One of the pleasures of retro gaming is seeing long-lost releases finally receive the attention they always deserved, and 70s-style Robot Anime Geppy-X (yes, that’s actually the title) is exactly that kind of rediscovery. Originally confined to Japan on the original PlayStation, this unusual blend of side-scrolling shooter and interactive anime has finally made its international debut in a remaster that preserves its distinctive identity while smoothing over many of the rough edges that come with a decades-old release. Rather than simply updating a forgotten shooter, Bliss Brain has brought back a fascinating slice of gaming history that still feels refreshingly different today.
Its biggest strength is undoubtedly its presentation. Every stage unfolds like an episode of a vintage super robot television series, complete with opening themes, animated story sequences, commercial breaks, eyecatches, previews and ending credits. The exaggerated heroes, melodramatic villains and playful references to classic mecha anime create an infectious sense of enthusiasm that carries the entire experience. Players who grew up with giant robot shows will undoubtedly appreciate many of the nods, but even newcomers can enjoy the sincerity with which the game embraces its over-the-top premise.
Once the action begins, Geppy-X proves to be a solid, if not genre-defining, horizontal shooter. Switching freely between the robot’s three combat forms gives encounters a welcome tactical element, as each configuration emphasizes different strengths in mobility, firepower and close-range combat. Charged attacks, screen-clearing specials and the ability to fire in both directions keep combat engaging throughout the campaign, while branching story routes and multiple endings provide a genuine incentive to replay the relatively short adventure. The newly added rewind function, save states and optional rapid fire also make the game far more approachable than many classic shooters from its era.
That said, the game’s age does become apparent once the novelty begins to wear off. Enemy encounters rarely evolve into the kind of intense bullet patterns genre veterans may expect, and some players will likely settle on a favorite transformation rather than fully exploiting the intended variety. Certain controls can also feel slightly awkward, particularly when turning to deal with enemies approaching from behind, while a handful of slower transitions and unskippable story moments interrupt the pacing on repeat playthroughs. These aren’t major flaws, but they do prevent the shooting mechanics from reaching the same heights as the presentation surrounding them.
Visually, the remaster strikes an admirable balance between restoration and preservation. The newly rescanned animation is significantly cleaner and smoother while remaining faithful to the original artwork, and the wealth of display options – including CRT filters and original presentation modes – allows players to tailor the experience to their preferred level of nostalgia. The in-game graphics naturally reveal their PlayStation origins, with fairly simple environments and sprites that sometimes lack the flair of the beautifully animated cutscenes, but the colorful enemy designs and expressive boss encounters still give the game plenty of personality.
The audio is arguably the package’s other standout achievement. The energetic opening themes, dramatic background music and enthusiastic Japanese voice acting perfectly capture the spirit of classic mecha television, helping every mission feel like another episode of a long-lost anime series. Combined with the lovingly restored animation, the soundtrack does much of the heavy lifting in selling the illusion that you’re participating in an authentic 1970s broadcast rather than simply playing another retro shooter.
We came away impressed by just how confidently 70s-style Robot Anime Geppy-X commits to its concept. As a pure shoot-’em-up it falls short of the genre’s very best, with occasionally dated mechanics and some repetitive replay elements. As an interactive celebration of classic super robot anime, however, it’s unlike almost anything else available today. Thanks to a thoughtful remaster packed with modern conveniences and respectful restoration work, this once-obscure PlayStation curiosity finally gets the audience it has deserved for more than two decades. Fans of retro gaming and giant robots should find plenty to enjoy here.
Score: 7.5/10