat is both obvious yet rewards technical play.
But that save system. Mission 9 is an awesome mission. You have to shoot down a GIANT FUCKING AERIAL BATTLESHIP so big that you can fly through it. You also have to shoot down it's 4 support ships, each about half as large. Oh, that giant ship also contains a squadron of ace fighter pilots a dozen deep. And in order to refuel you have to take a flight about 90 seconds long. And the time light is 50 minutes, which is tight, but fair.
So, anyway. Each of these support ships has 6 preliminary targets which, when eradicated, give way to 4 engine targets. As you're whizzing by them at hundreds of miles per hour, it takes awhile to drop a ship, even if the feeling is good when they go down. Also, keep in mind that 12 of the enemies best fighter pilots are making life balls for you in the meanwhile. So, after you drop the 4 support ships (That's 40 tiny targets) and the 12 ace fighter pilots (Ugh.), the main ship opens up. It's got 4 parts to it, each part made of 8 missile and engine ports. So 32 more targets. I nailed 31 of them, sneezed at the wrong moment, clipped the battleship wing and died. No problem! This game has CHECKPOINTS.
But there is no check point on this level. And I am out 45 minutes of my life. Not counting the other 45 I will spend trying to do it all over again. Really, Namco?
