Galeoz (ガレオス)
Developer: Pre-Stage
Release Date: 1996
Platforms: PlayStation
Considering that Pre-Stage has eccentric games like Cho Aniki: Kyuukyoku Muteki Ginga Saikyou Otoko and Hakaioh: King of Crusher under their belt, it’s surprising that Galeoz is as straightforward as it is. Using the titular vehicle, you’re tasked with repelling an alien invasion by destroying enemy units and bases. For some, the most notable thing about Galeoz may be its connection to Atlus; as the publisher, they had a handful of staff credited, including general producer and Atlus veteran Hideyuki Yokoyama and producers Yuichi Iwata (credited on various Shin Megami Tensei spin-offs like Majin Tensei) and Shinichi Saitou, who worked on Ogre Battle and Tactics Ogre.
Galeoz is a vehicular combat game, something that wasn’t uncommon on the PS1, but this one has the novelty of strange physics. The Galeoz is a hovercraft capable of moving quickly, strafing, and even jumping, but this comes at the cost of a learning curve. The slightest bump against anything will cause the Galeoz to bounce around and your ability to aim is heavily affected by being on any incline. To make things even trickier, you’re unable to go in reverse at all, so in order to reposition, you have to spend precious time turning, driving away, and then coming back to your target. Thankfully, most foes are non-threatening and there’s even an optional training stage, so there’s ample time to master the game’s control quirks.
Galeoz consists of missions that alternate between linear corridors and open spaces. The linear missions lead you straight to the boss fight and are extremely short, whereas the larger missions make you wander aimlessly as you eliminate enemies and minibosses before the mission ends or the main boss shows up. There’s only one kind of miniboss, but the main bosses are a bit more interesting, including large tower-like structures and a vehicle made of cubes. A basic selection of power-ups can change your main weapon into a slower shotgun or a laser that fires intermittently. There are also limited sub-weapons that can be used like a bomb and a missile that travels along the ground, giving you something to work with if you need some extra juice.
It’s possible to finish Galeoz in less than an hour and there aren’t any options beyond difficulty selection, so it’s not a game that offers lots to dig into. There’s nothing particularly exceptional about this game, but it doesn’t make any grievous errors, either, so it can at least serve a particular niche and do so without overstaying its welcome.
