9.6 /10 1 Votes
5/5 Lets Play GB Initial release date 9 August 1991 Developer Konami Mode Single-player video game | 4.5/5 Emuparadise Composer(s) Yoshiyuki Hagiwara Series Gradius Publisher Konami Platform Game Boy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Designer(s) Y. Daikai
Hiroyuki Fukui
Tamotsu Goto Genre(s) Horizontal scrolling shooter Similar Gradius games, Shoot 'em up games | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nemesis II (ネメシスII, Nemeshisu Tsū), released as Gradius: The Interstellar Assault in North America and Nemesis II: The Return of the Hero in Europe, is the second Game Boy game in the Gradius series. The game was later ported to the Konami GB Collection series of Super Game Boy and Game Boy Color compilations; it can be found in the Japanese Vol. 3 and the European Vol. 4. Like Nemesis before it, these versions were renamed Gradius II for the Japanese Vol. 3 and Gradius II: The Return of the Hero for the European Vol. 4.
Gameplay
Nemesis II retains the traditional horizontal scrolling gameplay from the Gradius series. Once again the player takes control of the Vic Viper and flies through five different stages destroying Bacterion's army. However, unlike most of the games in the series, the game lacks many recurring themes that have become a staple of the series. Some of the more popular elements missing from this game are: A moai stage or any moai enemies, classic Gradius stages, classic Gradius music, and the traditional giant entity that is unprotected and serves as a final boss. There are, however, a handful of classic elements that are present such as Core bosses and even a portion where the Vic Viper must maneuver around a countless array of tiny spaceships like those featured in the original Gradius.
The game retains the traditional power-up bar from the original Gradius. As usual the player can speed-up multiple times, use missiles, shoot double firepower or lasers, use several options at a time and use the classic shield (although it is referred to as a forcefield). However, before each game is started or continued, the player is given a "Weapon Select" screen. Here the player can choose between one of three settings for the missiles, double firepower, and lasers.