1993 Raizing

Sorcer Striker is an impressive vertical shooter from 1993.  It's not the scoring system (which is pretty standard) or the powerups (which are just okay) that make this game so notable, but the hugely imaginative and perfectly-executed level design and set pieces.

In playing Sorcer Striker, I got a real sense of being part of a story, which is unusual for shooters.  Raizing dismissed the standard fields-and-deserts levels in favour of such features as dungeon levels (with traps, no less!), a gladiatorial combat level (you play against a series of bosses, while a crowd looks on and throws powerups (and bits of meat) at you), mid-level minibosses (who all have definite personality, some of whom come back after you think they're dead) and other challenging and stimulating diversions.

The mechanics of play are standard for early-to-mid-90's vertical shooters.  Each craft has three different weapon types that can be switched by collecting powerups.  Call me old-fashioned, but that's the way I like it.

Sorcer Striker is an exemplary vertical shooter of its time, and should be played and enjoyed by any shmup fan.