Dragon Saber Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]

Game Info
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Developer: Namco
Publisher: Namco
Year of Release: 1990
Game Review & Impressions
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When I played through Dragon Spirit recently, I had no idea there was actually a sequel. Intrigued, I set about recording a longplay of Dragon Saber, only to find it's -- unsurprisingly -- more of the same, only MUCH harder. The game retains the same air-to-air and air-to-ground combat mechanics of its predecessor, but the number of weapons available to the player is expanded, although my personal opinion is that at least half of these are useless and more likely to get you killed if you pick them up.
For some added context, the game typically introduces a new weapon with each additional stage you reach. Each weapon can be fired in rapid succession, but it can also be charged up for a special attack, which, in theory, can be used to deal with some of the tougher enemies you'll face. On the default difficulty setting the enemies soak up a lot of damage, which means the weapon power-ups which focus on versatility, such as the screen-wide lightning attack, simply can't destroy enemies quickly enough.
On the subject of default difficulty, the version I played seemed to give the player a single life in which to beat the game, which is just crazy. Other videos online show the player with two lives from the outset, so this can obviously be configured. The sheer number of enemies, the end-of-level bosses, player sprite hitbox, not to mention scenery and associated environmental hazards that will kill you instantly only serve as a real turn-off.
Dragon Saber looks really cool and has an excellent electronica soundtrack, and I really wanted to like it, but aside from some enhanced graphics, it's both too difficult and too similar to its predecessor to recommend.
Related Longplays & Videos
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Dragon Spirit Longplay (Arcade): • Dragon Spirit Longplay...
Chapters
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TBC