Welcome to World Zero - Reviews for the hardcore gamer

It’s unfortunate that out of all the possible shooters to be compared to, the game that Chaos Field is immediately judged against is Ikaruga. In the realm of the 2d shooter, Ikaruga is practically a genre unto itself. It’s an unfortunate, but perhaps unavoidable comparison stemming from the fact that they are the only two shooters on the GCN available domestically. Originally a late (post mortem, if you will) Dreamcast release, Chaos Field was picked up by O~3 -- the same guys who brought you the sloppy yet super cool Alien Hominid a year back -- and ported onto Nintendo’s console.

Being one of the only two examples of a dying genre on a particular platform is rough, especially when your peer outclasses you in every way. It’s easy enough for anyone who has played the two games to immediately notice Chaos Field’s apparent inferiority and slap a six on the end of their review citing the fact that, while not as good as the aforementioned Ikaruga (coincidentally, that distinction applies to anything else you can possibly play, ever), fans of the genre would want to pick it up anyway. Note that I plan to do the exact same thing. I’m just giving you a heads up, is all.

In a genre that places the utmost importance on the stage boss, Chaos Field cuts all pretenses and nixes the actual stages entirely. From start to finish, Chaos Field is a boss rush. An extended mode was added for the domestic release that throws in a few minor enemies every now and again, but such an addition is so inconsequential and honestly, so insignificant, that it barely deserves mention. Chaos Field is a string of boss fights and I think it’s all the better for it.

In spite of the game’s straightforward and simplistic ‘stage’ layout, Chaos Field is hardly a traditional shooter of the dodge and shoot variety. Keeping with recent trends, Chaos Field incorporates its own set of gimmicks into the fray to differentiate itself from its competitors. Taking a page from the Saturn classic Radiant Silvergun, each one of the three ships you can pilot comes equipped with a bullet eating sword that can act both as a means of attack and also as a shield if used properly. Also, during the natural process of gameplay you will build up stock in the game’s rough equivalent of a fighting game super meter which can be used for one of two attacks. The first is a mostly defensive technique preformed with the right trigger button. The second would be a sweeping set of lock on lasers which has great importance attached to it when utilizing the games namesake and final gimmick, the Chaos Field.

Through some inane contrivance in the game’s plot (hey, at least it tried), the game world is broken down into fields or realms. The first is the Order Field. Here sunny skies are the norm and the game is relatively tame, at least in the early going. By switching to the Chaos Field, you are rewarded with a few seconds of invulnerability which acts quite literally as the calm before the storm. The games backdrop turns dark, and bosses that at first seemed lethargic are now gunning at you for all they’re worth. The contrast graces the game with an interesting dynamic and it is one that must be fully explored to get the most out of the CF experience.

There’s a certain type of shooter fan who can play any game in the genre the same. For them, intricate score systems merely get in the way of the adrenaline rush provided by the more instinctual dodge and shoot mechanics. And that’s fine. However a good deal of what makes Chaos Field unique and enjoyable has to do with its unique chaining system.

When one thinks of a combo system in a shooter, you’re usually thinking of killing strings of enemies at a time. Chaos Field, being totally devoid of those, takes a different approach and asks that you instead destroy enemy bullets. Using the standard sword won’t add any to your tally, so you’re left with the two special attacks I described earlier as your only recourse. The interesting bit comes into play when you factor in the effect the dual fields have on this process. In the Order Field, both you and your enemies’ fire is minimal. Your lock-on lasers don’t target enemy bullets, and there aren’t too many bullets to target in the first place. However, fighting in the Order Field is the only way to accumulate enough stock to perform those moves. The resulting effect goes something like this; You’ll fight in the Order Field, using your defensive special to keep your chain alive while hoarding stock for your full on onslaught in the Chaos Field. Once your tanks hit full capacity, you’ll switch fields and immediately be bombarded by a frantic attack, one that you proceed to decimate with your own increased firepower. Soon enough you’ll run out of special, and you’ll be as good as dead without the defensive powers that they provide, so you’ll switch back. The entire process creates a great sense of give and take and adds much to an otherwise sterile shooter.

The problems then begin to set in, not with the overlying concepts that Chaos Field hopes to implement, but rather with the basic play mechanics. Each of the three ships available for use in Chaos Field are big. I mean really, really big. Granted, the hitbox of your ship is limited to a small region in your ship’s center, but the sheer mass of your craft lends the game a clunky, uncertain feel with regards to avoiding enemy attack. You can never be entirely too sure if something is going to clip the edge of your hitbox simply because the distinction is so unclear. Also, though this is more of a preference thing than a legitimate flaw, I cannot stand ship shooters with life meters. Much of the intensity of dodging through a particularly intense firefight is stripped away when one mistake doesn’t mean death. I’ll acknowledge that the life bar effectively replaces a stock of extra lives which is the genre standard, but I still don’t like it.

And finally, both visually and sonically, Chaos Field is pretty standard. The graphics are competent, if a little low fi, which isn’t too big a deal, but the thing is that the game is artistically bland. Though the game is a string of boss fights, I can’t really pick out a single one of them as being particularly interesting or memorable as standing out from the rest. It’s one big formless machine after the other. As for the techno soundtrack, it complements the game’s visual style and trance like nature of the chain-based gameplay, but it’s not stuff you’d want to listen to as a standalone soundtrack. It’s appropriate and effective, but that’s as far as it goes. Chaos Field is average. Though the game has numerous redeeming qualities, and there is some depth to be found here, there are issues with hit detection and basic gameplay that keep Chaos Field from being anything greater than merely okay.

Rating	The rating scale in detail
7.0	+/- Solid visuals, but not particularly engaging ones.
7.0	+/- Fitting, though generic techno soundtrack.
6.5	+ Interesting dual field mechanics and chaining system. + The entirely boss-laden approach lends the game with a fast paced, frantic feel. - Sloppy and inconsistent hit detection.
5.0	- Entirely generic bosses and uninspired designs for the main ships.
7.0	+ Though not as bottomless as it could be, the chaining system provides plenty of depth for you to keep finding new things on subsequent playthroughs.
6.5	+/- Excellent concepts, but sloppy implementation of the basics keeps Chaos Field from being a must own for shooter fans.