Earthion Image
Metascore
  1. First Review
  2. Second Review
  3. Third Review
  4. Fourth Review

No score yet - based on 3 Critic Reviews Awaiting 1 more review What's this?

User Score
tbd

No user score yet- Be the first to review!

Your Score
0 out of 10
Rate this:
  • 10
  • 9
  • 8
  • 7
  • 6
  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • Summary: With Earth's resources depleted and its environment in ruin, most of humanity has fled to Mars. But when hostile invaders launch an attack on Earth, mankind has no choice but to fight back. As environmental researcher Azusa Takanashi, you'll pilot the state-of-the-art space fighter YK-IIAWith Earth's resources depleted and its environment in ruin, most of humanity has fled to Mars. But when hostile invaders launch an attack on Earth, mankind has no choice but to fight back. As environmental researcher Azusa Takanashi, you'll pilot the state-of-the-art space fighter YK-IIA and mount the most important counterattack in human history. Losing is not an option!

    Featuring eight action-packed stages full of stunning visuals, frenetic gameplay, and amazing special effects - not to mention an incredible soundtrack composed by the legendary Yuzo Koshiro - Earthion will have you on the edge of your seat as you fight to save humanity's future.
    Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. Sep 30, 2025
    100
    Earthion is an amazing shoot 'em up, that by no means revolutionizes the world, and those who are already lukewarm toward the genre may not find a new favorite here either. But it’s impossible not to appreciate how everything that Ancient and Bitwave have done radiates love and passion for the genre as well as for the Sega’s old hardware. Since the final product is simply a thoroughly well-designed and polished game with awesome soundtrack, why not reward it with five stars?
  2. Sep 23, 2025
    90
    Earthion is an amazingly good shmup and genuinely feels like some kind of forgotten gem. The main game mechanics are involved but also streamlined, coupled with insanely fast-paced yet still extremely detailed visuals. The music and sound effects are also excellent. In short, this is a definitive shmup and comes highly recommended.
  3. Sep 20, 2025
    80
    Earthion is a terrific piece of work. It's more an accomplished production, arguably, than a shoot 'em up of incredible highs, but at the same time, that’s part of its charm. It has a different feel thanks to its shield system and mid-stage upgrade rungs, and this is a refreshing and welcome change from the norm. Much of the fun is in figuring out the order of bolstering your ship and the little tricks that various weaponry affords when faced with tricky junctures. It does some things other shoot 'em ups don’t do, and is all the more standout for it. At the same time, it fails to achieve some things that other shoot 'em ups do so well. Nonetheless, Earthion is a treat of a game: a bold new Mega Drive work that sits in the upper echelons of the console's broad catalogue, and shouldn't be passed up by fans of the genre or wonderful 16-bit works.