
60
Of course, Yuzu Koshiro's soundtrack is stellar and perfectly designed for this challenging, nostalgic game. Still, Earthion could use a few modern features: measuring your progress with passwords that you have to write down is definitely a downside. Because of that, the game still delivers a genuine arcade experience — if you're looking to relive that period, you should try this one.
80
Earthion is a brilliant return to one of the greatest video game genres of all time.
95
Earthion is an absolute masterpiece, both as a shmup and a modern game in general. It’s beautiful, engaging, has a heart-pumping soundtrack, and is the type of game that keeps you coming back again and again. This is a special gift for fans of the genre and will go down as one of the best shmups of all time.
10
Absolute class. Having been my favourite genre for 50 years, what a lot of people do not understand with shmups is its not just the difficulty level that is prohibitive on starting. It takes genius to make a shmup, inject that dopamine, make you feel hot and clammy ar he'd over a hot crt arcade machine, that you blink and your dead. The careful balanc8ng act that its not unfair. Tough but fair.
These are the hallmarks of a classic shmup.
This is the best made shmup in years amd years. I have pretty much all the new one fr9m ps5/ps5/pc andsome utterly legend shmups have re released such as darius, gradius, Salamander.
This game is up their as equal a modern day shmup as jets n guns. It's that good.
Well done making this game lads, very well done.
And the music, especially level 8. Bang on. I had 'apidya' vibes.
10
Earthion, em resumo, é a obra-prima máxima do gênero **** jogo que merece ser apreciado por todos os amantes do estilo. Impressiona como a Ancient conseguiu criar um game com identidade visual digna do Mega Drive e, ao mesmo tempo, trazer novas mecânicas a um gênero que há muito tempo parecia ter chegado ao limite da criatividade, dada a imensa quantidade de títulos lançados ao longo dos anos. Diante de clássicos como Truxton, Thunder Force IV, Radiant Silvergun, Ikaruga, Darius, entre outros, surge a dúvida: seria mesmo possível Yuzo Koshiro surpreender novamente dentro desse gênero? Pois acredite: ele conseguiu.O jogo é simplesmente viciante. Você começa e não quer parar até terminar. E o melhor: mesmo após zerar, bate aquela vontade imediata de jogar de novo. Isso é privilégio de poucos grandes títulos, como Truxton e Thunder Force **** aspecto técnico, os gráficos exploram ao máximo o que o Mega Drive poderia oferecer de melhor: inúmeros sprites simultâneos, paleta vibrante e contrastante, múltiplos planos de parallax, além de efeitos impressionantes de rotação e zoom que criam uma sensação de pseudo-3D surpreendente. Já a trilha sonora é um espetáculo à parte: mais uma vez, Yuzo Koshiro entrega composições empolgantes e marcantes, que intensificam a ambientação e a ação. Um exemplo perfeito é a música da fase final, que transmite um clima de tensão e clímax dramático, tornando a vitória sobre o chefe derradeiro uma experiência de pura catarse.A jogabilidade e a apresentação também merecem destaque. Tudo foi cuidadosamente pensado: as mecânicas das armas, a precisão dos controles da nave, a narrativa que contextualiza a batalha. O grande diferencial, na minha opinião, está no sistema de escudo e na forma como a evolução das armas é administrada durante a partida — elementos criativos e originais que enriquecem o gameplay.Sendo assim, não há como dar outra nota que não seja 10. É incompreensível ver análises no Metacritic abaixo de 9, especialmente quando na Steam os jogadores têm registrado avaliações **** resumo: uma obra-prima assinada por Yuzo Koshiro. Jogar Earthion é obrigatório.Earthion, in short, is the ultimate masterpiece of the shmup genre.A game that deserves to be enjoyed by all fans of the genre. It's impressive how Ancient managed to create a game with a visual identity worthy of the Mega Drive while simultaneously bringing new mechanics to a genre that long ago seemed to have reached its creative limit, given the sheer number of titles released over the years. Faced with classics like Truxton, Thunder Force IV, Radiant Silvergun, Ikaruga, Darius, and others, the question arises: could Yuzo Koshiro truly surprise again within this genre? Well, believe me: he **** game is simply addictive. You start and don't want to put it down until you finish it. And best of all: even after finishing it, you immediately want to play again. This is a privilege only a few great titles, like Truxton and Thunder Force IV/V. Technically, the graphics fully exploit the best the Mega Drive could offer: countless simultaneous sprites, a vibrant and contrasting palette, multiple parallax planes, and impressive rotation and zoom effects that create a surprising pseudo-3D sensation. The soundtrack is a spectacle in itself: once again, Yuzo Koshiro delivers exciting and striking compositions that intensify the atmosphere and action. A perfect example is the music for the final stage, which conveys an atmosphere of tension and dramatic climax, making defeating the final boss an experience of pure **** gameplay and presentation also deserve special mention. Everything was carefully thought out: the weapon mechanics, the precision of the ship's controls, the narrative that contextualizes the battle. The biggest difference, in my opinion, is the shield system and the way weapon development is managed throughout the match—creative and original elements that enrich the gameplay. Therefore, there's no way to give it a rating other than a 10. It's incomprehensible to see reviews on Metacritic below a 9, especially when Steam players have been posting extremely high **** short: a masterpiece by Yuzo Koshiro. Earthion is a must-play.
