Gradius V

Gradius V
Video game box art by Hidetaka Tenjin.
Developer(s)	Treasure G.rev
Publisher(s)	Konami
Producer(s)	Yasushi Takano
Designer(s)	Hiroshi Iuchi Atsutomo Nakagawa
Artist(s)	Hidetaka Tenjin
Composer(s)	Hitoshi Sakimoto
Series	Gradius
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2, PlayStation Network
Release date(s)	PlayStation 2 JP: July 22, 2004 NA: September 14, 2004 EU: October 8, 2004 PlayStation Network JP: April 15, 2015 NA: April 17, 2015 EU: April 22, 2015
Genre(s)	Scrolling shooter
Mode(s)	Single-player, cooperative multiplayer

Gradius V is a Japanese-developed shoot 'em up video game published by Konami for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console in 2004. Gradius V was largely developed under contract by Treasure, who had previously worked on Radiant Silvergun and Ikaruga. It was re-released for PlayStation Network on April 15, 2015 in Japan and later in North-America and Europe in the same month.

The game is set predominantly in outer space where players control a fictional spacecraft called Vic Viper through a continuously scrolling background depicting the territories of Bacterian—an evil empire which serves as the player's enemy.Gradius V received overall positive reviews. Critics praised the level design, graphical design and "classic" revival, but criticized the game's extreme difficulty.

The game takes place as a 2D scrolling shooter with the Vic Viper contending with formations of enemies, both stationary and moving, that fire bullets. Players go through levels consisting of open space and others consisting of maneuvering through close quarters which alter between horizontal and vertical scrolling. Should players come into contact with anything on the screen, the Vic Viper explodes, and they lose a life. In Gradius V, the hit box (the pixels which must be touched by an object to destroy the ship) has been reduced in size to allow players to get through small areas more easily.Gradius V marks the first time in the series in which players can reappear immediately and resume the game from where they lose a life ever since Salamander series. Alternatively, players may also restart at a previously cleared checkpoint depending on the game's settings. If all lives are lost players have the option to continue and restart the game from where they left off. Players receive extra lives after scoring a certain number of points as indicated in the game's settings, and players may receive extra continues depending on how much total playing time has been accumulated.