Elemental Gearbolt stands as one of the most overlooked and underrated games released on the PlayStation. It is a light gun shooter, a genre which has all but died out over the last few years. It was also published in the U.S. by Working Designs.

That’s not a knock against Working Designs (rest its soul). Personally, I’ve liked almost every single game they’ve released here (especially the Lunar games. Damn, I love those games). However, there are some who look at their releases with scorn. For one, Working Designs would always tweak gameplay elements in the titles they ported. Instead of just a straight port, as most companies usually do, Working Designs would change the programming to make the games harder for the U.S. market.

This is a matter of opinion, but I always liked the changes they made. Especially on this game and in Silhouette Mirage, which may get its own Greatest Games bit in the near future.

Also, Working Designs would usually change some of the dialogue for games to add humor where there wasn’t any in the Japanese release. Purists would cry for blood when this happened, but again, I thought this helped the games in many places. The humor is not included in Elemental Gearbolt, which has a deadly-serious storyline.

Working Designs games were also usually more expensive than normal games due to deluxe packaging and the special features they would throw into their games. Elemental Gearbolt comes in a double jewel case, not because the game comes on two discs, but because the full-color instruction book is so fat that it doesn’t fit in a single jewel case. The booklet features tons of original artwork, several blurbs detailing the history of the game world, and interviews with the production team. It’s quite a package.

Besides the Working Designs factor, Elemental Gearbolt stood out for its high-fantasy setting, which I think is the only light gun shooter that uses such a setting. Also, the fantasy world is extremely detailed and has many elements that are left unexplained in the game, which creates a very mysterious and intriguing atmosphere.

The music is also very different from the usual techno or hard rock soundtracks found in this genre of games. Orchestral suites accompany the gameplay, which further enhances the overall art design and atmosphere of the game.

The game also has a deep and convoluted storyline, further complicated by the mind-bogglingly detailed background story of the world and its people, which can be found in the instruction booklet. I won’t go into what the story is about, because honestly I’m not really sure. There are so many characters and strings of narrative happening at once that to try to even encapsulate it into a summary would take an entire post. All you really need to know is you play as one of two Elementals who can use magic, and that’s what you use to shoot the fuck out of everything around you.

Despite the complex and confusing narrative, the combination of music, atmosphere, and story creates an incredibly engrossing experience. However, none of this really means anything if the gameplay suffers. Luckily, it doesn’t.

Gameplay is pretty standard for the light gun genre. You’re on rails and you shoot at anything on the screen that moves. You can play by yourself or with a friend. There are three different shots that you can switch between at any time. As mentioned previously, you use magic. Your standard shot is fire-based and is akin to using a regular pistol; the water shot fires three quick bursts, like a semi-auto machine gun; and lighting acts as a burst, like a shotgun.

Reloading is done away with. Instead, you can’t just wail on the trigger. Your shots need to recharge, which takes a matter of milliseconds, but if you do try to fire without that small rest your gun will jam. This actually helps the game as it forces you to make your shots more precise. The game works on a combo system, so those precise shots are really essential. Your combo resets if you miss an enemy.

Elemental Gearbolt also introduces RPG elements. After each level, you gain experience based on your combo. You can then use that experience to either increase your score or your level. Each level increase improves the power of your weapons and increases your life bar. I’m sure most players will go for the level increases, but if you’re a high-score nut then you’ve got the choice.

There are six stages to blow through, and tons of replay if you’re trying to max out your level or find all the extras that Working Designs put into the game, such as the hidden chalices in each stage.

It’s tough to say who should really play this game. Hardcore light gun shooter fans may be turned off by the less arcadey atmosphere of this game. However, this is probably the most refined game of its genre and it has a huge wealth of depth and replay.

Also, if you’re an anime fan, cutscenes are fully-animated and directed by legendary director Rintaro (Galaxy Express 999, Metropolis).

Elemental Gearbolt is pretty easy to find and can be had used on ebay from between $25-50. Pretty cheap considering the price of other Working Designs titles from the era. You can play with the analog controller, but you really need to get either a Namco GunCon or a Konami Justifier to really enjoy this one.

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