9
[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]
Earthion
Released On:
Jul 31, 2025
85
8.5
My Score
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Metascore
Generally Favorable
92% Positive
11 Reviews
11 Reviews
8% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Sep 5, 2025
95
Earthion is an absolute masterpiece, both as a shmup and a modern game in general. It’s beautiful, engaging, has a heart-pumping soundtrack, and is the type of game that keeps you coming back again and again. This is a special gift for fans of the genre and will go down as one of the best shmups of all time.
Aug 12, 2025
90
Earthion offers a shoot 'em up experience with everything it takes to become an instant classic of the genre and a fantastic soundtrack worthy of Yuzo Koshiro's legacy.
User score
Generally Favorable
63% Positive
10 Ratings
10 Ratings
38% Mixed
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Sep 28, 2025
10
Absolute class. Having been my favourite genre for 50 years, what a lot of people do not understand with shmups is its not just the difficulty level that is prohibitive on starting. It takes genius to make a shmup, inject that dopamine, make you feel hot and clammy ar he'd over a hot crt arcade machine, that you blink and your dead. The careful balanc8ng act that its not unfair. Tough but fair.
These are the hallmarks of a classic shmup.
This is the best made shmup in years amd years. I have pretty much all the new one fr9m ps5/ps5/pc andsome utterly legend shmups have re released such as darius, gradius, Salamander.
This game is up their as equal a modern day shmup as jets n guns. It's that good.
Well done making this game lads, very well done.
And the music, especially level 8. Bang on. I had 'apidya' vibes.
Aug 25, 2025
10
Earthion, em resumo, é a obra-prima máxima do gênero **** jogo que merece ser apreciado por todos os amantes do estilo. Impressiona como a Ancient conseguiu criar um game com identidade visual digna do Mega Drive e, ao mesmo tempo, trazer novas mecânicas a um gênero que há muito tempo parecia ter chegado ao limite da criatividade, dada a imensa quantidade de títulos lançados ao longo dos anos. Diante de clássicos como Truxton, Thunder Force IV, Radiant Silvergun, Ikaruga, Darius, entre outros, surge a dúvida: seria mesmo possível Yuzo Koshiro surpreender novamente dentro desse gênero? Pois acredite: ele conseguiu.O jogo é simplesmente viciante. Você começa e não quer parar até terminar. E o melhor: mesmo após zerar, bate aquela vontade imediata de jogar de novo. Isso é privilégio de poucos grandes títulos, como Truxton e Thunder Force **** aspecto técnico, os gráficos exploram ao máximo o que o Mega Drive poderia oferecer de melhor: inúmeros sprites simultâneos, paleta vibrante e contrastante, múltiplos planos de parallax, além de efeitos impressionantes de rotação e zoom que criam uma sensação de pseudo-3D surpreendente. Já a trilha sonora é um espetáculo à parte: mais uma vez, Yuzo Koshiro entrega composições empolgantes e marcantes, que intensificam a ambientação e a ação. Um exemplo perfeito é a música da fase final, que transmite um clima de tensão e clímax dramático, tornando a vitória sobre o chefe derradeiro uma experiência de pura catarse.A jogabilidade e a apresentação também merecem destaque. Tudo foi cuidadosamente pensado: as mecânicas das armas, a precisão dos controles da nave, a narrativa que contextualiza a batalha. O grande diferencial, na minha opinião, está no sistema de escudo e na forma como a evolução das armas é administrada durante a partida — elementos criativos e originais que enriquecem o gameplay.Sendo assim, não há como dar outra nota que não seja 10. É incompreensível ver análises no Metacritic abaixo de 9, especialmente quando na Steam os jogadores têm registrado avaliações **** resumo: uma obra-prima assinada por Yuzo Koshiro. Jogar Earthion é obrigatório.Earthion, in short, is the ultimate masterpiece of the shmup genre.A game that deserves to be enjoyed by all fans of the genre. It's impressive how Ancient managed to create a game with a visual identity worthy of the Mega Drive while simultaneously bringing new mechanics