SOL CRESTA
Neo-Classic shooting strikes back!Dock, split, and form up! Pilot 3 fighters and take back the sun from the clutches of evil in this free-form shooting game with the spirit of 80s shooting classics Moon Cresta and Terra Cresta.PlatinumGames’ NEO-CLASSIC ARCADE series carries on the spirit and fun of classic gaming using modern technology, and the first project in this endeavor is SOL CRESTA. SOL CRESTA takes the docking and formation strategies of classic shooting games Moon Cresta and Terra Cresta and elevates them with the “free-form docking” system. The flagship Yamato, composed of the fighters Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susano can utilize various attacks depending on how the three ships are aligned. Docking, splitting, and reforming the ships as needed is the key to defeating the invading armies of Mega Zofer.StoryHumanity faced a crushing defeat at the hands of the Mandler Army during their last invasion of the solar system. Losing the moon and being driven from Earth, they were forced to retreat all the way to Laomedeia, the 12th moon of Neptune. With the last of their hope, they formed the solar recovery squad SOL CRESTA, and placed the fate of the solar system with the Yamato, a cutting-edge docking ship.-Free-Form DockingThe Yamato, standing against the evil of Mega Zofer, is composed of 3 fighters. You’ll scramble with only one fighter at first, but pick up the right item and friendly fighters will appear for a power-up! Dock and split to change your attack properties and use different formations to access an amazing arsenal.-Classic 80s-Style ExcitementSOL CRESTA’s music is provided by legendary chiptune composer Yuzo Koshiro, and the game pays homage to the sound and visuals of the earlier Cresta series games, bringing back that arcade fever while taking it beyond mere nostalgia. There’s even a time limit, high score Caravan Mode, and online leaderboards.-PlatinumGames’ New ChallengeWhat would happen if PlatinumGames, developers of satisfying and jam-packed action games like Bayonetta, NieR:Automata, and ASTRAL CHAIN tried their hand at shooting? This is the answer. The visuals are classic, but the originality and depth of the systems and gameplay provide a fresh and deep shooting experience that grows each time you play.
Game Discussion
Steam User 2
I never played any of the older Cresta games, but as a newcomer to the series, I found it to be a solid SHMUP with some flaws. It takes a solid hour or two to get used to the gameplay around your ship components, but once it clicks, there is a quite a bit of depth to it. The game also comes with multiple difficulties and overall felt fairly balanced to me. Some of the bosses look more intimidating than they actually are.
I will say that I found the UI hard to read and easy to drown in the rest of the visuals. Especially in hectic situations I found myself more looking around the HUD instead of the action. I also found some of the backgrounds really hard to read - objects that I figured were part of the background turned out to be obstacles. In general I found it at times hard to differentiate between obstacles, enemies and items. There's just a lot going on and I think the devs could have done a better job differentiating these elements.
It's obvious that the game was made with a lot of love for its genre and mechanics, but I wish the developer would have put more work into making sure the visual side support it equally.
Steam User 1
I played the demo twice and wanted the full experience.
I enjoyed SOL CRESTA. I played the very easy mode, brought down my blood pressure, and enjoyed the game.
The negative will be that almost all of the stages seemed very similar, and to me was very disappointing. Overall if you're looking for a shmup that has a classic feel with many different options including varying skill levels, Sol Cresta is decent enough to pick up when it's below 10 bucks. Sol Cresta didn't wow me, but it gave me what I was looking for and that was to just veg out playing a shmup piloting a ship. 7/10 Full controller support.
Steam User 1
Give it an hour or two for the mechanics to click. Won't be as fun on your first run, but once you understand the formations and shot switching, it's a good time. Worth it on sale for sure.
Steam User 1
Yeah, cool game and fun mechanics. Approachable and a pleasure to play. Cool soundtrack too
Steam User 1
Sol Cresta is based on an underrated shooter classic with a great mix of modern elements and a new soundtrack on classic Nichibutsu hardware. It's also got a new lower price.
Steam User 1
this isn't how I remember sonic heroes