Rapid Reload

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1995 video game

title: "Rapid Reload" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1995-video-games", "media.vision-games", "multiplayer-and-single-player-video-games", "science-fiction-video-games", "playstation-(console)-games", "playstation-network-games", "run-and-gun-games", "sony-interactive-entertainment-games", "video-games-developed-in-japan", "video-games-featuring-female-protagonists", "single-player-video-games", "video-games-about-terrorism", "japan-studio-games"] description: "1995 video game" topic_path: "geography/japan" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_Reload" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 1995 video game ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox video game"]

Field	Value
image	Rapid Reload.jpg
caption	European cover art
developer	Media.Vision
publisher	Sony Computer Entertainment
producer	Shigeo Maruyama
Teruhisa Tokunaka
Takashi Fukushima
designer	Toshiyuki Miyata
Akira Sato
Yukio Nagasaki
artist	Yukihiko Itō
Keizō Shimizu
composer	Kazuhiko Toyama
released
genre	Run and gun
modes	Single-player
platforms	PlayStation
::

Rapid Reload, known in Japan as Gunners Heaven, is a 1995 run and gun video game developed by Media.Vision and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. It was released in both Japan and Europe in 1995. The game was re-released on the PlayStation Network in Japan in 2007 and in Asia in 2010.

Gameplay

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/PS1_Rapid_Reload_(Gunners_Heaven).png" caption="Gameplay screenshot"] ::

The gameplay of Rapid Reload is often compared to the Treasure game Gunstar Heroes. The players choose to play as either male character Axel or female character Ruka through the game's six levels.

The player can switch between four different weapons with a normal machine pistol, flamethrower, homing laser, and multi-directional cannons. The characters each have their own set of four weapons, totaling the weapons in the game to eight. Also available is a grappling hook that will latch onto any wall or ceiling. The player cannot be harmed while the player uses the hook. The player can also aim their weapons in any direction by holding R2 on the controller. The player can also throw their enemies in any direction, similar to how players Red and Blue can in Gunstar Heroes.

The unique feature in Rapid Reload/Gunners Heaven is the point system. Points are dropped after the player destroys enemies. When the player collects these items, the counter on the top screen rises and eventually will count down. As the player collects more points, their shots from the weapons will become more powerful than the ordinary shots. Occasionally, the player can find a booster item that temporarily increases the player's weapon strength to unbelievable heights, making the player annihilate any enemy easily. Unfortunately, the timer is unforgiving, and the player has a very short time using the booster item.

The game has six stages and during the stages, there is one or two sub-bosses and the one true boss.

Plot

Upon hearing the legend of the treasure known as the Valkiry, treasure hunters Axel Sonics (voiced by Kazuki Yao) and Ruka Hetfield (voiced by Noriko Hidaka) embark on an adventurous quest to find the legendary stone. However, unknown to Axel and Ruka at the start, there is also a terrorist organization known as the Pumpkin Heads searching for the Valkiry, determined to use the stone for world domination.

In a race to reach the stone first, Axel and Ruka fight their way through the Pumpkin Heads' army of elite soldiers along several locations, destroying each of the three top captains and eventually reaching their hideout, where they confront the Master, who already has the Valkiry in her possession. Using the Valkiry to power herself, the Master engages Axel and Ruka in a decisive, final battle, but is eventually destroyed and the Valkiry is freed.

The ending differs for each character: if Axel defeats the Master, he is joined by Ruka, who in her excitement takes the Valkiry and runs off, with the weary Axel only barely managing to keep up with her; if Ruka defeats the Master, she accidentally drops the Valkiry and it shatters, and in her frustration, she vows never to hunt for treasure again, although a caption mentions that she eventually stayed in the business with Axel.

Release

Rapid Reload was released in Europe and Japan but not in North America, reportedly due to Sony Computer Entertainment America's policy against releasing 2D games for the PlayStation.

