Is This The Best Sega Genesis Shooter You've NEVER Played?

In this episode we unbox and playtest Glay Lancer from Retro-bit, designed to play on the Sega Genesis, Sega Mega Drive, and compatible systems.

I love the fact that Retro-bit continues to republish games from the past that either I never played, missed out on, or don't have in my collection. They have done amazing work in recent years to expand my collection, especially when the Sega Genesis is concerned. I had a Model 2 Sega Genesis when I was younger, but I didn't keep it very long and ended up going back to the Super Nintendo. For this reason, I ended up missing out on a number of fantastic titles. One such title is Glay Lancer, a horizontal shooter that definitely was not what I expected. Let's take a look and see if this is the best Sega Genesis Shooter You've Never played.

About Gley Lancer:
In 2025, aliens have encroached into our solar system only to be met by the United Earth Federation Navy. It is during this massive battle that Commander Ken Cabrock of the 1st Fleet and the flagship Oberon are attacked and teleported away during a tactical retreat. Lucia, daughter of the Commander, gets the news while aboard the 2nd Fleet and sets out to rescue her father aboard the prototype Busterhawk class fighter, the Gley Lancer. This mission will take Lucia across worlds never seen before and against terrifying odds. Do you have what it takes?

This limited edition re-release includes a number of exciting features. It comes with a slipcover for the case, reversible box artwork, a full-color instruction manual, a unique red-colored cartridge, and a certificate of authenticity. The overall finish and presentation of this is right up there with other limited edition releases that retro-Bit has sent me in the past, and I appreciate them sending me this for purposes of review.

For testing, I used my tried and true JVC X'EYE, which is essentially a Sega CD and a Sega Genesis all in one unit. The beautiful thing is it's also region free so I can play import games on it as well. The boards that Retro-bit uses on their reproduction cartridges are beveled, meaning that they go in and out of your pins without much fuss. I got a very solid cachunk as I inserted the cartridge in the system and got to playing.

Whoa, I did not expect this amazing soundtrack! This thing seriously has amazing bass and overall audio quality! I was also really impressed by the overall graphic display and look of the game too. This thing is beautiful, especially when played through HD retrovision component video cables and my Retrotink 5X. One thing I found out very quickly, however, this game is not easy. But is a fair level of challenge and a ton of fun.

Why It RoX:
- Beautiful audio and visuals
- Super Fun
- Unique "helper ship" options
- Beautiful Package
- Compatible with Genesis and Mega Drive systems, along with 3rd parties

What could be improved?
- Hard as nails
- Limited release

Should you buy one?
I had not played this before shooting this video but man, I was missing out! Gley Lancer is a fantastic game with great visuals and an amazing soundtrack. It's also different from other shooters out there in the mechanics and the way it plays. To me, this is one of the most unique and fun shooters I've played in a long time and I plan on beating the game. It may take me a LONG time, but I definitely want to do it!

#Retrobit #SegaGenesis #Gleylancer #videogames