Project Sylpheed Blasts Onto Xbox 360

Published July 19, 2007

For generations, the imperial Terra government has colonized planets across the galaxy and held them under their firm control. While rebellious uprisings have occurred, they have traditionally been both sporadic and ill-conceived, allowing the Terra Central Armed Forces to maintain their lawful stranglehold.

Frantic gameplay might be an understatement.

Some though have found Terra's governance too brutal and corrupt, and for the first time in Terra history, multiple worlds have banded together to protest their regime by force. This band of freedom fighters is known simply as ADAN, and their anti-Terra exploits have begun to garner more than just casual attention across the galaxy.

Project Sylpheed for Xbox 360 is the first space-based shooter for the next-gen console and a surprising addition to the Square Enix library.

Such is the dramatic backdrop for legendary developer Square Enix's latest Xbox 360™ title, Project Sylpheed™.

Ready Your Starship
While Square Enix is certainly known for their role-playing franchises, Project Sylpheed is a spaceflight shooter heavy on fast-paced star-fighter dogfighting. The genre may be new to current console owners, and the gameplay is a radical change from the classic turn-based fare the company is known for, but the epic scope of the storyline and its movie-like presentation are up to Square Enix's usually high standards.

Whose side is she on?

Before, after, and even during missions you'll be privy to some truly stellar action sequences that are not only thrilling to behold, but drive the story along. Though it would be spoiling the story to reveal too much, the drama of Project Sylpheed revolves not only in the conflict between Terra and ADAN forces, but also the loyalties of a tight-knit group of fighter pilots.

Behind the Cockpit
In many ways, Project Sylpheed plays very much as you would expect a flight-based shooter. You pitch up, down and yaw like any flight game, engage barrel rolls and other evasive techniques, lock on with missiles, gun down enemies with machinegun-like fire, and generally face improbable odds in every battle.

But there are a few twists, so even veterans of the genre may be taken by surprise. For example:

• Unlike many flight-based shooters, immense armies of enemies can attack at any given time, so it's not uncommon to encounter dozens of enemy craft at once. It's hectic, intense, and sometimes daunting, though the level of challenge is never impossible.
• Beyond your standard weaponry, a three-tiered special move system uses energy from your shield-reserves to produce startling battle effects. Unleash massive attacks, locking onto every available enemy on screen at once, engage a lightning-quick ramming attack, and even slow down time to assist in targeting the nimble enemy fighters.
• Project Sylpheed also utilizes a surprisingly in-depth squad-based system where you can send orders to your wingman or other members of your flight, and also to the squadron at large.

I got a bad feeling about this …

Beyond the Fight
While the vast majority of your time will be spent in the cockpit doing battle with hordes of enemies, the strategy you find in Project Sylpheed isn't limited to in-combat action. Weapon complements must be selected before each mission, and accrued points based on performance must be allocated to research and weapon development.

Project Sylpheed for Xbox 360 is the first space-based shooter for the next-gen console and a surprising addition to the Square Enix library. It's a refreshingly unique title with gameplay even the casual gamer can grasp, and it's definitely worth a look.

Article by Ryan Treit