Review - Earthion

Roberto Nieves
3 minutes ago
5 min read

Developer: Ancient Corporation, Bitwave Games

Publisher: Limited Run Games

Available on: PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One

Review system: Steam via Steam Deck

It was the era of the 'tude. Sega Genesis birthed some of the greatest and best games of our lifetimes, from Sonic the Hedgehog to Streets of Rage, and the legendary Shinobi, who is getting a new game very soon. The 16-bit presentation and audio reverb are staples of the era, a time of style and innovation. Games from this time in the 90s had to be cool, whether it was the gorgeous high-fidelity pixels or the rocking soundtrack from the BLAST processor. Earthion, a 2025 release, is a spaceship shooter ripped straight from that era.

Earthion is an exciting shmup from Ancient Corporation and Limited Run Games. If you didn't know what year it was, you'd think you just got sent back to the days of Capri-Sun fruit punch and grunge rock. Earthion is a triumphant shmup, filled with love and exciting gameplay. Prepare yourselves as this intergalactic, out-of-this-world journey is for those looking for a true white knuckle challenge.

The Earth is Under Attack

The Earth is under attack by sinister forces, and it is up to you, pilot Asuza Takanashi, to save the Earth! Piloting a specialized fighter craft, Asuza will embark on several dangerous missions and venture deep into the heart of the enemy. Machines, aliens, battleships, grotesque monsters, the enemy is as deadly as they look. When survival is at stake, fight your hardest or not at all.

Earthion is a 16-bit side-scrolling shoot-'em up or shmup. The principle formula of shmups is to shoot everything on-screen, survive various battles, defeat bosses, and ultimately get the high score. The goal is to make it to the end of the game, surviving the ever-increasing challenge of each stage. Each shmup does something different to the formula, and Earthion is no exception to this change.

A Few Upgrades

Featured in Earthion is a health bar, designated as a shield bar. This bar allows the ship to take a few hits before inevitably being destroyed by enemy fire. Enemies drop green gems throughout each stage. These gems not only power and upgrade your basic shot but also fuel your special weapon slots. Players can acquire special weapons throughout the stage, from homing lasers to hyper missiles. Players can collect upwards of two weapons, but can upgrade to additional slots in later levels.

Earthion comes from Ancient Corporation, a special development that has its hands on the original Sonic the Hedgehog and Streets of Rage 2. Both games were lauded for their use of color, design, and overall presentation. Both games felt like true, genuine titles that took the base foundation of the Sega Genesis and went on to create memorable titles that went beyond being games but unforgettable experiences. Earthion feels like that.

Humble Beginnings

Earthion was made natively using Genesis hardware, and the style oozes off-screen. Color pops off the screen in its crisp, pixelated presentation. Giant anime-inspired robots rip through warships. Alien creatures crawl from the depths, regurgitating bullets coming right towards you. It's a palette of cool, strong blues of space and the vibrant landscape of the Earth, all the way down to the fiery depth of an alien-infested volcano. There's a remarkable amount of detail as well, as enemies attack from the background and levels come alive through their enemies and obstacles.

Accompanying all this is music from composer Yuzo Koshiro, the legendary musician who visited Japan's night club scene before making some of the best video game soundtracks in video game history. The tracks are charged, energetic, and perfect for the emotional beats. Whether it's the triumphant arrival of stage one or the heroic note facing the final enemy, it is a tremendous orchestration that feels fresh and unique. Whether it's better than what was heard with the Streets of Rage games is up for debate, but it's another fine addition to Yuzo's discography.

Warm Memories

There isn't much of a story other than fly, pew pew, boom. However, the experience is in the presentation and gameplay. As I played Earthion, it felt like I was back at my grandparents' in New York City, putting a game cartridge into the Genesis and doing my best to outsmart the enemy and win. Memories of smelling turkey in the oven and watching DIseny classics swirled as I played Earthion. Its impressions are mystical, especially for those like myself who grew up in that era where video games were the Wild West and anything felt possible with the power of the Sega Genesis. For those who see this as another retro-style game, it is such, but it is so much more than that.

Playing Earthion is incredible. Shmups are all about feeling like a total badass while dodging thousands of enemies and bullets, and Earthion is no exception. Fighting the enemy is thrilling and enjoyable, and the challenge is firm yet fair. Here, players need to bring their skills to survive, but there are adjustments that can be made, such as more lives and an Easy difficulty mode. The goal is to keep playing, learn the patterns, and get better with each run to conquer the online leaderboards.

A Few Glitches

Coupled with the soundtrack, Earthion is a triumphant shmup, one that relishes in celebrating the history of the genre and carving its own path while being accessible to today's gaming audiences. Flying around and using different weapons is fun, and surviving the game's many challenges feels like a small victory. Coupled with Yuzo Koshiro's music, you have an exciting, good time.

Earthion is great and easily the spaceship shooter of the year, but it isn't perfect. For some reason, there are no bombs that can be used. Most shmups have a stage-clearing bomb that can be used with a few ties to survive tough moments in a pinch. For some reason, that isn't present. Other aspects are more nitpicks, as the game could've been longer and maybe featured a proper save system. Earthion has a password system, which is nostalgic but not necessarily wanted.

EARTHION Rocks

Earthion is a blast. Its amazing visual and audio presentation, coupled with great gameplay, are a genuine triumph. There is a space for retro-inspired and natively built games like Earthion, and between the gameplay and presentation, it proves it with flying colors. Earthion is a lot of fun and a strong challenge for those brave enough to pick up the control pad. Get to your ship, there is an Earth to save!