Gradius Origins Review – An Arcade History Lesson

Gradius Origins Review

I have a soft spot in my heart for old-school arcade shooters. Gradius Origins gathers a handful I’ve played, and many that I haven’t, into one collection. If you’re looking for an in-depth history lesson on the arcade shooters of 80s, then this collection is perfect for you. That is, so long as you’re interested in Gradius and nothing else. Which is still pretty interesting, it turns out. Just not as broad of a concept as I expected it to be.

To be more clear, I was expecting a greater range of retro arcade experiences with this collection. What you get instead is a focused blast of Gradius titles from a specific era. Gradius 1-3, and by extension Salamander 1-3, represent a long conversation about temporary powerups and incredible reflexes. I know I’m digging pretty desperately here. These games are not that complex. But something happens when you play enough of them in a short time frame. You start seeing patterns and themes wherever you look.

That is to say, the mechanics in Gradius Origins run on a straight line from the first title to the last. Speed, Laser, Missile, and Shield all make consistent appearances in every title in the collection. Enemy patterns repeat, along with level structures and boss strategies. The Gradius games feature alien superstructures and the Lifeforce/Salamander titles dig into the horrors of alien biology. The other throughline is that every game is crazy hard.

Old-School Tough

I’m so thankful for the rewind function in this collection. I would have made exactly zero progress without it. But I’m a self-proclaimed scrub, this is nothing new. If you’re dedicated enough, you can absolutely beat all of these games with raw memorization and amazing reflexes. But the fact that you don’t have to is awesome. For old men like me who just want to take a kind of museum tour through the sights and sounds of Gradius, the rewind button is indispensable.

While the Gradius Origins collection is only six games, there’s also a host of alternate versions to explore. I recognize that not everyone will care about such things. But it’s a fascinating decision regardless. Because for a certain subset of hardcore fans, this collection is an absolute treasure trove of titles. You’ve got Japanese versions, game expo editions, and rare arcade variants. If you’re a diehard Gradius or Salamander fan, this is a peerless assembly of unusual items.

A Real Gradius Museum

Of course, there’s also the gallery section, which is quite extensive. You can find stage sketches, character art, instructional diagrams, and promo flyers. The music gallery is equally huge. Some games even have a long list of unused tracks, which you rarely see in collections like this. It’s a great diversion for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the history of these games.

The one major drawback is the ‘Origins’ in Gradius Origins. This is a collection tightly focused on the series’ early history. You won’t find any weird offshoots or later titles here. It’s a disappointment to be sure, but the devs clearly had a particular mission in mind with this collection. We’re in this for the very first games in the series and nothing else. It’s a move that will surely limit the audience, but it’s also perfect for that subset of people obsessed with these older games.

This collection of games has a very niche audience. To that end, you already know whether Gradius Origins is for you or not. If you’re looking for a deeper dive into the early history of the Gradius games, than this is exactly what you’re looking for. It’s got tons of alternate versions, an extensive gallery to peruse, and the emulation is laser precise. But there aren’t any weird offshoots or later titles. Plus, these games are a specific brand of difficult that can be immediately offputting. If you don’t have the patience to persist, you simply won’t enjoy yourself. But for those of you in this title’s crosshairs, Gradius Origins will be an excellent time.

***A PS5 key was provided by the publisher***