It's hard for me to classify a game that is so good that I have to revisit often as "retro", but if it's been more than a decade since its release, so what the hell. Silent Bomber from Bandai is one of those masterfully crafted games that didn't get the recognition that it deserved so we were never graced with a sequel or another game like it. If you like mindless violence and killer robots (and who doesn't), then this game might be up your alley. 
Here's the official Wikipedia run-down: The player takes control of the protagonist, Jutah, whose mission is to attack and destroy the facilities and defenses of the colossal space dreadnought Dante. The player can either plant bombs simply where they stand, or by launching them using the lock-on reticle. Bombs that are launched at enemies also attach to their target. Bombs can then be detonated at any time at the player's discretion. This introduces the chaining element of game play, where the number of enemies destroyed simultaneously awards more points. Bombs can also be "stacked", a larger number of bombs in the same place is more destructive. Jutah can only set a limited number of bombs at any one time, the set bombs must be detonated before more bombs can be set. Jutah also has access to material liquids, which are enhanced bombs with special effects. Napalm continues to burn after it is detonated damaging enemies within the flames, it is also more effective against biological enemies. Gravity forms a miniature black hole sucking in nearby enemies. Paralysis temporarily disables electrical devices, it also does extra damage to mechanical enemies. Material liquids can also be stacked and chained with standard bombs. Jutah can upgrade the number of bombs he can plant before needing to detonate them, the range of his bomb-planting hologram and his resistance to enemy attack by using E-Chips hidden through-out the levels. Jutah's E-Chips can be configured at any time to adapt his skills to different situations. In keeping with arcade style tradition, many levels end with a powerful boss that Jutah must destroy or repel to move on through the game's 14 levels. All this adds up to one kick ass gaming experience that's hard to put down!
To enjoy silent Bomber properly, you MUST use a dual shock controller, cuz every explosion rawks your hands and delivers a satisfying feeling of destruction. The graphics for the time are top-notch, detailed with an almost cell shaded flavor. The sounds tremble, quake and blast, so pump it up to immerse yourself in the chaos. Game play is simple and easy to pick up and start blowing things apart. Do you have cyber gauntlets that teleport energy bombs? You can now.
Skull Score