Reception

According to Famitsu, Rapid Reload sold 83,942 copies during its lifetime in Japan. The Japanese publication Micom BASIC Magazine ranked the game fifth in popularity in its July 1995 issue. It received an average reception from critics.

Eddy Lawrence and Gary Lord of Computer and Video Games regarded it one of the best "platform blasters", praising its lush backgrounds, soundscapes, and excellent game design, but said it was not as good as Gunstar Heroes. Next Generation felt the game lived up to its title's promise, highlighting the large number of sprites on screen and the lack of flickering and tearing. Maximum described Rapid Reload as a poor Gunstar Heroes clone, pointing out the game's lack of a simultaneous two-player mode and criticized the sloppy PAL conversion.

1Up.com called the game a blatant rip-off of Gunstar Heroes, but nevertheless felt it was overlooked due to the 3D games of the time. IGN considered it a remarkable work that went unnoticed due to "everyone's obsession with polygons" at the time. Kurt Kalata of Hardcore Gaming 101 commended the game's levels and music, but noted its lacking graphical presentation, poorly thought-out weapon system, and lack of a two-player mode. In 2018, Den of Geek identified it as one of the most underrated titles for the PlayStation.

Notes

References

Media.Vision staff. "ガンナーズヘヴン ''GUNNERS HEAVEN''". [[Media.Vision]].
Campbell, Stuart. "Hidden Treasures: The mysterious story of Gunner's Heaven". World of Stuart.
(January 1997). "Every PlayStation Game Played, Reviewed, and Rated". [[Imagine Media]].
(July 1995). "CVG Review: Gunner's Heaven". [[EMAP]].
(July 1995). "Testscreen: Gunner's Heaven". [[Future plc]].
(May 5, 1995). "NEW GAMES CROSS REVIEW: ガンナーズヘヴン". [[ASCII Corporation]].
Groves, Will. (July 1995). "Reviews: Gunner's Heaven". [[Future Publishing]].
(December 1995). "Review: Rapid Reload". [[nextmedia]].
(August 1995). "Finals: Gunner's Heaven". [[Imagine Media]].
(November 1995). "PlayTest: Rapid Reload". [[Future Publishing]].
(November 1995). "Reviews: Rapid Reload". [[Paragon Publishing]].
(March 1996). "Rapid Reload - Sony Playstation Review". Coming Soon Magazine, Inc..
(June 10, 1995). "電撃PSソフトレビュー Deeper: ガンナーズヘヴン". [[MediaWorks (publisher).
(August 1995). "PlayStation Reviews: Gunners Heaven". [[Paragon Publishing]].
(October 1995). "The Essential Buyers Guide Reviews: Rapid Reload". [[EMAP]].
Broughton, Matt. (October 1995). "Import Round-Up: Gunner's Heaven". [[EMAP]].
Sharp, Andy. (November-December 1995). "Review: Rapid Reload". [[IDG Media]].
(July 1995). "Ultimate Review Sector: Gunner's Heaven". [[Future Publishing]].
Zachlod, Aaron. (June 1995). "The Buyers Guide - Reviews: Gunner's Heaven". Cyberactive Publications.
"Game Search".
Kuramoto, Kazuhiro. (July 1995). "プレイステーション". {{ill.
Lee, Onn. (June 1995). "Software Reviews: Gunner's Heaven". Onn Lee.
(July-August 1995). "X Gen Review: Gunners Heaven". [[Paragon Publishing]].
(June 1996). "Price Power: Rapid Reload". [[Future Publishing]].
(June 27, 2007). "Retronauts Presents: Contra Retro Roundup". [[IGN Entertainment]].
(April 29, 2009). "Hidden Japanese Gems". [[IGN Entertainment]].
Kalata, Kurt. (November 14, 2016). "Rapid Reload". [[Hardcore Gaming 101]].
(September 20, 2018). "60 Underrated Playstation One Games". DoG Tech LLC.

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