Hidden amidst the intricate tapestry of Radiant Silvergun’s levels lie the enigmatic merry dogs, tantalizing bonuses obscured from plain sight. To bring these elusive canines into your grasp, you must engage your lock-on missiles, deftly mapped to the ‘X’ button by default on your Xbox controller layout. A sharp auditory cue, coupled with the sudden appearance of a diminutive canine silhouette on your screen, heralds your successful acquisition. Remarkably, the game bestows 11 of these enigmatic dogs upon the players engaged in Arcade Mode, with an even more staggering 30 in Story Mode. The key to tracking your progress is tucked away within the Stats menu, conveniently accessible from the main menu.
A commendable feature to note is that these elusive canines can be acquired across all difficulty levels, rendering them accessible to both the seasoned veterans and novice players. For newcomers, a preliminary rendezvous with the ‘Very Easy’ mode is recommended, granting you the chance to acquaint yourself with their elusive locations.
Arcade Mode Dog Locations (11 dogs)
(Note: You’ll need to embark on a minimum of two playthroughs to secure each of them, necessitating a strategic choice between Stage 2 and 4 on each run.)
- Stage 3A – Inception of the Journey: At the initial stages of the level, gravitate towards the bottom right of the screen for your first canine rendezvous.
- Stage 3B – Embracing the Dance of Drones: Delve into the heart of a mesmerizing dance between blue and red drones, and you shall stumble upon your second canine companion.
- Stage 3C – The Commencement of Adversity: Gaze toward the middle of the screen, where the vanguard of enemy ships embarks upon their formation. Here, your third merry dog awaits.
- Stage 3C – The Obstacles and the Blue Turrets: Navigate through an obstacle course comprising long rectangular barricades topped with menacing red turrets. Positioned to the left of the blue turrets, near the screen’s edge, awaits your fourth furry companion.
- Stage 3C – A Tricky Red Turret Stretch: Immediately following the previous encounter, a sequence of red turrets shall present itself. Proceed to the right as they conclude, and your fifth merry dog is yours for the taking.
- Stage 3D – Preparing for the Boss: As the looming boss makes its debut, lock onto the screen’s central region for your sixth acquisition.
- Stage 2A – Navigating the Grid: When the grid patterns first unfurl upon the screen, venture towards the lower echelons to encounter your seventh canine companion.
- Stage 4A – Pursuit of the Blue Drone Emissary: On top of the square, azure enemy spewing blue drones, your eighth canine comrade patiently awaits.
- Stage 4A – The Red Tank Conundrum: As the colossal red tank enemy assumes its menacing stance in the middle of your path, direct your crosshairs to the bottom-left corner of the screen to uncover your ninth furry friend.
- Stage 4A – The Block Conveyor Challenge: Upon escaping the conveyor maze, veer to the right and lock on promptly. This particular canine poses a unique challenge, which can be surmounted by purposefully sacrificing your life just before escaping the maze, then exploiting the i-frames to dash through the right-side blocks, securing the dog before the camera pivots away.
- Stage 4B – The Electric X Enigma: In the midst of a rotating, fragmented circle with an electrifying ‘X’ at its core, you’ll discover your eleventh and final merry dog.
Story Mode Dog Locations (30 dogs)
(Note: The comprehensive journey spans multiple stages, each harboring its hidden canines.)
- Stage 3A – Inception of the Journey: At the outset of the level, the bottom-right corner of the screen conceals your first furry companion.
- Stage 3B – Embracing the Dance of Drones: Delve into the heart of a mesmerizing dance between blue and red drones, and you shall stumble upon your second canine companion.
- Stage 3C – The Commencement of Adversity: Gaze toward the middle of the screen, where the vanguard of enemy ships embarks upon their formation. Here, your third merry dog awaits.
- Stage 3C – The Obstacles and the Blue Turrets: Navigate through an obstacle course comprising long rectangular barricades topped with menacing red turrets. Positioned to the left of the blue turrets, near the screen’s edge, awaits your fourth furry companion.
- Stage 3C – A Tricky Red Turret Stretch: Immediately following the previous encounter, a sequence of red turrets shall present itself. Proceed to the right as they conclude, and your fifth merry dog is yours for the taking.
- Stage 3D – Preparing for the Boss: As the looming boss makes its debut, lock onto the screen’s central region for your sixth acquisition.
