2026 Special - Silhouette Mirage

You don't need me to tell you that Silhouette Mirage is one-of-a-kind. Back in 1997, Treasure released an action game so mechanically dense that it would be impossible to iterate on. There could never be a sequel no matter how stars and planets aligned. Once again, I'm left staring at the pale abyss, as the words that'd sum up both this lovingly bizarre creation and my thoughts on it are dancing just out of reach. Perhaps I should start by pointing out that this game only works when you allow yourself to get lost in it. Multiple playthroughs are required. A second or even third visit to the tutorial is highly recommended. Most of all, you have to treat every move as a conscious decision. Something as simple as the direction the player-character faces changes the entire trajectory of her next interaction. Failing to weigh the consequences of a single button-press or tap of the d-pad will result in more than just lost health. The pillars of order and chaos will collide in a stunning explosion, setting up a chain of catastrophes that one may never recover from.

Like so much of Treasure's output, this game adheres to the core principles of feng shui. In order to reach Edo and reboot the world to what it was before the apocalyptic "Day of Parting", Shyna Nera Shyna will have to be receptive, not reactive. Both the Silhouettes and Mirages refer to her as a messenger of destruction. As such, attempting to operate strictly as an opposing force will bring a world of hurt upon the heroine. Enemies tend to have an innate element that's either red or blue. Fire opposite-colored bullets at them to inflict damage, or like-colored bullets to drain their spirit. Seeing as how Shyna's projectiles are determined by the direction she's facing, players have to approach every encounter with heightened awareness. In other shootemups, it doesn't matter where we stand, just as long as we're not in imminent danger. Having such a simple concept irrecoverably altered will take quite some time to adjust to. Since you can't fight against it, you just have to adapt, become one with the world and its denizens. 

Further complicating matters is the fact that both Shyna and her enemies can reflect like-colored projectiles. Reflected bullets become neutral and are dangerous to either element. Needless to say, Shyna could blow herself up if you're not paying attention to what the enemy is doing. Bear in mind also that while destroying the enemy outright might sound like the ideal choice, choice is something of a luxury. Shyna has to be facing the enemy, on the side of them that allows her to inflict damaging shots, and in a position where she isn't at risk of a dreadful counterattack. It's times like these that weakening the enemy and removing some of their special attacks from the equation can be pretty helpful. Also, it might be a good idea to rush in for a grab, pound their face for some extra coins, and then toss them in a direction that favors you. Most notable fights are 1v1s and are very dynamic, with momentum that can turn on a dime. 

The game's adherence to feng shui can also be felt in how Shyna moves. Part of the reason positioning is so important is because the heroine's walking speed is very... normal. She isn't the anomaly that zips all over the screen, ignoring the actions of others as time dilates around her. I seriously almost want to use the word methodical, because the messenger's slow movements often force players to act defensively. Dashing, sliding, and energy tackling are all moves available to the heroine, but there's at least one limitation tied to each. The energy tackle, which crushes enemies with a tremendous burst of speed, requires one to double-tap down and then double-tap forward. If you have Tekken-level execution, you could probably perform it very quickly. However, it's still a move that requires sequential inputs, and can't be relied upon as some instant escape. Slides only go a short distance and dashes tend to be the point A to point B move. These limits emphasize the importance of Shyna's reflect, a move also incapable of solving every problem. After all, it does no good if one is facing the wrong direction or is the wrong element while it's in use. Treasure committed to making a game where every single action is significant. There's always a cost. 

Admittedly, this does mean that it's taken me quite some time to discover an appreciation for what they were going for. The heroine's triple-jump is very cool, but without an air-dash, she often ends up a floaty target. Movement in games is something that I tend to take for granted, so getting smashed by a giant mech that probably could've been outwalked was a serious wakeup call. Several enemy attacks require that one understand good positioning over mere reactions. Megiddo, one of the late-game bosses, has a move where he dive-kicks into the ground and then uppercuts his way out. The kick is easy to avoid because of its long travel-time. Conversely, the uppercut is either a close-dodge or a well-executed reflect. I say well-executed, because if Shyna is too close, she'll take a hit through her shield and lose some spirit. A lot of thoughtful work was put into the encounters, and they often present problems that aren't solved with a little "Oh. I'll just walk over here and avoid it entirely." Count on multiple playthroughs, as it'll take quite some time for all the details to lock into place.

Don't worry if any of this sounds the slightest bit overwhelming. Silhouette Mirage is first and foremost a teaching game. Its lengthy tutorial and frequent bosses that demand Shyna's entire skillset ensure that the player isn't left behind and scrambling for a clue. Also, provided that you've taken advantage of the wealthy, the protag will usually have enough cash to refill both health and spirit. It's also not too hard to gain an advantage. In the caverns of area 1, there's a group of specters that'll respawn if you step into a nearby hole and jump out. This is an exploit that the developers are actually aware of, as they included a hidden shop that sells a level 6 Slotha for 900 bucks, and nobody aside from the farmers of that specific room have that kind of dosh. If you are that person, then congratulations. You now have a weapon that'll crush a good chunk of bosses.

Ah right, the weapons. Something that the cutesy art-direction tends to hide is that the inhabitants of the world tend to be cybernetic abominations. Shyna herself has these weapons called parasites. With names sounding awfully like the seven sins, up to three of these cuddle-wuddlies can be purchased, equipped, and swapped between. Seeing as how parasites are practically the sole means of dealing damage, you'll want some that fit your playstyle... or at least do a half-decent job. My personal favorite is Pridy, because boomerangs are awesome. Glattony is a solid laser that has its uses. As for the rest... well... eh. Some of them just seem too situational or require a heavy investment to be functional. Slotha at anything less than level 6 is hardly worth messing with. I'll also add that the choice of parasite as well as the current spirit level can have a compounding negative effect on boss-battles. Endgame fights with underpowered weaponry tend to drag on for a long time. 

Still, I'd say it's best to approach Silhouette Mirage with an open mind. I mean, that mind has to be wide open. This is a very playful game. Its willingness to take ideas and just toy with them is very reminiscent of Dynamite Headdy. There's a good chance you'll discover a new interaction each time you replay it. Each boss, even those that get crushed with overpowered parasites, has a niche. You can learn the patterns, know exactly where to stand at all times, and still discover something new about them. In essence, this is less a boss-rush and more a very thoughtful series of events. In spite of her protagonist powers and status as messenger of justice/destruction, Shyna is as much an inhabitant of this world as everyone else. There's a level of back-and-forth to every battle that isn't often seen in the action genre. It's a very confident game, never showing hesitancy let alone fear. The dense mechanics and cavalcade of ideas have created something rich, something that can't be imitated. 

Oh, and for the sake of everything, do not ever mess with the Working Designs version. The Saturn original received a lovely fan-translation, and you can always play the Japanese PS1 port if the extra content interests you. WD's gameplay changes built a ruinous shithouse that could very well cause players to shelve the game for decades.