Silent Bomber


Silent Bomber is a 1999 arcade style action video game for the PlayStation, and the second game developed by CyberConnect. Silent Bomber is based on the classic top down shoot 'em up genre but with a twist: Instead of shooting the enemy, the player blows them up using bombs. In 2006, it was released for the PlayStation Network in Japan.

Gameplay

The player takes control of the protagonist, Jutah, whose mission is to attack and destroy the facilities and defenses of the colossal space dreadnought Dante. The player can either plant bombs simply where they stand, or by launching them using the lock-on reticle. Bombs that are launched at enemies also attach to their target. Bombs can then be detonated at any time at the player's discretion. This introduces the chaining element of gameplay, where the number of enemies simultaneously destroyed awards more points. Bombs can also be "stacked", and a larger number of bombs in the same place is more destructive. Jutah can set only a limited number of bombs at one time, so the set bombs must be detonated before more bombs can be set.
Jutah also has access to material liquids, which are enhanced bombs with special effects. Napalm continues to burn after it is detonated, damaging enemies within the flames. It is also more effective against biological enemies. Gravity forms a miniature black hole, sucking in nearby enemies. Paralysis temporarily disables electrical devices. It also does extra damage to mechanical enemies. Material liquids can also be stacked and chained with standard bombs.
Jutah can upgrade the number of bombs he can plant before needing to detonate them, the range of his bomb-planting hologram and his resistance to enemy attack by using E-Chips hidden throughout the levels. Jutah's E-Chips can be configured at any time to adapt his skills to different situations.
In keeping with arcade style tradition, many levels end with a powerful boss that Jutah must destroy or repel to move on through the game's 14 levels.

Plot

The game begins with Jutah Fate, a war criminal, being drafted into a covert military operation by his home planet of Hornet. Because of events that occurred prior to the game, he is largely devoid of emotions. The mission is to destroy a space cruiser, known as the Dante, that is threatening the planet. Also part of the mission are Benoit Manderubrot, a political criminal; Micino Tifone, a spy; and John Loss, an escape artist and member of an oppressed tribe. The operation is headed by CO Annri Ohara.
Upon arrival at the Dante, their ship is shot down by Dante's anti-aircraft weapons. Everyone lands on the cruiser unharmed, but Jutah is separated from the group. As the game progresses and Jutah is asked to destroy various parts of Dante, Jutah and Annri begin to develop feelings for each other.
Finally, Jutah reaches Dante's bridge, but finds that the crew was killed by its own defenses. A hologram of Benoit appears and reveals that it was he who killed the crew, and that he had taken control of the ship and still planned to destroy Hornet. After Jutah refuses to join with Benoit, Benoit tries to kill Jutah by ejecting him into space. He is rescued by his crew as Benoit seals off Dante.
Jutah breaks back into the ship and destroys Dante's powerful cannon in time to save Hornet. With the cannon gone, Jutah Finds Benoit in the ship's core, and discovers that Benoit has bonded himself to the Dante's AI. After the final battle, Benoit activates Dante's self-destruct system. Jutah tries to get back to his ship, but his way is blocked, forcing the others to leave without him. The game ends with Jutah visiting Annri at her home three years later.

Characters

Jeff Lundrigan reviewed the PlayStation version of the game for Next Generation, rating it four stars out of five, and stated that "An engrossing, challenging game with a very different approach than most. Recommended."