- Stage 3E – Boss Battle Revelation: Amidst the tumultuous boss battle, target the far-right section of the boss’s form, ideally when the character’s speech draws to a close.
- Stage 2A – Navigating the Grid: As the grid patterns unfold upon the screen, direct your crosshairs to the lower realms to secure your eighth canine companion.
- Stage 2B – The Drones’ Right Flank: Eliminate the right side of a formidable group of drones, and fix your aim to the rightward extremity of the screen.
- Stage 2C – Amidst Conversations: Positioned between the characters’ images, engage your lock-on while the characters engage in conversation.
- Stage 2D – Confronting the Wheel-Shaped Adversary: Direct your attention to the screen’s central region, moments before the emergence of the wheel-shaped boss.
- Stage 2E – Rapid Succession Challenge: The challenges come in swift succession in this level. First, explore the leftmost yellow block shortly after a section featuring spinning turrets.
- Stage 2E – Battling the Red Tank Miniboss: After vanquishing three formidable red tank enemies, lock onto the area they once occupied.
- Stage 2E – Seizing Opportunity Amidst Chaos: Just as the tank miniboss materializes, target the lower-left section. This maneuver can be tricky, and it’s advised to repeat until successful.
- Stage 4A – Pursuit of the Blue Drone Emissary: Your sixteenth merry dog awaits right atop the square, azure enemy that dispenses blue drones.
- Stage 4A – The Red Tank Conundrum: As the colossal red tank enemy assumes its menacing stance in the middle of your path, direct your crosshairs to the bottom-left corner of the screen to uncover your seventeenth furry friend.
- Stage 4A – The Block Conveyor Challenge: Upon escaping the conveyor maze, veer to the right and lock on promptly.
- Stage 4B – Inside the Electric X: Positioned within the heart of the first electric ‘X’ you encounter, your eighteenth canine companion patiently waits.
- Stage 4B – The Right Path: Immediately after securing the previous dog, follow the rightward path and engage your lock-on.
- Stage 4B – The Enigmatic Fragmented Circle: Nestled at the heart of the next electric ‘X,’ housed within the fragmented circle, your nineteenth merry dog resides.
- Stage 4B – Surrounded by Red Ships: Amidst a circling formation of red ships, emerging after a series of horizontal electric barriers, target the central point of the circle for your twentieth acquisition.
- Stage 4C – Dodging Missiles: After skillfully dodging a barrage of long missiles, you’ll encounter red and blue ships launching wide shots in your direction. Fix your aim to the top-left section of the screen, shortly after their appearance.
- Stage 4C – The Blue Enemy’s Formation: When a group of blue enemies forms a circular arrangement at the screen’s midpoint, focus your lock-on at the circle’s heart for your twenty-third canine companion.
- Stage 4D – Pre-Boss Revelation: Positioned at the top of the screen, just before the formidable boss, Penta, emerges, awaits your twenty-fourth furry friend.
- Stage 4E – The Pursuit Amidst Dark Blocks: Upon reaching a section featuring red enemies ascending a path of dark blocks, flanked by turrets, your first dog can be found in the midst of these dark blocks. Act swiftly, and seize it as you dispatch the red enemies or secure it from the left or right flanks.
- Stage 4E – The Post-Zoom Opportunity: After a segment where you must shoot the red, crab-like enemies and traverse gaps, direct your aim to the far-left side of the block situated behind you.
- Stage 4E – Confronting the Big Red Miniboss: As the colossal red miniboss first looms into view, hastily focus your lock-on on the lower-left region.
- Stage 5A – Amidst the Drone Onslaught: Following a colossal wave of drones, the background undergoes a transformative shift. Your dog awaits near the apex of a briefly appearing building, just before the climactic boss battle unfolds.
- Stage 6A – Post-Xiga Challenge: After vanquishing the formidable adversary Xiga, direct your crosshairs to the uppermost section of the screen to secure your penultimate canine companion.
- Target the screen’s zenith once you have triumphed over Xiga, culminating your thrilling journey in merry dog collection.
That concludes all the locations of all the merry dogs in Radiant Silvergun, both in Arcade Mode and Story Mode.
The merry dogs not only serve as an added challenge for players but also showcase the meticulous design of the game. Regardless of your skill level, the pursuit of these elusive canines offers an exciting dimension to the gameplay.
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