When you think of the technical peak of 8-bit shooters, most people picture consoles or arcades. But Aleste 2 proves that even the MSX2 computer could conjure up a vertical shmup that had nothing to be ashamed of and that ranks among the very best this platform offered in the field of action.
As with any proper top-down shooter, here too you fly through a wave of enemies, dodge dense hellfire and collect weapon upgrades that turn your ship into a mincer spewing out death. Aleste 2 stands out for its pace, gorgeous graphics that exploit the MSX2's capabilities, and an elaborate armament system that forces players to choose which type of firepower best suits the situation at hand. It's a title that rewards precision, memory for enemy layouts and a cool head in the middle of chaos.
The Aleste series is the work of the Japanese studio Compile, one of the most respected shooter developers of the 1980s and 1990s. Compile built a reputation as masters of the shmup genre, and their Aleste brand appeared on a whole range of platforms in various forms. Compile would later be behind the Puyo Puyo phenomenon too, so this was a studio with an extraordinary feel for gameplay.
The MSX2 was an enhanced version of the MSX standard with significantly better graphical capabilities, and it was titles like Aleste 2 that showed what this platform could do when capable programmers took it on. In the Japanese scene, the Aleste series was among the flagships that demonstrated that a home computer could rival dedicated gaming systems.
Today, Aleste 2 is a sought-after title among shmup fans and MSX collectors alike, and a reminder of a time when the Japanese gaming scene churned out one vertical shooter after another. For lovers of the genre it's a mandatory stop and proof that big action doesn't need big hardware, but above all big talent on the developers' side.
Why play: It's one of the technically finest shooters on the MSX2 from the legendary studio Compile, ideal for anyone who loves fast vertical action and dodging bullets.
Game 26 of 29 for MSX / MSX2
