Gleylancer Xbox Series X Review

A timeless classic is hard to develop especially with advancing technology as advancements can lead to certain gameplay systems and visuals becoming dated. Titles like Super Mario Bros., Super Metroid, F-Zero, Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Final Fantasy are a few examples of the most notorious classics that can still stand against modern titles but there are many more lesser-known games. Gleylancer is an example of a timeless classic that has aged well and still provides a stellar and challenging shoot 'em up experience but not many have heard of it. Now modern audiences can relive this classic with some new features or take on the challenge of completing it without any of the conveniences.

Gleylancer stars 16-year-old starfighter pilot Lucia in the Earth Federation. After her father flees using aliens modules during a war against an unknown threat Lucia steals a prototype fighter to go after her dad. The story is basic but serviceable as Lucia travels the galaxy in searches the galaxy fighting off alien forces to locate her father and stop the alien force. The entire story is told through manga-style panel illustrations and is well-designed. It's a 90s story from start to finish and as someone who grew up with games like these it definitely brought back memories.

Like most retro shoot 'em ups it only takes 1 hit for your ship to explode. You're given multiple lives and can earn more through progression or points but players are expected to avoid damage at all costs. You can speed up or slow down your ship to better mobility or control depending on the situation such as avoiding obstacles or dodging speedy enemies.

Lucia's ship can be outfitted with upgrades by shooting silver and blue pods that contain various weapons called Gunners. You can equip 2 Gunners at a time with 1 single weapon for both that range from twin shots, 5-way directional guns, flamethrowers, bouncing bullets, bombs, and short-range energy lasers. These are randomly provided and picking up another means removing the previous option. You can alter the Gunners into 1 of 7 options that all alter the direction and AI of the guns ranging from automatically targeting, swirling around, shooting straight, in reverse of the player's direction, and more. It's an effective system that helps in giving the player absolute control in both combat and mobility thanks to the speed system.

This is an auto-scroller so you'll move forward regardless. The developers used this system in clever ways to complement this such as adding obstacles you'll have to dash through and blocks that need to be shot to reveal a path. Each stage has a theme in how it's structured and ends with an excellently designed boss fight.

Gleylancer is not an easy game but there are options to help players. Difficulty choices, auto shooting, and the new rewind system. The rewind system is the biggest cheat code as players can rewind the game at any point. Trying to beat the game without this feature is the bigger challenge but the option is there.

Gleylancer is a great shoot 'em up that has aged well with time. The retro visuals and sprite models still hold up today and the gameplay provides an excellent challenge. The exceptional boss fights offer thrilling finales for each level and overcoming the adventure will require patience and skill. Even after a decade Gleylancer still delivers a great shoot 'em up adventure and now you can experience it as well.

Review Copy Provided

Adam Siddiqui,
Managing Editor, NoobFeed