Length
Radiant Silvergun isn't very long, mainly due to its arcade origins. But many classic games are also of comparative length. Before battery-backups enabled game saves, many games didn't go for passwords, instead cramming everything into a one-hour burst of excellence. Early Sonic and Mario games come to mind. And an hour-long game that still warrants regular replaying is a classic indeed. Game devs should try this once in a while - although there's often public outcry when a new release doesn't take more than 15 hours to complete, as many a man has said in defence: length isn't everything.

Above: Radiant Silvergun. It's a ridiculous name, but the Japanese love English words, often using them like we would use bold or italics. It even says 'BE ATTITUDE FOR GAINS!' before each boss battle. Go on, then!

So there we have it. It's surprising how little faith modern developers seem to have in their games - locking everything away behind padlock icons, or giving you precious little ammo for the best weapons is simply a sign that either they know the game's content won't hold your interest for long unless it's trickle-fed, or that the best weapons unbalance the game too much. Of course, some titles buck this trend - Resident Evil 4, for instance - but that's an exception that proves the rule.

It's testament to Radiant Silvergun's quality that it still looks impressive after a decade. Seeing a machine produce graphical effects it technically shouldn't be able to do (like the transparencies in the final battle), whilst making the most of the hardware's complicated internal structuring is a privilege. When PS3 game developers learn how to tap that machine's power like Treasure did with Saturn, we're going to be in for a real treat. Incidentally, if you're after a copy of Radiant Silvergun in collectible condition, best put aside £100 for it. Or hope that the game does indeed appear on Xbox Live Arcade in HD form as rumoured. That would be cheaper. 10,000 MS points, anyone?