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I was looking around for action games for PlayStation that I missed out on and one that many people recommend is Silent Bomber. What really got me interested is hearing it described as a shoot’em up with bombs and that it’s similar to the Contra games. So I had all these ideas of it in my head and it seemed like something I would enjoy and now that I’ve played it, I don’t know if I would describe it as shmup-like or akin to Contra but it’s definitely an action-packed arcade style experience. Developed by CyberConnect and published by Bandai, Silent Bomber was released for PlayStation in North America in February, 2000.
The story centers on Jutah Fate, a genetically engineered man and military weapon, now living in anguish because of events that occurred prior to the main story. He is assigned to a team that is tasked with destroying a space cruiser called the Dante. The story plays out in missions and each one requires Jutah to complete a specific objective. The plot is okay and feels very “anime” for lack of a better word. Much of the dialogue and voice acting comes across as cheesy, making a lot of the more dramatic elements feel more humorous than anything.
Silent Bomber features the main story and a VR Arena mode. After completing the story, you can continue in the Advanced Mode which simply means you can replay any mission of your choosing and try for a better score and the scoring system is something that should keep players coming back. That, and the gameplay does prove to be a lot of fun. It’s not without faults but it is very enjoyable. It’s one of those games that can become addictive once you have a grasp on the mechanics and really get into it. VR Arena is the multiplayer mode but it can also be enjoyed solo. It pits two characters against each other. You can select any unlocked character and fight against the CPU or another player.
Silent Bomber is very much an arcade-style action game. Instead of shooting enemies, Jutah can place and launch bombs and must detonate them manually. That’s the main gimmick here. Instead of shooting things, you blow everything up. You are granted an unlimited amount of bombs but you can only place or launch a set amount and you can stack multiple for bigger explosions. There are also special bombs or liquids that can be acquired in the environments. These are not infinite but they are enhanced with special effects. Destroying enemies does result in points and chaining kills together increases the amount of points earned. You are ranked at the end of each mission and I earned a lot of Cs and Ds on my first run through the game. There are no difficulty levels but things do get more challenging as you progress and I didn’t realize just how much better I was doing until I started replaying earlier missions in the Advanced Mode. Plus, I also had plenty of upgrades at that point.
Jutah can run around, jump, and dash or burst, a crucial mechanic for dodging enemy attacks. He can also lock onto enemies and jump off walls. There is some platforming here and there but the gameplay is primarily action-focused. Destroying things in the environments will often reveal pickups like health, E-Chips, and Data Chips. You always want to be on the lookout for E-Chips because they can be spent on upgrades like increasing the amount of bombs you can place or launch, increased range of your lock-on, and improve your shield. Data Chips unlock characters in the VR Arena mode. Your objective is made clear at the start of each mission. But whether you know that, or even what’s going on in the story, or not, I found it was always pretty obvious what I needed to do. Run through the level, destroy enemies and try not to die. Reach the end of the level and fight a big bad boss and then move onto the next level.
The action is great and can be very fast-paced and hectic. It’s explosions galore. You’ll want to master the mechanics, especially the dash or burst mechanic, because you’ll often be outnumbered and will need to avoid projectiles, including ones that can home in on Jutah. And it’s wise to get clear of your bombs before detonating because the explosions can hurt. My only real issue with the gameplay is that sometimes the camera can make avoiding certain attacks a bit annoying. Specifically from enemies that are off-screen. The camera is often in a fixed position and can change depending on the area. In some areas, it’s possible to get attacked by enemies off-screen and if it’s you’re first time playing through it, it can be a little frustrating since you don’t know what to expect.
The back of the game’s case says there’s twenty six diverse missions but there’s really only fourteen. Enemies come in different types ranging from ground forces to flying types and learning the best strategy to defeat them is all part of the fun. The liquids or special bombs prove to be quite useful against certain threats including bosses. The game has you running through areas and blowing everything up and there are some set pieces to mix things up like one that has you riding on a platform while engaging enemies. Most bosses are distinct and offer a good challenge and there’s only two I really struggled with. One just took me some time to truly overcome the obstacles and other is the final boss which is an absolute bitch in my opinion.
Visually, I think Silent Bomber looks pretty good for the hardware its designed for. The environments are well detailed, the enemy and boss models look good, and I was always able to clearly keep track of what’s going on amidst all the action on-screen. You’ll get to see a ton of explosions and they do look good as do the fire effects. The action is backed by some decent tunes and solid audio work. Explosions will often sound as booming as they look. The bigger they are and the more things that explode, the bigger and more satisfying the boom. On the technical side, I did not encounter any major issues and only noticed the frame rate dip when there was a lot of action and explosions on-screen.
I had a lot of fun with Silent Bomber. I went into it not knowing fully what to expect and in the end, I found it very enjoyable. The bomb gimmick works well and the style of gameplay makes for a very action-packed experience. It’s the kind of game that makes for a fun foundation and I would love to see it expanded upon but as far as I know, there’s no sequels or anything quite like it. I found the story mode to be a decent length as well. It’s not too short but the length can also depend on how skilled you are. Silent Bomber is also a game that feels designed to be replayed thanks to the scoring system. Outside of some frustrating scenarios and bosses here and there, I don’t have many complaints with the game. It can be tough and the challenge does ramp up nicely as you progress.
I absolutely recommend Silent Bomber. I would say it’s one of the best action games I’ve played for the PlayStation. It’s got a solid gimmick that makes for fun gameplay, it’s very action-packed, and it should keep you occupied for a while. I’m not sure if it’s considered a hidden gem but it’s definitely a gem and it’s only a shame the foundation established here wasn’t expanded upon. Definitely check it out.