Dennin Aleste: Nobunaga and His Ninja Force / Robo Aleste (MCD) (1992)
Developer: Compile

Review by Faididi and Co.

"MUSHA Aleste 2"

Story: Average

The famous warlord, Nobunaga Oda, has been known for readily adapting new technology. That still applies in this alternate reality, where he uses anime super tech to build robots, mobile fortresses, and other ridiculous war machines to help him conquer the world. The only dude who can stop him is Kagerou, a ninja who pilots the Dennin Aleste, which is a mech that looks like a flying samurai. The story is silly, but the cutscenes are sure fun to watch.

Gameplay: Average

Compile's Dennin Aleste: Nobunaga and His Ninja Force (Robo Aleste) follows MUSHA Aleste not in terms of story but in the playful feudal Japanese themes and in the use of drones. Kagerou flies through 8 vertically scrolling stages, blowing away large varieties of enemy tanks, airships, and mechanized ninja and warlords across forests, caverns, sea cliffs, mountains, castles, and other scenic places.

Unlike the MUSHA Aleste, the Dennin Aleste is always accompanied by a pair of invulnerable drones, which can absorb some (but not all) enemy projectiles as well as damage any bad guys they touch. While the hero himself fires only standard shots, the drones use one of the 4 special weapons, which include laser cannons, side bomb launchers, shuriken guns, and the now-familiar shield-like orbs. Furthermore, the hero at any time can throw his drones forward in a boomerang-like motion, to cleave apart bad guys in the way.

Too bad the gameplay here hasn't really improved over that of MUSHA Aleste, and in some ways it's become even more simplistic. The number of special weapons remain few. The drones no longer have adjustable patterns of behavior, and the drone-throwing attack also prevents them from shooting while it's in effect. Changing the drones to permanent partners is fine, but that shouldn't come at the expense of their flexibility.

Controls: Above Average

Except for the drone-throwing attack's interference with the special weapon attacks, the controls are responsive.

Graphics: Excellent

The game certainly looks attractive. The characters and the backgrounds are colorfully rendered, and the movies are nicely drawn.

Audio: Above Average

The hero's gunfire is on the quiet side, but the explosions and other sound effects boom out loudly, and the vocal effects add more flavor to the game. The music features a cool fusion of traditional and rock styles, perfectly reflecting the game's world.

Overall: Average

For all its amazing graphics, Dennin Aleste turns out to be a rather simple space shooter. Those who want a drone system that's more versatile should stick with MUSHA Aleste.