Sol Cresta

Sol Cresta is one of those games that deserved far more attention than it got, and that is exactly why it is on this channel. Released on 22nd February 2022 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Steam, Sol Cresta was developed and published by PlatinumGames and serves as the concluding chapter in a franchise that began with Moon Cresta in arcades in 1980 and continued with Terra Cresta in 1985.

The game was directed by Takanori Sato, who previously led The Wonderful 101: Remastered, with Hideki Kamiya serving as creative director and story writer. Kamiya is known for Devil May Cry, Okami, Viewtiful Joe, and Bayonetta, and Sol Cresta marks the first title in PlatinumGames' own Neo-Classic Arcade series, a brand built around reviving the spirit of classic gaming with modern development. The soundtrack was composed by Yuzo Koshiro, one of the most respected names in game music, known for Streets of Rage, Actraiser, and Etrian Odyssey. Koshiro blended his own sound with the FM and PSG conventions of the original Terra Cresta score to create something that sits between homage and original composition. The full soundtrack was released as a physical 2-disc CD through Sweep Record.

The story is set in Cosmic Year 101. A robotic army known as the Mandler has seized control of the solar system, and humanity's only hope is the Yamato, a docking fighter made up of three individual ships named Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susano. The way these three ships combine, split apart, and reform mid-fight is the entire foundation of how Sol Cresta plays. Different formations unlock different attacks, and choosing when to split and when to dock is the core of what keeps the game engaging from start to finish.

The rights to the Cresta IP were held by Hamster Corporation, and Hideki Kamiya personally approached Hamster president Satoshi Hamada to secure permission to develop Sol Cresta. Hamada agreed immediately, and the two companies worked together throughout development. A physical edition was produced in partnership with Limited Run Games, with pre-orders running from February to March 2022. A Dramatic DLC was also released, adding a fully voiced story scenario written by Kamiya himself.

In this video we play through Sol Cresta with full commentary, covering the action as it unfolds and pointing out what makes this game worth your time. This channel covers retro-inspired and classic gaming across multiple platforms, always with live commentary and genuine enthusiasm for games that earn it.

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