to a genre that long ago seemed to have reached its creative limit, given the sheer number of titles released over the years. Faced with classics like Truxton, Thunder Force IV, Radiant Silvergun, Ikaruga, Darius, and others, the question arises: could Yuzo Koshiro truly surprise again within this genre? Well, believe me: he **** game is simply addictive. You start and don't want to put it down until you finish it. And best of all: even after finishing it, you immediately want to play again. This is a privilege only a few great titles, like Truxton and Thunder Force IV/V. Technically, the graphics fully exploit the best the Mega Drive could offer: countless simultaneous sprites, a vibrant and contrasting palette, multiple parallax planes, and impressive rotation and zoom effects that create a surprising pseudo-3D sensation. The soundtrack is a spectacle in itself: once again, Yuzo Koshiro delivers exciting and striking compositions that intensify the atmosphere and action. A perfect example is the music for the final stage, which conveys an atmosphere of tension and dramatic climax, making defeating the final boss an experience of pure **** gameplay and presentation also deserve special mention. Everything was carefully thought out: the weapon mechanics, the precision of the ship's controls, the narrative that contextualizes the battle. The biggest difference, in my opinion, is the shield system and the way weapon development is managed throughout the match—creative and original elements that enrich the gameplay. Therefore, there's no way to give it a rating other than a 10. It's incomprehensible to see reviews on Metacritic below a 9, especially when Steam players have been posting extremely high **** short: a masterpiece by Yuzo Koshiro. Earthion is a must-play.
Aug 10, 2025
90
With a timeless look, a memorable soundtrack, and gameplay that encourages repeated attempts, Earthion stands out as one of the best ’90s-style shoot ’em ups, as well as a curious contemporary highlight created for a console nearly 40 years old.
Jul 31, 2025
90
Earthion is one of the most enjoyable and accessible shoot ‘em ups I've ever played, with tons of variety and nostalgic gameplay.
Aug 18, 2025
85
Earthion is a love letter to shmup fans and SEGA enthusiasts, blending Gradius-inspired mechanics with Thunder Force-style flair, stunning 16-bit visuals, and a nostalgic Yuzo Koshiro soundtrack. While some visual clutter hampers precision play, its clever boss battles, relentless level design, and authentic retro feel make it a standout in modern and vintage shooter circles.
Aug 12, 2025
80
Earthion is a very fun spaceship game that will certainly appeal to fans of classic titles from the golden age of the Mega Drive. It’s a bit short, but considering the classic continue and Game Over mechanics, you’ll have to work hard to see the game’s ending — and you’ll definitely enjoy the experience.
Oct 15, 2025
60
Of course, Yuzu Koshiro's soundtrack is stellar and perfectly designed for this challenging, nostalgic game. Still, Earthion could use a few modern features: measuring your progress with passwords that you have to write down is definitely a downside. Because of that, the game still delivers a genuine arcade experience — if you're looking to relive that period, you should try this one.
Aug 12, 2025
10
Jogo magnífico! Frenético, bonito e com uma bela trilha sonora! Difícil como os jogos shoot em up da época. Se tivesse sido lançado nos anos 90 estaria entre os melhores jogos do gênero! Quero ver como funcionará no Mega Drive quando sair a versão física para o veterano console.
SummaryWith Earth's resources depleted and its environment in ruin, most of humanity has fled to Mars. But when hostile invaders launch an attack on Earth, mankind has no choice but to fight back. As environmental researcher Azusa Takanashi, you'll pilot the state-of-the-art space fighter YK-IIA and mount the most important counterattack in hum... Read More
Platforms:
- Xbox Series X
- PlayStation 5
- PC
- Nintendo Switch
- PlayStation 4
- Xbox One
Initial Release Date:Jul 31, 2025
Developer:
- Ancient
Publisher:




























