The shoot-’em-up legends at Psikyo delivered some of the genre’s best games prior to shutting their doors more than 20 years ago. If you haven’t played any Psikyo games yet and you’re on PC, you’d be wise to purchase them soon, as they’re being delisted from Steam at the end of October.
Due to a license expiring, following October 31, the following Psikyo games will no longer be available on Steam:
- Strikers 1945
- Strikers 1945 II
- Strikers 1945 III
- Gunbird
- Gunbird 2
- Gunbarich
- Samurai Aces
- Samurai Aces Episode II: Tengai
- Samurai Aces Episode III: Sengoku Cannon
- Sol Divide
- Dragon Blaze
- Zero Gunner 2
The delistings only apply to the Steam versions, so those looking to buy the games on other platforms, like Nintendo Switch, will still be able to do so, and you can continue playing them on Steam past October 31 if you’ve purchased them. There are multiple bundles available, should you be interested in a particular series, and a bundle containing all of these games is available for just over $100.
Psikyo, which was founded by former Video System developers, quickly established itself as a premier shoot-’em-up developer. Alongside the Strikers trilogy (and a Neo Geo version with some gameplay differences) the Gunbird and Samurai Aces series are among the highlights, as is the fantasy-themed Dragon Blaze. They offer a number of difficulty settings and tremendously fast-paced and polished action. Prior to iiRcade’s shutdown in 2023, the majority of Psikyo games were also available on its digital store, which players can still enjoy if their cabinet didn’t break like mine did.