There should really be two separate pages for Silpheed -- the PC-88 version (also ported to DOS and Apple II) is the original, while the Sega CD version is an entirely different game, and could be considered a sequel.
I played both, and I think they kind of rule! For 1986, the PC-88 Silpheed is incredibly impressive--I might like it more than any '80s shmup I've yet tried. There are mechanics in there that I wish more games in the '90s would've stolen! (The ship having a damage counter, repairable with health items or at the end of a level; selectable right and left weapons; invincibility items; etc.). The fortress levels are very cool.
The Sega CD Silpheed is also impressive in its own right -- it uses pre-rendered video underneath the game assets to make these incredibly dynamic, cinematic backdrops for the action. Gameplay is simple, but smooth!
They both feel dated, certainly, and the oblique perspective can be frustrating, but honestly I can't find a whole lot to complain about beyond that. I had a good time with them.
I played both, and I think they kind of rule! For 1986, the PC-88 Silpheed is incredibly impressive--I might like it more than any '80s shmup I've yet tried. There are mechanics in there that I wish more games in the '90s would've stolen! (The ship having a damage counter, repairable with health items or at the end of a level; selectable right and left weapons; invincibility items; etc.). The fortress levels are very cool.
The Sega CD Silpheed is also impressive in its own right -- it uses pre-rendered video underneath the game assets to make these incredibly dynamic, cinematic backdrops for the action. Gameplay is simple, but smooth!
They both feel dated, certainly, and the oblique perspective can be frustrating, but honestly I can't find a whole lot to complain about beyond that. I had a good time with them.